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| The most common beard wearer among the Smurfs |
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| The only recent facial hair grower among the young Smurfs |
A beard is a form of hair growth that forms on a male person's face around the chin area, either with or without a moustache. It usually is grown when a male reaches an adult state. Beards are depicted as a sign of maturity, and can be seen as a symbol of wisdom, experience, authority, power, and (as witnessed with Flowerbell being around Papa Smurf) masculine sexuality. Grandpa Smurf's beard acts as a sort of hammer space for storing important usable items.
Beards are rarely seen among Smurfs since they are usually grown when a male Smurf reaches his 400s, according to the 1980s cartoon show. Their beards come in different colors; as seen in the cartoon show, Brainy's beard color is red and Papa Smurf's beard was dark brown when he was younger. However, it is common for other groups of people such as humans, trolls, mermen, and leprechauns to grow and wear beards. In "Symbols Of Wisdom", both Brainy and Gargamel attempted to grow beards through a magic formula, only for their beards to grow ridiculously long, trapping them. It was only through the use of a chili bean and some magical words that these magical beard-growers were freed from their beards.
Fake beards were used by the Smurfs and by humans as disguises. In "Smurf Van Winkle", the male Smurfs wore fake beards to make themselves appear older than they actually are in order to fool Lazy into thinking that he has slept 300 years. In "Hogatha's Heart Throb", Gargamel used a fake beard to disguise himself as Hogatha's desired dream date Harlequin so he could get his hands on her so-called "magic whistle", which was actually her bird call. In "All The Smurf's A Stage", Timid used a fake beard to disguise himself as Papa Smurf so he could prove his skills as an actor.
The "non-canonical" character of Gutsy Smurf is probably the only exception to the rule, as he wears sideburns despite being around the same age as his fellow Smurfs. The character Hackus, who was a Naughty changed into a Smurf through Gargamel's magic, wears a goatee.
In all forms of Smurfs media, Papa Smurf likes to keep his beard nice and trimmed, especially in Smurfs: The Lost Village near the end when he goes on a date with Smurfwillow. In the 2011 Smurfs movie, Gargamel uses a clipping of Papa Smurf's beard to make more Smurf essence for his magic. One possible time Papa Smurf went without his beard was when he masqueraded as a normal Smurf at a costume party in a one-page comic book gag.
- See Beard/Gallery for a list of characters that wear or wore beards.