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| Esmeralda Fortune | |
| Gender | Female |
| Race | Human in appearance |
| Occupation | Fortune teller |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Known Relations | Cohort (companion) Incarnita (distant relative) |
| Residence | Mobile |
| Universe | Empath: The Luckiest Smurf |
| Gallery | |
Esmeralda Fortune is a character who is part of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series. She is a gypsy fortune teller who, along with her companion Cohort, tricks people into thinking that she can see into their future, with Cohort providing the behind-the-scenes effects to make it appear that her predictions come true. She can be very upset at people who return her favors with a trick of their own.
Esmeralda's first appearance in the Smurf Forest was about two years before Empath's final return from Psychelia, when she appeared at Gargamel's hovel to offer her services to the wizard, which at first he rejects until she offers "compelling evidence" of her abilities. Convinced that her prediction powers are real, he asks if he will ever be able to catch the Smurfs, and Esmeralda with her tarot cards predicts that he will capture all the Smurfs he desires, but only if he puts a bag of gold inside a spotted oak tree. She and her companion then go into the forest to paint an oak tree with yellow paint so that the wizard would be able to find it. However, Gargamel tricked Esmeralda by leaving a bag of gold painted rocks at the tree, and so she sought to get revenge.
At the same time, Papa Smurf and his little Smurfs were looking for Dreamy and Smurfette, who were captured by Gargamel just as he was leaving the bag of painted rocks at the tree, when they came across Esmeralda and her companion at their wagon. With Papa Smurf realizing they could help each other out, Esmeralda paid Gargamel a visit and predicted that he will be haunted by the spirits of the Smurfs if he ate them. Although Gargamel was disbelieving, he became fearful when Esmeralda showed him a vision of Papa Smurf inside her crystal ball, followed by three glowing Smurf spirits floating in the air. After Gargamel and Azrael ran out into the forest, the whole thing was revealed to be trick played upon him by Esmeralda and the Smurfs working together to rescue Dreamy and Smurfette.
Esmeralda appeared again without Cohort to get her hands on the gold sovereign that Gargamel received from a passenger in a horse and carriage, offering the evil wizard a "good luck toad" that she claims would grant him wishes by stroking the toad's back three times in exchange for the coin. After she and Gargamel made the exchange, Esmeralda was never seen again.
Esmeralda has appeared a few times since Empath's final return from Psychelia, occasionally offering her help to the Smurfs, and sometimes being the recipient of their help when it is beneficial and necessary. Empath and Polaris Psyche also encounter a distant relative of hers named Incarnita, who fancies herself as a spirit traveler guide for those seeking to travel through time from one incarnation to another.