"The Ballad of Holly Darlin'" is the first segment of the 4th episode of the first season of Trolls: TrollsTopia, and the 6th overall episode in the series. It premiered on Novemeber 19, 2020.
Synopsis[]
When Poppy receives a "thank you" note from Holly that is actually nicer than Poppy's original gift, she heads to Country Corral to investigate. She learns that this is a common habit with Holly. She always shows her appreciation in big, big ways! Considering herself a pretty appreciative Troll in her own right, Poppy and Holly soon find themselves in an escalating war of generosity.
Plot[]
Poppy is preparing a gift basket when Cooper comes in and thanks her for giving him a gift basket on his birthday as he forgot. She claims that it is not his birthday and explains that she wants to show her friends how much they mean to her by giving them a gift for no reason at all. Smidge comes in on a cart to get more of her baskets, stating everyone loves them. She got "thank you" cards back from several Trolls, as well as a large present from Holly Darlin', who sent a large gift basket back. Poppy is taken back, but realizes Holly gave her back a gift that's much better then the one Poppy gave her which confuses her. They go to take the gift basket back, presuming it was a mistake.
When they arrive at Country Corral, Holly rushes them fast and hard to their alarm, sending them flying. Poppy and Smidge end up in outer space. They stop in midair, blink twice, and fall back to Country Corral. Holly is showing her appreciation for Poppy's gift and wants to spend some girl time. They explain they're there to fix a mix up with her "thank you" gift, to which Holly gets embarrassed, as that's not the one she intended for Poppy. She then pulls out an even bigger one that Poppy should have received, which wasn't what Poppy was expecting and she is left speechless. After Holly departs, Poppy says she only wanted to show Holly how she appreciated her, but now it doesn't feel like she did.
The pair hear a Troll speak up to them named Gust Tumbleweed, who explains that no matter what she is given, Holly always gives back something more impressive. Gust says no one knows why she does it, but it makes her the most overwhelmingly generous Troll there is. He then sings a song about it and explains in sing that she always gives back double what she has given, and ends up giving a lot of love with it. And no matter what, Poppy can't give her anything without this happening. Poppy doesn't understand why she can't give kindness to someone she cares about, but loves the challenge this presents.
Poppy presents Holly with a large golden statue, but Holly blows up a nearby mountain creating a bigger monument of Poppy. Back at her pod, Poppy is frustrated at the fact that Holly is really good at gifting. This time, she goes all Hair-Mary and goes after a legendary plant that produces pearls, which is so rare that Holly could never outgift it. Poppy gives it to Holly who says she couldn't think of how to outdo it. Then she realizes she can - she gives Poppy the plant itself.
Poppy then gives Holly a gift that moved her, but when she goes to give back a present she can't find Poppy. Holly is about to admit defeat and accept she can't outdo the gifter this time. Then she decides to round up a bunch of Trolls to help locate Poppy, and forms a present posse with Annie Applecore, Haystack Wiggins and Slim Stuck 'Em. The trio begin their search and Haystack concludes Poppy isn't too far away.
Smidge and Poppy, even though Holly catches up to Poppy, duck inside a hiding spot and hide. Surrounded, Smidge says they have only one option, but Poppy wants to dig her way out. Though the process may take years or decades, Poppy is happy so long as Holly realizes how much she cares for her. Poppy blames Holly and asks Smidge if she has ever met a Troll this generous, to which Smidge replies she has; it is Poppy. Smidge explains she already does what Holly is doing to her towards others, leaving them overwhelmed. The Trolls don't speak up as they see how happy it makes Poppy.
Holly is to charge in gifts a blazing, when Poppy comes out. She says she was trying too hard to outgift Holly. The two then start a situation where they want each other to give the last gift. Smidge says this will never end, but Haystack ends the episode by throwing a tag with the words "The End" on at the screen.
Cast[]
- Megan Hilty as Holly Darlin'
- Eric Lopez as Gust Tumbleweed and Slim Stuck 'Em
- Annie Applecore (non-speaking)
- Matt Lowe as Haystack Wiggins
- Dante Crescendo (mentioned)
- Ron Funches as Cooper
- Lownote Jones (mentioned)
- Synth (mentioned)
Songs[]
Trivia[]
- The title is a reference to The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
- This episode's plot is likely a nod back to the Trolls: The Beat Goes On! episode "A Flower For Poppy". In this episode, Poppy is the victim of generosity instead of everyone else as in the aforementioned one.
- This is the first episode to have Holly's name in the title.
- The 3 Country Trolls introduced are likely named after the female gunslinger "Annie Oakley", the "singing cowboy" known as "Slim Rinehart" and "John Higgins", who was both a gunslinger and a cowboy.
- The music that plays when Holly calls her group together is based upon The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
- In real life, drinking from shoes is considered either good fortune or a punishment, depending on each culture.
- When Smidge and Poppy are sent flying straight up, the globe has the same design from "Rainbowmageddon", wherein the continents resemble the ones of real-life Earth, but are shaped like Trolls.
- This moment is also the second time the running gag of "gravity doesn't work until you look down" happens in the series.
- A book based on this episode called Gift Time! was released in 2021.