Guest Posts, Popspiracy Theories

Popspiracy: Did Grapple-Pap really get Clareta? 🎄👹

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Blue Moon. Enjoy!

Hi there Poptropicans! It’s Blue Moon again, here to make a far-fetched, almost impossible (and a little out of date) theory: Grapple-Pap didn’t get Clareta after all. Surprise, surprise.

Contrary to the popular belief, Grapple-Pap may not have gotten Clareta—even before your Poptropican came to remind her of “what Grapple-Pap’s all about”. Why? The design of her house may hold clues.

Let’s take a look at the structure of her house. Though gloomy and worn-down, it’s pretty well-structured, isn’t it? But take a closer look and compare these two pictures: Isn’t the structure of Clareta’s house similar to the ones in town?

As we know, the town was designed to fit the cheer and merriment of Grapple-Pap—including the houses. Since Clareta lived in such an isolated place alone, it might be that she built her own house. And if Grapple-Pap really got her, why would she build her house to fit the style of the houses in town, which were designed to look cheery?

Also, if you look closely, you can see that there are pink hearts 💕 painted on the ridges in a pattern. Why would an old, mean, grumpy grandma like her paint hearts on her otherwise gloomy house? Isn’t she supposed to hate Grapple-Pap themes and general “happiness” or “merriment”? At least, that’s what happens to you if Grapple-Pap got you… she’s supposed to be grumpy and hate Grapple-Pap, and yeah, she fulfilled the first point, but did she really hate Grapple-Pap before your Poptropican came to remind her?

More on that point, look at the inside of her house. The huge, robotic whatever-that-is hanging from the ceiling is quite eye-catching, right? Though its appearance is hard to ignore, many would look over the fact that it’s carrying a bag of gifts and holding one in its “hand”. 🎁

Upon further inspection you will find that the appearance of the whatever-that-is (Krampus?) is similar to the creature painted on the booths of the Salty Nugget. 👹 Again, the whole town is designed to fit the cheeriness of Grapple-Pap, and Clareta was supposed to hate that stuff, so why would she hang a huge, gift-carrying thing that resembles something merry in town? Hmm, weird…

Also, did you notice that there are multiple silhouettes of garlands hanging from the ceiling of Clareta’s house? Garlands, like the ones from the Baron’s airship’s December visit, see? The question is the same: Why would Clareta put anything decorative in her house, especially something Grapple-Pap-related, when she’s supposed to be mean and anti-Grapple-Pap at the moment?

I know, I know. Even I must admit that this theory is quite ridiculous. There’s even evidence that goes against the points above—the burning Grapple-Pap gifts in the fireplace. But there’s still plenty of evidence that shows considerable traces of Grapple-Pap in her house… and that was before she turned nice. Quite a conflicting house, isn’t it?

So, if my theory is true, what does it mean? If Grapple-Pap did not get her, then who (or what) did? What caused the caring and compassionate Clareta to turn into a mean old hag? And most importantly, who and when will these questions be answered, and what will it mean to the holiday and legend of Grapple-Pap?

Until next time~ Blue Moon 🌚


Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Blue Moon. If you did, you might also enjoy other Popspiracy posts we’ve shared on the blog.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!

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Guest Posts, Popspiracy Theories

Popspiracy: Familiar Faces of the 40 Thieves

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Popular Raptor. Enjoy!

We know Scheherazade as the leader of the Forty Thieves from Arabian Nights Island, and Brutus as her muscular sidekick. But who are they really — and their fellow thieves? That’s my question for this post!

Remember, the culprits are always people you know in life (that’s how it is for my life, yours?). That got me thinking. What if we know these thieves from elsewhere? And then it occurred to me: Brutus looks like a more muscular version of Hercules from Mythology Island! (Sorry Herc.)

There’s also the thief looking through the telescope later in the island. Maybe it’s just me, but he kind of reminds me of the Viking on Time Tangled Island, just with some hair shaved off.

I don’t know, sometimes appearances can be misleading. Maybe the Poptropica Creators have ideas for a new island where all the “good” characters we meet are actually the hidden villains of another island, and the “villains” are actually good.

Are there any good and bad characters that you think are similar to each other?

-Popular Raptor


Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Popular Raptor. If you did, you might also enjoy other Popspiracy posts we’ve shared on the blog.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!

