List of The Smurfs characters
This is a list of characters in the cartoon The Smurfs.
Smurfs
Airborne (aka Aviator)
Airborne Smurf has a sole passion in life: flying. He tried several ways to fly in the air: sticking feathers on his arms, using a hot air balloon, even eating yeast mixture! His attempts were only short-lived, and he gave up for a while, until he sought assistance from Handy Smurf. The mechanic built for him a big wooden mechanical plane that effectively flied in the air. As he flew with it, he impressed all the smurfs... except Smurfette, as he accidentally messed up her house with his air vehicle. Still, she was less unhappy when he managed to save her from the clutches of Gargamel the sorcerer. He then became for a while Aviator Smurf.
Alchemist (aka Apprentice, Clumsy)
At first, the Alchemist Smurf was just a regular smurf. Yet, he often spied in Papa Smurf's laboratory when he was doing his chemical and magical experiments, and he really felt like doing the same, making great magical things too. To achieve his desire, he offered to work as an assistant to Papa Smurf in his experiments, but Papa gently declined, saying he was too young for this. Apprentice Smurf then tried to break inside several times, always failing.
He then decided to go break inside Gargamel's mansion, who was also a sorcerer holding magical and chemical secret books. Alchemist Smurf was in such a hurry that he only managed to get one page from a formula book and ran back to the village. The stolen page told the recipe of a magical potion, yet didn't tell of the effects as the rest was in the book left behind (the smurf wasn't strong enough to bring the whole thing). Not giving up his passion, the little smurf worked on the recipe.
He made a strange mixture, but being afraid of its consequences, he first tried to offer it to other smurfs, who declined. He ended up drinking it himself, which magically turned him to a reptilian scaled creature. He sought help from Papa Smurf, who tried his best to find an antidote, but failed. The Alchemist Smurf then went on his own back to Gargamel's but got captured. The other smurfs went to his rescue, found the antidote's recipe and changed Apprentice Smurf back to his old self. Returning, Alchemist Smurf learned his lesson. The use of magic and chemistry was just too far beyond him.
In the cartoon episode, The Smurfs' Apprentice, Apprentice Smurf is Clumsy.
Baby
Baby Smurf first appeared in the eponymous comic issue (and in the cartoon episode, Once In A Blue Moon), where he was delivered by a stork on a blue moon night in the smurf village. The smurfs first thought it was Smurfette's biological baby and tried to find out who was the father, but they abandoned the idea as they lived with the toddler, who was mostly taken care by Smurfette and Papa Smurf.
It was later found out that Baby Smurf was sent by some mysterious unnamed people by a stork, when they sent the stork back with a written message. It claimed that Baby Smurf was delivered in error and that they had to take him back. The smurfs were revolted by this, and Grouchy Smurf, the smurf who was the least expected to show attachment to the baby, ran away with him into the forest so that he wouldn't be taken back. After a dangerous runaway, he had to return... without anger from his peers, as they felt sympathetic towards him due to his unusual caring attitude. The stork took the baby but came back with him, with another message that claimed that the senders were touched by Grouchy's story and thought that the smurfs deserved to keep Baby Smurf after all.
Baker (AKA Greedy)
Baker Smurf is the local baker of the village. He directs a bakery shop and provides fresh bread for the smurfs. He can be distinguished by his chef's hat. Baker Smurf had the most spotlight in the album "The Financial Smurf", where he is one of the smurfs who have had the better luck with money.
In the cartoon series, Baker Smurf and Greedy Smurf are the same smurf: Greedy.
Brainy
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Brainy Smurf is the all-around-brain of the village. Although he acts as though he was second-in-command behind Papa Smurf, this isn't the case and even Papa Smurf doesn't seem very fond of his sanctimonious attitude. He is a smurf that can be distinguished from the others because he wears thick glasses as he is extremely short-sighted. In fact, in the original Belgian version, he is called "Specs Smurf" (and, more seldom, "Lecturing Smurf"). Brainy Smurf is an avid reader and keeps a lot of books in his house (mostly his quotations). Being very close to Papa Smurf, he is quite arrogant and often lectures smurfs who don't behave, and threatens to tattle on them to Papa Smurf. Loquacious, he often uses big words that he himself either made up or doesn't know what they really mean. A lot of the other smurfs dislike him, and when he enters into a long lecturing, some frustrated smurf would angrily smash him on the head with a big wooden mallet. Frequently, in the cartoon, after his blathering or posturing have gone too far, he is thrown a long distance (typically by Hefty Smurf), and always lands square on his head, usually outside of the village. |
Clockwork
Clockwork Smurf is a wooden automaton (robot) who was built by Handy Smurf. Despite the technology level the smurfs are at (it is the Middle Ages), he is capable of feelings and morality. Clockwork Smurf's favorite trick is eating smilax leaves and turning them into hot smilax soup and giving them to his fellow smurfs.
