Smithee

The Smithee (sometimes spelled Smithy) is an enemy from the first Dragon's Lair game. He is encountered in the armory scene as a statue that animates and tries to attack the unsuspecting Dirk, whose sword strike causes the living stone blacksmith to de-animate. The character also plays a major role in the TV series episode "The Smithee's Haunted Armor".

Appearances

The Ruby-Spears animated series remains the character to have been a master human blacksmith who was cursed by two sorcerers (Dagda and Morrigu) for misusing their gifts to him: a magical hammer which had the power to turn ordinary metal into gold and magical fire which could give life to metal and stone. Over time, the Smithee used the magical gifts for evil purposes, plotting to create weapons that would make him a king. The sorcerers returned and turned the Smithee into bronze and fated him to forever keep watch over his magic weapons and armor, only able to be defeated and released by a noble knight. Morrigu would later turn to evil as well, and plotted a means to reacquire the magical hammer to control the Smithee.

In the episode “The Smithee’s Haunted Armor,” Dirk and his allies seek out a blacksmith who could forge a new suit of armor for King Ethelred. Meeting Morrigu in disguise of an old man called “Walker,” they journey to Smithee’s Knoll, concealed beneath the Glass Castle of Dagda and Morrigu. Morrigu and Dirk discover the hammer has gone missing. After awakening the Smithee by placing the blade of his sword over the enchanted forge, Dirk is attacked by the magical weapons and golden armor. Now free to leave the Knoll, the Smithee runs into a nearby village and wreaks havoc. Morrigu steals the hammer from the residence of Dagda, who lives secretly as a fisherman. Morrigu uses the hammer to call the Smithee to engage in a battle with Dirk, but the knight defeats them both and acquires the golden armor for the king.

In Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair, the Dragon's Flame Essence is guarded by The Master Smithee, who acquired it after the banishment of Mordroc to an alternate dimension prior to the events of the game.

Trivia

• Along with a few other enemies, the Smithee had his name spelled out by a caption in the original game's intro.
• The Smithee is actually encountered twice in the 1983 game, in two scenes that are horizontally mirrored versions of each other.
• “THE SMITHEE” features as the #24 card in Cardsmiths' Dragon's Lair trading card series, with the description: "The imposing Smithee is a stone figure until he comes alive and only Dirk's blade can make him a stationary statue again."