"Branch Bum" is the second segment of the 7th and final episode of the fourth season of Trolls: The Beat Goes On! series, and the 51st overall episode in the series. It premiered on November 2, 2018.
Synopsis[]
An accident that lands The Snack Pack on a desert island transforms Branch.
Plot[]
Branch is driving a Caterbus while Poppy, Smidge, DJ Suki and Cooper sing "99 Friends in the Pod that need Hugs". They do one round and Branch finishes the song by saying they gave everyone a group hug, as he finds it distracting. Poppy knows that what has got Branch on edge is that they are not in familiar territory. She states that singing and games are part of a road trip. Cooper confirms this, adding that so is finger painting; he's corrected, but does it anyway. Branch states that there are only two goals to the road trip: getting there safely and getting back the same, no detours. Poppy, however, feels that detours are half the fun.
Branch has a map of their route, avoiding all possible threats. However to his horror, Cooper's finger painting has gotten on the map. They fall off a cliff into a wormhole, in which the Caterbus doesn't fit and coughs them up into it.
The group is stranded in an ocean. They're quickly surrounded by sharks and swim to a nearby island. The island is beautiful, and the Trolls are taken back in awe, except for Branch, who's already chopping wood to escape; he's making a boat to sail back to the wormhole. The other Trolls are amazed how quickly he works.
Poppy stops Branch, saying that this is the kind of detour she wanted. Every time he gets his tools out, Poppy takes them away and tells him it's a tropical paradise and to relax; he says there's no such thing. Poppy tells Branch to prove the island is dangerous. Soon all the Trolls are chanting "Prove it!" to Branch. Branch takes Poppy off to explore and leaves Smidge, Cooper and DJ Suki on the beach. It doesn't take them long to relax as the two walk off.
Branch believes danger will come soon. He jumps when a snake that hisses surprises him, until it cuddles him, making Poppy giggle at him. Next, he falls into a hole that bounces him back out, and Poppy gets eaten by a flower that gives her a tropical makeover. Branch says a "Makeover Plant" makes no evolutionary sense. The volcano erupts, but nacho cheese comes out of it. Branch is convinced there has to be danger somewhere, but even the rock he picks up squeaks and isn't harmful. Branch says the island is completely safe, causing a mental relaxation in his brain.
To the surprise of Smidge, Cooper and DJ Suki, when Branch returns he's completely mellow. Branch believes the island is a safe haven where no danger can touch them, calling himself "Frond" in the process. A song number goes later, and Poppy believes this is a productive detour as they have a new Branch. There's a thunderstorm in the distance; Branch initially reacts and tosses them shell necklaces, completely throwing off any threat of danger.
As the storm hits, the group are in peril, but Branch doesn't react, believing that no matter what the island is safe. Poppy tells them to head to the boat because they need to get to the wormhole; the problem is that the boat is only half-built. Poppy ends up dragging Branch onto the boat. They unfurl the sail, only to discover that Branch made his shirt from the sail. Branch doesn't seem to break out of his over-the-top relaxed state of mind.
Poppy uses her hair as a sail, but the boat is cracking under pressure; they need the old Branch back. Poppy confesses the old Branch was annoying, but she should never have wished him away and she needs him. At that point, the wind catches Poppy and sends her overboard. She's surrounded by the sharks again. With Poppy's life in peril, Branch snaps back into his old self and goes to save her. Even though, she has already saved herself by this point.
With the old Branch back, he repairs and completes the boat. The five form a sail between them, and the wind picks them up, sending them back into the wormhole.
Cast[]
- Amanda Leighton as Queen Poppy
- Skylar Astin as Branch
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Smidge
- Fryda Wolff as DJ Suki
- Ron Funches as Cooper
Songs[]
Physical distribution[]
This episode is available on the "Trolls: The Beat Goes On! - Complete Seasons 1-4" DVD.
Trivia[]
- This is the last episode to air in 2018.
- This is the third episode to have Branch's name in the title, the first being "Fun Branch" and "Branchception".
- The title is a play on "Beach Bum", a common nickname given to someone who sits around doing nothing all day.
- A "Frond", the name Branch adopts, is a type of leaf.
- This episode starts off with a reference to the Love Train scene in Trolls Holiday, where the Caterbus falls into a wormhole.
- The music is made to sound similar to Pirates of the Caribbean at the end of the episode, while the background music during Branch's song is made to sound like Tropical music.
Videos[]
