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Timeline

Trollhunter (2011) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2011 · 90 min · Norwegian
JustWatch #8,190
Directed by
André Øvredal

While investigating a series of mysterious bear attacks in Norway, three college students uncover a dark secret. They begin documenting a solitary hunter, believing him to be involved. However, they soon discover he's not hunting bears at all, but rather tracking Trolls – powerful, mythical creatures long dismissed as folklore. The students find themselves in a dangerous situation as they delve deeper into the hunter's world and the hidden realm of these legendary beings.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Trollhunter
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Trollhunter (2011)

Where can you watch Trollhunter? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Philo, Hoopla and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Trollhunter Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Trollhunter (2011) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Filmmakers Set Out

    A group of determined filmmakers from Volda University College, comprising Thomas, Johanna, and Kalle, embark on an ambitious documentary project. Their focus is on Hans, a suspected bear poacher, driving them into the Norwegian wilderness to uncover the truth.

    Where
    Norwegian Wilderness
  2. Discovery of Bear Site

    The filmmakers begin their journey at the site of a recently slain bear. They engage local hunters who express confusion over strange tracks, setting the tone for the mystery they aim to unravel.

    Where
    Bear Site
  3. Seeking Expert Opinion

    The trio approaches Finn Haugen, the head of the Norwegian Wildlife Board, to discuss the bear killing and the peculiar tracks. Unfortunately, they are met with skepticism and disbelief regarding their theories about the tracks being manufactured.

    Where
    Norwegian Wildlife Board Office
  4. Following Hans into the Forest

    Despite the disbelief, the group decides to follow Hans deeper into the forest at twilight. They encounter strange lights and eerie roars, sharply escalating the tension of their expedition.

    When
    Twilight
    Where
    Deep Forest
  5. Panic and Revelation

    A frightened Hans returns, exclaiming 'Troll!' which sends shivers through the filmmakers. Their situation turns more dire as Thomas is attacked, leaving him with a mysterious bite as they escape in Hans's vehicle.

    Where
    Forest
  6. Confession of a Troll Hunter

    After a moment of chaos, Hans reveals a shocking truth: he hunts trolls, not bears. This revelation transforms their adventure into something far more dangerous and fascinating, leading the filmmakers to reconsider their goals.

  7. Joining the Hunt

    Intrigued by Hans's assertion, Thomas, Johanna, and Kalle propose to document his troll-hunting expedition. Surprisingly, Hans agrees but insists on strict adherence to his rules, which adds a new layer of excitement.

  8. The Troll Stench Disguise

    Hans instructs the filmmakers to don a foul disguise known as 'troll stench' in order to evade the trolls. He even provocatively asks about their faith, hinting that trolls might be drawn to the scent of a Christian.

  9. First Encounter with a Troll

    Utilizing a flash gun that emits UV rays simulating sunlight, Hans manages to immobilize a massive three-headed troll, the Tusseladd. This successful encounter heightens the stakes and validates their decision to join Hans.

    Where
    Troll Encounter Site
  10. Conflicting Motives

    During an interview, Hans expresses his mission to eradicate trolls threatening human habitats, contrasting with Finn's clandestine role in protecting the mystery of these creatures. Their conflicting purposes create an atmosphere of tension.

  11. Using Goats for Bait

    The group assists Hans in a hunt using live goats as bait set up on a bridge. Their strategy pays off when they successfully acquire a blood sample from a Raglefant, a type of bridge troll.

    Where
    Bridge
  12. Desperate Search for Answers

    After submitting the troll blood sample for analysis, the students learn they must wait days for results. Their investigation leads them to an abandoned mine, where they stumble upon a den of cave trolls.

    Where
    Deserted Mine
  13. Tragic Encounter

    As they navigate the cave trolls' refuge, Kalle's admission of his Christian faith inadvertently draws the trolls to them. In a frantic escape, Kalle tragically loses his life to the trolls, leaving the group devastated.

    Where
    Cave Troll Den
  14. The Arrival of Malica

    The group's dynamic shifts upon the arrival of Malica, a new camerawoman. The unexpected presence raises concerns for Hans, who fears how her faith might affect their relationship with the trolls.

  15. Final Confrontation

    Hans orchestrates a daring plan to take down a colossal Jotnar, using a rocket projectile. As chaos ensues, Thomas's earlier bite worsens, and he collapses as the situation spirals out of control, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Last updated: November 22, 2024 at 15:13

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Timeline questions answered

Trollhunter Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Trollhunter (2011): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Kalle die in the mine?

Kalle died because he revealed that he was Christian, and trolls in this film can detect the scent of Christian blood. When the cave trolls closed in on the group, Kalle's faith made him the primary target. The trolls specifically tracked him down and killed him during their frantic escape attempt.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Hans asked the students if any of them believed in God or Jesus, warning that trolls could detect Christian blood, a detail that directly foreshadows Kalle's fate.

  • kalle death
  • christian blood
  • cave trolls
  • mine scene
Q2

What happened to Thomas at the end?

Thomas was bitten by a troll early in the film and contracted rabies from the bite. His condition worsened throughout the story, and in the final confrontation with the Jotnar, he collapsed on the roadside. The film never confirms his fate explicitly, but the ending reveals none of the students were ever heard from again.

Foreshadowing: Thomas was bitten during the initial troll encounter in the forest, and his deteriorating condition was shown progressing through the film.

  • thomas bite
  • rabies
  • thomas fate
  • jotnar battle
Q3

Why did Hans agree to let the students film his hunts?

