Return to Recap: The Smurfs (1981).
The character known as Pushover Smurf goes to light the torch with the foxfire from the Great Swamp for the Firefly Festival, and ends up awakening the Marsh Monster when he accidentally puts it out.
Tropes associated with this episode include
- Berserk Button: Asking Pushover to do anymore favors following the Firefly Festival.
- Big "NO!": Pushover really dishes out the big Nos near the end of the story, with him repeatedly saying No several times when Smurfette tries to ask him something.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Whilst waking the Marsh Monster was a legitimate accident, there's also the little issue that Papa Smurf has a scroll with a magic spell on it that can pacify the Marsh Monster should it be awoken, giving the smurfs a chance to relight its foxfire. Had Papa Smurf told Scaredy about this and given him the scroll at the start, Scaredy could have passed it on to Pushover and Pushover could have put the Marsh Monster to sleep a minute after it woke up.
- Extreme Doormat: Pushover, until the end of the episode.
- Fictional Holiday: The Firefly Festival.
- Getting the Boot: Brainy gets flung by Pushover the day after the conclusion of the Firefly Festival when he tries to get him to do anymore favors, and is likewise booted offscreen onto his head when he annoys a smurf during the Firefly Festival.
- Humanoid Abomination: The Marsh Monster. It looks like a hat-less Wizard Classic with deer antlers wearing a robe heavy with mud, moss and muck. Normally it sleeps peacefully at the bottom of a specific pool in the Great Swamp, distinguished by foxfire burning on its waters. However, if the foxfire is extinguished, it rises from the pond in a rage and chases after whoever extinguished the flame, determined to wreak vengeance. However, if the foxfire is relit on its pool, it returns peacefully to its slumber.
- Madness Mantra: The Marsh Monster only speaks a single refrain: Cursed he who steals the flame! Cursed he who gives me pain!
- Poor Communication Kills: It's imperative that a smurf not extinguish the foxfire from the Great Swamp, or else it will rouse a vengeful Marsh Monster, who will pursue his tormentor until the foxfire is relit. Papa Smurf fails to mention either of these facts to Scaredy or Pushover until after they wake the creature, which he lampshades by noting he should have given them a clearer warning.
