The following is a transcript for the episode "Bringing Up Birdy".
Script
(Poppy, Branch, and Biggie are playing I-Spy while walking to the beach. Poppy is in her swimsuit.)
Poppy: I spy, with my little eye, something that is green and prickly. (She sees Branch. He is wearing a life jacket.)
Branch: I don’t know. That branch?
Poppy: Even pricklier. But it does take a long time to grow.
Biggie: (gasps) That Branch!
Poppy: Yes! You got it, Biggie! Yeah!
Biggie: Yay! Break it down, Mr. D. (Mr. Dinkles falls over.)
Poppy: OOOOH!
Biggie: Mind blown!
Branch: OK, game over. We walk the rest of the way to the beach in silence. And I am not prickly. (He hits a rock and sees blue eggs with green dots. He then screams and runs behind Poppy.)
Poppy: Branch, it’s just bird eggs.
Branch: Yes. And do you know what comes out of bird eggs?
Poppy: Um… Birds?
Branch: No. (He whispers in Poppy’s ear.) Pure evil.
Poppy: Oh, for the love of all that’s Troll-y! Branch, not this again.
Branch: Sorry, Poppy. Birds cannot be trusted, and no-one will convince me otherwise. (sighs)
Biggie: All right, I’ve always wanted to know, and I’m very sorry. Now I have to ask: what is the deal with you and birds?
Poppy: No, Biggie! Don’t get him started!
Branch: I don’t want to talk about it. (Poppy sighs in relief.) I was 10 years old.
Poppy: Oh, here we go. (We go to the past where young Branch is flying an orange kite.)
Branch: And there was nothing I loves more than flying my kite. It was a majestic day… when out of nowhere… (Suddenly, a huge black bird appears in the sky.) … he came.
Young Branch: Huh? (The bird flies down and he tries to wind in his kite, but the bird rips it with its talons. Then we go back to the present.)
Biggie: (gasps) It broke your kite? Oh. Well, I guess I can see how that might make you a bit cross with birds.
Branch: Wait. (Poppy does a face palm.) There’s more. (We go to the past again.) When he attacked my kite, I tried to resist him, but he was so strong. (The bird holds onto the torn kite and young Branch holds on. He cries as he goes up through a tree. He looks down to see that his shorts are hanging on a tree branch. He screams because he is now in his yellow underwear with pink hearts.) I flew around like that for 20 minutes. (We go back to the present again.)
Biggie: Oh, that’s awful! I can certainly see why you think birds are-
Branch: Wait. There’s more.
Biggie: No.
Poppy: Yep. (We go to the past once more.)
Branch: After he decided he’d toyed with me long enough, he let go. (The bird lets go of young Branch and he falls down screaming. Peppy is on a stage.)
Past Peppy: It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, Trolls! Let the Festival of Spotlights officially begin! (The Trolls cheer as spotlight turn on. Suddenly, young Branch hangs on a rope.)
Young Branch: Hi, everyone. (The Trolls gasp.)
Young Guy Diamond: You go, boy! (The crowd laughs at Branch. Then he sobs while the bird cackles. The Trolls’ faces turn into the bird’s face as they continue to laugh. Then we go back to the present once more.)
Poppy: Branch, that’s not how it happened.
Branch: Well, that’s what it felt like! Birds are bad, Poppy. Bad to the core. (He picks up a bag and starts putting the eggs in it.) And I will not allow these pests to stay in our village for another… (Suddenly, one of the eggs start to hatch. He gasps as the rest of the eggs start to hatch. He then screams as the eggs break completely, revealing three baby yellow birds. They show their adorable eyes, chirp, and surround Branch.)
Poppy: Aw!
Biggie: They’re so cute!
Branch; Get away, vermin! W-what is happening?!
Biggie: Ooh! I’ve heard of this. I think they’re imprinting, Branch.
Poppy: Hey, yeah. They’ve bonded with you. (chuckles) They think you’re their mother.
Branch: What?! No way! There’s no bond here! (He pushes the birds away. They then show their adorable eyes again.) Get away! (He runs to his bunker and jumps through the door. He presses a button on Gary and the door closes slowly.) Come, hurry! (The baby birds get closer.) Come on, Gary! Come on, Gary! (Just before the door closes completely, one of the baby birds pulls it open with its talons. Branch screams as they fall on him and the door closes. Later, Poppy is in her pod writing things on her agenda.)
Poppy: Huh? (She sees Branch with the baby birds.)
Branch: OK, they bonded. (He falls over.) Now, how do I make it stop? (Outside, Poppy places two light blue bowls of worms on the ground.) What is this?
Poppy: Bird food. (chuckles) You need to teach your babies how to eat. (Branch reluctantly groans.) Go ahead and… (groans) … all you want, Branch, but it’s all right here. (She shows a book about baby birds.) “Baby birds and their mothers form an unbreakable bond. Until the mother has taught the offspring all the skills needed to survive, they will never leave her side.”
Branch: Hold on. Let me see that. (He takes the book from Poppy.)
Poppy: The sooner you get to raising these cuties, the sooner they’re out of your hair. (One of the baby birds chirps.) Bon appetite! (She smacks her lips.)
Branch: I am not eating worms.
Poppy: Relax. They’re candy worms.
Branch: Oh. (He gives the book back to Poppy and puts a worm in his mouth. He almost immediately spits it out.) What flavor was that?
