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NOTE: This article is about the version of Smaug from the Peter Jackson continuity. You may be looking for information on his mainstream counterpart, or his Gene Deitch counterpart.
Villain Overview

Revenge?! Revenge?! I will show you revenge! I am fire! I am… DEATH!
~ Smaug before going to destroy Laketown.

Smaug is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Azog) of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit film trilogy.

He is a large dragon who raided the Lonely Mountain and forced the Dwarves to search for a new home. After the death of their king, Thrór, at the hands of Azog the Defiler, they recruited Bilbo Baggins as the newest member of their company so that they can reclaim their homeland from his dominion, and it is eventually discovered by Gandalf that Smaug had also become an ally of Sauron. He is the archenemy of Bilbo Baggins and Bard the Bowman.

He is voiced and motion-captured by Benedict Cumberbatch, who also played Sauron in the same trilogy, Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek: Into Darkness, William Ford in 12 Years a Slave, the Grinch in the 2018 film of the same name, Dormammu, Sinister Strange, and Strange Supreme in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Shere Khan in the 2018 film adaptation of The Jungle Book.

Biography[]

Past[]

Smaug's origins are completely unclear but, several hundred years ago, he learned of the immense treasure mined by the Dwarves in Erebor in the Misty Mountains. 60 years ago, he attacked and ravaged the Misty Mountain; destroying Dale and killing most of its inhabitants before attacking Erebor itself. The Dwarves were no match for him and many were killed with the rest fleeing into exile whilst Smaug slept on the treasure hoard beneath the ruins of Erebor and Dale. Sometime prior to the films, he became aware of Sauron regaining his power once more and decided to align with the Dark Lord so he could retain his position as King Under The Mountain.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey[]

Smaug is only seen in a flashback where he conquers Erebor and is repeatedly mentioned throughout. At the end of the film, his eye emerges from a mound of gold deep within the mountain.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug[]

The Extended Edition confirms Gandalf's fears concerning Sauron's plans with Smaug when Thráin reveals the Dark Lord and the Dragon are already in league.

When Bilbo Baggins is sent into the mountain alone to retrieve the Arkenstone, he accidentally awakens Smaug. Before Smaug can spot him, however, Bilbo puts on the One Ring and turns invisible. Bilbo flatters Smaug, pretending to be an admirer, but the dragon is aware of Bilbo's true intentions. Smaug speaks of a darkness that is coming to their lands and preparing for war, hinting that he awaits Sauron's summons. Smaug reveals to Bilbo that he knows that he was sent to retrieve the Arkenstone for Thorin and his company. Bilbo feigns ignorance, but Smaug is not fooled.

As he talks with Smaug, Bilbo sees a bare patch on the dragon's left breast. When Bilbo finds the Arkenstone, Smaug says that he is tempted to let Bilbo take it and let it drive Thorin insane as it did his grandfather Thrór. Smaug changes his mind, however, and tries to kill Bilbo, but Bilbo once again hides by using the One Ring. In the process, he steals the Arkenstone and escapes. Smaug eventually finds Bilbo, Thorin and the rest of the dwarf company and attempts to kill them all, but they escape. Thorin eventually conjures up a plan to kill the dragon, and the dwarves lead him to the forges and trick him into lighting up the furnaces with his fiery breath. After a long battle with the dragon, Thorin eventually confronts Smaug and reveals the giant golden dwarf statue, which they had set up as a trap; the statue melts into liquid gold and they attempt to drown Smaug in it.

Unfortunately for the Dwarves, their strategy fails, as Smaug bursts out of the rivers of melted gold, and flies towards Lake-town, intending to destroy it.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies[]

Smaug1 1

Smaug attacks Lake-town, destroying everything in his path and burning the entire city to the ground. Bard the Bowman, having just escaped capture from the corrupt Master of Lake-town, attempts to pelt Smaug with normal arrows, to no avail. Bard's son Bain suddenly appears and gives his father the last Black Arrow to use against Smaug. The dragon spots Bard and Bain and taunts them both before attempting to kill them. However, Bard spots Smaug's weak spot and fires the arrow right into the bare patch and through the dragon's heart. This causes Smaug to briefly fly up into the sky from the pain before dying, marked by the light leaving from his eyes. His corpse then plunges into the lake and crushes the fleeing Master of Laketown.

