# The hole in Smaug's armour



## Flame of Udûn (Feb 15, 2003)

How did the hole in Smaug's armour come about? It seems a bit strange that the rest of his body would be covered, but not the place over his heart. Does anyone have any information on this, or theories?


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## YayGollum (Feb 15, 2003)

Ummm...the beating of his huge heart kept treasure from sticking to that part of his chest? He wasn't bearing down on the pile of treasure with that part of his body while he slept? The treasure that part of his body was on was some very nice non-stick pans?


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## Aglarthalion (Feb 15, 2003)

Well, perhaps some part of Smaug's body needed to remain uncovered in order for his body to "breathe" properly. 

If Smaug's body had been entirely covered, he may have suffered the same fate as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger.


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## Mirabella (Feb 16, 2003)

I always imagined that it was just carelessness on Smaug's part that he happened to be missing those crucial scales. He believed himself to be invulnerable to attack, so why bother replacing lost scales?


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## BlackCaptain (Feb 16, 2003)

And how come Hobbits have such big appetites? Or how come Bert, Tom, and Bill came across swords from Gondolin? Do we really know, does it really matter? But never-the-less, a good question


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## olorin the maia (Feb 16, 2003)

Elrond answers that question: the trolls probably plundered the loot of other robbers. Look at the chapter "A Short Rest" in The Hobbit .


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## Flame of Udûn (Feb 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Mirabella _
> *I always imagined that it was just carelessness on Smaug's part that he happened to be missing those crucial scales. He believed himself to be invulnerable to attack, so why bother replacing lost scales? *


Actually, the underside of Smaug, where the gap over his heart was, was covered by gold and jewels, not scales.


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## Wolfshead (Feb 17, 2003)

Look at it this way, how would Bard have killed Smaug if there had been no vulnerable spot? There needed to be some way to kill him, or the dwarves could not have won.


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## Theoden_king (Feb 18, 2003)

Seen as smaug had been unchallenged for many years maybe he just thought nobody would dare to try and kill him so he was safe.


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## Mirabella (Feb 18, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Flame of Udûn _
> *Actually, the underside of Smaug, where the gap over his heart was, was covered by gold and jewels, not scales. *



Here's what Smaug had to say in "Inside Information":


> "I am armored above and below with iron *scales* and hard gems. No blade can pierce me."



Smaug was covered in scales as all dragons are and his scales had become encrusted with gems from long years of lying on his golden bed.


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## Evenstar373 (Feb 22, 2003)

i just thought they fell off or somithing?


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## Goldberry (Feb 24, 2003)

I think Smaug once was covered all over his underside with his "armor", but a piece fell off. Not having a mirror, he never knew it happened, and so never fixed it. Or, if he did know it happened, it was long ago and he may not have worried about it since he never went anywhere. By the time he left his lair, he had forgotten about the bare spot and he was in a fit of rage anyway.


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## DurinLongBeard (Feb 28, 2003)

I don't believe Smaug could have fixed the bare patch even if he wanted to
In "An Unexpected Party" Thorin clearly states of dragons "they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose scale of their armour." In addition even if he knew he was missing a patch he would not be able to fix or, nor want to admit he has one. Obviously though, he did not know he had one or else he would not of shown Bilbo his tummy.
I think that should solve most of the problem.


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## Turin (Mar 15, 2003)

All I can say is that Bard must have had a pretty accurate bow to hit Smaug in the little bare spot.


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## Flame of Udûn (Mar 15, 2003)

Not really, it's usually the archer that is accurate.


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## Arda's Bane (Mar 18, 2003)

Smaug is based on mythological dragons. In most stories seeminly unstoppable creatures always had some weakness which was exployted by the 'hero'


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## Tolkien Adictee (Mar 18, 2003)

Perhaps, Smaug, like a snake, shed his skin?


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## FrankSinatra (Mar 18, 2003)

*Like this*

Well, to be blunt.

Smaug had to have had a weak-post, or Tolkien wouldnt have been able to kill him off would he?


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## elf boy (Mar 19, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Aglarthalion _
> *Well, perhaps some part of Smaug's body needed to remain uncovered in order for his body to "breathe" properly.
> 
> If Smaug's body had been entirely covered, he may have suffered the same fate as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger.  *



I praise you for your comparison! But anyway... some things are just hard to explain. My guess is that Smaug had a heart condition and that if the rib spreaders were needed, he would have to have that hole in his armor there.


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## Celebthôl (Mar 30, 2003)

LOL, maybe it just hurt for him to lie on that part?!


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## Firawyn (Apr 1, 2003)

*girl?*

Does it ever say Smaug was a guy? If not, and he was a she, then that hole......anyway, that opens a new perspective.


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## Niniel (Apr 2, 2003)

Roverandom:


> The Man-in-the-Moon shot the spell up out of a lower window, and hit the dragon splosh on the stomach (where all dragons are peculiarly tender)...


It seems even in Tolkien's early imagination (Roverandom was written about 1927) he thought the weak part of a dragon's body was the stomach/belly. It doesn't say why unfortunately.


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## Aulë (Apr 24, 2003)

Niniel! First Tales from the Perilous Realm, and now Roverandom!
Are you keeping track of what books I'm purchasing or something??? 
Which publisher are they?
Harper-Collins?


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## Eledhwen (May 2, 2003)

Remember how Turin killed Glaurung? Tolkien has been consistent in his depiction of dragon-armour. I expect Smaug lined his belly with iron and jewels etc because he knew how Glaurung met his end.


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## Dragon (May 16, 2003)

hmmm.... there are no definate reasons for there being a weak spot, because none are provided by the author, Tolkien, and so, the best we can possibly come up w/ is that there had to have been some weakness, or the story would not have turned out as it did, and as Tolkien intended it to.

smaug was covered in both scales _and_ gems, according to his words, though there was never any description of his underbelly other than the thoughts of bilbo or smaug, that would really tell us.

and as 4 smaug being a girl....well, he was always mentioned as a he in the books


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## Maeglin (May 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by turin56 _
> *All I can say is that Bard must have had a pretty accurate bow to hit Smaug in the little bare spot. *



Bard shot Smaug with an accurate arrow, he took the "black arrow", afaik forged by the elder of his kin.


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## Lantarion (May 17, 2003)

Yes; and although that does not actually explain how he could hit such a minute target, I think the point is to take it as a legendary occurence (like magic etc.).


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## Mithlond (Jun 1, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Mirabella _
> 
> 
> > "I am armored above and below with iron scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me."
> ...


This quote sounds to me like Smaug is saying he is armoured *above* with scales, while *below* he is armoured in gems.
I doubt Smaug had been rolling around in his treasure horde to have had his entire body encrusted in gems..

Tolkien's dragons are modelled from dragons from other mythologies, most of which had armoured bodies except for their vulnerable underside.


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## Evenstar373 (Jun 1, 2003)

Dont you think that lying on a bed okf gems would hurt as the gems were digging in you skin and eventully be inbeded in you?OUCH!!! or am Ithe only one who thought of tht I am weard so Iwouldent be supprised if I am the only one O-well


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## Lantarion (Jun 1, 2003)

Well Smaug was a _dragon_ and not a lowly human with their tender pink hides..


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## Evenstar373 (Jun 1, 2003)

I know but arnt dragons supposed to have tender bellys???


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## Scatha (Jun 1, 2003)

Most dragons are quite aware of the weaker belly, thus lay on their bed of gold to 'armor' it with gems and such. The weak spot under the left forepaw is a place where you can hardly lay down on. So it was never covered.

A good archer can hit any target, but remember that the arrow fired by Bard was not an ordinary one.


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