Trollhunters S1 E3

## Plot

While walking through Trollmarket, Blinky compliments Toby on his knowledge of minerals. Good trolls live there, as well as gnomes, who are basically rats, and are only tolerated because they eat the parasites on the larger trolls. The giant orange crystal is called a Heartstone. It's the life force of trollkind. The other trolls are outraged and insulted by the presence of humans in Trollmarket, especially Draal, who is Kanjigar's son, and thinks he should be the Trollhunter. The other trolls don't think a human can protect them. Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Toby, and Jim enter the Hero's Forge, the training ground for Trollhunters, as well as a fighting arena. Jim lampshades that "Gumm-Gumm" isn't exactly the most terrifying name, at least in English, but in Trollish, it means bringer of death. They were exiled to the Darklands centuries ago, except for Bular, who wants to kill the Trollhunter, and free his father and his followers, who have been trying to escape their imprisonment for ages. Blinky turns off the forge when the leader of Trollmarket, Vendel, calls for him. He also thinks it's ridiculous that the amulet chose a human, and points out that it's made bad decisions before, such as Blinky's previous protege, Unkar the Unfortunate, who was torn limb from limb on his first night out. Jim puts his arm inside the Soothscryer, which will reveal his true spirit. However, the results are inconclusive. Since there's never been a human Trollhunter before, it needs more time to render its judgment. Toby is excited about everything, but Jim is more worried about surviving. When he gets home, he sees that Strickler is there. Barbara had no idea he was trying out for *Romeo and Juliet*. He's Romeo. Strickler compares Jim to Atlas, who also carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he's worried that Jim is overextending himself. He gives Barbara his phone number and leaves. She tells Jim that if his grades slip, she's going to have him cut back, starting with the things he does for her, even if he likes taking care of her, because that's her job as a parent. When he was old enough to ask about his dad, she told him that they just have to take care of each other. That's all he's trying to do. His mother is a terrible cook. She can't even make an omelet, or tea. When Strickler gets to his car, he tells Bular, who is *right outside*, that he shouldn't be here. Killing Jim now would draw too much attention, and his earlier attempt to take the amulet risked exposing their agenda to humans and trolls. Bular only respects force, and calls Strickler impure. He resents his deceitful, manipulative ways and considers him weak. Strickler respects his father, and tells Bular to adapt if he wants any chance of seeing him again. He and Jim are foils to each other in that way. One couldn't care less about his dad, and the other one is willing to do whatever it takes to see his father again, even after it's made clear that their relationship isn't healthy either. Barbara tells Jim that Strickler is nice, and asks if he's single. In the Hero's Forge, Blinky tells Jim that the Trollhunter always follows three rules. Always be afraid. It keeps someone alert and vigilant. A hero isn't someone who is fearless, but someone who isn't stopped by fear. Always finish the fight, as in, kill your opponent. And when in doubt, kick them in the privates. Ouch. Vendel tells Blinky to let Jim spar with Draal. He's never gotten into a fight before though, or hit anyone. Blinky points out that he fought off Bular, but he says those were just his chef skills. Blinky tells him that the fight is within him. Just one hit, and he'll be changed forever. Draal easily defeats him though, and decides to wait until he falls in battle to inherit the amulet. Later on, he tells the others that he's not the Trollhunter, and gives the amulet back. However, it's bonded to him, and keeps coming back. He can't refuse this mantle. Except, as we'll see in a few years, he totally can, by just pawning it off to someone else. Fuck Rise of the Titans. Steve confronts Jim about not showing up for their scheduled fight. Toby, Claire, Darci, Mary, Shannon, Eli, and some other random students witness him trying and failing to punch Jim, and shoving him. Jim sees the amulet glow in his bag, and Steve tells him the same thing that Draal told him during their fight. Claire tells Steve to leave Jim alone, but he just pushes her out of the way. Jim remembers what Blinky said about one hit, and finally uppercuts Steve, who loses a tooth when he lands on the ground. Jim tells him that his mom is a doctor, not a nurse. Everyone cheers for him, except Claire, but even she smiles. This makes what she says to him later kind of weird though. He challenges Draal, who is bragging about their own fight, to a rematch.