“Destiny is a gift … Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear, is what it means to be a hero. Don’t think … Become!”
With those words, Guillermo del Toro just ended his Netflix animated series Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia and dedicated it to his star, the late Anton Yelchin.
The 27-year-old actor, who died tragically in a freak car accident in his own driveway in 2016, voiced the hero of the series, Jim Lake Jr., (right). Yelchin had already recorded the dialog for the first two seasons and some of season three before his death. Actor Emile Hirsch was brought in to fill out the rest of Jim’s lines.
Trollhunters follows the story of a high school student living in the town of Arcadia who discovers a mysterious amulet and a hidden underground realm of trolls and magical creatures. The amulet turns out to be created by Merlin, the wizard. When Jim says the words, “For the glory of Merlin, daylight is mine to command” he summons his magical armor and sword and has the power far beyond a normal teenager. Jim is also the first human trollhunter, a warrior who has to protect the trolls from various threats coming from the Darklands. Del Toro borrows from myths with some of his creatures and references. He also borrows from his own previous work using elements of his Hellboy films within this show.
Best of all del Toro takes you into his wonderful imagination which if full of amazing and sometimes scary inhabitants like trolls, goblins, and an evil sorceress among others. If the high school element reminds some of Joss Whedon’s series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you wouldn’t be wrong. Like that great show, del Toro includes the normal angst of getting through a school year, dealing with insecurities, bullies and awkward romance.
As any great teenage hero needs the help of friends and mentors. Jim’s troll mentors are Blinky (right, voiced by Frasier’s Kelsey Grammer) and AARRRGGHH!!! (voiced by Fred Tatasciore.) His friends include Toby, a nerdish kid, and Claire, the cool and smart girl Jim has a crush on. Among the adult relationships, del Toro includes a love story between Jim’s unsuspecting single mom, Barbara, and a changeling (half human, half troll) masquerading as a teacher, Walter Strickler, who starts off as the trollhunter’s enemy. In del Toro’s world, enemies can become allies and allies aren’t always what they seem.
The recently released third and final season of his hit animated series, Trollhunters is on Netflix, as are the first two must see seasons. The finale is among the most exciting and satisfying I have seen. I have no doubt del Toro had so much more in mind for Trollhunters had it not been for the untimely and heartbreaking death of his star.
But don’t despair, he’s not done with Arcadia yet. New characters have been introduced and spin offs are already in the works. Tales of Arcadia: 3 Below is set to premier later this year and Tales of Arcadia: Wizards is expected to be released sometime in 2019.
In 2016, del Toro told the New York Times, “I wanted to do a series that I could imagine watching with a glass of milk on the couch with my dad and my brothers.” He’s achieved that not only for his family but for mine and many others, I’m sure.