Hans agreed because he was frustrated with working without adequate payment or recognition. He wanted someone to document his work and prove the existence of trolls to the world. The students' documentary project gave him an opportunity to finally get the truth out there.

  • hans同意
  • filming
  • documentary
  • motivation
Q4

What is the Troll Security Service (TSS)?

The Troll Security Service is a secret government organization led by Finn Haugen. Their mission is to cover up the existence of trolls and maintain the secrecy surrounding these creatures. Finn planted bear carcasses and created fake tracks to mislead the public, and he attempted to confiscate the students' footage to prevent proof of trolls from surfacing.

  • finn haugen
  • tss
  • cover-up
  • government conspiracy
Q5

How do trolls die or become neutralized?

Trolls turn to stone when exposed to sunlight or UV light. Hans uses a specialized flash gun that emits powerful UV rays to simulate sunlight, which immobilizes and essentially petrifies trolls. This is the primary method he uses to stop them.

  • troll weakness
  • uv light
  • sunlight
  • flash gun
  • stone
Q6

Why were trolls becoming more aggressive and approaching human settlements?

Hans mentions that there has been an increase in troll aggression, driving them closer to human settlements. He expresses concern about this rising aggression as a key reason for his hunts. The exact cause is not fully explained, but it creates the urgency for the story.

  • troll aggression
  • human settlements
  • danger
Q7

Why did Hans ask about the students' faith in God?

Hans asked if any of them believed in God or Jesus because trolls can detect the blood of a Christian man. This creates extreme danger for believers around trolls, as the creatures are drawn to that scent. This detail proves crucial when Kalle's Christian faith leads to his death.

Foreshadowing: This question directly sets up Kalle's tragic death in the mine.

  • christian blood
  • troll senses
  • hans question
  • faith
Q8

Why did Finn plant the bear carcass and fake tracks?

Finn, working for the Troll Security Service, manufactured evidence to cover up troll activity. By placing a bear carcass and creating counterfeit bear tracks, he试图掩盖trolls是造成这些动物死亡的真实原因,从而保护关于trolls存在的秘密。

  • finn cover-up
  • bear tracks
  • evidence
Q9

What did the ending reveal about the prime minister?

The ending includes a news segment where Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg acknowledges the existence of trolls. However, this major revelation goes largely unnoticed by the public, and the students' footage is confiscated. This underscores the film's theme of a secretive system suppressing the truth.

  • jens stoltenberg
  • troll revelation
  • news
  • cover-up ending
Q10

What are the different types of trolls shown in the film?

The film features multiple troll species: the three-headed Tusseladd (first troll encountered), the Raglefant (a bridge troll), cave trolls (Dovregubbens) living in mines, and the massive Jotnar, a colossal mountain troll standing 61 meters tall that serves as the final antagonist.

  • tusseladd
  • raglefane
  • dovregubben
  • jotnar
  • troll types
Q11

Why was Thomas bitten by the troll?

Thomas was bitten during the initial encounter when the group first heard strange roars and saw mysterious lights in the forest. A panicked Hans returned shouting 'Troll!' and during the chaos, Thomas suffered an unseen attack that resulted in the mysterious bite, which later proved fatal due to rabies.

  • thomas bite
  • forest attack
  • initial encounter
Q12

What happened to the students' footage at the end?

During the final confrontation with the Jotnar, Finn and his TSS operatives prepared to confiscate the students' footage as evidence of their unauthorized entry into troll territory. Thomas grabbed the camera and ran, but collapsed on the roadside as the tape cut off. The footage was likely seized by authorities.

  • footage confiscated
  • tss
  • camera
  • evidence

Movie threads

More Movies Like Trollhunter, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Trollhunter tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Found Footage Thrillers Like Trollhunter

Filmmakers uncover a terrifying secret, putting their lives at risk. If you liked the gritty, first-person perspective of Trollhunter, explore these movies that use found footage to tell stories of dangerous investigations. These films put you right in the action, creating an immersive and suspenseful experience similar to following student filmmakers into the unknown.

  • found footage
  • suspenseful
  • anxious
  • gritty
  • realistic
  • uneasy
  • Tone: tense, gritty, paranoid
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow a linear investigation, where protagonists gather evidence of a hidden threat. The narrative is driven by the act of filming itself, with tension building as their discoveries make them targets. The climax often involves a desperate attempt to survive and expose the truth, with endings that are frequently bleak or ambiguous.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared immersive filmmaking technique and core premise: ordinary people stumbling into extraordinary danger while recording it. They create a specific kind of paranoid, anxious vibe where the viewer feels like a direct witness to events unfolding in real time.

Gritty Monster Movies Like Trollhunter

Stories where mythical creatures exist with grim, unforgiving consequences. For viewers who enjoyed the realistic and dangerous portrayal of trolls in Trollhunter, this section features movies with a similar approach to mythical creatures. These films explore the bleak and heavy consequences of a hidden world of monsters, often involving survival horror and government cover-ups.

  • atmospheric
  • dangerous
  • uneasy
  • gritty
  • survival horror
  • mythical horror
  • Tone: tense, bleak, serious
  • Pacing: steady, suspenseful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves the discovery of a hidden ecosystem of dangerous creatures, often managed or covered up by a secretive organization. The focus is on survival and the moral cost of containing these beings, rather than wonder or adventure. Characters are often powerless against both the monsters and the systems that control them, leading to emotionally heavy outcomes.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their somber, high-stakes treatment of mythical creatures. They share a tone of tense realism, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on the grim logistics and human cost of a world where such monsters are real, creating a cohesive vibe of dangerous discovery and bleak consequences.

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Every angle

Trollhunter (2011) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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