Guest Posts, Popspiracy Theories

Popspiracy: Bird Boy and the Dream Machine

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Silver SwordEnjoy!

Heya, Poptropicans, it’s Silver Sword! Been a while, huh? Last time I shared on the blog, it was in February of 2020! However, this post isn’t about me. This time, I wanna bring up a Poptropica-related theory.

At the end of the revised Monster Carnival Island, Edgar says the next destination for the carnival is Super Villain Island. The same island where four of Poptropica’s most infamous villains were being kept in sleeping chambers. Why on Earth would the carnies be heading there?

Besides the apparent subtext that Bird Boy is caged to be shipped off to the prison at Super Villain, could something else be going on?

Then it hit me: the dream machine. Even though it was partially destroyed at the end of the main island quest, it was still functional. (Spoiler: That’s actually how Zeus was able to be contained in the first place!) There could be parts left over from that machine that would be of use to Bird Boy, aka Ringmaster Raven.

And Raven would be interested because he too has a machine that can control minds. And unlike the machine on Super Villain, I don’t think the one from the circus out of commission just yet. Taken apart for travel, maybe, but not damaged like the dream machine from the prison has been. And with both machines being mind-control related, at least some pieces from each machine might fit together.

You may have convinced Bird Boy to become your friend, but he may still have his original viewpoint on the rest of Poptropica…

I hope you guys enjoyed my little Popspiracy theory. It’s not too far-fetched once you look at the evidence, and having Super Villain Island return would be divine — it’s one of my three all-time favorite islands, tied with Night Watch Island and Virus Hunter Island. 

Slash on, Poptropicans! 

– Silver Sword


Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Silver Sword. If you did, you might also enjoy his My Place in Poptropica story.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!

Guest Posts, Popspiracy Theories

Popspiracy: The Baron’s Backstory, Part II

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by HeartofEnder. Enjoy!

Heart here! Now when I wrote my Popspiracy on the Baron’s backstory, I wasn’t planning on doing a part two to the theory. However, Red October and the reveal of the Red Queen brought new lore with even more questions, so here we are. Reminder: This is all guesswork gathered from what we know — it’s not canon to Poptropica (yet?).

The Seven Systems, the Resistance, and Astro Knights?

Let’s start with the seven systems. The dark knights guarding the airship mention that the great Red Queen conquered the seven systems, but what even are they? From the Queen’s own words, they seem to be planets in outer space.

But why is there a resistance in the first place? Maybe the seven planets didn’t want to be conquered by the Queen. While conquest can introduce new languages, tools, and culture, it can also destroy the old cultures of the area being conquered. Overall, not a great thing.

Now we move onto the fun stuff — the mention of everyone’s favorite lost island, Astro-Knights. The Red Queen believes that whoever freed Rumpelstiltskin is affiliated with the Astro Knights, suggesting that she has some problems with them. Maybe the Astro Knights are defending the seven systems from being conquered. However, there’s one key piece of info worth remembering.

In Astro-Knights Island, after we gather the three “Astro Knights” (which back then were simply known as the Knights of Arturus) at the Crystal Gate, it’s revealed that the player is the fourth knight.

We also happened to be the ones who freed Rumpel in Fairytale Island. Perhaps sealing away Rumpel was the key to the Queen’s conquest of the seven systems, but since we, the player and potentially the last of the Astro Knights, freed Rumpel, that may mess with the Queen’s plans. This leads to the next question…

Why did the Queen trap Rumpel in the first place?

In my previous Popspiracy, I guessed that the Queen trapped Rumpel because he was causing trouble, but could there be another reason? 

Perhaps Rumpel has some hidden power the Queen wants to use. The royal family doesn’t seem to have any sort of magic, so the Red Queen could have trapped Rumpel on Fairytale Island not for the safety of Poptropica, but for personal gain. 

So why was Rumpel stealing happy endings, kidnapping a king, and possessing a sky pirate? For the first two, it could purely be for revenge. Rumpel is angry the Queen sealed him away, so he gives her family a taste of what happens when you take magical beings for personal gain.

However, kidnapping the Baron could be something different. The Red Queen clearly doesn’t care about the Baron, in fact seeing her as an obstacle. The Baron could be resisting the Queen’s ways. Maybe Rumpel went through a lot of trouble to kidnap the Baron with the hopes of gaining information and possibly working together to stop the Queen. 

