Unlike DreamWorks Animation’s other properties, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon which had both theatrical releases and spin-off series, Tales of Arcadia began as a Netflix original series. Starting with Trollhunters, the franchise went on to spawn two more series in 3Below and Wizards. While the story of Jim, Toby, and Claire never made it to the big screen, in 2021 fans were given an epic conclusion to the three interconnected series in the form of the Netflix original movie Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans.
The 104-minute film has little time for exposition as it brings together many characters from across the Tales of Arcadia universe for one final battle to save the world. Fans who have seen all of the series will be pleased with the many easter eggs and references made throughout the movie reminding them of beloved moments in the franchise and even callbacks to the very first episode which premiered back in 2016.
10 Steve’s Journey From School Bully To Pregnant With Alien Babies
Steve Palchuk was introduced in Episode 1 of Trollhunters as the school bully at Arcadia Oaks High. While at first, he is the stereotypical jock who picks on main characters Jim and Toby, he grows into a founding member of Team Creepslayerz and is one of the few characters to have a prominent role in all three series of the Tales of Arcadia franchise.
While he is mostly sidelined in Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, Steve’s final appearance couldn’t be further from his original depiction as the school bully. As is customary on Aja’s home planet of Akiridion-5, Steven becomes pregnant after reuniting with Aja and kissing her for the seventh time. Throughout the movie, Steve is seen having weird cravings and even rocking a pair of pink “CRISPY” sweatpants. The pants play on the popular Juicy Couture sweatsuit in real life but with the franchise’s slang word coined by Jim in the episode “Young Atlas” where Draal gives him a totem to help curb his anxiety about Claire.
9 A Reference To Guillermo Del Toro’s Other Franchise
After Jim, Toby, and Aja arrive in Hong Kong to find Claire’s team, they discover that Bellroc’s fire titan is quickly approaching. At which point Eli and Aja reveal the secret weapon they had been teasing, a giant Gun Robot mech created by Eli Pepperjack with the help of Akiridion technology and piloted by Varvatos Vex. The Gun Robot movie franchise takes place within the world of Tales of Arcadia and is referenced several times by the characters starting all the way back in the first episode.
Fans of the series and its creator Guillermo Del Toro will be familiar with Toro’s other franchise, Pacific Rim which took place in the future where human’s pilot gigantic humanoid mechs called Jaegers to fight against giant monsters called Kaijus. The battles in Pacific Rim are identical to the scene where Varvatos Vex takes on the fire titan. Another connection is actor Ron Perlman who often works with Toro played Hannibal Chau in Pacific Rim and also voiced Bular in the first season of Trollhunters.
8 Cameos/Appearances By The Expansive Cast
With a runtime of 104 minutes, not every fan-favorite character was able to have a big role in the epic conclusion but that didn’t stop the creators from adding in as many as possible. The movie starts with the team fighting the Arcane Order on the subway but after they get arrested by the police Krel shows up with his blankbots a.k.a. Mom and Dad, impersonating federal agents in order to free their friends.
Other appearances include Coach Lawrence and several classmates of Jim, Toby, and Claire who are seen driving around Arcadia Oaks looking for a safe place to hid from the Titans as they inch towards town. Nomura the museum curator who turned out to be a Changeling is on the team as well as Eli Pepperjack who was last seen leaving earth with Aja at the end of 3Below acting as the human ambassador to Akiridion-5 for the summer. Some other notable cameos include Archie’s father Charlemagne, Varvatos Vex, and Stuart in his human form as a Mexican food truck owner and unofficial driver for the team.
7 The New Queen Of Akiridion-5
At the end of 3Below Krel decided to stay behind on Earth with his blankbot parents as he feels it is his second home and he was not yet ready to return to his home planet. Aja, on the other hand, chose to return to Akiridion-5 with Varvatos Vex and Eli Pepperjack, leaving Steve behind and taking her place as Queen.
Aja doesn’t appear in Wizards but when she shows up in Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans she looks a bit older and is sporting a familiar Akiridion crown. However, it’s not the crown of her mother, the previous queen but rather the crown her father wore. The crown reveals its tie to the leader of the planet and is not dependent on gender. If they make a sequel, maybe Steve will be wearing the crown of Aja’s mother.
