I found something dumb

I watched said dumb thing, I commented in the said dumb thing, .....I Like the said dumb thing.

[empressgeekt]

Regardless of various AUs, most of them involve the Trolls being dropped in a pot and turning grey. Branch would sing to Poppy, which makes her colorful and happy, which in return, brings hope to everyone else. However, what if, in that moment of hesitation, Branch doesn't sing, and everyone remains gray? Can't imagine the Bergens being happy about being served 'defected and sad' Gray Trolls

When Bridget saves them it shows her what type of damage they are doing. They don't even leave the pot when she dumps them out. They have accepted their fate. Another cook catches them and delivered the now closed pot, only for Chef to reveal a pot of rotton trolls. Bridget would then stand up saying that Chef did it! They don't get to spread their misery and now even the trolls were as sad as any bergen. Gristles outlaws troll eating, since he doesn't wish a life of unhappiness on everyone. When the trolls recover they return the favor spreading joy.

[empressgeekt]

Seeing the trolls all grey and miserable, most simply waiting to be eaten with only one exception (Branch) being more willing to fight back to try to protect the others... it breaks Gristle's heart. He immediately demands Trollstice to stop and command the trolls to be brought somewhere safe. Somewhere where they wouldn't be hurt by them anymore and where they can care for them and see if they can recover in any manner.

Branch was the only troll left behind, slingshotting his hair to Bridget's shoulder after he confirms they aren't going to eat them at the moment. He isn't sure what he can do, but he's the only troll capable of negotiating at all or making any decision. His twenty years of experience being grey for once being a benefit, as all the others are still in shock from turning grey to begin with and crushed by the overwhelming feeling it brings. He has to do something to convince the bergans they were wrong, else the entire village will die.

Then after it's all over Branch doubles over has a panic attack since he just negotiated with literally his worst nightmare.

[empressgeekt]

Caught in the Grey, the other pop trolls sadly can not take care of themselves. Not really. It's not that they don't have the ability. Their sense of depression and hopelessness is so overwhelming for them that they can't find the willpower to do so. They're stuck, and unlike Branch, they don't have the strength to get up and move.

Some of them wonder if this is how Branch feels all the time and how he manages to keep going despite it.

On Branch's side, he basically takes over leading the village in a way. Although it's more like him herding a bunch of lethargic sheep from place to place and making sure everyone eats, sleeps, washes, etc. and taking to Gristle about how best to help them. The fact that Branch is doing this alone does help a bit. Some of the younger trolls start to become more active, and Peppy, in particular, keeps staring at him during his talks with the bergans.

Branch really pulls through, even if he isn't sure how to really help them. A real leader in thr making. Just like how someone was that peppy once knew.

[empressgeekt]

Welp, all the Trolls are gray, and the very troll who they looked down on for being the very form of negativity was, ironically, the one who pulled them out of from the pit of despair. How would it go from then on? Especially if Branch remained gray.

They treat Branch better, when they can...Branch is still very confused about it all.

[empressgeekt]

Not everyone recovers from being grey, not completely at least. Most do recover eventually, but some like Peppy remain a duller shade. Branch probably never gets his colors back, or if he does, he's the very last to do so.

Branch doesn't have hope...he gives it to everyone around him but he can't find it for himself. He would be the last to recover, since no one can stand to see him suffering anymore.

[empressgeekt]

How much respect is raised to Branch when the adult Trolls recover from their gray period?

Oh extremely high. Most of them are struggling to even move, but Branch had been living like this for years with no one to help.

[empressgeekt]

In the going gray au, how does Creek family take in going gray? They certainly won't be able to put up the positive facade anymore, and they can't blame Branch either, especially since their own son betrayed them without a second thought abs they are confronted by the overwhelming helplessness Branch once did.

They just ignore that the grey period ever happened. They don't want to admit they were so weak, as to lose their colors. When it comes to there son? Well, they think poorly of the trolls who don't forgive him,

[empressgeekt]

¿que pasadía si de alguna forma los Rock Trolls encontraran a los Pop Trolls poco después casi al mismo tiempo de que escaparon de los Bertenos (tal vez el miedo los hizo correr demasiado lejos o los Rock Trolls estaban explorando el área)? Creo que en ese memento los Pop Trolls eran muy pocos para un género principal como lo es el Pop ¿se llamaría a las otras tribus para estudiar a la amenaza (los Bertenos) y decidir que hacer con Pop? ¿y que pasadía con Branch? Dudo que los Trolls de las otras tribus vean a un niño gris como Branch y no hagan nada.

Ahora que lo pienso ¿los pop Trolls no encontraron a Cooper casi al mismo tiempo que lograron escapar? Eso significa que Quincy y Essence recuperarían a su hijo perdido bastante rápido

Translation:

What if somehow the Rock Trolls found the Pop Trolls shortly after almost the same time they escaped from the Bertenos (maybe fear made them run too far or the Rock Trolls were exploring the area)? I think that at that time the Pop Trolls were too few for a main genre like Pop. Would the other tribes be called to study the threat (the Bertenos) and decide what to do with Pop? And what was happening with Branch? I doubt the Trolls of the other tribes would see a gray kid like Branch and do nothing.

