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Smaug

2008-04-12T20:29:36Z

24.27.78.129: /* History */

{{royalty infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Smaug the Golden.jpg|300px]]
| name=Smaug
| othernames="the Golden", "the Dragon Dread"
| birth=Not long before the [[War of Wrath]]
| rule=[[Third Age 2770]]-[[Third Age 2941]]
| death=[[Third Age 2941]]
| realms=[[Lonely Mountain | The Lonely Mountain]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Dragons]]
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=Red-gold
|}}
'''Smaug the Golden''' was the greatest [[dragon]] of [[Middle-earth]] to survive into the [[Third Age]]. In the year 2770, he attacked the [[Lonely Mountain]] and drove the [[dwarves]] out, claiming their treasure as his own. Killing Smaug and reclaiming the treasure was the object of the quest in [[The Hobbit]].
{{quote|Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!|[[Bilbo Baggins]], [[Inside Information]]}}

== History ==
Smaug is a Dragon in the Hobbit, who is big and red, with a armor of gold.
When he attacked in 2770, Smaug destroyed the town of [[Dale]] before entering the [[Lonely Mountain]] and slaying all the dwarves he encountered and burning all the towns with massive fires. After securing the mountain, he blocked all but two entrances: the main gate and a secret postern known only to the [[King under the Mountain|King Under the Mountain]]. Unknown to Smaug, the dwarf king [[Thrór]] and other members of the royal family had escaped through the postern, and others were not in the mountain when the dragon attacked. Following the attack, Thrór abdicated and gave the key to the postern to his son [[Thráin II]]. Smaug would remain in control of the Lonely Mountain for 170 years.

In 2850, [[Gandalf]] the Grey -- while spying upon the [[Necromancer]] of [[Dol Guldur]] -- obtained the key and map to the secret postern from Thráin, who had become a prisoner there after being captured in 2845. Having discovered that the Necromancer was actually [[Sauron]], Gandalf realized that Smaug would be a valuable ally to the Dark Lord. Gandalf therefore sought a way to destroy Smaug and re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain to reduce Sauron's power in the north.

Gandalf recruited Thráin's son, [[Thorin Oakenshield]], to reclaim the mountain. In 2940, at the home of [[Bilbo Baggins]], he presented Thorin with the map and key, and accompanied them on part of their quest. The party reached the mountain in 2941, and they sent Bilbo in through the secret door to investigate. Bilbo stole a small cup from the dragon's vast bed of treasure, sending Smaug into a killing frenzy.

Smaug scoured the mountainside for the intruder, but was unable to find the secret door. Bilbo visited the dragon's lair again when it returned and discovered Smaug's only vulnerability through riddling talk. Smaug left his lair again and smashed the mountainside with strikes of his tail, trapping [[Thorin and Company]] inside the secret passage, but not before the [[Thrushes|thrush]] that lived on the mountainside heard Bilbo describe Smaug's weakness.

Realizing that the men of [[Lake-town]] must have helped the intruders, Smaug flew there and attacked, setting the town aflame from the air. The dragon's scales were impervious to the arrows of the defenders, but the thrush also flew to the town and revealed the bare spot in Smaug's armor to [[Bard the Bowman]], who killed Smaug by firing the [[Black Arrow]] through the vulnerable spot. Smaug destroyed the town when he crashed, then sank to the bottom of the [[Long Lake]].

==Smaug's Conceited Personality==
{{quote|My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!|Smaug, [[Inside Information]]}}

Smaug appeared to be very conceited, and believed in his own invulnerability. The very suggestion that the dwarves might seek revenge upon him sent him into a fit of hysterical laughter. It might be said that it was only his greed and laziness that kept him from continuing to plague the nearby lands. Like all dragons, he loved riddling talk, and revealed his own weakness because of his vanity.

== Treasure ==

Among the items in his possession were the [[Arkenstone]], and a number of [[mithril]] chain shirts, one of which was gifted to Bilbo by [[Thorin Oakenshield]], and was later to save [[Frodo Baggins]] from the spear of a [[Goblins|Goblin]] captain in [[Moria]].

== Aftermath ==

After Smaug's death, Thorin and Company claimed the treasure as theirs by birthright. This created a conflict with Bard and the [[Elvish]] King [[Thranduil]] of Mirkwood, who each wanted a portion of the gold as reimbursement for all the damage Smaug had caused their kingdoms over the years. Thorin refused to share the treasure and declared war on both of them. The conflict eventually exploded into the [[Battle of Five Armies]].

== Etymology ==
The name Smaug is a translation of the "original Dalish" '''''Trâgu''''', and is related to the name [[Trahald]] ([[Sméagol]], also known as [[Gollum]]). According to [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], the name Smaug is "the past tense of the primitive Germanic verb Smugan, to squeeze through a hole" (''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', Letter No. 31). Others have noted that it has echoes of "smoke" and "smog".

==Inspiration==
{{quote|Fafnir in the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story is better; and Smaug and his conversation obviously is in debt there.|[[Letter 122]]}}

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
[[Image:Rankin-Bass' Smaug.jpg|thumb|225px|Smaug as portrayed in [[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit]]]]
In the 1977 animated version of ''[[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit|The Hobbit]]'', Smaug was voiced by [[Richard Boone]]. In the 2003 video game release, Smaug was voiced by [[James Horan]].

