Potluck Poppy

"Potluck Poppy" is the first segment of the 1st episode of the third season of Trolls: TrollsTopia, and the 38th overall episode in the series. It premiered in June 10, 2021.
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Poppy throws a TrollsTopia potluck to encourage Trolls to explore other tribe's culinary delights. However, Poppy's eternal optimism and taste buds are put to the test when she comes face-to-face with the Techno Trolls' Gloop Du Jour.
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Poppy and Branch are seen eating cupcakes. Branch talks with his mouth full and Poppy tries to guess what he said, which Branch notes was nothing like he had tried to say. Poppy is talking about her inter-tribal potluck when she pauses, to which Branch guesses she is about to "hmmm" and she does. She notices the Country Trolls are the only ones eating the spiced pudding. As she speaks, Holly eats a cupcake and her mouth becomes flaming. After her mouth cools down, she says the pudding needs more spice. Only the Funk Trolls are eating the Mashed Potatoes and Groovy. The same thing is happening among all the Tribes, with each Tribe only sticking to their respective food.
Poppy magnifies her voice and asks the Trolls why they are only eating food of their own Tribes; Smidge confesses they are uncertain about eating other Tribes' foods, despite them being okay with their customs. Smidge is given some Techno Spunnel Cake, which she comments tastes like she has a party in her mouth. This encourages the Trolls to try other foods at last.
Synth congratulates Poppy on her success and wanted to organize a thank you and have prepared a delicate seafood delicacy for her. They present her with Gloop Du Jour. The dish looks disgusting to Poppy. Synth explains you don't glop it down at once; you take your time eating it. After Synth walks away, Branch questions if Poppy really is going to eat "that" and he flicks the food. It jiggles and doesn't stop.
Poppy goes to eat the Gloop, but her tongue physically knocks the spoon away. She does battle with her tongue trying to eat it but the organ simply won't allow her to. Branch tries to blindfold Poppy to trick her into eating it. She tells him off as she can hear him as he describes the food. She takes a bite and notes it tastes like a cupcake, but Branch reveals she really is eating one instead of the Gloop. Branch goes to initiate plan "whoops" and knocks the Gloop onto the floor and says "whoops". As he declares his accidental knocking, the Gloop jumps back into its bowl. Synth walks by and warns about it getting too warm and melting.
This comment gives Poppy the idea to get the Trolls singing; while she does, the Trolls are encouraged to eat the Spiced Pudding and breath fire. The plan works and the Gloop disappears. Synth is horrified and while Poppy comments that she is disappointed by this, Synth is not worried; there is another kind of Gloop, "Gloop Du Jour Extraordinaire". He produces a even larger Gloop dish, which is aged for decades to bring out even more of the flavor. He explains it is only brought out on very special occasions, and given how sad Poppy was he presented it to her, the Techno Trolls host a ceremony for her to eat in front of everyone the Gloop.
Poppy can't do it and finally comes clean about her not finding the food appetizing. Synth then reveals the jiggly stuff is just what the Gloop is served in. He taps the oozy outside and it departs, showing the real Gloop. She comments it looks so appetizing, to which Synth says why else would they serve it to her. Poppy likes the food and the Techno Trolls celebrate. Branch goes to take a piece but Poppy's tongue bashes his fork away; she doesn't know why it happened, but is too busy eating the food.
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;Pop Trolls
*Amanda Leighton as Queen Poppy
*Skylar Astin as Branch
*David Fynn as Biggie
*Kevin Michael Richardson as Smidge
;Country Trolls
*Megan Hilty as Holly Darlin'
;Classical Trolls
*Dante Crescendo (non-speaking)
;Funk Trolls
*Lownote Jones (non-speaking)
;Techno Trolls
*Vladimir Caamaño as Synth
*Anita Kalathara as Laguna Tidepool (non-speaking)
;Other
*David Fynn as Mr. Dinkles
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*"Make It Hot"
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*A "potluck" is a communal gathering where guests bring their own food to add to a menu.
*The title is a play on "potluck" and "hardluck", a term meant to convey extreme bad luck.
*"Gloop" is a thick liquid often made because its fun for children to play with. It is similar to slime except slime is soft, moist clay and Gloop is thick and gooey.
*"Du Jour" is a French expression used to describe something that's short-lived in popularity.
*"Mashed Potatoes" and "Groovy" is a pun on "mashed potatoes" and "gravy", respectively.
*Smidge's point about the Tribes and their food is based on more than just tastebuds. In the real world, different cultures do have preferences for different food groups. For some cultures, the preference for certain foods is genetically coded into DNA, while others are based on upbringing (even foods eaten by the mother during pregancy). Because of this, its natural for people of different cultures to be reluctant to try foods of another since it smells, tastes and looks different.
*Poppy's response to eating food no matter what is actually a reference to the British Royal Family. The monarchy is not suppose to refuse any dish offered to her in case it is seen as an offensive notion to the host.
*Branch usually has no problems eating gross foods, see "Giggleyum" and "Truth or Dare", here he has some gross foods among his rations.
**The episode is most likely a reference back to the Trolls: The Beat Goes On! episode "Fluffleberry Quest". The Snack Pack went on a journey to recreate Branch's Grandmother's cake "Fluffleberry". After all the effort the cake tastes foul and the group thinks an ingrediant was missing so they went to get a Plushroom. After Branch rescues Poppy from a a near death experience, it turned out the Plushroom wasn't a missing ingredient; it was just the plate the cake sat on and the cake was as intended; to which only Branch enjoyed it.
*Poppy's tongue having a mouth is a gag based on the Alien franchise's Alien species, which have a second mouth inside their main ones similarly shaped to tongues.
*Poppy's song is likely based on the song Hot Hot Hot.
Category:Episodes
Category:Trolls: TrollsTopia episodes
Category:Pop Trolls Story Arc Episodes
Category:TT Season 3 episodes
Category:2D animation