- “You no longer make demands. The Order has discussed matters: while we seek the return of Gunmar, you seek only your own glory.”
- ―Otto disgracing Strickler from the Janus Order[src]
Otto Scaarbach was a supporting antagonist of Trollhunters, serving as a minor antagonist in Part One, a major antagonist in Part Two, and a posthumous antagonist in Part Three.
He was a Changeling Polymorph and the Grand Commandant of the Janus Order after he expelled Strickler.
History
Trollhunters (Part One)
The Eyestone
Otto is a Polymorph and a loyal member of the Janus Order who wishes to bring Gunmar back to the human world to wreak havoc. During the reconstruction of the Killahead Bridge, Otto provides the Eyestone, the last piece required to complete it.
Strickler Going Rouge
Otto is sent to Strickler by the Janus Order who questioned Strickler's ability to lead them. In his stay with him, Otto accompanies Strickler in the awakening of Angor Rot, as well as questioning the fact of having the soulless assassin under control (even if he does have the Inferna Copula).
Hearing Strickler's plans to usurp Gunmar's throne and empower the Changelings, Otto informs the rest of the Janus Order that their so-called leader is only looking for his own glory and not the return of Gunmar like the Order wants. In the end, after the Trollhunter steals the Inferna Copula, Otto expels Strickler from the Order and disgraces him from his position as leader, leaving him alone to deal with Angor Rot himself.
Trollhunters (Part Two)
Creeper's Sun Cure
After the death of Angor Rot and Strickler's disgrace (and also because of his unique polymorphic abilities), Otto is promoted as the Grand Commandant of the Janus Order.
When Toby, Claire, Blinky, and NotEnrique seek information on how to revive AAARRRGGHH!!! of Creeper's Sun poison, they discover Otto and decide to follow him to the Janus Order who possess the antidote to save him.
However, Otto's abilities manage to confuse them. When the group finally discovers the Janus Order barracks, Otto manages to use his Polymorph skills to trick them and capture them. There, he offers to give them the antidote in exchange for Vendel's walking staff, which they are forced to accept. The deal takes place and Otto gets the cane with a part of the Heartstone.
Gunmar's Return
When Gunmar finally manages to escape from the Darklands, Otto receives him and gives him the staff so that he can recover his strength.
Otto takes Gunmar to The Janus Order and helps him in the process to retake his power. During that time he usually has friction with Dictatious for Gunmar's favoritism. Eventually, Dictatious overhears Otto complaining over the Janus Order not hearing anything from the Pale Lady since Gunmar's return and pretends to be the Pale Lady's seer to gain favor with Gunmar.
The Fall of the Janus Order
When Gunmar decides to eliminate the Janus Order and take Trollmarket for himself, he puts Otto under his control (due to his Polymorph abilities) and uses him as a diversion to get the Trollhunter away, forcing him to use his Polymorph powers to take his form. Otto is finally killed by the Sword of Daylight and Gunmar uses his body to reveal that they all had fallen into his trap.
Trollhunters (Part Three)
While Jim tries to stop Krel's rave in the communications room of the demolished Janus Order base, he accidentally shows a security footage of himself fighting Otto (who was disguised as Gunmar) and quickly shuts it off.
3Below (Part One)
Otto (technically speaking) makes a cameo appearance as Krel watches footage of him (disguised as Gunmar) fighting Jim.
Physical Description
In his usual human form, Otto is a slightly overweight German man with blue eyes, a large nose, black hair combed back and a light blond beard and mustache. He also has a scar on his right eyebrow.
His attire is usually composed of an office suite with a polo shirt, leather pants with straps, and a pair of round glasses.
Personality
Otto was initially shown to be a fearful inferior changeling who only follows the orders of the Janus Order.
Later on, however, his cruel and sadistic side is revealed after he betrays Strickler, expels him as the leader, and leaves him to die at the hands of Angor Rot, as well as by capturing Jim's friends and pretending to torture them.
It's also worthy noting that Otto is quite hypocritical. While he disgraced Strickler from the Order for being selfish and putting his needs above other changelings, Otto practically does no better than what his former superior supposedly did himself. He doesn't truly care about his own people and close comrades, just his position as the Grand Commandant and earning more respect from Gunmar (whom he has a firm loyalty to), pretending to make Dictatious look bad in order to become Gunmar's only advisor to do so.
Despite this, he does have an honorable side, as he proposed a trade with the Trollhunter's team: the list of ingredients of bringing AAARRRGGHH!!! back to life to the team, and Otto getting Vendel's staff. It turns out that the ingredients Otto gave them truly worked and revived AAARRRGGHH!!!, thus honoring his part of the deal.
Powers & Abilities
Powers
- Changeling Polymorph Physiology: Being a Polymorph, Otto is not limited to a single false appearance like the other Changelings, since he is able to change at will to the form of any human or troll he desires without the need of a Familiar.
- Shapeshifting: Instead of just taking the appearance of a familiar, Otto is able to change into anyone he desires, human or troll. He was seen shapeshifting into a random boy, NotEnrique, and even Gunmar.
