Original French Title: La Guerre de Cent Ans
Setting: 1300 to 1453
Cathedrals were to the 13th century what universities are to the 14th. But while universities are being built, Europe is undergoing famine and plague. Meanwhile, France and England are fighting each other in the Hundred Years' War from 1337 to 1453...
Tropes:
- Annoying Arrows: While attacking an English-occupied castle, Joan of Arc is shot in the shoulder and falls into the arms of Pierre. She removes the arrow, though, and she continues the fight.
- Artistic License – History: The battle of Agincourt is depicted with the exact same footage as the battle of Crecy, with the French knights running over the crossbowmen during the charge, which, in reality, only happened at Crecy. It also gives the impression that the English army consisted solely of archers. This wasn't the case in real life, for what won the Battle of Agincourt was not simply a Rain of Arrows, but the steadfast line of English knights that forced the French into a disorganized mess which was flanked and then routed.
- In addition, the Comic-Book Adaptation recycles the idea that a knight in plate armor had the mobility of a brick and therefore had to hoisted onto his horse. See the Real Life section of the Lightning Bruiser trope, which gives lie to the whole myth.
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: Happens to Charles VII.
- The Blacksmith: Medieval!Pierre and Medieval!Jumbo arrive to a French village, save it from bandits (led by Le Teigneux) and settle down there. The local blacksmith is impressed and takes Jumbo in as his apprentice, and from then on he's seen doing blacksmith work.
- Burn the Witch!: The fiery executions of Jan Hus and Joan of Arc are shown onscreen.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The English archers are shown shooting at the French knights at Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.
- Downer Ending: The main cast learns to their sorrow that Joan of Arc was betrayed by the Burgundians, accused of heresy and witchcraft by pro-English churchmen, and ultimately burned in Rouen by the English.
- Gag Haircut: A variation: when Medieval!Maestro pushes his wheelbarrow around the town, he gets his beard caught in the wheel and asks Pierrot to cut his beard short with a pair of scissors. Pierrot does so, revealing Maestro's skinny frame. Pierrot is embarrassed, but Maestro is having a good laugh about it.
- Go-Karting with Bowser: In one scene, Le Teigneux is seen alongside Maestro, Pierre, Pierrette, and Jumbo as they listen to one of the sermons of John Ball, whom they all agree with.
- Jeanne d'Archétype: The original Joan of Arc is given a substantial segment.
- Karma Houdini: Medieval!Teigneux and Medieval!Nabot don't seem to get any punishment after burning and looting the village around the city walls, although Nabot does get Shot in the Ass by an archer. In fact, Teigneux is last seen in this episode saying, "Farewell! We'll be back one of these days!" They don't even get Adaptational Karma in the Comic-Book Adaptation.
- Knight in Shining Armor: Subverted by the French knights, who lose three battles in 1346, 1356, and 1415 respectively.
- The Late Middle Ages
- Leeroy Jenkins: In the Battle of Crecy in 1346, a group of French knights charge towards the enemy, causing their crossbowmen to flee. The English lose no time in shooting at them.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: Medieval!Pierrot and Medieval!Jumbo Junior seem to remain preteens from 1424 to 1431. Particularly jarring when you realize that, in 1424, the oldest Pierrot would have to be is 8 years old, which should have made him 13 in 1429, and 15 in 1431.
- Pauper Patches: Worn by Pierre and Jumbo during the Great Famine of 1315.
- The Plague: The Black Death, of course.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: The village is burned by two sets of bandits, forcing Pierre, Jumbo, their wives and children, and Maestro to seek shelter behind the castle walls.
- The Scapegoat: During the Black Death, a group of villagers blame the Jews for the pestilence, only for the Pope to threaten anyone who harms the Jews with excommunication.
- Self-Destructive Charge: The French knights at Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.
- Sequel Hook: "In 1453, Gutenberg printed his first Bible. In the same year, in Constantinople, Justinian's ramparts gave way to the Turks. Byzantine artists fled to Italy and helped create The Renaissance. And at Vinci, a town near Florence, a baby named Leonardo was already thinking inventive thoughts..."
- Shot in the Ass: Happens to Le Nabot in one scene.
- The Siege: The Siege of Orleans is shown being broken by Joan of Arc.
- Stubborn Mule: One of them is pulling a barge that Pierre and Jumbo are in. When the mule refuses to move, Pierre and Jumbo offer to pull the barge themselves.
- Toilet Humor: In one scene, Medieval!Maestro builds a toilet seat, Medieval!Pierrot and Medieval!Little Jumbo wonder what it is, so Maestro whispers what he has just created in the boys' ears, whereupon they laugh out loud.
- The Worf Effect: Both Medieval!Pierre and Medieval!Jumbo are severely beaten by a group of highwaymen (who outnumber them).