Gargamel eventually found Clockwork Smurf and replaced him with a double, replacing his smilax concoction with a mutating potion that turned most of the smurfs who drank it into misshapen monsters. The smurfs came to get an antidote and succeeded, while Clockwork Smurf defeated his doppelganger in personal combat.
Handy endowed his creation with a literal heart of gold, which is responsible for making Clockwork the caring smurf he is. However, being composed of gold, the heart is sometimes the target of schemes by various greedy and villainous characters. When Clockwork's heart is replaced with a heart of stone in one episode, Clockwork becomes cold, antisocial, and dangerous toward his fellow smurfs.
In Clockwork's debut episode, The Clockwork Smurf, he helps Prince Gerard overcome the schemes of his aunt and become king. Clockwork stays on with Gerard but visits the smurfs (and vice versa) in later episodes.
Clumsy
A somewhat dimwitted but amiable smurf, he is distinguished by his baggy cap and his eponymous maladroitness. He is known for his hobby: collecting rocks. In one episode he was confined to his house for seven years after breaking Vanity's mirror, due to the bad-luck curse poisoning the village. He exiled himself to the forest. The same night a meteor demolished the house, and the other smurfs, thinking him killed, eulogized him passionately. Though not terribly bright, a klutz, and a terrible smurfball player, he is a good and caring friend. Brainy lost his glasses once, and being extremely nearsighted, depended on Clumsy to guide him along. Clumsy faithfully led his poor blind friend about for days while Papa Smurf went on a quest to get him new glasses.
Dabbler
Dabbler is the most introverted and sentimental smurf. He is constantly tormented by an inherent sadness which stems from the inability of his friends and family to understand him. Dabbler's life is a never-ending quest for love and to be understood.
Doc
Although Papa Smurf is the village's only acknowledged doctor, a smurf was in the passion of taking a course of medicine. Therefore, when Papa Smurf had a breakdown after working stress, the smurf took the doctor job into his hands, becoming Doc Smurf. However, Doc Smurf had a very superficial knowledge of medicine and health, using scattered sources of medical books to give prescriptions to his patients. Nevertheless, he took great pride in his self-established job, which was lackluster at best, harmful at worst. Some disappointed smurfs then decided to use their own ways of medicine, such as acupuncture or psychology.
It was only when an alchemist human friend of Papa Smurf arrived to heal him personally that the Doc Smurfs realized their mistake: health and medicine are too important to be taken so slightly and superficially, and it requires heavy studies.
Dopey
Dopey Smurf is portrayed as the least intelligent among the smurfs. Other smurfs often request him to get some object and then he returns a different one, having misunderstood.
Dreamy (aka Astro)
Dreamy Smurf often stargazed in the sky at night. His dream was leaving the planet to venture into other planets. He tried to ask assistance from Papa Smurf with his magic knowledge, but it proved to be too difficult. Dreamy Smurf then decided to use scientific methods: he would make a giant space rocket that would "propel him to the stars". After having worked several weeks on his rocket (that was wooden), he prepared himself in a white jumpsuit and a glass bowl as an astronaut attire, therefore becoming Astro Smurf. Alas, the rocket was powered only by his smurfpower on pedals that made a propeller turn, which of course was absolutely inefficient, not even making the rocket move. Saddened, Astro Smurf gave up, becoming depressed. The smurfs took pity on him, so they decided to give him the illusion of his dream coming true.
Papa Smurf told him that they fixed the rocket so that it would really work and fly to space. Astro Smurf, excited, went to his wooden shuttle. Before this, Papa Smurf made him drink a sleeping potion (pretending it was to give him strength). As Astro Smurf "departed", the smurfs shook the rocket and made smoke to give the impression he really flew in the sky. Astro Smurf then fell asleep due to the potion.
Papa Smurf then talked about his plan: the smurfs would take the rocket apart, transporting it and Astro Smurf to the inside of a dead volcano so that it gives an "alien planet" setting for him. As they arrived at the volcano, Papa Smurf gave all the smurfs a mutating potion that turned them orange-skinned (green in the cartoon) , white-lipped and bushy-black-haired. It was to give the impression they were aliens on the planet, and they called themselves the "swoofs", dressing like tropical natives.
Astro Smurf awakened on the pseudo-planet, then encountered them, which was like a new world to him. He was so happy that he intended to stay with them forever. Papa Smurf (as Grandpa Swoof, leader) was annoyed by this, so he decided that Astro Smurf should pass several trials if he wanted to be admitted as a swoof. Astro Smurf passed almost all of them, though the last one was about spending years working as a slave. Not wanting to bear that, Astro Smurf decided to go back home. "Papa Swoof" gave him sleeping potion again, so that they could bring him back to smurf village after returning to normal from their swoof appearance.
