Karma (LD Stories)

Karma is a female Woodsprite who is talkative, optimistic, and very adventurous. She loves playing pranks as much as any other Woodsprite does, but doesn't always get laugh out of being pranked herself (sort of like Jokey Smurf).

Personality
She is generally energetic - always on her feet - and loves Buttercups; they're her favorite type of flower. She's also an astounding singer, capable of reaching high notes that normally a Woodsprite cannot, but she never sings if someone's nearby. She only shares her talent with people she's most comfortable around (which is few).

Signature Prank
She is best known for her "Gotcha Gag" as she calls it: she'll take someone's main interest, create a diversion usually involving startling a bird or another animal, and - while her victim is distracted - will set up a trip wire/root/rope a few feet in front of them. Then she'll run ahead of them and use their main interest (ex:money for a human) to draw them forward; the sap falls flat on their face and she gets a good laugh.

Her jokes are pulled on a "do I feel it or not" basis, so some days she'll be tripping people up left and right, and other days she might lay back and let someone else have a go.

Meeting and Relationship with Ripple
She makes her debut appearance in the Season 10 episode "Tripped Up" where she meets a male Woodsprite named Ripple - she discovers that he calls himself "Ripple the Remarkable" because he's never met a prankster who could pull a fast one on him. She intends to be the first: ''challenge accepted. ''Unfortunately when she attempts her "Gotcha Gag" on him, he sees through it and ends up sending her running into a shrub by impersonating a bear's roar. He laughs, leaving her that much more intent on getting him.

Quite some time goes by with her constantly trying to prank him, the ideas backfire on her instead, and he laughs until one day: as he's strolling through a flower patch in the afternoon he spots a closed Buttercup and picks it, thinking fondly of Karma for a moment. Recognizing the feeling accompanying the thought, he briskly leaves the patch in search of a pond. Along the way, he stops to let a mother duck and her ducklings cross the path he's on - then he spots Karma sitting at the edge of a pond abundant with fish and water plants. He takes a few feet forward, stumbles, falls, and hears her laugh abruptly; he looks back and sees - to his dismay - a rope.

Karma relishes the moment, having finally pranked the prank master, but the joke's on her when she's pushed into the pond. Since then, she has gradually eased up on him - discovering that he occasionally falls for her jokes on purpose. She does not realize that he likes her until he comes straight out and says it nearly half a year after their first encounter, and does not truly understand him until she thinks it over several days.

Later she finds and tackles him, happily announcing she loves him; this is the first time in her life where she hasn't kid someone about a relationship. She isn't surprised that he doesn't believe her at first, so she leans in and gives him a simple kiss - immediately he is hers and vice versa.

Reaction to Mystico the Goblin
Karma first hears about Mystico after she and Ripple have been together for a week, but does not meet him officially until the next month has passed. At which point she has never seen a goblin before, so she has no expectations other than what her love has told her - from what she understood, he was just like him, but looked scarier and is the last of his kind.

They come face to face and she has a delayed reaction; after a minute she fears him, associating him with a wolf and pig - two animals she is not fond of. She takes a step back behind Ripple, telling him she doesn't trust his old friend. Even when they try to engage in conversation, their is a mutual feeling of discomfort which makes her doubt the idea of having a goblin friend being good. She does not change her mind no matter what Ripple tells her; even when he leaves them alone, she isn't too surprised to find that she and Mystico have very little in common aside from enjoying pranks.

She seldom sees him and, although she accepts his and Ripple's friendship, is unwilling to participate in activities involving him. Ultimately she wishes Mystico would find a girl of his own and have less time for him; this is not so she has more time with her love, mind you. She simply does not condone his influence, and worries about him turning on Ripple one day and changing him into a goblin forever.

Meeting the Smurfs
Also through Ripple, Karma has been introduced to the Smurfs and was delighted to hear the story of his first encounter with them, starting with the Smurflings. They tell her all about how he created chaos in their village, tried to impress them by pranking Gargamel, them being captured and how he went back for help, his bravery when he faced the old wizard in his hovel, and how they saved him when he himself was caught. He wraps up the tale with the final note that the Smurfs taught him how there are more ways to impress others than pranks (considering that was all he knew how to do for many years).

