Barbara Lake

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“*Jim, listen. I'm a doctor. I know saving lives isn't easy work. I'm not trying to stop you. I'm trying to* help *you. But with danger this close to home, their parents should know. And if there comes a day when your friends don't come home, what will you tell their parents then? Jim, we're here to support you, no matter what the problem is. If it's school, if it's girls, if it's...* trolls*. Especially trolls. But if we don't talk, how are we supposed to help?*”
―Barbara to her son, Jim[src]

## Appears In

### TV Shows

*Trollhunters*
*3Below*

### Books

***The Adventure Begins***
***Welcome to the Darklands***
***The Book of Ga-Huel***
***Age of the Amulet***
***The Way of the Wizard***
***Angor Reborn***

## Character Information

### Alias

Dr. Lake
Mrs. Lake
Dr. L (Toby)
Mother of the Trollhunter
Bar-bu-rah (Vendel and Draal)
Doll (NotEnrique)
Lady Claire (Louis Scott)

### Personality

Motherly, kind, loving, caring, stubborn, responsible, understanding, independent, stern, easily concerned, hot-tempered, skeptical, sensible, quick-witted, overprotective, ignorant, loyal

### Family

James Lake Sr. (ex-husband)
Walter Strickler (fiancé) †
Jim Lake Jr. (son)
Changeling Familiars (foster children)

### Romances

James Lake Sr. (formerly)
Walter Strickler †

### Friends/Allies

Blinky Galadrigal
Walter Strickler †
Nancy Domzalski
Ophelia Nuñez
Javier Nuñez
Dictatious Galadrigal
Nomura †
Merlin (in a lesser extent) †

### Enemies

Gunmar †
Angor Rot †
Queen Usurna †
Gumm-Gumms
Goblins

### Weapon(s)

plate (briefly)
blender(briefly)

### Likes

Helping others, Strickler, Blinky, caring for her son, shrimp cakes, waffles, Jim's cooking

### Dislikes

Jim keeping her in the dark, Strickler's lies, her husband's disappearance

## Behind the Scenes

### Last appearance

*Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans*

**Barbara Lake** is a major character of *Trollhunters* and *Rise of the Titans*, and a background character in Part Two of *3Below*.

She is a full-time doctor at the Arcadia Oaks Hospital, the ex-wife of James Lake Sr., the mother of Jim Lake Jr., and the fiancé of Walter Strickler.

## Official Biography

"*Barbara is the understanding, kind and protective mother of Jim Lake. She takes care of her son alone, because her husband abandoned her when Jim was only 5. She works as a doctor in the hospital of Arcadia, arriving to attend several cases related to Trolls. She is completely ignorant that her son is the Trollhunter, but knows that there is something hidden from her and worries that he may be putting himself in danger*"

## History

### Backstory

Not much is known about Barbara's past life, and it's unknown how she met James Lake Sr. before they were married. Before his disappearance, Barbara and James seemed to have had a happy relationship and raised their only son, Jim, together.

However, everything suddenly went off the rails on Jim's fifth birthday. When James walked out on her and her son, Barbara became deeply hurt by this, something Jim remembers well into his teenage years. When Jim was old enough to ask about his father, she told him that they just have to take care of each other without James' presence.

As shown through several pictures (of Barbara dressed in a graduation gown with a young Jim beside her) that she graduated medical school during Jim's child years, though it's unknown if it was before or after James Sr.'s disappearance.

Over the years, Barbara and Jim managed to live a happy life together, usually always sharing stories and secrets with each other. Because of her hard work, Barbara barely has any time at all to work around the house. So, Jim decides to give her a hand and becomes the real caretaker of the house: waking up, cleaning, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner, etc.

### Trollhunters (Part One)

One morning before Jim finds the amulet, he fixes up his mother's breakfast and finds her asleep in her room, tired from her double-shift. Later on after school, Jim catches his mother taking off to the hospital, having to work late again. Jim reconsiders Barbara that his history teacher, Mr. Strickler, wants to talk to her and tells her he loves her before she takes off.

Barbara grows concerned with Jim's increasing erratic behaviour and tries to get him to talk, but he avoids her. This angers her, but she is helpless. She then confides in Strickler, but he feigns ignorance. This continues until Angor's attack, where she learns about his activities as the Trollhunter. She is then seriously wounded as a result of the Binding Spell and Jim rushes her to Trollmarket. Vendel successfully treats her, but she loses all her memories of Jim's confession, Strickler and Trollmarket.

