Waylon Smithers is a 30-year-old fictional character. He is the executive assistant to Mr. Burns, the owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Smithers is loyal and dedicated to Burns, often putting his boss's interests above all else. He is portrayed as being secretly in love with Burns, although this is never explicitly confirmed in the series. Smithers is an intelligent, efficient, and loyal character, but he is also often portrayed as insecure and lonely.