She is especially close to Jokey because they loves pranks (obviously), admires Somebody for returning Mystico to the fountain on his previous release (Ripple, on the other hand, gives him a cold shoulder), and becomes good friends with Moxette for her mockery talent. Likewise, they all agree she is a good match for the formerly wild and uncontrollable Ripple.

Meeting Hethera
This section will be expanded upon the arrival of this character!

Season 10 Episodes
Karma returns alongside Ripple - though not as frequently - time and again either to help the Smurfs or deal with her own problems and adventures. Sometimes she is busy cleaning up a mess her boyfriend gets into.

Mystico Returns - Ep. 10
In this she is a minor character; she only appears towards the end of the episode when Ripple goes to the fountain too late to see his best friend.

Hethera the Goblin - Ep. 18
She does no speak here, but when Ripple tries to convince Mystico to go after Hethera, she agrees with him.

We Smurf You a Smurfy Christmas - Ep. 20
Karma and her boyfriend share the celebration with the Smurfs and Goblins, but when Chlorhydris casts a wicked spell on the world, she and a small group of friends set out to save everyone. She is relieved that Ripple is okay by the end, and enjoys the remainder of the holiday.

Beyond the Mirror's Reflection - Ep. 25
She and Ripple are shown a strange enchanted mirror by the Smurfs and intrigued by what she sees in it. She worries about her love, however, when his reaction is more shocking than expected.

Fooly's Woodsprite Friends - Ep. 47
She and Ripple meet Fooly Smurf and becomes friends with him.

Appearance
With pale skin, large eyelashes, and a slender figure, Karma is easy on the eyes: her long red hair has short cropped bangs and is tied into a low-hanging ponytail by a cobalt blue band. Her dark ivy witch hat matches the long-sleeve tunic/dress which has a tan collar, belt, and inner fabric. The front below the belt is a semi-cut petal shape and the back is long similar to a men's trench coat. Under this she has a pair of cobalt blue trousers, above-ankle length, and matching shoes.

Her accessories include a pair of cobalt crystal earrings and an unusual gold pendant with a symbol on it: she does not translate this symbol for anyone - it must be guessed.

Voice Actor(s)
Karma would most likely be voiced by someone with a tomboyish inflection, best captured by Kathy Najimy, who was Tilly the Hippo in the 1997 movie Cats Don't Dance, and is currently Peggy Hill on King of the Hill. However, she is a fantastic classical singer - she is operatic, reaching higher notes than normal Woodsprites - the best voice actress for this is Dawn Upshaw, one of the most incredible operatic sopranos of the 20th - 21st Century.

Trivia

 * The only person who can correctly translate the symbol on her pendant is her true love.
 * She only sings when she's alone - that is, until she and Ripple got together.
 * She does not directly admit to the Smurfs that she strongly detests Reporter, Insane, Fooly, Lazy, or Clumsy because they are hard to prank - either they can't take a joke or, in Clumsy's case, don't get the joke, Insane on the other hand can backfire her pranks due to his ability to do the impossible, while Fooly despite being the only one who "enjoy" her pranks, she gets frustrated when he tries to play a prank on someone he pranks on himself.
 * All of her powers are in her hat; without it, she would be rendered "human" and vulnerable. This goes for all Woodsprites.
 * She is unaware of the consequences of Ripple bringing back Mystico from death, should it occur - because Woodsprites and Goblins are not normally friends, this is a rare and unique problem.
 * Her song is Glitter and be Gay sung by Dawn Upshaw for the Broadway show, "Candide"; in a more modern choice, her alternative tune would be The One That Got Away by Katy Perry.
 * Her color scheme is partially based off of the descriptive lyrics from Culture Club's song Karma Chameleon, but this was not the premise of her creation. It it simply a wonderful coincidence.