Gargamel

Gargamel is a fictional villain in The Smurfs, created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo (Pierre Culliford). He first appeared in 1959 in Spirou magazine, where the Smurfs were launched as part of his comic universe. Since then, Gargamel has remained the primary antagonist across comics, television, and films.

Gargamel is depicted as a scheming wizard who lives in a crooked, candle-lit house in the forest with his gray cat, Azrael. He is driven by a desire to capture Smurfs to use their magical essence, to turn them into gold, or, in some stories, to eat them. His plans typically involve magical potions, traps, and disguises, but are repeatedly thwarted by the Smurfs’ cleverness and teamwork.

In the Smurfs canon, Gargamel is shown as persistent and sometimes comically inept. He is opposed by Papa Smurf and the village, who collaborate to outwit him and protect their community. His appearances emphasize the contrast between his treacherous pursuit and the Smurfs’ cooperation and resilience, often providing a foil to the villagers’ harmony.

Gargamel has appeared across media, including the original comics, the 1980s Hanna-Barbera animated series, and feature films. In live-action/CGI adaptations, he has been portrayed by actors such as Hank Azaria in the 2011 film and voiced by Rainn Wilson in The Smurds: The Lost Village (2017). The character’s cat Azrael is a recurring companion in many iterations.

Culturally, Gargamel remains one of the best-known villains in European comic fiction, emblematic of the obsessive pursuer who underestimates the Smurfs’ solidarity and resourcefulness.