"The Last Scrapbook" is the second segment of the 12th episode of the first season of Trolls: TrollsTopia, and the 23rd overall episode in the series. It premiered on November 19, 2020.
Synopsis[]
When Poppy and Val discover that they're both fans of the same scrapbook series, they join forces to try and track down the author.
Plot[]
Poppy is in the library explaining the Glitterborne Chronicles to Holly Darlin', but the overcomplex description just loses her. The story stars Lady Marigold on her quest to reclaim the Party Hat of Destiny from Madame Maelstrom, the antagonist of the series. The author of the series is R. T. Plumegrass, a pen name. No-one knows who he is. Holly walks off unimpressed and Poppy is sad she can't share her love of the series with anyone despite all the new friends she has in TrollsTopia. Before her imagination, she visualizes Lady Marigold speaking to her. Though Marigold can't help her when it comes to discussing the series, she points out a bookmark in the book in front of her left by another Troll in the shape of a electric guitar.
In Rock Hollow, Poppy finds Val with an identical bookmark. Upon seeing Val reading one of the books, Poppy shouts with excitement and caught in the act of reading, Val claims she is not. When her denial doesn't work, she confesses that she is completely obsessed. when pushed to explain how she became a fan, Val says she went looking for a book to help her and saw the series. Think it said "Guitaring chronicles" she started to read. Soon she was engrossed in the series. Poppy asks what she likes most about the series, which turns out to be the heroine. But Val doesn't think that's Marigold; she thinks the hero is Maelstrom, as while Marigold has charm and inspiring words, Maelstrom has the cunning and dragons to keep everyone on the edge. Poppy finally finds someone who reads her favorite books, but not for the same reasons as Val likes the villain; Val denies again that Maelstrom is the villain. Val concludes that the two of them can't get on the same page even when they like the same book.
Val is off to check out book 7, which Poppy claims doesn't exist. Poppy explains there is no ending. Val excuses herself while she plays her guitar to hide her screams of angst. Val instructs Poppy that they're going to hunt down the author and demand he finish the book by deciding who gets the Party Hat of Destiny. Poppy explains she's looked for clues but has never found them. This Val demands to be shown.
Back at the library, Poppy shows a board with the pictures of every Troll in TrollsTopia. She removed any Troll not from her father's generation. She notices the angle of the cut suggests a left-handed cutter. A single strand of hair. Val says to leave it to her, she "borrows" hairbrushes from the remaining suspects. For the sake of moving things forward, Poppy chooses to believe her. Things point to only one Troll: Rufus.
Rufus is working on his chores and stacking wheat, and appears baffled they think he is a fancy scrapbooker. Poppy apologizes for bothering him, but Val is not convinced. Poppy knows Rufus well and has never seen him take interest in scrapbooking. As Val leaves, she says a quote from one of R.T. Plumegrass' books; she doesn't finish the quote, but Rufus does, giving the game away. Rufus tries to escape, but Val catches him with her hair. Rufus reveals that "Rufus" is his alias and R. T. Plumegrass is not a penname, but his real name.
Plumegrass explains that when he was young, he was full of ideas, but he couldn't figure out the ending. Disappointing the girls, he said he quit and became Rufus, an alias he thoroughly enjoyed. Plumegrass says there is nothing they can do; unless they have an ending for his series. The girls are excited they get to finish off the series. Poppy tells Plumegrass to picture things as Marigold and Maelstrom meet on the confetti fields. As Maelstrom goes to attack, Marigold blows the Party Blower of Legend; the sound is so beautiful Maelstorm changes all her ways and willingly gives her the Party Hat of Destiny. She's interrupted by Val, who thinks it's a terrible ending. Continuing the story, she suggests Maelstrom was using a plot, and Marigold is burned. Val says Marigold will never return, as destiny and prophecy aren't real. Poppy says Maelstorm can't win.
The two get in an argument as Plumegrass stands behind them in dismay. He stops their fight and says the frustration of creating an ending is why he left the books behind. He suggests they do the same as him and put the books down; he returns to being Rufus and walks off. Poppy realizes her and Val can't get on the same page as each other and walk off in opposite directions.
Alone, Poppy asks for Marigold's help. Poppy says the books were bringing Val and her together but Val wanted Maelstrom to win. Marigold is actually intrigued by this, saying that was the kind of ending that would get people talking, and Val is very creative.
Poppy rushes in on Val at Rock Hollow and says they need to do the ending Val's way. She says that Marigold visited her in her imagination, and agreed Val saw the series from a perspective Poppy never did. Val stops her, she was visits by Madame Maelstrom as well who showed her that her ending was bad too. So she has an idea.
Back with Plumegrass, the girls reveal the ending: have Marigold and Maelstrom join forces and work together. Excited, Plumegrass starts to take off to begin to scrapbook the ending. Poppy says that with the ending sorted he can go back to being Plumegrass, but he says he enjoys being Rufus. He changes back and rushes off.
With Rufus gone, Poppy asks if she has a few hours to discuss book 5. Val says she hasn't: they have to start at book 1. As the two begin their fan banter, Marigold and Maelstrom manifest behind the girls and hold hands.
Cast[]
- Amanda Leighton as Queen Poppy
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Rufus
- Biggie (picture only)
- Smidge (picture only)
- Creek (picture only)
- Master Controll (picture only)
- Ripley Wisp (picture only)
- Keith (picture only)
- Gia Grooves (picture only)
- King Peppy (picture only)
- Maddy (picture only)
- Priscilla (picture only)
- Sky Toronto (picture only)
- Other
- Lauren Mayhew as Felt Madame Maelstrom
- Megan Hilty as Lady Marigold
Trivia[]
- "R. T. Plumegrass" is likely a reference to J. K. Rowling, an author whose name has been commonly referenced in media, or H. P. Lovecraft.
- Lady Marigold is likely based on the character of She-Ra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, another series produced by DreamWorks that's a reboot of an older series.
- This theory about Lady Marigold's inspiration was later asked to Jim Mortensen and he confirmed it was likely the case.[1]
- When the photo board of all Trolls zooms out, images of Cooper (who's not a Pop Troll) and Mr. Dinkles (not even a Troll) can be made out despite Poppy saying the board lists every Pop Troll. In addition from close up to zoom out, Satin & Chenille, DJ Suki, Tug Duluth and a few other Trolls silhouettes can be made out.
- When Poppy removes anyone not from her father's generation, she leaves behind DJ Suki and Smidge, who are both confirmed to be from Poppy's generation.
- Lady Marigold and Madame Maelstrom are Glitter Trolls, keeping in line with the series' title of "Glitterborne" as both are "born of glitter".
- "Maelstrom" is a type of strong whirlpool, though it can also mean "choas".
- "Marigold" is a play on words, as it's spelt as a reference to the Marigold plant but sounds like "merry gold". This is a reference to her being both "merry" and having golden blond locks of hair.
- Dragons happen to be a common mythical creature used by hard rock and heavy metal bands due to their fierce legendary reputation, hence why Val would likely enjoy their presence in the story.
- The situation with Val viewing Madame Maelstrom as the hero is likely another nod back to Poppy and Barb from Trolls World Tour; both considered themselves as being the "good guy" and doing what's best for everyone.
- Its also a note towards fans' attitudes; some fans enjoy a good hero, while others enjoy a good villain.
- The ending is a nod to popular culture when it comes to epic book series such as Game of Thrones, which can span decades. Each book brings the ending closer, but never actually finishes the series and often the author dies before they can complete the story, leaving fans with no satisfying ending.