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Smaug|Images of Smaug]]

{{dragons}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Dragons]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]

Smaug

2008-04-12T20:24:00Z

24.27.78.129: /* History */

{{royalty infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Smaug the Golden.jpg|300px]]
| name=Smaug
| othernames="the Golden", "the Dragon Dread"
| birth=Not long before the [[War of Wrath]]
| rule=[[Third Age 2770]]-[[Third Age 2941]]
| death=[[Third Age 2941]]
| realms=[[Lonely Mountain | The Lonely Mountain]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Dragons]]
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=Red-gold
|}}
'''Smaug the Golden''' was the greatest [[dragon]] of [[Middle-earth]] to survive into the [[Third Age]]. In the year 2770, he attacked the [[Lonely Mountain]] and drove the [[dwarves]] out, claiming their treasure as his own. Killing Smaug and reclaiming the treasure was the object of the quest in [[The Hobbit]].
{{quote|Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!|[[Bilbo Baggins]], [[Inside Information]]}}

== History ==

When he attacked in 2770, Smaug destroyed the town of [[Dale]] before entering the [[Lonely Mountain]] and slaying all the dwarves he encountered and burning all the towns with massive fires. After securing the mountain, he blocked all but two entrances: the main gate and a secret postern known only to the [[King under the Mountain|King Under the Mountain]]. Unknown to Smaug, the dwarf king [[Thrór]] and other members of the royal family had escaped through the postern, and others were not in the mountain when the dragon attacked. Following the attack, Thrór abdicated and gave the key to the postern to his son [[Thráin II]]. Smaug would remain in control of the Lonely Mountain for 170 years.

In 2850, [[Gandalf]] the Grey -- while spying upon the [[Necromancer]] of [[Dol Guldur]] -- obtained the key and map to the secret postern from Thráin, who had become a prisoner there after being captured in 2845. Having discovered that the Necromancer was actually [[Sauron]], Gandalf realized that Smaug would be a valuable ally to the Dark Lord. Gandalf therefore sought a way to destroy Smaug and re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain to reduce Sauron's power in the north.

Gandalf recruited Thráin's son, [[Thorin Oakenshield]], to reclaim the mountain. In 2940, at the home of [[Bilbo Baggins]], he presented Thorin with the map and key, and accompanied them on part of their quest. The party reached the mountain in 2941, and they sent Bilbo in through the secret door to investigate. Bilbo stole a small cup from the dragon's vast bed of treasure, sending Smaug into a killing frenzy.

Smaug scoured the mountainside for the intruder, but was unable to find the secret door. Bilbo visited the dragon's lair again when it returned and discovered Smaug's only vulnerability through riddling talk. Smaug left his lair again and smashed the mountainside with strikes of his tail, trapping [[Thorin and Company]] inside the secret passage, but not before the [[Thrushes|thrush]] that lived on the mountainside heard Bilbo describe Smaug's weakness.

Realizing that the men of [[Lake-town]] must have helped the intruders, Smaug flew there and attacked, setting the town aflame from the air. The dragon's scales were impervious to the arrows of the defenders, but the thrush also flew to the town and revealed the bare spot in Smaug's armor to [[Bard the Bowman]], who killed Smaug by firing the [[Black Arrow]] through the vulnerable spot. Smaug destroyed the town when he crashed, then sank to the bottom of the [[Long Lake]].

==Smaug's Conceited Personality==
{{quote|My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!|Smaug, [[Inside Information]]}}

Smaug appeared to be very conceited, and believed in his own invulnerability. The very suggestion that the dwarves might seek revenge upon him sent him into a fit of hysterical laughter. It might be said that it was only his greed and laziness that kept him from continuing to plague the nearby lands. Like all dragons, he loved riddling talk, and revealed his own weakness because of his vanity.

== Treasure ==

Among the items in his possession were the [[Arkenstone]], and a number of [[mithril]] chain shirts, one of which was gifted to Bilbo by [[Thorin Oakenshield]], and was later to save [[Frodo Baggins]] from the spear of a [[Goblins|Goblin]] captain in [[Moria]].

== Aftermath ==

After Smaug's death, Thorin and Company claimed the treasure as theirs by birthright. This created a conflict with Bard and the [[Elvish]] King [[Thranduil]] of Mirkwood, who each wanted a portion of the gold as reimbursement for all the damage Smaug had caused their kingdoms over the years. Thorin refused to share the treasure and declared war on both of them. The conflict eventually exploded into the [[Battle of Five Armies]].

== Etymology ==
The name Smaug is a translation of the "original Dalish" '''''Trâgu''''', and is related to the name [[Trahald]] ([[Sméagol]], also known as [[Gollum]]). According to [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], the name Smaug is "the past tense of the primitive Germanic verb Smugan, to squeeze through a hole" (''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]]'', Letter No. 31). Others have noted that it has echoes of "smoke" and "smog".

==Inspiration==
{{quote|Fafnir in the late Norse versions of the Sigurd-story is better; and Smaug and his conversation obviously is in debt there.|[[Letter 122]]}}

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
[[Image:Rankin-Bass' Smaug.jpg|thumb|225px|Smaug as portrayed in [[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit]]]]
In the 1977 animated version of ''[[Rankin/Bass' The Hobbit|The Hobbit]]'', Smaug was voiced by [[Richard Boone]]. In the 2003 video game release, Smaug was voiced by [[James Horan]].

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Smaug|Images of Smaug]]

{{dragons}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Dragons]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]