Smurfs 1981 Animated Universe

The Smurfs 1981 Animated Universe is the universe where the 1980s Smurfs cartoon show takes place, with all its events from all nine seasons and the Johan And Peewit episodes being its canon. It does not include the events that take place in the animated version of The Smurfs And The Magic Flute, the 1961 European TV cartoon series The Smurfs, or any of the animated features from Sony Pictures Animation and Duck Studios, the latter of which belong in the Smurfs Live-Action Film Universe. It also does not include the events in the cartoon show crossover special "Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue". This continuity is considered closed since 1990, as there are no new stories being produced for it. The continuity is slightly the basis for the entire franchise's post-1970 comic book stories and other media presentations onwards.

Notable Elements

• Average age of the young adult male Smurfs is 150 years of age (it was originally 100 up until the Season 5 episode "Brainy's Smarty Party"), while Papa Smurf is 542.
  • The number of original male Smurfs in the village is decreased to 99, with the complete absence of the original 99th male Smurf, and Smurfette taking the role as the 99th Smurf overall; whilst the Hundredth Smurf took the role as the 99th male Smurf.
  • The Smurfs' original playful and mischievous personas from the comics were changed to be easygoing and always friendly (especially towards each other), as well as the tendency to often sing songs (though their portrayal on singing songs was eventually added to the comics universe) in this universe. Their tendencies on being prone to breaking out into brawls between each other is also toned down to rarely happen.
• The characterizations and portrayals of the Smurfs are different from their original comic book/2021 TV series counterparts.
  • After the first two seasons, Papa Smurf's mannerisms on showing irritability and tendency to scold at the Smurfs is noticeably toned down in the third season onwards, portraying him as a kindly, easygoing, and helpful father figure compared to his original comics/2021 TV series counterpart.
  • Greedy is the village chef in this universe, being a combination of himself and Baker.
  • Brainy is Papa Smurf's lab assistant and apprentice. After the first two seasons, he started to show signs of being an egotist by introducing his infamous series of self-published books. Then in Season 6-9, this trait got worse overtime such as causing trouble around the village and thinking he knows everything while hardly ever admitting he's wrong.
    • Brainy is usually flung to the far side of the village or a good distance away from the other Smurfs whenever he goes off on his lecturing or long speeches.
  • Timid is the village actor in this universe, being a combination of himself and Actor.
  • Clumsy's character traits are used from Dopey in this universe.
  • Painter is a combination of his comic book counterpart and Sculptor Smurf in this universe, and is portrayed with a French accent with a very temperamental personality.
    • Painter wears a red artist's jacket and a pitch-black bow tie. This element would be incorporated into the comic book universe.
  • Handy wears white overalls and a hat with a visor. This element would be incorporated into the comic book universe.
  • Hefty wears a heart tattoo on either or both of his upper arms. This element would eventually be incorporated into the comic book universe in post-Peyo comics.
  • Tuffy and Weakling are the other strong Smurfs of the village, with Weakling realizing his strength in the episode "A Little Smurf Confidence".
  • Grouchy's behavior was simply natural. He also doesn't talk much as his comic book counterpart.
    • Grouchy's catchphrase is borrowed from the Random House translation of the original comics, often saying "I hate...".
    • In the first two seasons of the 1981 TV series, Grouchy had a lower, quieter voice when saying "I hate...". Beginning with the third season onwards, he sounds louder.
  • Clockwork Smurf became an adviser of King Gerard, and had a female counterpart named Clockwork Smurfette created to be his companion.
  • Unlike their comic book counterparts, neither Clockwork nor Wild were able to speak in Smurf.
  • Wild is portrayed to be living in a treehouse in this universe.
  • Baby is portrayed to occasionally display curious magical powers that came into use whenever the situation required it.
  • Brainy and Clumsy are portrayed to be best friends in this universe.
  • Handy and Hefty are portrayed to be best friends in this universe.
• Smurfberries are berry red.
• Blue moons are times when a baby Smurf is about to be delivered to the Smurf Village.
• The Smurf language division is East and West.
• Unlike the comic book and 2021 TV series continuities, artificially created female Smurfs are not considered to be real Smurfs upon their creation, when one is created, they are portrayed to be very rude until the True Blue Spell is cast on them.
  • Smurfette was a willing agent for Gargamel (even if coerced by fear) when she was initially created and was changed to a "true Smurf" through magic (this element would be included in the live-action continuity and Lost Village continuity). She remained in the village up until Season 9.
  • Sassette was created by the Smurflings using the same formula for creating Smurfette, and like Smurfette, required magic to change her into a "true Smurf". She considers Gargamel her father.
• Swoofs were green.
• Brainy was King Smurf.
• Clumsy would become the Apprentice Smurf in the episode "The Smurf's Apprentice", adapted from the comic books.
• Tuberose cured the Purple Smurf disease.
• Gargamel's motives for wanting the Smurfs varies: he wants to eat them, use them for the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, or destroy them. His first canonical encounter with them was when he was still in Wizard's School, as seen in the Season 5 episode "Gargamel's Time Trip".
• Smurf essence appears in at least one episode, "Essence Of Brainy", but doesn't do anything particularly magical.
• Gargamel has an apprentice named Scruple, which he reluctantly adopted in Season 6. He also has a cousin named Argus and a godfather named Balthazar, who has a niece named Denisa.
• Azrael was primarily a male cat with brown and white fur and yellow eyes.
• Bigmouth, although identified as a giant in his initial episode, is referred to an ogre for the rest of the series. He isn't the only ogre in the series though, as there are also for example Bignose, his girlfriend and future wife, and Bigfeet, his nephew.
• Hogatha, instead of Gargamel, became the Smurf with no tail in the adaptation of "The Fake Smurf".
• "The Astro Smurf" and "The Smurfette" would have sequel stories in later seasons.
• The Long Life Stone is the cause for the Smurfs' longevity and its power must be replenished every 1000 years.
• Papa Smurf's love interest was originally Smurfette, then later Flowerbell.
• Only Papa and Grandpa Smurf are seen to have beards. Papa's little Smurfs do not have facial hair unless they're inflicted by an aging spell or some other kind of transformation spell that only lasts for the duration of the episode. Grandpa Smurf is also the only male Smurf character shown to have head hair.
• Johan and Peewit's first canonical encounter with the Smurfs was most likely in the episode "The Cursed Country".
• The Smurflings, Puppy, Baby, Wild, Grandpa Smurf, Nanny, Gourdy, and Smoogle exist in this universe.
• Seventeen Smurfs were trapped in time through the time crystals in Season 9. This caused the series to get cancelled, resulting in the fate of this universe.
• Various fantasy-world characters and characters of mythology existed in the Smurfs 1981 Animated Universe. The Universe included villains like dragons, gnomes, trolls, Wartmongers, imps, and various monsters. The universe also included good characters like fairies, nymphs, elves, pixies, and sprites. Common fantasy-world characters like Mother Nature, Father Time, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Lady Luck exist. Even baby Smurfs are delivered by stork. This element would eventually be incorporated into the comic book universe.
• The direction of the stories in the series' universe focuses on being morally driven in a saccharine tone, in addition to being more story-driven (as of the series' third season onwards) compared to the original comics' quirky edginess and irreverent tone.
  • Unlike the comics' universe, the series' universe uses Hanna-Barbera's own brand of comedic slapstick instead of the original comics' humor. Here, the Smurfs would often make puns at one's expense.
• The violence in the universe is toned down (e.g. Brainy Smurf being physically assaulted with a blunt object by another Smurf; in fear of those hitting those they despise); while concepts from the comics were altered such as having racial connotations (e.g. The color of Black Smurfs being changed to purple) and possible references to drugs (ironically, the plot for "Lure of The Orb" is an analogy of the effects of drug abuse).
• Compared to the comics/2021 TV series' universe as of the present time, the technology and societal advancements for the Smurfs Village is considered to be slightly primitive such as the non-existence of smurfmobiles, smurfways, and aerosmurfs in place for primitive equivalents such as hand-pushing wagons as the main mode of transportation.
• Unnamed Smurfs that serve as background characters were given little to no speaking dialogue.
• The series is most probably set in the 11th century, as implied by Mother Nature when she tells the Smurfs that Father Time always gets so grouchy "early in the millennium", although it is uncertain what kind of calendar system Mother Nature is actually referring to, if any.