Come to think of it, didn't the Pop Trolls find Cooper around the same time they managed to escape? That means Quincy and Essence would get their lost son back pretty quickly.

Answer:

Depending on who was currently in charge i could see other tribes taking them in. Like Thrash, Quincy and Essence probably know that all tribes need each other on some level so they would take what was left of pop and protect it. The techno tribe lives underwater so they can't really help due to distance, but they would also be sympathetic.

I feel country or classical would be more reluctant to help. Pop's happy free life-style clashes with their more serious/formal cultures.

[empressgeekt]

Barb ataca Pop Village solo para encontrarse con un montón de Trolls grises que apenas tienen suficiente fuerzas para levantarse...

Barb: ohhh mi#rda, esto no estaba en mis planes...

¿como reaccionarían los otros lideres de tribus al encontrarse a toda Pop Village siendo gris? No creo que Essence y Quincy estén muy felices al encontar a su hijo perdido hace mucho tiempo completamente gris y con demasiado miedo como para siquiera mirarlos (podés ignorar esa parte, solo soy yo queriendo un poco de angustia)

Translation:

Barb attacks Pop Village only to encounter a bunch of Gray Trolls who barely have enough strength to get up...

Barb: ohhh shit, this wasn't in my plans...

How would the other tribe leaders react to finding the entire Pop Village gray? I don't think Essence and Quincy will be very happy to find their long lost son completely gray and too scared to even look at them (you can ignore that part, it's just me wanting a little angst)

Answer:

It's definitely worrying, and some members of the other tribe opinion, comeuppance for all the suffering the Pop trolls caused originally.

[empressgeekt]

I like to think that since the other tribes very likely did not know about Bergans eating Trolls, they might have soem misconceptions about Pop mental health. Namely, how they treat the topic of a Grey troll. Imagine doctors form Funk and Pop talking about different methodologies and the topic of greyness comes up.

Funk: It's a terribly sad condition, losing one's vibe. Tell me, in the short time, we all lost out vibes during the Rock Apocalypse you lot seemed to be least effected by the matter. How you dig that!?

Pop: I mean... It's not the first time we've gone grey. Only a year prior we all turned grey when Queen Poppy had a short grey period.

Funk: The Queen and a grey period!? How did such a thing happen!? How did you all treat her, she's clearly the most hopeful and positive of all now!

Pop: It was Branch, of course. He helped her, healed her. There's a reason we all listen to him how, despite him being the village freak for the longest time. The Queen is far too young for death omens!

Funk: *record scratch* I'm sorry, a WHAT!?

Yeah, Greyness had been around for a long time, even before the split though, it wasn't all that well studied, but the stigma surrounding it with the pop tribe didn't develop until their imprisonment. Let's just say views on the condition now greatly differ between the tribes.

[empressgeekt]

Most likely, like... Thrash's younger sibling. I know a lot of them like to make it the older sibling or something, to make Branch the True Heir or whatever, but honestly, I think it'd be just as if not more interesting as the younger sibling. Imagine Thrash spending years searching for his younger brother or sister and being unable to find them, tearing through the territories and causing all sorts of havoc and only everreally slowing down when he himself has Barb. Imagine Barb growing up learning about her uncle or aunt who went missing and picking up the search herself when she pulls her Rockapocalypse stunt, probably prompted by news leaking through of the return of Pop when whatever that weird wave of magic from the first Trolls Movie (the one that healed the Tree) went out. Her learning more about the Pops through her disguise and learning that a troll who has some strangely Rocklike features is there. Considering the lore you've ready given us about the parents the most likely person to be a Rock troll would probably be Branch Sr, so we could potentially add in the fact Barb would learning this kid shares the SAME NAME as her long lost uncle. Perhaps thinking it is him, only to actually see Nranch and realize there's he's way too youngvto be her uncle

With the addition of the third movie, i do think that the true heir thing wouldn't work, considering that John Dory is the eldest of his siblings there for next in line. Then you have to consider all of Bruce's kids, since as the second in line, all of his off-spring would be considered for the throne before the rest of the brothers. So, even if Branch's parent was the elder sibling to Thrash, he would still be at the least, 18th in line for the throne, ie dead last place.

if Branch Sr. was Thrash's younger brother, his name might have been an alias, or nickname. Since the trend with Rock trolls is to have either threatening names or shortened versions of very fancy names. Like Valentina or Barbara, shortened to Val and Barb. While Pop names seemed to be mostly nature/emotion themed. Branch Sr.'s birth name might have been like Ramus (latin for Branch) or Prong (another meaning for Branch, as in branching off of something), but Thrash likely gave him the nick name, and he used it when he got trapped in the troll tree.