### Trollhunters (Part Two)

Barbara makes a few minor appearances in this season.

While Jim is journeying in the Darklands alone, Toby uses a Glamour Mask to disguise himself as Jim and hide his disappearance from his mother. After the real Jim returns, he returns home and finds his mother distraught for being away for so long. Jim suddenly hugs her, happy to finally be with her.

While readjusting to his normal life, an over-enthusiastic Jim claims he missed his mother's terrible cooking and wishes her to never change.

Later on, while Steve and Eli spy on the Trollhunters at Jim's house, Barbara returns from work and announces herself to Jim, who tells her to not go down to the basement.

After Jim and his friends are sentenced to Saturday detention, Barbara drops her son off and takes off to work.

### Trollhunters (Part Three)

#### Painting

About two weeks after Gunmar takes over Trollmarket, one morning, Jim finds his mother in the basement, painting. He sees her artwork and notices that it was Blinky, much to his shock and worry. Barbara explains that she doesn't know what came over her: last night, she had a vivid dream and then woke up with the "urge to express herself". While she prepares to go to work, she offers to drive Jim to school, he passes up the offer and states that he promised Claire that he'd walk with her.

One night, Claire comes into the hospital for a check-up. Barbara asks her what the symptoms of her cold were: she's been tired all the time, spacing out, and keeps hearing a mysterious woman's voice (though she doesn't tell her the last one). According to Barbara's tests, however, Claire is in absolute perfect health, despite the obvious condition she's in. She then suggests that it could be a case of "teenage-itis".

A couple days later, Jim finds her in the basement, painting more artwork. He finds paintings of Vendel, the trolls of Trollmarket, and finds her finishing a painting of Stricklander in his troll form. She then expresses her distaste for the way Strickler left without even saying goodbye, especially since her last husband did the same thing to her. As Jim leaves for school, Barbara begins to study her paintings and ponders about what they actually mean.

At a cafe, she is on the phone with a friend. Strickler suddenly finds her and hides himself from her while he phones Jim. Barbara tells a friend of hers that, due to her constantly missing her scheduled shifts, the hospital decided to let her have some time off. Strickler considers showing her that he hasn't left, but then remembers the promise he made her before her memories were wiped, and left her alone.

#### Memories Return

One night, Barbara is shocked to find Strickler at her house, who shows with with a bottle of wine and tries to reconcile their relationship by explaining himself. However, as she has no memory of their dates whatsoever and clearly bitter that he still left without a word, just like what her ex-husband did, she slams the door on his face. As Strickler walks away in shame, Barbara briefly laminates that he, in fact, returned.

Barbara's painting obsession suddenly leads her to an 'aha' moment, reawakening all her memories of the troll world and her son being the Trollhunter. Alarmed, she then invites Toby's nana and Claire's parents over and explains that their kids are in serious danger.

When Jim and his friends arrive at the Lake House, Barbara demands the kids to tell their families the truth. They first make light of the situation, but when Barbara pleads Jim to tell everyone the truth, he agrees and the kids reveal their special powers. All of a sudden, the house is attacked by goblins attempting to assassinate Dictatious. The parents and their kids fend them off and Barbara tells them that she is proud of what her son and the others are doing.

### 3Below (Part Two)

Two weeks following the Eternal Night War, Barbara is seen having dinner at a restaurant with Stricklander and AAARRRGGHH!!! while Douxie serves them food.

At the time of Tronos' arrival in Arcadia, Barbara is seen taking care of all the baby familiars in Jim's old bedroom with the aid of Stricklander and NotEnrique.

Barbara is later briefly seen observing Luug riding Stuart's taco truck across town.

## Physical Description

Barbara is a tall, thin woman with brown-orange hair, blue eyes, and square glasses.

Usually, when or after she works, she wears a teal scrubs uniform and a white doctor's coat.

While she's not at work, she wears a white loose-collared shirt, black shirt, and black high-heels. Throughout the majority of Part Three, she wears a teal loose-collared shirt, brown-beige pants, and black flats (most likely because she gets more action scenes, like hers and Strickler's escape from Gunmar and the Gumm-Gumms).

