Trolls

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The Trolls are one of Kaos' main minions in the Skylanders franchise. As a race, they are very skilled engineers and technicians, but intelligence past warfare and violent tactics are reserved to few members of their society. One of the most intelligent and sophisticated trolls is Glumshanks, who serves as Kaos's right hand. Boomer is the only Troll to ever have the honor of becoming a Skylander.

The Trolls are nasty pieces of work, whose main hobbies include war, drilling for oil, and chopping down forests. As skilled engineers, they use their talents for evil. They create a huge range of weapons and vehicles for fighting their enemies.^[1]

History

Trolls once lived under bridges and made anyone who crossed over pay the toll. When most people got over the bridge without paying a toll, using billy goats, 'Fools Gold', or 'Fools Potatoes', the Trolls gave up on collecting tolls, crawled out from under their bridges, and went to work for Kaos.

Trolls have also played a part in the backstories of some of the Skylanders:

When the Trolls began hunting unicorns and Dragons, they suffered the wrath of the unicorn-dragon hybrid Skylander, Whirlwind.
Oil-drilling Trolls had also invaded an undersea civilization that was ruled by Wham-Shell, causing his people to be scattered to the wind, and Wham-Shell drove the Trolls away with his powerful mace soon afterwards.
Trolls had also chopped down and logged Stump Smash's entire forest, including himself. The tree-like creature then retaliated by smashing the Trolls' tree-cutting machines with his now stump-like mallets.
Another force of trolls made a similar attempt to demolish the Mystical Bamboo Forest on the instructions of Kaossandra, who desired the ancient trees as a decoration for her Royal Courtyard. To this end, she armed her troll legions with lumberjacks and directed them to cut down the entire forest. This attempt brought down retaliation from the protector, Ambush, who drove off the attackers and forced their mistress into hiding.
Troll forces confronted Astroblast while he was on a secret mission into their domain. Having discovered a Rift Engine, Astroblast defended this artifact from an army of Trolls in an epic shootout that left the attackers running for the proverbial hills.
Boomer was part of the Troll Army, originally a demolition specialist, but he realized the sole mission of the army was war and conquest, which didn't interest him. Determined to stop the Troll Army's quest for conquest, and to blow up things as many as he can, Boomer left the Trolls after saving a town being destroyed by them. Soon afterwards, Boomer was invited to be a Skylander, becoming the only troll to win such an honor.
The magical bat colony which took in a young vampire and raised her as Bat Spin came under assault from undead trolls who sought to construct an ultimate sonar weapon and thus tried to steal their magic. The heroic efforts of Bat Spin ended this effort and led to her recruitment as a Skylander.
The Skylands Bomb Force was established to remove and dismantle bombs that the trolls set. One of their members, a young furnace knight known as Blast Zone, was a specialist in these efforts and thus earned the ire of the trolls, who became tired of his constant interference in their plans and thus tried eliminating him with one hundred bombs thrown down his chimney. Before the bombs could detonate, however, the target swallowed them and belched fire back at the invaders, sending them running away with their boots on fire.
When Lumberjack trolls invaded the Arcadian Timberland and defeated the tree elves that called this land their home, Bushwhack lured them out before using capturing each invader and demolishing their tree-cutting machines through a combination of his enchanted axe and knowledge of the forest.
A fleet of Fire Trolls once tried to steal the legendary Burning Heart from its location at the centre of the burning sea which it created, but their own vessels were set ablaze with the natural abilities of Fire Kraken, who used a magical staff to force the Trolls into a hasty retreat.
The Troll Farms Guild once tried to fertilise their soil with gunpowder in a food experiment. Rather than a delicious snack, their efforts resulted in the creation of Food Fight.

Story

Skylanders: The Machine of Doom

The Trolls worked with a Spell Punk in testing out the invisibility spell so that they could steal the Chattering Key from its guardian unnoticed. But the trolls decided to go and cause trouble in the Mabu Market using the invisibility spell, unknowingly drawing attention to the Skylanders, much to the Spell Punk's frustration. Gill Grunt used his harpoon gun to fire gushes of mushy fruit at the trolls, making them visible again. Upon realizing that they are seen, the Trolls were then attacked by the Skylanders and were soon called back by Kaos.

The Trolls later assisted Kaos to claim the Chattering Key from the Skylanders.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure

The Trolls played a role in Kaos' plans during his reign over Skylands. They first appeared on Oilspill Island, having held the Gillmen living there prisoner and took over the island to drill for oil which they give to Kaos for his machines, contaminating the waters in the process. The Skylanders saved the Gillmen and destroyed the oil factory that was polluting the waters.

The Trolls later appeared in Falling Forest, having been sent by Kaos to cut down all the trees in order to find the Eternal Life Source that resided inside a giant acorn, but was thwarted by the Skylanders. They appeared again in Troll Warehouse, Goo Factory, and Battlefield, where they were at war with the Mabu Defense Force.

