As Varvatos Vex might say, the "Trollhunters" saga has finally come to its glorious end
with "Rise of the Titans." The film offers a stunning conclusion to the action in Arcadia,
bringing together all the heroes to take on the Arcane Order at long last.
Even though Jim Lake Jr. is now back in human form and has lost his essential trollhunter gear,
he's still got quite an army in his corner. But as tough and tight-knit as this eclectic crew might
be, they've got quite a fight on their hands with the Arcane Order and the ultra-destructive titans.
With such a high-stakes battle and lofty concepts scattered throughout,
"Rise of the Titans" is -- in keeping with "Trollhunters" tradition -- appealing to kids and
grown-ups alike. So for those who've already seen this final chapter unfold, let's take a deeper
look at a few of the things only adults will notice i﻿n "Rise of the Titans.” Spoilers ahead!
Steve Palchuk has had quite a dynamic journey throughout the "Trollhunters" saga,
but chances are good that no one saw his "Rise of the Titans" arc coming.
The character has always been a solid source of comedic relief,
but this time, the reformed schoolyard bully endures a full-on alien pregnancy.
"The question at hand is, why have they surfaced and what do they want?"
"No, the question is, why do the pickles taste so good with ice cream?"
Of course, adult audiences are bound to recognize that the entire reproductive process
is just a little bit unusual for Steve and certainly not what humans are used to.
For starters, the conception happens under some pretty bizarre circumstances.
"On Akiridion-5, the seventh kiss makes baby."
"Ah whoa, wait, wait, what? You mean you're pregnant? Like right now, you're pregnant right now."
"No, of course not." "Oh, good. Phew."
"You are."
Also, we never quite figure out how these cute, blue, half-human, half-alien babies are actually born.
Despite all the mysteries about the actual mechanics of this pregnancy,
Steve's experience is pretty traditional in a lot of hilarious ways, and any parent
who's been through it themselves is bound to enjoy a chuckle or two at Steve's expense.
"The Palchuk has some stretch marks."
Speaking of the film's plays on parenthood, "Rise of the Titans" also circles back to one
of the biggest question marks of the Arcadia trilogy: Jim's absentee dad.
Jim has always had some questions about him, and in "Rise of the Titans," Barbara lifts the veil
on who his dad was just a little bit more. "There's really nothing I can tell you, Jim,
no big revelation I can give you, no great thing I can say except you're your mother's son."
Adults are bound to recognize the fact that by refusing to bad-mouth Jim Sr.,
Barbara once again has taken the high road, despite her own feelings, for Jim's sake.
But Jim also reveals some true maturity on the matter. When Walter Strickler reveals
that he intends to marry Barbara and wants Jim to be his best man, Jim happily accepts,
recognizing the fact that his mother is finally happy with Strickler. And once Jim resets the
timeline to start the story all over again after Strickler's sacrifice, Jim even makes
an effort to speed up the process of Barbara getting together with him in the first place.
Even though he still doesn't have all the answers about his real dad,
Jim has finally made peace with that. "I was your student, your enemy, your friend,
and now, best man. The honor would be all mine."
Much of Jim's journey in the film is about
learning to accept himself as a hero -- and to embrace his limitations too. Of course,
ever since he first discovered the amulet many moons ago, Jim has worked to understand what
it means to be a trollhunter. This time, though, he has no magical armor or troll strength.
"What just happened?" "The amulet failed. I failed."
Jim finds out the hard way that his might is no longer physical, but rather,
it's his mind and the strength of his bonds with his friends that makes him a worthy opponent.
Once he does realize that it's his own spirit and beloved companions that matter most,
he's finally able to wield Excalibur and take on the titans alongside his team.
At the same time, he also learns that the hero's burden of self-sacrifice means more
than a willingness to run into danger. After seeing the toll that his tenure as trollhunter
has taken on Arcadia and some of his favorite people within it, he has to make the choice
whether to accept this costly victory as-is or turn back the clock and see if things might turn
out differently the next time. Jim knows that his hard-won relationships, including
with his love Claire Nuñez, will be upended by going all the way back to the beginning.
But for the sake of those lost in the final fight with titans, he's willing to accept the
responsibility of knowing this timeline's outcome and trying for a different one. Jim might've
started out as a timid teen who was unwittingly thrust into the trollhunting world, but now he's a
full-fledged adult who understands the meaning of taking real responsibility for himself and others.
"Master Jim, if you do this, you alone will be burdened by what could have been."
"Shouldering burdens is what heroes do. You taught me that."
Another thing that shows just how grown up Jim really is by the end of the story
is the fact that he recognizes there may be another, even worthier contender for the title
of trollhunter right in front of him. From the very start, Toby was always
willing to step up and do whatever he could for the greater good.
"You're with me, Tobes. Always have been, always will be. And I could use some moral support."
"Ah, the lamest of the superpowers." After Jim takes the opportunity to do
it all over again in "Rise of the Titans," he directs his bestie to the canal where he
can pick up the amulet and become the trollhunter himself. No doubt, Jim won't just spend his time
rehearsing Shakespeare to get close to Claire all over again, and he'll eventually take Toby's side
in the inevitable fights ahead. But the fact that he recognizes that Toby might be even more of a
hero than himself takes the kind of seasoned humility that a true adult can understand.
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