Released a few days ago on Netflix, Asterix & Obelix: The Battle of the Chiefs, the new creation by Alain Chabat, has, unsurprisingly, been a huge success. A success that we owe to the mastery and expertise of the immense Chabat, who knew how to bring out the best in the creation of Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny. The success of this 5-episode animated series has made us want to focus on the show's best references and easter eggs.
SPOILER ALERT!
Some puns, of course
Since Alain Chabat is at the helm of this animated series, Le Combat des Chefs is full of delicious puns. Among those that struck us the most, we can obviously cite the lobster and strawberry joke (understand Omar and Fred), as well as the young man with the Caesarian salute which obviously refers to the Hitler salute.
Stonehenge
When he discovers his strength, Obelix builds menhirs that resemble Stonehenge.
COVID-19
When Asterix and Obelix walk in the forest near the village, Obelix wonders what bats taste like. An obvious reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was once blamed on bat consumption.
Pompeii
During the fair, two Romans wonder if it is wise to buy real estate in Pompeii. A reference, obviously, to the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The Burger Quiz
In the penultimate episode of the series, when Asterix sets off in pursuit of Getafix in the Roman fair, he finds himself stuck in various attractions. One of them propels him over different obstacles like inside a pinball machine. Each of his bounces is accompanied by a sound reference to Burger Quizz.
Avengers Assemble
At the very end of the series, when the Gauls face the Romans, Alain Chabat offers fans of the Marvel universe a direct reference to Avengers: Endgame. Whether in the staging or in the famous line "Avengers Assemble", Alain Chabat offers a mirror of the film by the Russo brothers, by staging Abraracourcix at the head of the line, reciting the line "Gaulois Rassemblements". Already a cult classic!
This is not the first adaptation of Le Combat des Chefs
In fact, technically, it is indeed the first adaptation. However, at the end of the 1960s, a project to adapt Le Combat des Chefs almost saw the light of day. Indeed, the Belgian studio Belvision of Raymond Leblanc and Georges Dargaud was looking at the time to highlight the characters of Asterix & Obelix. They then tried to produce adaptations of several comics including La Serpe d’or and Le Combat des Chefs. A logical desire following the success of Asterix the Gaul in theaters. Daniel Couvreur, a journalist with the daily newspaper Le Soir, explained on the microphone of Radio France that:
At the time, copyright was not what it is today. Studio Belvision launched the animated version of the albums La Serpe d’or and Le Combat des chefs without warning the authors of the adventures of the Gauls. At the last minute, the studio decided to show them La Serpe d’or. Goscinny and Uderzo were appalled by the level of production, which was far from comparable to that of Disney Studios, the model of animation at the time.
Faced with the refusals of René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, Studio Belvision had no choice but to destroy these two animated films...
Several references to comics
To create Le Combat des Chefs, Alain Chabat obviously used some story elements from the comics of Uderzo and Goscinny. Indeed, we can find several references to different comics:
- For example, the birthday of Asterix and Obelix is mentioned in album No. 34 entitled The Birthday of Asterix and Obelix, released in 2009.
- The story of Obelix falling into the pot of magic potion is obviously recurrent. But this cult story was told for the first time in 1965 in the magazine Pilote on the occasion of the story How did Obelix fall into the druid's pot when he was little? Alain Chabat does not hesitate to take up certain elements of this very first story.
- The addition of strawberries and a lobster in the recipe for the magic potion is mentioned in the very first album of the license: Asterix the Gaul.
- The election of a new village chief was an element of the plot of the 21st album: Caesar's Gift, in 1974.
- Finally, obviously, Alain Chabat took up elements of the plot of The Battle of the Chiefs, released in 1966, in which Aplusbégalix, the chief of the Gallo-Roman village of Sérum, must challenge and defeat Abraracourcix. To do this, the Romans decide to kidnap Panoramix. As in the Chabat series, Obélix accidentally throws a menhir at the druid, who then loses his mind and memory. An idea that was also taken up in the animated film Asterix and the Clash of the Menhir in 1989. Alain Chabat does not hesitate to offer mirror sequences with The Clash of the Menhir, notably when Potus tastes the various new magic potions.
The little bonus!
Against all expectations, Alain Chabat has in store for us not one scene, but a whole little post-credits short film. Indeed, the creator of Mission Cleopatra has fun staging a silent short film around two wild boars who roam the outskirts of the Gallic village. A very funny 2D cartoon, which pays homage to the world of Looney Tunes. A short film that takes place during the events of The Battle of the Chiefs since we can notably see Potus stuck in Getafix's cauldron or the final battle between the Romans and the Gauls in the background.
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