- Enhanced Strength: He was strong enough to knock out Claire with just one hit to the head (though he struggled with Toby, due to his headgear).
Abilities
- Bilingual: As a changeling, Otto is capable of speaking both English and Trollish fluently.
Weaknesses
Relationships
Friends/Allies
Gunmar
Like other changelings, Otto praised Gunmar. He even wished to replace Dictatious as Gunmar's new advisor to make Dictatious look like a fool.
However, Gunmar betrays the Janus Order and kills all of the members, while sparing Otto to be brainwashed and lure the Trollhunters from Trollmarket, due to his polymorph abilities.
"The Pale Lady"
Like with Gunmar, Otto also servers the will of his "Lady Creator", following her guidance through an old record player. However, after Gunmar's return, she completely abandons him. Otto became very desperate, saying that they needed her more than ever.
Frienemies/Rivals
Dictatious Galadrigal
Dictatious and Otto hated each other, always fighting over being Gunmar's top advisors. Otto made Dictatious's life in the Janus Order unbearable to the point where Dictatious practically felt he was no longer safe.
However, after Dictatious learns that the Pale Lady has completely ceased contact with the Order, he uses this opportunity to win Gunmar's attention by pretending to be the Pale Lady's seer. When Dictatious, Gunmar, and Otto begin planning on taking over Trollmarket, he uses the exact same plan Otto proposed as a "vision".
Enemies
Stricklander
At first, Strickler and Otto had a professional relationship. However, after Strickler goes rogue to help the changelings take over the world, Otto began to see him as the real traitor as he believed that, while changelings seek the return of Gunmar, he seeked only his own glory. He even believed Strickler's plan to use Angor Rot to destroy the Trollhunter to be too good to be true.
After Strickler loses the Inferna Copula, Otto immediately expels him from the Order and takes his place as the Grand Commandant. Otto and Strickler never interact with each other since.
However, Otto did use Strickler's old orientation films, despite viewing him as a traitor.
Quotes
- Main article: Otto Scaarbach/Quotes
Episode Appearances
Trollhunters
| Trollhunters Part 1 | ||
| "Becoming: Part 1" Absent |
"Becoming: Part 2" Absent | |
| "Wherefore Art Thou, Trollhunter?" Absent |
"Gnome Your Enemy" Mentioned | |
| "Waka Chaka!" Absent |
"Win Lose or Draal" Absent | |
| "To Catch a Changeling" Absent |
"Adventures in Trollsitting" Absent | |
| "Bittersweet Sixteen" Appears |
"Young Atlas" Appears | |
| "Recipe for Disaster" Absent |
"Claire and Present Danger" Absent | |
| "The Battle of Two Bridges" Absent |
"Return of the Trollhunter" Appears | |
| "Mudslinging" Absent |
"Roaming Fees May Apply" Absent | |
| "Blinky's Day Out" Appears |
"The Shattered King" Absent | |
| "Airheads" Absent |
"Where Is My Mind?" Absent | |
| "Party Monster" Absent |
"It's About Time" Absent | |
| "Wingmen" Appears |
"Angor Management" Absent | |
| "A Night to Remember" Absent |
"Something Rotten This Way Comes" Absent | |
| Trollhunters Part 2 | ||
| "Escape from the Darklands" Absent |
"Skullcrusher" Absent | |
| "Grand Theft Otto" Appears |
"KanjigAAARRRGGHH!!!" Appears | |
| "Homecoming" Absent |
"Hiss Hiss, Bang Bang" Appears | |
| "Hero with a Thousand Faces" Appears |
"Just Add Water" Appears | |
| "Creepslayerz" Cameo |
"The Reckless Club" Appears | |
| "Unbecoming" Absent |
"Mistrial and Error" Absent | |
| "In the Hall of the Gumm-Gumm King" Appears | ||
| Trollhunters Part 3 | ||
| "Night Patroll" Absent |
"Arcadia's Most Wanted" Absent | |
| "Bad Coffee" Absent |
"So I'm Dating a Sorceress" Absent | |
| "The Exorcism of Claire Nunez" Absent |
"Parental Guidance" Absent | |
| "The Oath" Absent |
"For the Glory of Merlin" Absent | |
| "In Good Hands" Cameo |
"A House Divided" Absent | |
| "Jimhunters" Absent |
"The Eternal Knight: Part 1" Absent | |
| "The Eternal Knight: Part 2" Absent | ||
3Below
| 3Below Part 1 | ||
| "Terra Incognita Part One" Absent |
"Terra Incognita Part Two" Absent | |
| "Mind Over Matter" Absent |
"Beetle Mania" Absent | |
| "Collision Course" Absent |
"D'aja Vu" Absent | |
| "Flying the Coop" Absent |
"Party Crashers" Absent | |
| "Lightning in a Bottle" Cameo |
"The Arcadian Job" Absent | |
| "Truth Be Told" Absent |
"Last Night on Earth" Absent | |
| "Bad Omen" Absent | ||
Trivia
- Otto and the Janus Order are one of the few villains to be killed by other antagonists. However, Otto was technically killed by Jim while he was possessed, albeit Gunmar was indirectly responsible.