Having lived a great adventure, Astro announced to the village that he was now satisfied to live back on Earth, to much of the smurfs' relief.
In a sequel, Astro "returned" to the swoof world...however, Brainy goofed up the formula, and it wore off too quickly, revealing the ruse.
Farmer
Farmer Smurf is a farmer who grows crops for the other smurfs. He is easy to distinguish from the other smurfs: he wears dark green overalls, wooden clogs, and a straw hat, with the usual (for smurfs) Phrygian cap-shaped crown. In the original French version, he speaks in typical hillbilly lingo. In the animated series he spoke with a distinct Maine "potato farmer" patois (and looked like a normal smurf but usually carried a hoe).
Finance
Finance Smurf is notable in smurf comics for introducing the system of money among his peers. He appeared in one album, "The Finance Smurf". He used to be a regular smurf who was sent to a wizard, Master Omnibus, to get medicine for Papa Smurf who got sick after a failed experiment. As Omnibus' disciple Olivier went to buy ingredients for the medicine, the smurf discovered money, its use, and its importance in society.
When he returned to the village, he became Finance Smurf and introduced the money system (in the form of gold coins) among the smurfs, as he thought that this system could only benefit them.
The money use was a big problem: a lot of smurfs didn't have much competence to be able to get jobs for money, too many things had to be paid, there was too much stinginess, corruption, and an economic crisis. Gargamel even tried to steal the smurfs' golden coins for himself, only to be thwarted, of course.
The smurfs realized that money only divided them, made life too hard, and made several of them poor and unhappy. So they decided to reject its use and returned to their own free style. As Papa Smurf said to Finance Smurf: "Money was created by humans for the humans, and what is good for humans is not necessarily good for us smurfs!"
Fisher
Fisher Smurf is a smurf whose main hobby is fishing. Fisher Smurf, strangely, doesn't use hooks on his fishing lines, saying that they would "injure his fishes". Fisher Smurf also hunts (catches) butterflies sometimes.
Grandpa
Grandpa Smurf is the oldest smurf, walks slightly bent over with a cane, has a long, tapering beard, and wears yellow overalls and glasses. His favorite expression seems to be "Smurfatoodles!". He was created for the Hanna-Barbera cartoon and does not appear in the original comics, except in the comic strip adaptations of the special smurf French magazine.
Greedy
Greedy Smurf is, as his name says, greedy and is almost always shown eating cakes and other pastry (and less often, fruits). In the cartoon, his character was combined with that of Baker Smurf, where he enjoys baking and cooking, but eventually ends up eating his own creations, hence the name. He wears a chef's hat and apron in the comics but a hankerchief, instead of an apron, in the cartoon.
Grouchy
Grouchy Smurf wasn't always "grouchy" to begin with. At first, he was a regular, nameless smurf, who appeared in the beginning of the very first smurfs comics issue: "The Dark Smurfs". In this adventure (The Purple Smurf in the cartoon), a flying insect called the "Bzz" Fly stings smurfs, turning them dark-skinned and insane. Grouchy Smurf was the first one stung, and, being maddened under the fly's venom, he went to bite the other Smurfs, infecting them with his condition and making the other smurfs rabid-like Dark Smurfs like him.
After a huge confrontation, all the Smurfs managed to be healed from the venom thanks to a special flower pollen that Papa Smurf discovered. The only smurf who didn't really get back to normal was Grouchy Smurf. Since he was the one who was under the "Bzz" Fly's toxins the longest, his personality was damaged and he became the Grouchy Smurf we know today, always complaining, frowning, his hands tightened in fists, and always saying "I hate (anything he hears the name of)".
Still, Grouchy Smurf sometimes managed to overcome his antisocial mental status, especially in "The Baby Smurf" issue. Baby Smurf was delivered by mistake by a stork, he had to be taken back but Grouchy Smurf developed strong affection towards Baby Smurf; he ran away with him into the forest, taking the care of him despite the dangers and the weather. Baby Smurf got sick, he had to return to the village, in tears, yet the smurfs felt sympathetic towards him and didn't hold any grudge, being touched by his unusual caring attitude.
It was Grouchy Smurf's valour that decided the mysterious senders of the baby to make the stork bring back the baby to the village, much to the delight of all the smurfs... including Grouchy, of course.
Making a parody of NBC's constant creation of bizarre miniseries, Saturday Night Live used the smurfs as an example. In this example, Al Pacino (portrayed by comedian Chris Kattan) played the role of Grouchy Smurf.
Handy
Handy Smurf, wearing overalls and with a pencil above his ear, is the handyman of the smurfs, with many inventions under his belt: a weather-changing machine (that went haywire in comics issue, and cartoon episode, "The Weather-Smurfing Machine"), Clockwork Smurf, smurfberry pickers, firetruck, laundry machine, windmills (one of which was converted into a helicopter in the cartoon episode Never Smurf Off 'Til Tomorrow), watermill, cranes, smurferator (aerator), etc. His best friend is Hefty Smurf. In the cartoons Handy is unique among smurfs in that he has a steady girlfriend- Marina the mermaid.
