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Burns

obedient loyal disciplined stoic dismissive
Senior non-commissioned officer (Sergeant Major) in the British Army simulation; dismisses Carstairs' doubts as 'nonsense', prioritizes chain-of-command loyalty, and enforces tactical procedures against fugitives. Antagonistic to Carstairs' resistance and symbolizes unquestioning obedience to the War Lords' system.
24 appearances
Also known as: Sergeant, Ransom’s Sergeant

Burns's Journey

A timeline through the narrative

24 moments
S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Blackadder prioritizes ambulance under fire

Neutral but alert; his tone and demeanor suggest a man who is fully engaged in the moment, prioritizing the delivery of information over emotional reaction. There is a sense of urgency in his interruption, but it is tempered by his professionalism.

The Sergeant enters the scene as a disruptor of sorts, interrupting Barrington’s telephone conversation to deliver urgent news about the approaching ambulance. His dialogue is minimal but purposeful, serving as …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Doctor silences Jamie’s TARDIS panic

Focused and in control, with a sense of urgency driven by the volatile nature of the trench environment.

The Sergeant stands in the trench, issuing orders to hold fire and direct the group to descend. His authoritative tone and commanding presence reinforce the military’s control over the situation. …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Carstairs Reports Suspicious Civilians

Neutral and task-oriented, with no visible reaction to the civilians' presence.

The Sergeant is briefly present at the start of the event, announcing Carstairs’ arrival before leaving to 'take care of the civilians.' His role is functional—facilitating the handoff of responsibility …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Doctor’s Failed Escape Attempt

Confused and fearful, but trusting in the Doctor’s ability to navigate the situation

Jamie stands in the trench, his confusion evident as he questions the Doctor about their surroundings. He is visibly bewildered by the trench warfare and the war itself, his expressions …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Sergeant detains group for Major’s interrogation

Confused and slightly overwhelmed, struggling to reconcile the brutality of war with his own values and the Doctor's explanations. His loyalty to the Doctor is evident, but his emotions are raw and unfiltered.

Jamie expresses confusion about their surroundings and the purpose of the war, questioning the Doctor about the trenches and the conflict's justification. His bewilderment highlights the group's disorientation and the …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Barrington’s Interrogation Exposes Jamie’s Vulnerability

Neutral and professional, with no visible emotional investment in the outcome. He is simply carrying out his orders, and his role is to ensure that Barrington’s directives are followed without question.

The Sergeant stands at attention near the door, his expression neutral and his posture rigid. He delivers the critical piece of information—that Jamie tried to make off toward the German …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Smythe orders civilian interrogation

Indirectly neutral, as his role in the military hierarchy ensures he follows orders without question.

The Sergeant is not physically present in this scene but is implied to be part of the chain of command that will facilitate the transfer of the civilians to Smythe. …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Smythe orders civilian interrogation

Not explicitly shown, but inferred to be unaware of the immediate danger they face. Their emotional state is likely one of confusion or urgency, given their sudden involvement in a warzone.

The Three Civilians (the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe) are the subject of General Smythe’s orders. Though not physically present in this scene, their discovery in no man’s land triggers Smythe’s …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Smythe reveals hidden monitor to summon reinforcements

Subdued and slightly flustered, masking a deeper unease at having triggered Smythe’s wrath.

Sergeant Major Burns enters Smythe’s room unannounced, holding a mug of tea—a routine gesture that immediately disrupts the general’s controlled environment. His posture is rigid, his voice subdued as he …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Carstairs Warns of Smythe’s Brutality

Neutral, fulfilling his orders with detached efficiency, showing no personal investment in the group’s fate.

The Sergeant announces the departure of the supply truck and escorts the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe onto it as ordered by Major Barrington. His actions are mechanical and disciplined, reflecting …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Doctor’s diplomacy fails under Barrington’s suspicion

Neutral and obedient, fulfilling his duties without personal investment in the outcome, focused solely on executing Barrington’s orders.

The Sergeant informs Barrington about the supply truck’s departure and follows his order to escort the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe to the truck. His actions are mechanical and disciplined, reflecting …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Doctor’s group surrendered to Ransom

Neutral and professional, fully committed to his duty

Sergeant Major Burns escorts the Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe into the Command Post with military precision, barking orders to maintain formation. His demeanor is authoritative and unyielding, enforcing the rigid …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Smythe’s rigged court-martial condemns the Doctor’s team

Emotionally neutral, operating purely on orders. His detachment suggests either deep conditioning or a lack of personal investment in the outcome.

Sergeant Major Burns executes Smythe’s orders with mechanical precision, marching the prisoners forward, escorting Jamie to the MPs, and preparing to take the Doctor and Zoe to the cells. His …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
Smythe delivers rigged guilty verdicts

Stoic and slightly confused, with a hint of unease about the proceedings, though he ultimately follows orders without question.

