Jim and Tobey are on a important Fetch Quest for Merlin, but are interrupted by Senor Uhl who delivers Jim with an ultimatum; Help two new students or repeat the sophomore year.
Tropes
- Beeping Computers: Using his totally normal Earth tech, Krel was able to turn the Janus Order's computer system into a totally lively DJ station, playing impressive techno music, flashing bright colors and displaying remixed footage of Gunmar.
- Being Good Sucks: Jim has collected 43 missed days due to the havoc trollhunting has in his life.*
- Big Blackout: The result of them capturing lighting (or more accurately, hacking the Arcadia power grid to output 200 million volts to replicate a lightning bolt) in their jar.
- Black Comedy Cannibalism: Not having eaten for literal centuries, Merlin counts Toby lucky that he did not eat him in the cave. He wasn't joking either.
- Continuity Nod: Toby ends up dropping his phone pointing out that it was the fifth one he's lost.
- Crazy-Prepared: Merlin designed the Staff so that only a human (specifically one that understands trollish) can actually wield it. Unfortunately, changelings are close enough to qualify.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Aja and Krel are the main characters of 3Below, the second series in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: Merlin finds things like the refrigerator, texting and other forms of modern technology mildly fascinating but ultimately worthless to him.
- Hollywood Hacking: Aja is able to effortlessly hack into Arcadia’s power grid on Claire’s laptop.
- Hugh Mann: Aja and Krel totally aren't space aliens foreshadowing 3Below. Really, guys! They are just two totally lively teens from Europe.
- Improvised Lightning Rod: Jim uses the Sword of Daylight to reroute the electricity into the jar.
- Kick the Dog: Merlin meets Strickler's praises and prostrations with obvious contempt.
- Literal Metaphor: One of the things Merlin needs is for the group to catch Lightning in a Bottle. They puzzle on if he means that metaphorically or not but decide the literal interpretation is probably what is meant.
- Locked in the Bathroom: Merlin has apparently turned the bathroom into a makeshift brewing station.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Almost to One Dialogue, Two Conversations levels as Jim and co. try to keep the troll stuff a secret from Aja and Krel who in turn are trying to keep the fact they are alien royalty a secret. Both groups are extremely bad at it but because they are to busy trying to hide their secret, or in the case of Aja and Krel dont really know what's normal, nobody finds out.
- Loophole Abuse: When Gunmar finds out that only a human that can speak trollish can wield the Staff of Avalon, he decides to get a changeling to do it.
- Playing Sick: Aja and Krel are first introduced with Krel devising a plan to pretend being injured to skip out on gym.Krel: We'll fake illness. I've seen it work for others in gym class. Aah. My leg. It hurts. Oh, my stomach hurts. [Coughs.] My throat hurts. [Coughs more. Aja slaps him hard on the back, Krel falling flat on his face.]
Aja: Feeling better? - Poorly Disguised Pilot: This episode serves as an introduction for the protagonists of 3Below.
- Running Gag: Merlin, Aja and Krel all find the refrigerator fascinating, intriguing but otherwise untrustworthy, even asking if the light turns off when it closes.
- Servant Race: Quoth Usurna, "Impures were made to serve."
- Speaking Like Totally Teen: "Lively."
- Stop, or I Shoot Myself!: Since they need her alive, Nomura nicks one of Usurna's creeper's sun-laced daggers and threatens to stab herself with it if they did not let her leave. Usurna accurately guesses Nomura won't do it, so Nomura instead tosses it at one of her guards and uses the opportunity to free herself.
- Synchronous Episodes: With 3Below season 1 episode 9 "Lightning in a Bottle".
- Teen Genius: Aja and Krel are far more intelligent than your average teenager, at least when it comes to tech and hacking.
- Toilet Humour: One of the ingredients Jim sent Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!!! to find is apparently gas from a particularly foul-type of farting stalactite.
- Tomato Surprise: It turns out that Strickler has been hiding a pair of wings under his cloak.
- We Need a Distraction: Jim goes above and beyond to try and keep Señor Uhl from noticing Toby in his office.
- Wham Line: "Oh, did I not make myself clear? I'm not here to stop Gunmar. I'm here to kill Morgana."
- Wham Shot: Merlin disassembled Jim's Vespa… to make Claire and Toby their own trollhunter armor!