Harmony
Harmony Smurf is a misnomer, seeing as his musical ability shows a total lack of harmony (his original name in the French version is "Musician Smurf"). He is a music player, keeping lots of musical instruments in his house. He especially loves to play the trumpet. He has more passion than talent, though, and he persistently plays awfully and loudly, causing the other Smurfs to plug their ears in frustration.
In the "King Smurf" album, King Smurf gave him a drum to make announce (and to stop him to play trumpet), but he still managed to make bad trumpet sound out of it. Despite the fall of King Smurf, he kept that "second job"
Like in most Belgian comics, this musician plays so harshly and loudly that he sometimes causes rain to fall.
One time, Harmony Smurf was so saddened to be thrown out of a musical concert that he ran away from the village. Gargamel decided to use him as an instrument of revenge against the smurfs, so he disguised himself as a fairy, and gave him an evil magical instrument, a Kalamazoo ("turlusiphon" in the original version), claiming that it will only play beautiful music. When Harmony Smurf returned to the village to show his "new talent", he played the Kalamazoo and its evil music threw all the smurfs in a deep coma. Not being able to awaken them, Harmony Smurf discovered that Gargamel was behind all this and confronted him in a pursuit in the woods where he tried to use the Kalamazoo on Gargamel. He got the opportunity to destroy the sorcerer once and for all while he was desperately hanging above a cliff, but knew it would be wrong to strike an enemy who was down. Harmony Smurf found out that no remedies existed against the Kalamazoo, so he burned the evil instrument which exploded in devilish fire. Returning to the village, he prepared to give a funeral to the smurfs and, depressed, he played them a sonata on his trumpet, which woke them up from the curse.
Hefty
Hefty Smurf is the strongest smurf. He has a heart tattoo on each of his arms and is an active sportsman, whose favorite activity is weightlifting. He tends to be a bit brutal, as he's most often the one hitting/tossing Brainy Smurf. However, he's very kind to children and Baby Smurf & the smurflings look up to him. His best friend is Handy Smurf and they are often seen working together on projects such as building and maintaining Smurf Dam. Hefty Smurf had the starring role in Game Boy game "The Smurf's Nightmare" (where players control the athletic smurf in order to rescue other smurfs from a magic-induced slumber). Hefty is voiced by Frank Welker in the cartoon.
Jokey (aka Prisoner)
Jokey Smurf is a cheerful smurf who enjoys playing tricks and entertaining the other smurfs, his favorite target being Brainy Smurf. Jokey Smurf almost always uses the same joke trick: yellow-red-wrapped present boxes that he offers to his victims, saying it is a surprise. The present box actually holds a firecracker that explodes when the receiver opens it, puffing out a lot of black smoke that blackens the bearer's face (or entire body depending on the explosion's size).
In the climax of one episode, Jokey's explosive gifts proved to be a source of salvation. They were used during an imprisonment to create a blast that destroyed one of the walls. By tying enough of them together near a small gap, to a single long ribbon, one good pull opened all the boxes and blasted the wall apart.
Jokey Smurf's tricks eventually wore out, as most of the smurfs got used to his jokes and knew about the exploding present boxes, therefore refusing them. The only ones (more or less) who still accept the presents are Brainy Smurf and Dopey Smurf.
Upon his arrival to smurf village, Jokey gave Baby a box that, instead of exploding, contained a bushel of wildflowers.
Jokey Smurf starred as the main character in the issue "The Jewel Smurfer". In it, he gets taken away by humans who force him to steal jewels and other wealth from rich people, being dressed in a black catsuit and a mask (but still keeping his white cap on).
King
King Smurf used to be a regular smurf, but his passion was power as a leader. It began in the comic issue 2 "King Smurf" and cartoon episode The King Smurf (this time with Brainy as king).
When Papa Smurf left the village for a few weeks in order to get some chemical ingredients, the smurfs were left with no leader. An argument ensued as who should lead, but they ended up deciding to have a vote. King-Smurf-to-be really wanted the job as head of the village, so he made promises to almost all the smurfs, who were convinced and accepted to vote for him. After making a big political speech(?), he was able to win 96% of the votes and therefore became the new leader.
Just after he came into power, King Smurf put on golden-coloured clothes, and asked the smurfs to refer to him as "Majesty". He then wore a royal cape, crown, and scepter. He called himself the "Schtroumpfissime", or the Smurf King.
The smurfs didn't take him seriously but they began to despise him as he imposed harsh measures, being corrupted by power: King Smurf began a repressive regime and installed an armed troop of guards, who punished all opposition. He forced the smurfs into labor and wore them out.