Exclusive Characters In This Universe

Smurfs

• Architect Smurf
• Clockwork Smurfette
• Cobbler Smurf
• Dabbler Smurf
• Nobody Smurf
• Pushover Smurf
• Tracker Smurf
• Tuffy Smurf
• Wooly Smurf

Fairies

• Falan
• Queen Fauna
• Prince Fenwick
• Prince Garth
• Queen Lianon

Gargoyles

• Tharp

Genies

• Ernie
• Genie Meanie
• Gourdy
• Tebuli

Ghosts

• Uncle Fenwick
• Ghostwriter

Gnomes

• The Gnome King
• The Gnome Prince
• Guardiana
• Picklick

Goblins

• Mystico

Gremlins

• Gaston

Humans

• Brenda
• Denisa
• Lord Balthazar
• Chlorhydris
• King Gerard
• Malchior
• Scruple
• Selwyn
• Tallulah
• Prince Theodore

Imps

• Dr. Charlatan
• The Cursed Imp
• Dismal Boggs
• The Game Master
• Hotap
• The Treasure Hunter Imp
• Winky
• Buddy

Leprechauns

• Michael

Merpeople

• King Aquarius
• Marina

Ogres

• Bigfeet
• Bignose
• Bigteeth

Pegasi

• Blue Eyes

Pixies

• King Goldenrod
• Periwinkle

Woodelves

• Laconia
• Woody

Woodnymphs

• Flowerbell

Woodsprites

• Ripple

Races

• Pussywillow Pixies
• Trokels
• Truffle Trolls
• Wartmongers

Presentations That Are Part Of This Universe

• The Smurfs TV series and its related specials:
  • The Smurfs Springtime Special
  • The Smurfs Christmas Special
  • My Smurfy Valentine
  • The Smurfic Games
  • Smurfily Ever After
  • 'Tis The Season To Be Smurfy