Azrael: Gargamel’s Cat From the Smurfs

The Smurfs and Gargamel have been in a “clinch” with each other for over 60 years. At the side of the trained alchemist and sorcerer, the cat Azrael fights to capture Papa Smurf and the Smurfs. Gargamel needs these as ingredients to make gold. In the following, interested parties can find out how this has worked in recent years and what the name Azrael means.

Azrael the Cat From Smurfs

• Azrael literally means “angel of death”.
• In the comic, the cat is orange, in the cartoon, it is seen as a brown tomcat.
• The cat follows Gargamel everywhere and always hopes for a tasty Smurf snack.
• Fortunately for the Smurfs, the house tiger is not particularly skilled at hunting and catching.

Azrael the Cat and the Smurfs: An Eternal Fight

Azrael the cat is one of the main characters in “The Smurfs”. Both in the series and in the film, the house tiger supports the miserable magician Gargamel in catching the blue creatures. Apparently, he needs them to make gold out of the lead and to cook Smurf stew from it. In addition, the warlock blames the Smurfs for his failed magic test. Therefore, he generally holds a grudge against the small, blue creatures.

The battle between the Smurfs, Gargamel, and Azrael has been going on since 1958. That year, the first original artwork by Belgian inventor Peyo was published in Spirou magazine. From 1981 to 1989, the animated television series ran, in which Azarel was to be seen again and again. The cartoon is a brown tomcat with yellow eyes and black pupils. However, nothing is known about the breed of the kitten.

Characteristics of Azrael

• Azrael is a loyal friend of Gargamel and supports him in his work.
• Basically, he does not manage to catch the Smurfs long enough to deliver them to Gargamel or to “process” them.
• Azrael lives with Gargamel in a castle. Later, an apprentice named Snotty Nose joins the duo.
• In the film adaptations, Azrael gets a few funny appearances as Gargamel’s sidekick.

Even if Azrael does not live up to its name meaning – angel of death – he is a loyal companion of his master. Incidentally, the name “Gargamel” was only introduced in 1995. Before that, the sorcerer was called “Gurgelhals”.