the catchphrase "i have a cunning plan" made its first appearance in the pilot episode, but it is not regularly used until the third series; blackadder had mentioned the phrase twice in the first series and baldrick once. baldrick had also claimed to have "a plan" in a "cunning" voice on one occasion in "blackadder ii". in the final episode of the last series, "blackadder goes forth", baldrick announces that he has a cunning plan to save the main characters from "going over the top", although it is never revealed what this plan might be (other than that it is "as cunning as a fox who's just been appointed professor of cunning at oxford university"). blackadder, perhaps realising he cannot postpone going into battle (and certain death) indefinitely, dismisses it, telling baldrick "whatever it was, i'm sure it was better than my plan to get out of here by pretending to be mad. i mean, who would have noticed another madman around here?"