Legacy[]

The news of Smaug's death soon spread around Middle-earth. With the mountain and its riches up for the taking, a war broke out for control over it. Thorin, as Smaug predicted, also became increasingly unstable over his obsession with the Arkenstone and Bilbo became worried Thorin's becoming as greedy as Smaug. Bilbo stole the Arkenstone in a desperate attempt to make Thorin see reason to no avail. However Thorin gradually overcame his obsession after hearing his companions concerns and even hallucinating Smaug taunting him.

Appearance[]

In contrast to his original novel counterpart, this version of Smaug is more realistic in appearance, but significantly altered as he instead displays a long, serpentine, muscular neck, a crest of spurs on his head, a crocodile facial shape, a compact torso with a streamlined shape, spines and spikes along his back and the back of his neck, muscular hind-legs and an abnormally long tail that he can use as a whip to smack or kill his victims. Smaug has dark-red scales which turn dull-golden on his underside while his eyes are gleaming orange-yellow that are coloured like fire with slit-pupils being almost cat or reptile-like and possessing an intricate, keyhole-like shape.

Personality[]

No! NO! Thorin must not go near Erebor! No one must enter that mountain...! He is waiting for them. They are in league, the dragon and the One!
~ Thráin II to Gandalf in Dol Guldur. Revealing the lengths Smaug will go to kill people.

Smaug was cruel, ruthless, bloodthirsty, sadistic, cold-hearted and above all, greedy as he had no need for the Dwarves' vast fortune in Erebor and nothing, really, to spend it on, yet was so possessive of it that he would kill thousands of people rather than part with a single coin. He took sadistic pleasure in the suffering of others, particularly Dwarves, who he hated with a passion bordering on obsession. He also enjoyed toying with those who fear him as he enjoyed taunting with Bilbo while preparing to eat him, like a cat playing with a mouse.

Powers and Abilities[]

My teeth are swords. My claws are spears. My wings are a hurricane! And my breath... death!
~ Smaug boasting of his power
  • Fire-Drake Physiology: Smaug was a Fire-Drake, a species of dragon native to Middle-earth, possessing several physical attributes that surpasses that of most other members of his kind.
    • Enhanced Strength: Because of his enormous size, Smaug displayed incalculable physical strength, allowing him to easily break through the mountain.
    • Nigh-invulnerability: Smaug was incredibly durable, making him virtually invulnerable and impossible to wound or kill. His thick, armored skin was nearly impenetrable.
    • Heat Resistance: Being a dragon with very thick scales, Smaug was able to withstand being submerged in hot molten gold without it even fazing him.
    • High-level Intellect: Smaug was as intelligent as any man, if not more so, as he was capable of communicating with people such as Bilbo.
    • Fire Breath: Like all dragons, Smaug's primary ability was his fire breath which he could project from his mouth. It was immensely strong enough to shatter stone buildings while its blast could also spread on the ground. His fire breath has also enough firepower to engulf his whole body. Since most of Lake-Town consisted of wood as opposed to the stone buildings of Dale, Smaug didn't need to rely on his fire breath to cause destruction, but just watch it spread instead. It is even shown that his fire breath was powerful enough to reignite the great forges of Erebor.
    • Flight: Like his kind, Smaug was a skilled flier as he could use his gigantic bat-like wings to fly at tremendous speeds and high altitudes.
    • Enhanced Mobility: Due to being a dragon, Smaug was able to run and fly at surprising speed while he was also extremely agile while flying, allowing him to get from Erebor to Lake-Town in a manner of minutes.
    • Enhanced Senses: Like all dragons, Smaug was granted with acute senses, including his powerful sense of smell and hearing, enabling him to detect the sound and smell of a Hobbit, even when the ring rendered Bilbo invisible to the eye.

Weaknesses[]

  • Black Arrows: Although he was virtually unkillable, Smaug's only weakness were black arrows as they are designed for taking him down.
  • Missing Scale: During his takeover of Erebor, a scale on Smaug's chest was shot off by a black arrow. If hit by another black arrow, it would pass into Smaug's heart and kill him.