In the 3DS version, the Trolls play a part in Hektore's rule over the Radiant Isles, having been unleashed into the unstable Rivenrock Caverns. They also have Attack Dogs, which the Trolls use to sniff out intruders.

Skylanders: Giants

In Troll Home Security, an army of trolls fiercely guarded a machine called the Shield Gun that created a forcefield around Kaos' Kastle, protecting the castle for years. However the Skylanders infiltrated the fortress and managed to destroy the Shield Gun generating the forcefield in order to get into Kaos' Kastle.

Skylanders: Swap Force

The trolls were sent by Kaos to the Cloudbreak Islands to ensure that the Ancient Terrasquid was evilized without interference. An army of Trolls later accompanied Kaos to the Fantasm Forest to capture the Ancient Tree Spirit, having been taught to use and manipulate evilized fire.

In the Tower of Time Adventure Pack, the Time Troll gave Cluck an powerful suit and helped Cluck to disable the Tower of Time until the Skylanders defeated Cluck.

Skylanders: Trap Team

While trolls are once again one of the main enemies in Trap Team, several trolls rank among the many trappable villains in the game. Troll Villains include Chill Bill, Threatpack, Shrednaught, Smoke Scream, Trolling Thunder, Bruiser Cruiser, Lob Goblin and Nightmare Villains Marf Gargaroots and Grunkin Gobsprout.

In the Mirror of Mystery realm, the Trolls are the mirror world equivalent to the peace-loving Mabu villagers. They wear clothing reminiscent of hippies and circus clowns in this reality.

Skylanders: SuperChargers

The first new Troll enemy the SuperChargers meet are in The Rift to Skylands under the name of Shifty Sticklers, one of them guarding Flynn, Cali, and Hugo's cell.

The Trolls in The Cloud Kingdom serve the defected Storm Giant Lord Stratosfear, one eating the clouds and another feeding the cloud consumers. As stated by another storm giant named Ukko, Kaos was sending nine Transport Ships into their realm to overpower the high-society race.

The Trolls in the Monstrous Isles worship the massive Titans and, according to Tessa, carry out their every terrible wish, to the death.

Skylanders: Imaginators

The trolls make their only appearance in Skylanders: Imaginators in the Gryphon Park Observatory Adventure Pack, where they attempt to steal the legendary Rainbow Gryphons' eggs for their "Evil Zoo of Terrible Conditions", which according to Cali, is literally what it's called.

Skylanders: Lost Islands

Trolls will sometimes set up camp in the kingdom, but can be dispersed by Skylanders. Having a Skylander take care of a troll camp rewards the player with Gold and Hero Points for the Skylander used.

List of Trolls

Notable Trolls

Notable Vehicles

Villains

Enemy Trolls

Vehicles used by Trolls

Defenses

Other

Skylanders Academy

Mechana-Troll

Trivia

Some dialogue hints at Mabu prejudice against trolls:
- In Troll Warehouse, Snuckles refers to them as "stinky bridge dwellers."
- If Boomer talks to Quigley in Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, Quigley will state that his mom said he's not allowed to play with Boomer.
According to a cave painting in the museum on the Boney Islands, Trolls may have devolved from intelligent, human-like beings.
In the Strata artbook for Skylanders: Swap Force, concept art depicts Trolls piloting a number of large, ship-themed mechs outfitted with missile launchers or anchor weapons. None of these mechs appear in the actual game, however.^[2]
Depending on who developed the game, the Troll's appearances and level of intelligence varies from game to game. In games developed by Toys For Bob, the trolls have a more round appearances and are intelligent enough to build and operate advanced machines. In games developed by Vicarious Visions, the trolls have a more square-like appearance and are far less intelligent, being little more than dumb brutes.
Trolls may be a reference to Da Orks from Warhammer 40,000, as both are a race of green skinned humanoids with large lower fangs, are skilled engineers, with technology that appears ramshackle, but functional, and a notorious obsession for war, no matter how pointless.
The Tech element has more Troll villains than any other element.
In Skylanders: Lost Islands, Fright Rider mentions in his quest that Skele-oats are made of Troll bones.
In Skylanders: Imaginators, Cadet Crushers are in the audience during BattleBrawl Island arena challenges.
According to Peebs in Nightmare Express, Trolls can't count past 7, although Lob Goblin is an exception.

References

↑ Skylanders Universe: Chronicles, page 50
↑ Strata: The Art of Skylanders Swap Force. (Date Posted: Feb. 19, 2024).

Trolls

[1] Skylanders Universe: Chronicles, page 50

[2] Strata: The Art of Skylanders Swap Force. (Date Posted: Feb. 19, 2024).

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