Poppy: Worm-flavored! Got to keep it real, Branch.
Branch: What?! Pop-
Poppy: Branch, shh, shh. Look. (The baby birds eat the worms from the bowls.)
Branch: Hm. What else does it say to do? (Over the next several weeks, Branch teaches the baby birds how to survive and fly as they grow. He soon starts loving them. As he does, he sings Fly.)
(Branch)
Yeah, come on
I’m gonna take you, take you
Underneath my wing
Oh, yeah, come on
Don’t got to worry, worry
About a single thing
No
Yeah, I’m gonna show you
Show you all about your world
I’ll be the one that you turn to
When you’re scared or hurt
I want to teach you
And I know you want to learn
You want to learn
You want to, want to, want to
Oh, oh
Let’s go, I-I’m a show you
What you want to know
Ay, ay, trust me
I never lie, believe what I say
You can fly up high
You can fly
Up high
You can fly up high
And I’m right here beside you
To guide you and show you you can fly (Finally, the birds are old enough to leave Branch. Poppy watches as he says good-bye to the birds on a cliff.)
Branch: Can’t believe this is good-bye. But I’ve taught you everything I can teach you now. (The birds chirp happily.) And no matter how far you roam, I’ll always have you with me. (He hugs the birds.) Now, go. (He sighs as the birds fly away. Poppy then puts a hand on his shoulder.)
Poppy: You OK?
Branch: I’m just… Incredible! Woo-hoo-hoo! Yeah! Thank goodness that’s over, right? I couldn’t stand one more second of those filthy beasts. Wahooooo! (Poppy says nothing.) What? (Poppy hugs him.)
Poppy: You’re trying really hard to look like you don’t care. But deep down, I know you bonded with them.
Branch: Are you crazy? Having those pests leave me is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Poppy: Then why are you holding onto those feathers?
Branch: Huh? (He opens his fist and sees three feathers in his hand.) Where did those come from? I mean… (He scoffs as he throws the feathers down.) Whatever. Those don’t mean anything to me. See?
Poppy: And the other hand? (Branch sees more feathers in his other hand. He then yells and lets the wind blow them away.)
Branch: Look, there’s no more feathers. Now, let’s hit the beach! Wahoo! Freedom! (He runs off. Later, he, Poppy, and Biggie are at the beach. Poppy and Biggie come over to him.)
Poppy: Uh… Branch, we’re getting a little worried. Come on, just admit you miss your birds.
Branch: (scoffs) No way! I haven’t given them one thought since they left.
Poppy: (Pointing to something) Then what would you call that? (The camera moves to see that Branch has built sand sculptures of the birds.)
Branch: I… I… I call it none of your business! (He wrecks his sand sculptures. He sees the last of the pieces left and forms them into eggs. Then he sits down and groans.)
Biggie: Branch, it’s OK to miss them. Mr. Dinkles and I have a bond so strong that I can sense how he’s feeling even when we’re apart. Like right now, he’s feeling… (We go to Mr. Dinkles who is relaxing while drinking from a cup held by a purple male Troll and has cucumbers on his face. A blue female Troll is holding a plate of grapes and a yellow male Troll his using a fan. We then go back to biggie.) … chill.
Branch: I promise you, I’m fine! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to my bunker to take a nap. Good day! (He kicks the egg sand sculptures down as he leaves. Soon, he is muttering in his sleep because he is having a nightmare.) No! Behind you! (He has a nightmare about the bird who attacked him from his childhood attacking his birds.) No! Fly away! Fly away! No! No! (He wakes up drenched in sweat.) My babies are in trouble! Mama’s coming! (He gets out of his bed and falls. Then he gets up and runs to save his birds. Later, Poppy is riding an orange Flyer Bug while he is looking around with binoculars.)
Poppy: So, let me get this straight. You think they’re in danger because of a dream?
Branch: Yes! I know they need me. I can feel it. Found them, Poppy! There! (He sees the black bird attacking his birds. He forms his hair into a glider.) I’m coming, boys! (He charges at the black bird and attacks it.) Remember me?! (The bird gets ready to punch him, but he avoids it buy grabbing its wing. It lands on a tree and shoots sharp feathers at Branch. He dodges them and one of them hits his bottom.) Why you! (He attacks the bird again. Soon, he gets ready to punch it and they hit each other. Poppy gasps in horror and sees Branch and the bird falling. The birds fly and catch Branch just in time. The black bird falls through a tree and into a river. Branch opens his eyes and finds himself riding on one of his birds.) Nice catch. (Poppy appears and he hugs his bird. Soon, they land on the ground.) Now, remember, always stick together. And don’t fly when it’s too windy. And… And… And… And… (Poppy touches his shoulder and tears come up in his eyes.) And if a strange bird offers you a worm, just say no. (The birds fly away again.) Think they’ll be OK?
Poppy: I do. You raised them well. Come on, Branch, let’s head home. (She and Branch start heading home.) This is exciting, Branch. Imagine how much more fun your life will be now that you love birds.
Branch: (scoffs) Nice try. But I only love three birds. (He and Poppy gasp and see some Trolls including Peppy frozen.) What happened to everyone?
Poppy: Dad! (She slides down a hill and waves at her father, but he doesn’t answer.) What’s going on? It’s like they’ve all been… frozen solid.