Some reluctant smurfs ran away into the forest, forming a rebel movement. They attacked the Smurf King's fortress, destroying it and leaving the Smurf King helpless. The final fight was on when Papa Smurf suddenly appeared, returning from his journey. He was very angry with the smurfs for "having behaved like humans" and he mostly put the blame on, of course, King Smurf. Extremely remorseful, ex-King Smurf abdicated his throne and decided he would fix on his own all the damage that the village had suffered. The other smurfs felt sympathetic towards him, and offered their help, claiming it was also their fault, and that they still liked him after all. Ex-King Smurf cried and thanked them. Papa Smurf was touched by their solidarity and therefore forgave the smurfs.
Miner
Miner Smurf is the local miner of the village. He runs a mine in the forest where most fossil material used among the smurfs comes from. He has great pride and passion in his work, and prefers to get building matter instead of gold, which he dislikes as being too soft. Miner Smurf speaks with an Irish accent and is dressed quite differently from the other smurfs: he wears an old dark blue jacket and trousers and a metal hard hat that is the same shape as any smurf's cap.
In the cartoon he looks like a normal smurf except he wears green-yellow gloves and has a small wax candle on the top of his dirty hat for illumination.
In one cartoon episode, Handy's Window-Vision, Miner played a crucial role in a parable about watching too much television. Miner dug up a cache of special crystals--one which acted as a transmitter (camera) and others which were receivers (TVs). Soon, thanks to Handy, every smurf had a crystal in his home. They made their own around-the-clock broadcasts. Chores were soon neglected. To make matters worse, Gargamel, after discovering the crystal mine, blundered into Smurf Village and happily began capturing smurfs left and right.
Nanny
An old flame of Grandpa Smurf's, Nanny enters the cartoon series after being trapped inside a cursed castle for centuries. Grandpa and the others rescue her, and she makes her home with them in the village.
Nat/Natural
Nat is one of the smurflings. He wears dark green overalls and a straw hat (such as Farmer Smurf) but goes barefeet. He loves animals and often hangs around with them, particularly with a caterpillar. His name is short for Natural Smurf since that's who he was before he became a smurfling. He and the other smurflings have a dog named simply "Puppy" (whose name is literally the same in the original French version).
Nosey
Nosey Smurf is always curious, always wanting to know everything. In fact, he is so curious he peeks around through the other smurfs' buisnesses, causing problems for everybody.
Painter
Painter Smurf isn't just a painter; he is active in most visual arts. Often wearing a red jacket with a black tie, he is seen either doing a painting or a sculpture. In the cartoon, he speaks with a French accent.
Papa
Papa Smurf is the 3rd-oldest of the smurfs (after Grandpa and Nanny), and their leader. He is 542 years old, and can be easily distinguished from the other smurfs by his red clothes and his bushy white beard. Papa Smurf is gentle, wise, and knowledgable. Not only does he serve as leader, he also has diplomatic skills in case they meet humans or other creatures, and manages to speak without using the "smurf" word.
Voiced in French by Gérard Hernandez and in English by Don Messick.
Poet
Poet Smurf is the local poet. Very sensitive and artistic, he spends most of his time wandering in nature to improvise poems about it and sometimes has trouble finding verses that rhyme. Poet Smurf is one of the smurfs who more actively woos Smurfette.
Reflection (aka Hundredth)
Reflection Smurf (actually is unnamed) is the 100th smurf (as at first there were only 99 smurfs). He used to be Vanity Smurf's reflection, as the name implies but came to life after a lightning bolt struck a mirror Vanity Smurf made. The reflection did everything Vanity did, but in reverse, including his talking. Being rejected by Vanity Smurf for being a nuisance, he felt lonely and tried to get back in the mirror he came out, but as he crashed through it, he turned into a normal smurf not doing anything in reverse anymore. Reflection Smurf then came back to the village and was accepted as a regular smurf and Vanity Smurf acknowledged him as his "twin smurf". Papa Smurf was particularly glad as the village needed 100 smurfs in order to do their traditional "Moon Dance".
Sassette
Sassette is a smurfling and only the second of three female smurfs to be depicted, appearing after Smurfette and before Nanny. She is a little freckled redhead girl with pigtails, and wears pink overalls.
Sassette actually has the same origins as Smurfette (with a minor difference, she wasn't made by Gargamel). The smurflings (Slouchy, Nat, and Snappy) were pitying Smurfette who felt lonely, being the only girl in the village, so they decided to help her. They learned from Papa Smurf that Smurfette was indeed created magically by Gargamel out of clay. They then went to steal Gargamel's formula and magical recipes for creating Smurfette. They successfully created Sassette, who this time didn't need plastic surgery (though her rude behavior and attitude needed a bit of chemical tweaking). As they introduced Sassette to Smurfette, Smurfette was overjoyed at having a female friend, albeit a bit of a tomboy.
