Grouchy Smurf hates everything... especially being touched and hugged against his will.
So when Hug-a-Smurf Day comes calling, Grouchy does everything he can to run from his fellow Smurfs, in their attempt to get him to show an emotion other than grouchiness.
But when Chlorhydris uses the Ice Wand to freeze the heart of a fairy, then orders her to use the wand to wipe emotion from the face of the earth, it could be a hug from – ironically enough – Grouchy, that is needed to save the Smurfs from perpetual emotionless, frozen state.
For now, they’re just trying to make "A Hug For Grouchy."
Annoyed at the Smurfs for their perpetual happiness and love, Chlorhydris uses the Ice Wand to freeze the heart of a fairy, then orders her to use the wand as an instrument of emotion destruction. No happiness, sorrow or love ... only stoic unlove.
The fairy strikes birds, squirrels, and then the Smurfs. Papa Smurf researches the phenomenon and realizes that the wand’s effects can be broken only if its current holder is hugged by a confirmed grouch by sunset (or the spell’s effects are permanent) ... but Grouchy balks because he hates hugs.
But he starts to realize he might have to be the hero when the fairy uses the wand to zap Papa Smurf, and then attempts to go after Baby Smurf. Baby, however, is immune to the wand's effects, and this distracts the fairy long enough for Smurfette – who, along with Grouchy, has dodged all the attempts to strike her into an emotionless state – to urge Grouchy to hug the fairy and reverse the spell’s effects.
Grouchy finally relents and hugs the fairy ... and indeed, the spell is broken and love and happiness are restored. The Ice Wand flies like a comet into Chlorhydris’ lair, where it destroys the Heart of Ice, which she had been planning to use to make more Ice Wands. The wand itself is also destroyed, leaving Chlorhydris a blubbering failure once more.
Back at the Smurf Village, the Smurfs and the fairy are celebrating Hug-a-Smurf Day, and several Smurfs finally tackle Grouchy, who finally gives in and lets them hug him ... grouchily, of course!
Tropes seen in this episode:
- Cuddle Bug: Most of the Smurfs, except for Grouchy.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The stalking that the Smurfs go on to force a hug on Grouchy seems like a "family-friendly" version of gang rape.
- Fictional Holiday: Hug-a-Smurf Day.
- Friendship-Hating Antagonist: The goal of Chlorhydris’ latest scheme... to wipe all emotion, including love, from the face of the earth.
- Hates Being Touched: Despite his objections, Papa Smurf encourages the others to hug Grouchy, in an effort to show emotion other than grouchiness, to the point where other Smurfs actually stalk him for unwanted touching.