Barb using the world tour as a way to search for her missing uncle is such a sad thought. Likely this is just as her dad's mind is fading and she's looking for familial support as she takes the crown. All she has is a nickname and a single picture of him, and while she doesn't find the man himself, she finds a youngs troll with his name and face in blue and grey. Branch looks like his father after all.

[empressgeekt]

And Branch meanwhile know NOTHING about this! He doesnt know hes technically a prince, hadn't even known about the other tribes much less his own heritage! It pisses Barb off, immensely

In Branch's defense, He was an egg when his dad died, so he never knew anything about the old troll.

And Branch Sr. likely would've never mentioned he was from another tribe.

Branch Sr. no matter the tribe, can't sing. Given my lore on the rock tribe, likely he would've been seen as a shameful prince because of it and would flee to escape this shame. Eventually getting trapped with the pop tribe. Maybe at one point he considered taking his family and fleeing, but where would they go? Thrash would've taken them in no question asked, but his wife and children are so obviously pop trolls, they wouldn't be welcomed in his home tribe, especially with his poor reputation there. It would make people question Thrash's loyalty to his duty, and that would put everyone in even more danger. Not to mention Jubilee and Rosiepuff still held hope that Lotus might come home. He couldn't ask them to abandon their daughter and sister.

Over all there was a lot stopping him from sharing his heritage with his family.

[empressgeekt]

Perhaps Branch Sr went on his own version of a world tour to try to prove himself what with his tone deafness, like not jsut fleeing in shame but trying to fight back against it true Rock Troll style and prove everyone wrong for shaming him

Branch Sr. did try to look for comfort in other tribes. After all, music was supposed to draw strength and inspiration from all sorts of sources. However, it was in vain, Branch Sr. could never muster up a correct note in his life. Instruments and dancing he was find in, but his voice? he wishes was non existent. Multiple times he was compared to the sound of an animal wailing in pain. Only to get trapped when he was desperate and ended up with the pop tribe.

And despite what many believe, he wasn't angry at everyone for his suffering, much like his son, all his negative emotions were towards himself, bringing him down internally rather then lashing out.

[empressgeekt]

I get the feeling that kn the Barb Captures him thing, she wouldn't have immediately jumped into the concert. That there would ahve at least been a day or two to go because yes she found her cousin but her plan required the String, which ahe doesn't have yet, so she'd postpone it both because she needs that String... and to get Branch settled down

It's an awful awkward few hours. Cause, while not everything was perfect in pop village, Branch is doing better and doesn't want to betray his people. (at this point if he has the photo like he also has Creek on his side too). Barb wants information on top of bonding, but Branch is still a little too suspicious for that right now.

[empressgeekt]

Oooh, imagine Barb and Poppy's confrontation with Branch in between them. Barb spitting accusations at Pop, claiming they stole her uncle from her and how she isn't gonna let her cousin be stolen too. Poppy being just absolutely pisse because HELLO!? THAT is HER BEST FRIEND/BOYFRIEND/SECOND IN COMMAND you kidnapped!! But also confused because what!?

Barb announcing that would just make the whole room go, wait...explanation required...

Poppy: We didn't mean to steal your uncle, but that doesn't mean you can take branch.

Branch: We probably didn't steal him in the first place, my parents met in the troll tree. The bergens probably thought he was na escapee and locked him up with the other trolls...

Barb: Okay, my turn to call a time out, what's a bergen?

[empressgeekt]

Branch would probably be i itially treated very roughly when trapped on Barb's angler bus during the ride back to Volcano Rock City. Simply, she thinks he's just another pop troll who looks suspiciously like her lost uncle at first until she notices the photo Branch has started keeping with him of his parents. When she learns Branch's name is when things click for her. The Pop Queen's boy toy is way too young to be her uncle, but he's the perfect age to be a cousin!

She proceeds to grill him about what happened to Branch Sr. only for Branch to be utterly useless, since he doesn't know anything. It makes Barb said, she loves her dad and he loves her, Branch never got that.

[empressgeekt]

How would this whole Pop Rock thing go if it were FOF?

Well, things would be off from the moment, Barb hits Branch with the power chord and nothing happens. I'm entirely sure how the ensuing battle will go, but no one seems to ask why it wasn't effective on Branch until post, "Just Sing".

To which Branch will take off his mask and admit even he didn't know. Branch looks like his father, just with his mom's coloring. Other then the more youthful features and the scar, he looks just like a n old picture of Barb's uncle and she notices. Then she makes a connection with the name and all hell breaks loose.

At some point Branch would be shown the picture of his father, but having never met the troll before he can't really confirm or not. The Funk trolls offer to do a DNA test, simply because they are now invested in this family drama and want to see through to the end.

Keith writes all of this down in his book series, because seriously you can't make this sugar up.