Of course, they didn't realize that Gargamel had cast a spell on the claybank that would have quite literally turned the little smurfling into a living bomb when the noon sun struck her. Papa's quick thinking and a fortuitous cloud over the sun saved both Sassette and the other smurfs...and Gargamel, getting too close to the clay, ended up a victim of his own treachery
Sassette is a jolly and cute girl, who is quite simple-minded. She loves playing smurfball (a game similar to soccer) and disliked reading (until she learned how). Some episodes suggest she has a crush on Hefty as she is quick to compliment him on his strength and althleticism. She frequently calls Papa Smurf "Pappy", which he finds irksome, but tolerates. Sassette is unique among the smurfs in that she is fond of Gargamel and is convinced there is good in him (noting that it was his formula that led to her creation).
Scaredy (aka Brave)
Scaredy Smurf, as his name says, easily gets scared by anything, whether it is a small insect or the noise of storm. He is often teased by the smurfs because of this.
Yet, one time, he was able to chase Gargamel from the village on his own, by overcoming his own fear. He has then been for a while named "Brave Smurf", yet his scaredy nature came back, and he returned to his normal self, much to his disappointment and sadness.
Smurfette reasured him by saying she has special liking for him, since he is more sensitive than most of the smurfs. Scaredy Smurf then no longer took shame in his scaredy nature.
Lazy (AKA Sleepy)
Lazy Smurf is the laziest of all the smurfs. He spends almost all his time sleeping, either in his bed, a hammock, on grass or anywhere. When the smurfs have to go work on their local dam or gather food for winter, Papa Smurf very often has to push Lazy Smurf around, who hates to work, saying that it makes him "tired" and that it would make him "ill".
In the comic issue "The Strange Awakening of Sleepy Smurf", the other smurfs decided to play a big prank on him. As he fell asleep, they all disguised themselves as very old smurfs and gave an old and dingy look to the village, so that they could trick him into thinking that he fell asleep way too long...
Sloppy
Sloppy Smurf is a filthy smurf with a passion for dirt, garbage, and rotten fruit. His face is perpetually grimy, his hat is grubby and dishevelled (too big), and one of his loose stockings is perpetually torn, revealing his toes. Sloppy owns a pet fly named "Fly" whom he sometimes walks on a leash and taught to do tricks like a dog.
Slouchy
Slouchy Smurf is one of the smurflings. He is very sluggish and always looks sleepy, his eyes being permanently half-closed. He wears a red shirt and his hat hangs down.
Smurfette
Smurfette is the only female smurf until the creation of Sassette. She has more delicate features than the other smurfs, with long blonde wavy hair, longer eyelashes, and wears a white dress and white high heels. She is the love interest of almost every smurf (eventually even Papa Smurf!).
In comic book volume 3: "The Smurfette", we learn that she was magically created from clay by Gargamel so that she would use her charms to cause jealousy and competition among the smurfs in order to cause their fall. He sent her to the smurf village, who kept her out of kindness.
Gargamel's plans didn't work well at first, as her appearance was flawed: she looked like just a male smurf but with long spikey black hair and a dress. She tried to be feminine and considerate, but was unattractive and proved to be more annoying than seductive.
Papa Smurf took pity On her when she became depressed because the other smurfs teased her about being fat, so he practiced plastic smurfery on her for several days in order to make her the beautiful and appealing Smurfette the other smurfs know today. This time, she caused almost every smurf of the village to fall in love with her. Alas for them, it did cause violence and jealousy as schemed by Gargamel, causing chaos among the smurfs who competed, fighting against each other to win Smurfette's heart.
She tried to convince Poet Smurf to open the water dam just to see the spurting water, but the dam got stuck and the village was flooded. After struggling to close the dam on his own, Papa Smurf showed his frustration towards the trouble-making nature of Smurfette, who, upset, said she decided to "return to the great sorcerer Gargamel's". The smurfs were shocked about this statement, and Smurfette was put on trial.
The smurfs, blinded by their passion towards her, declared her not guilty, as Jokey Smurf, her attorney in the trial, claimed that Papa Smurf was the one who made her attractive. Still, she felt sorry for the trouble she caused and ran away in the forest, coming back occasionally, eventually establishing herself in the village permanently after a while.
The smurfs then moderated their passion, having learned from their mistake, but they are still very much in love with her.
Smurfette is voiced in French by Céline Montsarrat and Lucille Bliss in English.
