What happens when a joke goes too far? Nothing good, as the Smurfs have learned many times through the years. This time the Smurflings learn this tough lesson when the impressionable youths make friends with a woodsprite who enjoys practical jokes... someone whom proves to be... "The Smurflings' Unsmurfy Friend."
Gargamel, along with Azrael and Scruple, are out collecting honey from a beehive ... not for food but (of course) to try and create a glue trap and capture some Smurfs. As Scruple is relaxing and scoffing at how Gargamel's latest plan will probably result in failure (like all the rest of his tricks), unbeknownst to any of them someone is watching and planning to play a pretty dangerous trick.
An unnamed Woodsprite — later identifying himself as Ripple — decides it might be funny to send a swarm of angry hornets at Gargamel, and does so by cutting the unsuspecting wizard's beekeeper's trousers, painting a swatch of honey and then throwing a stone at the bees' nest. The result has everyone running for cover to avoid being stung and Ripple laughing out loud.
Later, the Smurflings encounter Ripple when he plays a joke that causes them and Puppy to fall into a pond. The Smurflings are upset but Ripple apologizes and gives Sassette a bouquet of flowers. The Smurflings and Ripple become quick friends and take him back to the village, where he immediately begins pulling some pranks.
First, Ripple sneaks in to Hefty's house during a weightlifting session. Ripple uses a feather to tickle Hefty's feet and cause him to drop the heavy barbell. All the Smurflings laugh ... except for Slouchy, who — already skeptical about Ripple's sense of humor — decides the jokes aren't really that funny. But what really alarms him is that, once Hefty dropped the barbell, it began to roll. And roll it does, outside and to an oblivious Baby, who is playing outside. Slouchy (somehow) manages to stop the rolling barbell before Baby is killed.
After putting a rock in Harmony's horn, the joke he plays on Papa Smurf goes way too far: He mixes some chemicals that he plans to use to repair Smurfette's new vase and causes the entire laboratory to blow up. Luckily, there's no injuries, but Papa Smurf wonders who could have done this.
The Smurflings try to cover for Ripple, but that cover is blown when Slouchy brings in the woodsprite. The Smurflings admit they wanted to become friends with Ripple, but Papa Smurf bans Ripple immediately from the village and tells the Smurflings they cannot be friends with him. Ripple is offended and walks off in a huff.
That night, Ripple sneaks back into the village and convinces the Smurflings to watch him pull a "master" prank on Gargamel ... setting up a tripwire and cutting a tree branch to hit him in the head once the trap is activated. And lo and behold, things go exactly according to plan ...
... except that Azrael spots the pranksters and begins to chase them. Gargamel (who somehow avoided suffering a serious concussion) joins in the chase and while Ripple escapes, they are able to capture Nat, Snappy and Sassette. "Pappy Gargamel" declares he's about to make that Smurf marinade that he's always been dreaming of.
Ripple rushes back to the village and convinces Slouchy that his friends are in real danger and to come rescue them. They rush to Gargamel's hovel, where Ripple immediately creates a distraction. Scruple begins to chase after the woodsprite and in the fracas, the Smurflings' cage is knocked over, allowing them to flee. But then Ripple is captured and when Gargamel declares he's about to kill him for all the trouble he's caused, Slouchy shows up and distracts Gargamel long enough to get him to run toward them ... only for the wizard to slip on a puddle of marinade and make him drop Ripple and before the villains regain their bearings, the Smurflings and Ripple have made their getaway.
Back at the village, Ripple — after being reminded that there are other ways to make friends than pulling practical jokes — admits that he didn't know how to make friends any other way. Promising to do better in the future, he does play one last joke ... on (of course) Brainy, and it involves a quill and some disappearing ink that squirts him in the face.
Tropes in this episode
- An Aesop: Practical jokes in good taste are OK, but there are some that go too far or are just not funny.
- Booby Trap: The tripwire that Ripple rigs, and could have seriously injured Garagmel.
- Comedic Underwear Exposure: Caused by Ripple cutting Gargamel's beekeeper pants, to allow him to be stung in the behind.
- Deadly Prank: The near consequences of some of Ripple's jokes that are (thankfully) averted.
- Dude, Not Funny!: Papa Smurf is well aware of the woodsprites and the practical jokes they play on unsuspecting travelers through the forest, many of their pranks simply not only not funny but outright dangerous.
- Scary Stinging Swarm: Gargamel, Azrael and Scruple running from the bees after Ripple plays his first joke.
- Would Hurt a Child: Sassette asks Gargamel not to do anything bad to them ... to which "Pappy Gargamel" declares he'd do no such thing. Of course not!
