Blackadder/Recap/S3/E03 Nob and Nobility

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
< Blackadder‎ | Recap‎ | S3


Scarlet Pimpernel Fever has swept London. Everyone thinks he's so brave for rescuing French aristocrats. Edmund, of course, is simply annoyed, and when he can't take it any more, bets that he could go to France to rescue an aristocrat. George gives him a wonderful send off, but as we all can guess, Edmund has no intention of going to France; he's just going to find one of the refugee Frenchmen, and get him to PRETEND he's been rescued. They find a suitable aristocrat, but are captured by a French Revolutionary who has just killed the ambassador and sentanced to death. The count gives them suicide pills, but before he can take them, he is removed for torture. Edmund, armed with the suicide pills, slips one into the drink of the torturere, who then reveals herself as the Scarlet Pimpernel! But it's too late, and after a prolonged death scene, dies. Edmund and Baldrick escape with the Count in tow, and relate a completly made up story of rescue to the prince, who, needless to say, is impressed. But Edmund's triumph doesn't last long; the Count outs him, and reveals HE is the Scarlet Pimpernel's....assistant. But before Edmund's ruse can be revealed, he remember he has one more suicide pill...and both Scarlet Pimpernels are now dead. But who is the Scarlet Pimpernel then? Prince George has an envelope of money to give him. Edmund cuts in and says the aristocrats were NOT the Scarlet Pimpernel, and the true Scarlet Pimpernel would be someone who denied his identity, and when asked "Are you the Scarlet Pimpernel?" would reply "Absolutely not." "Edmund, are you the Scarlet Pimpernel?" George asks. "Absolutely not." Edmund replies.


  • Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys: Edmund seems to have this view of the French.
  • Everythings Sexier in French: Mrs. Miggins, George, and pretty much everyone else thinks this.
  • Lethal Chef: Mrs. Miggins seems to be this, at least when she attempts French cooking.
  • Something Only They Would Say: Played with at the end, after inadvertently killing what may have been the Scarlet Pimpernel, upon learning George was planning on granting the Pimpernel with an enormous postal order, claims that if asked if he was, the Pimpernel would claim that he isn't. An astonished George asks Edmund if he is the Scarlet Pimpernel, Edmund smirks and replies with "Absolutely not, sir."