Sergeant Major Burns escorts the prisoners during the court-martial and enforces the sentences by forcibly removing Jamie to military prison and taking the Doctor to his cell. He displays unexplained …

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S6E35 · The War Games Part 1
The Doctor probes Burns' memory gaps

Conflicted and agitated—his initial compliance gives way to paranoia as the Doctor’s questions expose his memory gaps. There’s a flicker of fear beneath his defensiveness, as if he’s afraid of what he can’t remember.

Burns marches the Doctor into the cell with military precision, his movements rigid and mechanical. He locks the door with a finality that suggests routine, but his demeanor shifts when …

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S6E36 · The War Games Part 2
Ransom orchestrates search and cover-up

Neutral and professional—his role is purely operational, and his emotional state is not explored. He is a cog in the military machine, executing orders without question.

Sergeant (Ransom’s) is mentioned briefly as the leader of the search party Carstairs is to assemble. His role is purely functional—he is the non-commissioned officer tasked with executing Ransom’s orders. …

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S6E36 · The War Games Part 2
Ransom disrupts Carstairs’ fragile alliance

Neutral—His role is purely functional, reflecting the rigid hierarchy of the military command.

Ransom’s sergeant is mentioned briefly by Ransom as the source of a 'party' to assist Carstairs in searching the building. No direct dialogue or action is attributed to him, but …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Burns Reports Fugitives Near Firepower

Professional detachment with an undercurrent of discomfort—he’s doing his job, but the weight of the situation isn’t lost on him.

Sergeant Major Burns stands rigidly at attention, delivering the intelligence report with military precision. His demeanor is purely professional, but his hesitation ('er, here, sir') betrays a flicker of unease—perhaps …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Smythe’s Execution Order and Personal Vendetta

Coldly neutral, his emotions suppressed beneath layers of military discipline and institutional conditioning.

Sergeant Major Burns stands rigidly beside Smythe, his demeanor one of absolute obedience. He echoes Smythe’s dismissal of Carstairs—‘delirious, sir. Talking nonsense, sir’—and prepares the firing squad with mechanical precision. …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Carstairs’ desperate truth dismissed

Stoically indifferent, his emotional state suppressed beneath rigid military discipline and unquestioning loyalty.

Sergeant Major Burns stands rigidly at attention, his responses to Smythe and Carstairs mechanical and deferential. He echoes Smythe's dismissal of Carstairs as 'delirious' without hesitation, his loyalty to the …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Jamie’s defiance at execution order

Emotionally detached (treats Carstairs’ claims as nonsense) and mechanically efficient (focused on executing orders). His state is one of blind loyalty, with no internal conflict visible.

Sergeant Major Burns, Smythe’s loyal subordinate, prepares the firing squad without question and dismisses Carstairs’ claims as 'delirium.' He acts as Smythe’s enforcer, ensuring the execution order is carried out. …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Carstairs saves the Doctor with a lie

Neutral and detached, reflecting a soldier carrying out orders. There’s no visible remorse or hesitation, reinforcing his role as a cog in the war games’ machinery. His sudden silence during the chaos suggests surprise or disorientation, but no emotional investment in the outcome.

Burns serves as Smythe’s enforcer, barking orders to the firing squad with mechanical precision. His role is purely functional: he prepares the squad to execute the Doctor but is disrupted …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Resistance disrupts execution attempt

Urgent and relieved; his emotions are raw, reflecting his deep care for the Doctor.

Jamie, driven by his loyalty to the Doctor, is desperate to intervene and save him from execution. His initial plan is thwarted by Carstairs’ caution, but the chaos of the …

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S6E41 · The War Games Part 7
Doctor exposes Smythe’s lingering threat

Relieved but tense, with a deep sense of urgency to neutralize the threat posed by Smythe and ensure the team’s survival.

Jamie, relieved to see the Doctor alive, quickly shifts his focus to the immediate threat posed by Smythe. His urgency is palpable as he asks Russell about the Doctor’s whereabouts …

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Affiliations

British Military Forces (1917 War Zone Simulation) [Puppet Regime]
member
WWI Western Front Operations and Security Enforcement

Burns is described as a senior non-commissioned officer and enforces tactical procedures, demonstrating his membership within the British Military Forces operating as a puppet regime under the alien War Games controllers. He appears in numerous events fulfilling his role within the military.

British Military Police (MPs) Enforcement Unit
member
Western Front Military Law Enforcement and Internal Security

Burns escorts prisoners and enforces Smythe's orders, fulfilling the role of military law enforcement within the British Military Police (MPs) Enforcement Unit.