Feminism
From a feminist perspective, Smurfette represents women in rigidly defined gender roles. Where all the other smurfs are defined by their occupation or specialization, Smurfette's role in society is defined only by her sex. That is, Smurfette's job is simply to "be the girl." She is also regarded as an object of affection and sexual attraction for many of the other smurfs, and she perpetuates this status with her high heels, long blonde hair, and lacy white dress. In addition, her name contains the suffix "-ette," which, in the English language, carries diminutive and precious connotations. [1]
However, it should be noted that Smurfette is often shown as having a stubborn and self-sufficient side to go with her sensitive streak.
Sneezy
Sneezy Smurf is a smurf who is very cold-sensitive. Always shivering, he is always wrapped in a big scarf. Despite wearing several thick warm clothes, he still can't get over his permanent flu, making him sneeze often. It seems his body itself is cold-generating, as carrying soft drinks keeps them fresh, and when trying to blow soap bubbles, he blows ice cubes instead!
Sweepy
Sweepy Smurf is a chimney sweep with an Australian accent. He carries a chimney sweep broom, wears a black brimmed hat, red scarf around his neck, and black pants/shoes. He tends to have a dirt cloud around him, causing everything (and everyone) around him to get dirty.
Tailor
Tailor Smurf is the local tailor and clothes-maker. His regular customers are Vanity Smurf and Smurfette. In the cartoon, he speaks with a true "old time" New York City tailor-style accent.
Timid
Timid is a very shy smurf. One time, he tried to make friends with a baby dragon he found in the woods. He called him "Grumpf" as this was the sound he made when he spat fire. Grumpf caused damage in the village as he was quite big, heavy and greedy. His parents returned to get him, but still Grumpf remains a friend to Timid Smurf.
Tracker
Tracker Smurf wears a small red feather in his cap and sometimes carries a walking stick. He has a talent for predicting snow simply by sniffing the air. In one episode he asked Tailor to sew him a coat of some fur scraps, claiming cold weather was coming. The other smurfs laughed--then, when the village was blanketed by a sudden blizzard, were sorry. Jealous of Tracker's spiffy coat, they schemed to steal it--and ended up destroying it. Except for Tracker and Papa, the whole smurf population was soon ill with pneumonia. Tracker, in his hastily-fixed coat, was the only one who could brave the storm (and Gargamel's machinations) to fetch a special root for a curative tea to help his friends.
Tracker is one of the smurfs who was phased out in later cartoon episodes, replaced by Nat (Natural Smurf), who has been both adult and child. Both share a passion for nature and a love for animals, often speaking to the beasts of the forest.
Vanity
Vanity is an effeminate and stylish smurf, most of the time seen wearing a pink flower on his hat. He is the epitome the modern trend metrosexual. He loves stereotypically feminine things, acts delicately, and often holds a hand mirror which he stares into at his reflection (narcissism) and kisses often.
Some readers mistook him for a female...and he has a reputation for being presumed gay due to his effeminate behaviour.
Weakling
Weakling Smurf is a smurf with very low self-esteem who thinks he's worthless. He first appeared in the album "The Olympic Smurfs" where the smurfs decided to compete in sport games. When Weakling decided to join, his peers thought of him as a joke since he wasn't very strong or clever. This depressed him, so Papa Smurf decided to boost his self-esteem by putting some strength cream on his nose, saying it would make him a winning champion. Weakling Smurf went through the Olympic Games on his own, in a one-man team, and won the championship, as he believed he really was strong. As he received the final prize, Weakling Smurf said that he actually doesn't deserve the honor, since he cheated by using some chemical dope by the strength cream. Papa Smurf intervened, saying that the cream was just some jam, and that his deeds were psychological effects, results of his determination and courage. He therefore actually deserved it.
In the cartoon, the basis of this experience was kept: to boost his self-esteem, Papa came up with a strength salve (in reality, a jar of smurfberry jam) for Weakling to put on his nose. When wearing the salve, Weakling's physical strength and prowess ostensibly increased. He did feats of strength to rival Hefty Smurf's and was loved by all. After the smurfs' wooden bridge fell apart in a storm, he commandeered the effort to fix it...and had to dive into the rapids to save Handy after a strut knocked him out and into the raging river. The "salve" was washed away in the water, and Weakling found the strength had been in him all along; he just had to believe in himself to tap into it.
Wild
Wild Smurf was lost in the forest when he was a baby, and he grew as a Tarzan-like woodsman, raised by squirrels, dressing only in leaves.
Wooley
Wooley Smurf shears sheep and wears a wool hat and shears on a belt. He helped the smurfs rescue the sleep-inducing counting sheep in the dream world after Gargamel herded them away from their hopping fence. Wooley often talks with a texan accent.
Supporting (Non-Smurf) Characters
Azrael
Gargamel's cat, probably named after Azrael, one of the names of the Angel of death. Although Gargamel never treats him right, Azrael manages to put up with his master. Azrael wants to eat the smurfs, but never succeeds. Azrael shares Gargamel's distinctive laugh.