## Personality

“*Strong and independent, Barbara Lake sets an example to Jim for what a great, hardworking parent should look like. Barbara works around the clock as a doctor in the clinic in Arcadia Hospital. Usually too tired for cooking or cleaning, Jim tends to mother his own mother by making her a daily packed lunch.*”
―*The Art of Trollhunters*
Barbara is a very sweet and loving, yet a tough, stubborn, and somewhat ignorant woman. When Jim became the Trollhunter and kept it a secret from her, she became greatly concerned because Jim was getting hurt and wouldn't explain what was going on. When Jim finally explained, she made him promise that he would explain again after she got better (which he broke). Barbara deeply loves Jim and is always trying to make him feel better about himself and his life.

## Powers & Abilities

### Abilities

* **Medical Knowledge**: As a doctor, Barbara is knowledgeable about several conditions and injuries. She even works double shifts at the clinic she's working at to earn better money for herself and Jim.
* **Martial Artist**: As she stated by herself in "Blinky's Day Out", she has an orange belt in Krav Maga, being able to knock a human Blinky down with a few blows, as well as Stricklander with a broom (though it was because he was acting). It is most likely that she taught Jim some of her techniques, which he uses for his trollhunting training.
* **Artist**: In the beginning of Part Three, it is revealed that Barbara is an excellent artist. When her memory of trolls begins return, she was able to paint Blinky, the trolls of Trollmarket, Vendel, Angor Rot, Stricklander, and Jim in his armor perfectly.
	+ **Eidetic Memory**: It's possible that Barbara is able to draw from just her memories of people and objects (especially when some were supposedly erased). She was able to draw Jim in his armor, Blinky, Stricklander and others just from memory (or "vivid dreams" as she describes).

### Weaknesses

* **Mortality**: As a human, Barbara possesses a mortal body, so is therefore highly vulnerable to any forms of injuries, sicknesses, and death.
* **Binding Spell** (briefly): In "Roaming Fees May Apply", after unknowingly drinking the essence of an Animus Totem that was dissolved in her tea, courtesy of Strickler, Barbara's fate becomes intertwined with his, meaning if any harm ever befalls him, she will feel the same pain and vice versa. He uses this spell to protect himself from Jim. In "Angor Management", when Strickler was wounded with Creeper's Sun on his neck, she receives the same exact injury and was severely weakened. Luckily, by "A Night to Remember", Vendel manages to permanently severe Barbara and Strickler's connection to help her heal properly. However, she loses all of her memory of the existence of magic and her son being the Trollhunter (though by "Night Patroll", they begin to return by when she paints pictures of Blinky, Vendel, Strickler, Jim etc., up until "Parental Guidance" when her memories return full force).

## Equipment

* **Pepper Spray**: Barbara carries a pepper spray to protect herself from strangers. In "Angor Management", under a state of panic at the sight of Draal, she used this on him and accidentally Jim.
* **Shovel**: Barbara uses a shovel as a weapon and finds it the basement in "Angor Management". She tries to use it to hit Angor Rot and protect Jim, but unwittingly ends up freeing the assassin from the Stasis Trap planted in Jim's bedroom by mistake.
* **Food Magic 3000 Blender**: In "Parental Guidance", Barbara uses the blender to dice a Blood Goblin into goo.
* **Broom**: She uses a broom to give Strickler some payback for his misdeeds (in the form of acting) in "For the Glory of Merlin" and laters uses it to hit Merlin himself in "Jimhunters" after learning he made Jim turn himself into a half-troll.

## Relationships

*Main article: Barbara Lake/Relationships*

## Trivia

* In the 2015 book, it was Barbara who abandoned Jim, and his father who acted as the single parent.
* According to Jim's journal, Barbara's favorite foods are shrimp cakes, cookies, blueberry waffles, and bacon mac and cheese. She also loves Jim's egg white manchego omelets, to the point that Jim knows she's *legitimately* angry with him when she refuses one as shown in "Return of the Trollhunter".
* In contrast to her son, Barbara is a terrible cook, notably shown in "Wherefore Art Thou, Trollhunter?", "Bittersweet Sixteen", and "Recipe for Disaster".
	+ In "Hiss Hiss, Bang Bang", Toby describes Barbara's spaghetti carbonara as "cardboard-nara".
* As shown in a picture and ultimately confirmed by Aaron Waltke on Twitter, after James Sr. left, Barbara returned to college when Jim was young. Since she was so busy trying to graduate medical school after that, this is what motivated Jim into stepping up and becoming the main caretaker of the house to help her in any way he could.
	+ Barbara is also a resident doctor, hence her late nights and weekend shifts.

## Gallery

***Arcadia Oaks-pedia*** has a collection of images and media related to *Barbara Lake* which can be found at
***Barbara Lake/Gallery***.