3Below: Tales of Arcadia

Lore & Background

The series was announced on December 12, 2017 by Netflix and DreamWorks. On October 5, 2018, the premiere date was announced and the first teaser was released. The 13-episode first season was released on December 21, 2018 on Netflix, set during the third season of Trollhunters. The series concluded with the release of the second season that serves as a sequel to Trollhunters, and was released on July 12, 2019.

After investigating a way to stop Val Morando and find the hiding place of Aja and Krel, Zadra, one of the noble protectors of the royals from Akiridion-5, arrives on Earth. In Season 2, Aja and Krel learn of Varvatos Vex's capture and launch a rescue mission. After successfully defeating Morando, Aja (now Queen), Vex, Zadra, Luug and the rest finally return home, joined by Eli, who has volunteered to be Earth's ambassador on Akiridion 5. Crown Prince Krel decides that Earth has become his home, and stays with his new human best friends.

Reader's Guide

3Below: Tales of Arcadia serves as the second installment of Guillermo del Toro's Tales of Arcadia trilogy, bridging the events of Trollhunters and the subsequent series Wizards. The series has been praised for its depiction of immigration through a sci-fi lens, with critics noting that the characters Aja, Krel, and Vex function as stand-ins for immigrants, refugees, and 'illegal aliens,' re-examining the actions of anti-immigrant government agents and the aliens' allies alike. The series currently holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Its significance lies in expanding the interconnected universe of Arcadia, introducing new characters and themes while maintaining continuity with the earlier series. The full-length feature film Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans was released on Netflix on July 21, 2021, concluding the trilogy.

Did You Know?

• The first season was released on December 21, 2018, set during the third season of Trollhunters.
• Princess Aja and Prince Krel appeared in the Trollhunters episodes 'In Good Hands' and 'The Eternal Knight, Part 2' in their borrowed human forms.
• The series holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Production & Trilogy Placement

3Below: Tales of Arcadia is an American animated science fiction series produced by DreamWorks Animation, serving as the second chapter in Guillermo del Toro's Tales of Arcadia trilogy. Netflix and DreamWorks jointly announced the project on December 12, 2017, and the premiere date along with the first teaser dropped on October 5, 2018. The thirteen-episode first season hit Netflix on December 21, 2018, and was deliberately set during the events of Trollhunters' third season, weaving the two narratives together. The series wrapped with its second season, functioning as a direct sequel to Trollhunters, released on July 12, 2019. The broader trilogy continued beyond 3Below: the third installment, Wizards, arrived on August 7, 2020, and the full-length feature film Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans concluded the saga on Netflix on July 21, 2021. This multi-year rollout across two series and a feature film gave the Arcadia universe a sustained presence on the streaming platform.

Narrative Arc & Central Conflict

The story follows Crown Princess Aja and Crown Prince Krel of House Tarron, their dog-like companion Luug, and bodyguard Varvatos Vex, who flee their home world of Akiridion-5 after a coup and crash-land in Arcadia Oaks, California. Their immediate goals are twofold: repair their damaged spaceship and revive their critically ill parents, King Fialkov and Queen Coranda, so they can reclaim their planet from the dictator General Val Morando. Morando has dispatched the Zeron Brotherhood, a crew of intergalactic bounty hunters, to track down the royal siblings. Complications mount when Aja and Krel discover their own involvement in the coup, leading them to exile Vex. During his banishment, Vex is captured by the Zeron Brotherhood and imprisoned at a lunar outpost. In Season 2, the group launches a daring rescue, but their victory is short-lived as Morando himself turns his attention to Earth. After a final confrontation, Aja ascends to the throne, and the group returns home—though Krel chooses to remain on Earth with his new human friends, and Eli volunteers as Earth's ambassador to Akiridion-5.

Voice Cast & Ensemble

One of 3Below's most striking features is its all-star voice ensemble, blending Hollywood heavyweights with animation veterans. Tatiana Maslany voices both Princess Aja and Queen Coranda, while Diego Luna brings gravitas to Prince Krel. Nick Offerman lends his distinctive baritone to the bodyguard Varvatos Vex, and Glenn Close takes on the unusual role of the Mothership. The alien cast is further enriched by Andy Garcia as King Fialkov, Hayley Atwell as the noble protector Zadra, and Frank Welker as Luug. On the Earthling side, the series features Uzo Aduba, Oscar Nuñez, Steven Yeun, Kelsey Grammer, and Yara Shahidi, among others. Fred Tatasciore voices multiple characters including Neb and Magmatron. The cast also includes Fiona Shaw, Kathleen Turner, Alfred Molina, Lauren Tom, and Colin O'Donoghue. Notably, Aja and Krel also appeared in Trollhunters episodes in borrowed human forms, and Guillermo del Toro himself voices Dr. Muelas, tying the entire trilogy together under his creative umbrella.

Critical Reception & Thematic Resonance

3Below earned a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its broad appeal and thoughtful storytelling. Critics particularly highlighted the series' use of science fiction as a vehicle for examining immigration and refugee experiences. Dave Trumbore of Collider noted that the subtext was unmistakable even for younger audiences: Aja, Krel, and Vex function as stand-ins for immigrants, refugees, and those labeled "illegal aliens." He observed that the show re-examines the actions of anti-immigrant government agents alongside the aliens' allies, giving the narrative a layered political dimension without sacrificing its adventure-driven pacing. This allegorical framework elevated what could have been a straightforward sci-fi adventure into a story with genuine emotional and social weight. The series' ability to make such themes accessible to a family audience while maintaining narrative complexity was widely cited as a key strength, cementing 3Below as one of the more substantive entries in DreamWorks' animated television output.