6 Strickler And Jim’s Journey; From Enemy To Best-Man
Jim Lake Jr.’s journey as the Trollhunter is made that much more complicated by the constantly shifting relationship with his once-favorite teacher, Mr. Strickler. It’s quickly revealed in Trollhunters Season 1 that the Arcadia Oaks High Principal is in fact a Changling, Trolls that can assume human forms, and the leader of the Janus Order, a secret group of Changelings that serve the evil Gunmar.
Throughout the original series, Strickler becomes a mentor to Jim and even a romantic interest to his mother, Barbara which culminates in the movie when it’s revealed that Strickler and Barbara are engaged. Strickler even asks Jim to be his best man which he happily accepts. This ends in tragedy with the death of Strickler against the Titans, which is ultimately re-written when Jim goes back in time at the conclusion of the film. However, it’s implied that Barbara and Strickler will end up together as one of the first things Jim does in the past is introduce them.
5 The Vast Lore And Sacred Object Throughout Tales Of Arcadia
The Tales of Arcadia mythology is vast with its own history, creatures, unique objects, and weapons. From Jim’s Sword of Daylight to the primordial Heartstone powering Trollmarket, fans will have to watch the series several times over to learn about them all.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans includes a handful of fan-favorites that are fun nods to the adventures throughout the past three seasons. Of course, there is Claire’s Shadow Staff which was created by Morgana and allows the user to open portals to the Shadow Realm. Claire acquired the staff from Anger Rot, an antagonist throughout Trollhunters. Another item used in the film is Merlin’s Grimoire, an ancient text written by Merlin which explains the Genesis Seals. The book was discovered by Douxie who brought it to Archie’s father, Charlemagne, for translation as it was written in Draconic, an ancient dragon language. The Guardians of Arcadia uses this book, the staff, as well as several other items to help them in their fight against the Arcane Order.
4 Where Is Jim’s Father?
One storyline that was never explained or really talked about was the whereabouts of Jim Lake Jr.’s Dad, Jim Lake Sr. While Toby’s backstory is fleshed out regarding his parent’s death and his living with his Nana, Jim’s Dad was rarely talked about throughout the series with the only info that Jim and his father were close and that Jim Lake Sr. left on Jim Lake Jr.’s fifth birthday.
In the movie, Jim has one last conversation with his Mom regarding his Dad where she tells her son that she admires his perseverance and his will to never give up on those around him. She further explains that this is a very different quality to his father who unlike Jim ran out on her. This is shown again when Jim chooses to give up his relationship with Claire in order to save Toby, Strickler, and all of the others who gave their lives in the fight against the Arcane Order.
3 Time Travel Is Not New In The Tales Of Arcadia
While the time-traveling ending to the film was criticized, it isn’t the first time that time manipulation was used throughout the series. There are several instances where the Guardians of Arcadia used time travel in their mission to save Arcadia and the world. First seen in Trollhunters Episode, “It’s About Time” Jim uses the Kairosects, an ancient artifact that allows the user to step out of time, to accomplish several tasks like finishing a Spanish test and saving his friends in a single day. Additionally, the entire series of Wizards sees the Guardians of Arcadia travel back in time to the medieval city of Camelot.
2 “Destiny Is A gift… Don’t think. Become.”
In Trollhunter’s two-part pilot “Becoming” Blinky gives a speech to Jim in the hopes that it will inspire him to take on the mantle of Trollhunter. The speech is an iconic part of the Tales of Arcadia franchise, recited again at the end of the pilot when Jim auditions for the role of Romeo in the school play. This speech it turns out bookends the entire franchise as it is recited again at the end of the Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans by the various members that make up the Guardians of Arcadia to ignite their fighting spirit before the final battle.
1 Ending References To The First Episode
Fans seem to be divided over the ending of the movie with Jim going back in time to the first episode of the franchise in an effort to save all of the lives lost during the battle against the Arcane Order. While this plot device is contentious, it was great to relive the moments that started it all. Many things are familiar like Jim oversleeping and Steve being a bully but Jim does set in motion the meeting between his Mom and Mr. Strickler and even causes Toby to find the amulet instead of him, rewarding his best friend who paid the ultimate price in the original timeline.
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