Smaug is the main dragon antagonist in J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel The Hobbit.
Smaug is a fire-drake who occupies Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, after driving out the Dwarves of the kingdom beneath it. His possession of the mountain’s treasure motivates Thorin Oakenshield’s company to reclaim their homeland, with Bilbo Baggins serving as the burglar chosen to enter the dragon’s lair.
Bilbo discovers that Smaug has a vulnerable area on the left side of his body. After Bilbo speaks with him and learns about his armor-like scales, the information reaches Lake-town. Bard uses a black arrow to strike the exposed place and kill the dragon, allowing the wider conflict over Erebor’s treasure to unfold.
Smaug is sometimes confused with Tolkien’s other dragons. Glaurung and Ancalagon belong to the older First Age stories, while Scatha is another dragon associated with the history of the North. Smaug is specifically the dragon of The Hobbit and one of Tolkien’s most recognizable villains.