Trollhunters: The Secret History of Trollkind is a Graphic Novel published by Dark Horse Comics set within the events of Trollhunters.
The secrets of the trolls and great troll warriors of the past are crucial tools for the new Trollhunter, and the time has come for Jim to appreciate the battles of Kanjigar the Courageous, who through his own struggles, triumphs, and failures lead the trolls after the Battle of Killahead Bridge through unknown territory, across oceans and continents, and past fearsome foes! With his friends by his side, Jim continues the fight against the Gumm-Gumms and their allies!
The Secret of Trollkind provides examples of:
- Been There, Shaped History: Not only did the founders of Trollmarket (including Blinky, Vendel, Draal, Kanjigar and Bagdwella) sail on the Mayflower, they also encounter Lewis and Clark.
- Blatant Lies: Blinky mentions how he "fought" at the Battle of Killahead Bridge (read: ran away while begging the enemy not to eat him).
- Disability-Negating Superpower: When Bular blinds Deya with reflected sun, she is able to use the magic of the amulet to counteract it.
- Forgotten Framing Device: The beginning of the story has Blinky trying to reassure Jim that Kanjigar had shortcomings just as he did. The graphic novel ends with Trollmarket being established and the reveal that Bular and Strickler are also in America, but the Framing Device is left ignored.
- Genius Loci: Craggen and his brothers are massive trolls (similar to Gatto) that Kanjigar and his pilgrimage party mistakes for a mountain-range.
- Masquerade: The divorce between the human world and troll-kind - or "The Pact" - is described as being a mutual one, with a depiction of Vendel and a human king shaking hands.
- Moment of Weakness: Played for Laughs. When Blinky admits that some of the trolls considered breaking the pact and subsisting on the human passengers on the Mayflower, he refuses to disclose who did so. The same panel shows a hysterical Blinky being the one to propose the idea.
- Never Found the Body: Averted. Deya the Deliverer dies stalling for time as the other trolls escape onto the Mayflower, her petrified remains sinking into the waters of the bay. Having seen the battle from a distance, Aaarrrgghh!!! salvaged it and brought it to the pilgriming trolls as a peace-offering.
- Rapid-Fire Interrupting: Jim, Claire and Toby have a habit of interrupting Blinky as he tries to start the story.
- Sudden Principled Stand: Vendel remarks and commends Kanjigar for abstaining from eating the humans on the Mayflower on principle despite the desperate conditions.
- Walking the Earth: While most of the trolls in America took the Mayflower, Aaarrrgghh!!! walked the whole way across the ocean through deep, deep caverns beneath the ocean floor. He says that he was able to accomplish this because deep cave trolls like himself are very patient and good with directions.
- Wham Shot: The ending reveals that Bular followed the scent of the amulet of daylight to the Americas and that Strickler became the new teacher at the newly constructed Arcadia's schoolhouse.
- Whole Episode Flashback: The story is set during and after the Battle of Killahead Bridge, the founding of Trollmarket in the New World and Aaarrrgghh!!! being introduced as an ally.
- You Shall Not Pass!: Deya sacrifices herself by fending off Bular as the other trolls hide on the Mayflower.
