However, the 2011 motion picture shows that the Smurfs' essence harbor mystical powers, which he seeks to exploit for various purposes in New York City.

However, no matter how elaborate Gargamel's plans, they invariably end in failure, causing him to spout his catchphrase: "I hate Smurfs!".

Sometimes he will also throw a temper tantrum, and howl in grief that "I am brave and strong and they are puny and weak, and why can't I defeat those miserable vile little Smurfs?!"

His aim is to capture a Smurf, which he intends to use to make a potion capable of transmuting base metals into gold (the Philosopher's Stone).

Gargamel has a vast library of spell books (grimoires), potions, and gadgets, all dedicated to his obsession with the Smurfs.

Gargamel even attempts to leave a pheromone trail leading from the village to his house, but the Smurfs use cinnamon to obscure the scent and prevent his return.

However, when his new ally reveals he plans to kidnap two children, Gargamel refuses to cooperate, and ultimately assists the Smurfs in defeating the wizard.

This book is a sentient entity, bound by an arrangement requiring it to provide Gargamel with one requested spell per month, during the final phase of the full moon.

The book adheres to the letter of the agreement but often interprets Gargamel's wishes literally, leading him through humiliating rituals and ingredient-gathering tasks.

In later seasons, it is suggested that the book's intentions may not be malicious, and it merely disapproves of selfish spellcasting, assisting the Smurfs in resolving magical crises.

In more modern adaptations, such as the two live-action films and 'The Lost Village', Gargamel's goal shifts to extracting the essence of Smurfs to attain ultimate sorcerous power and conquer the world.

He did not really have any feelings for the girl either, until he saw in her hope chest a definitive map to the Smurf Village and then proclaimed his love for her and accepted her hand in marriage.

He then takes the two girls to his home, but while Denisa was away, he tries to eat Sassette, but she runs away after Gargamel captures Papa, Nanny, and the Smurflings.

Being the earliest of the Smurfs' sworn enemies, it was inevitable that Gargamel would be a recurring character in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series.

Although Scruple aids Gargamel in capturing the Smurfs, his main problem is with the students of the wizard academy who berate him for failing to qualify for admission.

However, in the scheme of things, the smugness of the students proves to be a weakness for them, as Scruple has some success using Gargamel's magic to cause them problems.

In 1989, the final season of the series, where the Smurfs are constantly traveling through time, different incarnations of Gargamel would appear, such as showing him as an Indian fakir, a Russian peasant, or a Spanish bullfighter.

In many languages, the name Gargamel is kept in the cartoon series, e.g Croatian, Czech, Dutch/Flemish, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.