Arsenal[]

  • Sharp Teeth and Claws: Smaug had powerful jaws lined with razor-sharp teeth which grant him a deadly and ferocious bite as well as sharp claws which are sufficient to rend.
  • Prehensile Tail: Smaug had a long prehensile tail that he can use as a formidable weapon like a whip to smack his enemies.

Quotes[]

The Desolation of Smaug[]

Well, thief. I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air. Where are you? Where are you?!?
~ Smaug
Come now, don't be shy. Step into the light!
~ Smaug
There is something about you. Something you carry, something made of gold. But far more precious...
~ Smaug feels the presence of the One Ring.
There you are, thief in the shadows!
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
Do you think flattery will keep you alive? No, indeed.
~ Smaug to Bilbo Baggins upon their meeting.
You have nice manners for a thief, and a liar!
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
Did you think that I did not know that this day would come, that a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
The king under the mountain is dead! I took his throne, I ate his people, like a wolf among sheep!
~ Smaug explaining his backstory.
I kill where I wish, when I wish!
~ Smaug revealing his motives.
My armor is iron! No blade can pierce me!
~ Smaug boasting about himself.
Don't bother denying it! I've guessed his foul purpose some time ago.
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
But it matters not. Oakenshield's quest will fail. The darkness is coming. It will spread to every corner of the land.
~ Smaug about Sauron.
I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it.
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
My teeth are swords; my claws are spears! My wings are a hurricane!
~ Smaug boasting about himself.
I am almost tempted to let you take it... if only to see Oakenshield suffer. Watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad. But I think not. I think our little game ends here.
~ Smaug debating with himself about letting Bilbo take the Arkenstone.
So tell me, thief. How do you choose to die?
~ Smaug sarcastically giving Bilbo Baggins a death threat.
You will burn!
~ Smaug to Bilbo and the Dwarves.
You think you could deceive me, Barrel-Rider? You have come from Laketown. This is some sort of scheme between these filthy Dwarves and those miserable tub trading Lakemen! Those sniveling cowards, with their longbows and black arrows! Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit.
~ Smaug planning to destroy Laketown.
You care about them, do you? Good. Then you can watch them die!
~ Smaug to Bilbo.
You will take nothing from me, dwarf! I laid low your warriors of old. I instil terror in the hearts of men! I am king under the mountain!
~ Smaug to Thorin.

The Battle of the Five Armies[]

Who are you that would stand against me?!?!
~ Smaug to Bard the Bowman.
Now, that is a pity. What will you do now, bowman? You are forsaken! No help will come!
~ Smaug taunting Bard.
Ah... Is that your child? You cannot save him from the fire... He will burn!
~ Smaug attempting to harm Bard's son.
Tell me, wretch, how now should you challenge me? You have nothing left, but your death!
~ Smaug when confronting Bard atop a tower and his last words.

LEGO The Hobbit[]

Smaug is featured in the 2014 LEGO video game adaptation of The Hobbit films. He appears as a mini-figure and officially in his LEGO dragon form in a LEGO Hobbit set on October 15, 2014. Originally there was supposed to be a DLC of The Battle of Five Armies where Smaug would likely meet his fate at the hands of Bard just like in the movie and the book, but it was cancelled.

Trivia[]

  • In the theatrical version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Smaug clearly has four legs, while in its extended edition, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Smaug has four limbs.
  • Although Smaug breathes fire during the battle in the film, he never makes reference to "the shock of my tail a thunderbolt" or "my breath death" as he does in the book, nor does he use either on the mountainside before going to Laketown. He also doesn't use any tail whips during the battle.
  • In the film, Smaug was somehow aware of Black Arrows with their proper noun. It is possible due to his recognizing them that he may have encountered the weapons at an unknown prior point in the film continuity or that he remembered their use against him in his attack on Dale.
  • The portrayal of Smaug in Jackson's movies was beloved by fans and critics alike and Smaug is now considered to be one of the greatest dragons in cinema.
  • Incidentally, Cumberbatch also portrayed Sauron in The Hobbit trilogy, once again via motion capture, meaning that Cumberbatch portrayed the trilogy's two principal villains.

External links[]

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