Sir Hefty

From Smurfology

"Sir Hefty" was an episode that appeared in Season 1 of the Smurfs cartoon show.

[edit] Summary

Meet Sir Hefty, the valiant knight.

Hefty meets the dragon.

Hefty and Sir Lancealout.

Sir Lancealout gets pampered.

Hefty Smurf gets knighted.

The episode begins with an ominous sound emanating from the forest. The ground shakes, and fire appears! The forest is aflame and the animals flee. A giant fire-breathing dragon roams the forest, torching the trees as it passes.

Next, we see the Smurfs gathered round a fire, listening to Poet Smurf wax upon the virtue of the Great Knights of the Round Table. Hefty Smurf is quite impressed with the story, and states that he could have been a knight if it was not for the fact that he is a Smurf. "There's no maiden I couldn't rescue, no dragon I couldn't slay", says Hefty. Smurfette then notices a fire near the bridge over the River Smurf. Brainy goes to tell Papa about the fire.

Hefty organizes a fire brigade, passing buckets from one Smurf to another, to help protect the forest. When they finally finish putting out the fire, Smurfette asks, "how did that terrible fire start, Papa Smurf?" Papa replies, "I don't know Smurfette, I'm just glad it didn't reach the village". Next, we hear the Smurf Village fire alarm, and Papa exclaims, "The village - quickly!"

The village is on fire. Papa goes to save some of his books. The chemicals in Papa's lab explode. Eventually, the fire is put under control with the help of the fire engine water pump. Handy is curious as to how the fires were started - and Hefty is eager to dispense justice to the guilty. Brainy Smurf discovers a set of interesting footprints in the forest. Papa Smurf looks closely at the footprints and exclaims, "these are the footprints of a dragon!"

The Smurfs hold an emergency meeting. Papa explains that most of his potions and books were destroyed in the fire - only two books remain, and because of this, the village has no protection. Papa declares that a new armament must be created. Poet says, "what we really need is a knight to protect us, Papa Smurf!" Papa says he doesn't know of any knights that would protect the Smurfs. Hefty then whispers in Handy's ear.

Later, every Smurf is gathered around Hefty's house. Hefty exits, now dressed as a knight - Sir Hefty. Sir Hefty says, "I am going to slay the dragon!" The other Smurfs are incredulous. Hefty Smurf goes out into the forest in search of the dragon, saying "and remember - don't tell Papa Smurf!" Hefty hears the dragon and approaches him with timidity. Hefty says, "all right Hefty, let's see how brave you really are!" The dragon breathes fire on Hefty - and Hefty runs away.

Dejected, Hefty mopes along inside the forest. Hefty laments that as a three apples tall Smurf, he can never be a real knight: "when I get back to the village, all the Smurfs are going to laugh. Oh smurf is me, what'll I do?" Then, Hefty sees a knight on a horse galloping by. Hefty is elated to see a real knight. Hefty sets off to meet the knight to get him to protect the Smurfs.

It turns out the knight is being chased by other knights. The knight decides he needs a hideout. The knight is penniless, hungry and thirsty. Just then, Hefty approaches and scares the knight with his presence. Hefty asks, "are you a real knight?" The knight answers, "of course! I'm Sir Lancealout of the King's Round Table". Hefty is impressed and offers the knight a job, protecting the village. Sir Lancealout accepts the job - as long as the village is well hidden and there is a lot of food and drink.

Hefty presents the "knight" to the village, stating that Sir Lancealout will protect the village from the dragon. Papa seems unimpressed, and the knight is alarmed at the mention of a dragon. "Dragon, you never mentioned a dragon", he says. Minus Papa Smurf, the rest of the village is smitten with the knight. Brainy shines Sir Lancealout's armor and Handy takes out the dents. The "knight", however seems to keep putting off hunting the dragon, because he is "tired". "But that's what you said yesterday, Sir Lancealout" replies Papa Smurf.

Papa calls a secret meeting. He is concerned that the village could be attacked at any time by the dragon. Papa goes on to say that he believes the "knight" is not really a knight at all - nothing more than a "common thief and a coward who has no intention of ever fighting the dragon". Papa has a plan to test the knight's true intentions. He explains that they will build a fake dragon to attack the village and test the knight's bravery and honor. However, the "knight" has been eavesdropping on the meeting - he knows Papa Smurf has a plan!

Sir Lancealout asks Hefty if he wants to be his knight's apprentice. However, a knight's apprentice must always tell the truth, according to Sir Lancealout. Knowing the plan for the fake dragon weighs heavily on Hefty's conscience. Eventually, Hefty confesses about the fake dragon, and the knight tells Hefty he will pass the test with flying colors.

Later, Brainy Smurf wakes the sleeping knight crying that the dragon is on the loose! Sir Lancealout agrees to defend the village and take on the dragon - knowing the Smurfs are testing him with a fake. As the fake dragon is steered to the village, it sears the real dragon with its' flames! The real dragon is loose now too! When the "knight" discovers that the fake dragon is real, his yellow nature is revealed. He turns tail and runs away as fast as he can, dropping his sword and shield, "r-r-r-real? Blimey! Let me outta here!", are the last words Sir Lancealout stammers before feeing. Hefty accepts that his knight is "nothing but a coward".

Hefty decides to defend the village. First he uses the imposter knight's shield to block the dragon's flames and protect Smurfette. The other Smurfs then attack with rocks and anything else handy - including the flames of the fake dragon. Knowing the village is in danger, Hefty leads the dragon away from the village, toward the bridge at the River Smurf. "This is the end of the line for you big fella - time for you to cool off!", says hefty. Papa Smurf then opens the dam on Hefty's command, and Hefty and the dragon are washed away in the ensuing flood. Smurfette exclaims, "oh boo hoo poor Hefty. He scarified himself for us!" Papa replies solemnly, "he was a brave Smurf". We next hear Hefty sneezing - he is okay!

Back at the village, Hefty kneels before Papa Smurf and is knighted "Sir Hefty Knight of the Smurf Table". The Smurfs shout out three cheers of "hip hip hooray", and Hefty is given a kiss by Smurfette. Hefty responds to the kiss by sneezing again, which closes the lid to his head armor - and the story.

Get Wardrobe on the set -- Papa Smurf's wearing someone else's pants!!!

[edit] Background Information

• This episode also appeared in a printed book format, called "Hefty And The Dragon".
• This episode features a coloring mistake. In the scene where Papa kneels to examine the dragon's footprints, his pants are white - not red.