Balthazar
Voiced by Keene Curtis (1982-1989)
Balthazar was the rich but disdainful godfather of Gargamel. A powerful sorcerer, Balthazar was more evil than Gargamel as well.
Bigmouth
Bigmouth is a dimwitted ogre who frequently breaks into Gargamel's hovel and eats his food. He was a large smurf in one cartoon episode, Bigmouth Smurf.
Gargamel
Gargamel is an evil wizard (though with very limited powers) whose main goal is to destroy the smurfs. His back is perpetually stooped, his robe is worn and patched, and his teeth are rotten. Sometimes he wants to eat the smurfs, other times he wants to use them to make gold (according to an old magic spell), and still other times he has even more bizarre uses for them. Though he often catches smurfs who wander by his home or which he happens across in the forest, he does not know the location of the hidden Smurf Village, a fact which continually frustrates him. On rare occassions, he will discover the location of the smurf village, but sooner or later forgets its location due to either a magic spell put on him by Papa Smurf or forgets because of some other bizarre factor. He is an eternal bungler. Some of his schemes to catch smurfs border on the bizarre (e.g. a "blue magnet" that attracted solely blue items). He has a seemingly endless library of spellbooks, potions, and gimmicks for his life's passion. However, no matter how elaborate Gargamel's plans, they invariably end in failure, causing him to spout his catch-phrase: "I hate those smurfs!".
Despite his never-ending hatred and frustration for the smurfs, more than once he has had to rely on Papa Smurf to help save him from a more wicked enemy's plans (e.g., Balthazar) or to bail him out of a potion gone horribly wrong.
He lives in a run-down hovel with his flea-bitten cat Azrael. In later episodes he acquired an apprentice named Scruple, who seems moderately brighter and more savvy than his master, though still inexperienced in the ways of magic.
Some speculate, based on his wearing a tonsure, that Gargamel was a relapsed monk who now dabbles in sorcery, chiefly concocting various potions, and attempting bizarre forms of alchemy.
Some claim the name Gargamel originated in the main characters of the French novel Gargantua and Pantagruel, although Gargamel was a common name in the Middle Ages.
Gargamel is voiced in French by Philippe Dumat, and by Paul Winchell in English.
See also the Gargamelle experiment at CERN.
Johan
Johan is a young human squire (later a knight) in a very small kingdom somewhere in Europe in the Middle Ages. He defends his king fiercely, and goes on errands to help him or simply to help some people. After a few years, he meets the dwarf Peewit, and they become best friends. On one of his errands, Johan and Peewit have to go to the smurfs to get a magic flute. Thus the smurfs are introduced to us in the comics. The smurfs will appear in different later adventures of Johan and Peewit, and vice versa.
Johan is voiced in French by François Leccia and Michael Bell in English.
Hogatha
Hogatha is almost a female version of Gargamel. In the cartoon episode, The Fake Smurf, The smurfs gain her enmity when they accidentally find a magic locket that belongs to her and is the source of her power. She teams up with Gargamel to get it back but the smurfs destroy it and her with it. Surprisingly, Hogatha returns later revealing that the smurfs had only taken one of her nine lives. Vowing revenge against the smurfs, she casts a spell on herself that turns her into a smurf so she could infiltrate their village. She calls herself "Snorty" due to her characteristic snort in her speech. The smurfs eventually discovered her identity as the "snort" speech impediment was a regular characteristic of Hogatha.
Clorhydress
A sorceress who was the wife of the deceased ruler of a small nearby kingdom, Clorhydress remained the queen of this kingdom. Once a gentle, caring person, the grief over her husbands death left her hating emotions such as love. Clorhydress devoted her time to schemes to remove emotions from the world. Although her plans never directly involved the smurfs (she was mostly unaware of their existence), the smurfs would ocassionally foil her plans.
Princess Salvina
Voiced by Jennifer Darling (1982-1989).
Prince Gerard
Prince Gerard is a friend of the smurfs--especially Clockwork Smurf--who eventually becomes a king.
Smoogle
Voiced by Russi Taylor (1988-1990).
Nemesis
Nemesis is a sinister, hiccupping creature shrouded in a purple robe. He is an evil wizard like Gargamel, only powerful. (Looks a bit like Charles Dickens' Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come.) Is constantly trying to steal the Long-Life Stone, which is the magical artifact that grants the smurfs their extremely long lifespans. Nemesis used to be handsome until a magic accident horribly deformed him.
Mother Nature and Father Time
Mother Nature looks a bit like Glinda from The Wizard of Oz, but older and rounder. She's in charge of the smooth running of nature's course. Father Time, portrayed in the classic image of the wizened old man with the white robe and scythe, is in charge of time. Both are good friends and allies of the smurfs.
Omnibus
Omnibus is an old wizard and friend of Papa Smurf with whom he likes to play chess.