Last time I theorized that the Baron simply didn’t like being royalty. But if the Baron resisted the Queen’s ways, that could be a reason for why she’s not royalty anymore. Maybe the Queen disowned the Baron, simply for resisting conquest. Maybe the King and the Prince of Fairytale started fearing the Queen because of such events.

What does the future hold for Fairytale Island?

With all this new info, it seems possible Fairytale Island is connected to Astro-Knights in one way or another. I theorize that as the last of the Astro Knights, the player heads to the seven systems to assist the planets in fighting back against the Queen, with potential assistance from the Baron and Rumpel. We might even get more references to this classic island… anyway, if there’s another fight in space, I’m all up for it. 

When I first started playing Poptropica, the Baron was only an antagonistic character that appeared once on Monkey Wrench and was never seen again. It makes me happy to see characters like her get more of a spotlight. For now, we can only sit back, relax, and prepare for whatever the Pop Creators are up to next…

I hope that you enjoyed this follow-up to my theory on the Baron


Hope you enjoyed this guest post by HeartofEnder. If you did, you might also enjoy her fanfiction series, The Witch’s Heart.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!

Guest Posts, Popspiracy Theories

Popspiracy: The Baron’s Backstory

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by HeartofEnder. Enjoy!

Heart here, with a slightly impulsive guest post written shortly after Baronstiltskin’s takeover. With all the new lore, I decided to write up this Popspiracy (Poptropica conspiracy) about the Baron’s potential backstory. Remember: None of this is canon to Poptropica (yet?), so take this with the tiniest grain of salt.

Early Life

The Baron was born on Fairytale Island as a member of the royal family. This was confirmed in the latest Baron visit but has been theorized for a long time. At some point either before or after Baron was born, Rumpel was causing trouble for Poptropica, playing with the world around him. This annoyed the Red Queen, so she locked Rumpel away. 

The Baron didn’t like the whole being part of the royal family thing, so at some point she ran away or announced her departure. Either way, the Royal family seemed fine with that, since we never see them trying to get their daughter back. They likely still have some sort of connection, considering that Thanksgiving picture we saw.

Relationship with Amelia

So the Baron left the royal family, now what? They turned their attention to the thing they loved the most: legends! Were they real or not? Only one way to find out, and that’s to go on an adventure!

The Baron started adventuring, eventually stopping at an island in danger. There she met Amelia and together they saved the island, becoming friends. 

Now what caused their friendship to become sour? Those who played Monkey Wrench Island would know the serious measures she took to come first place in the race. Perhaps before, Amelia and Baron had a friendly race. Amelia won, which angered the Baron so much that she ended their friendship —throwing a literal wrench in Amelia’s plane as revenge for the event that ended their friendship.

Post-Monkey Wrench

After the events of Monkey Wrench, the Baron likely crash landed on the same island we did, or landed in the sea and washed up on the island’s shores — we won’t question things too much here. 

Here, the Baron met Ack and decided to adopt the monkey as her sidekick. While stranded on Monkey Wrench, she did some thinking. Taking revenge on Amelia was not a good idea, so what now? Sure, adventuring brought her money, but were there other options?

And then it hit her. The Baron could make easy money by looting faraway islands of their stuff, and selling them to dedicated adventurers: the players! But first she needed to get off the island.

The monkeys on Monkey Wrench Island were smart enough to plan and build the Poptropica blimp, so together with Ack, they worked to build the Baron an airship.

And so, the Baron began her monthly pop-up shop on Home Island to sell her findings to the players. Soon she was offering to let players assist her on her treasure hunts with The Baron’s Crusade

With various developments surrouding the Baron and Rumpelstiltskin of Fairytale Island since then — including Rumpel’s Challenge ending on a cliffhanger, the side-quest becoming available for all, the shenanigans with the Baron’s Rumpel obsession, going missing, and now returning as Baronstiltskin — it sure seems like Poptropica might finally tie up the loose ends of Fairytale Island. 

I hope you enjoy this little theory of putting pieces together! I couldn’t stop thinking about the new lore we got, so here we are. Love how lore adds so much depth to a virtual world — it’s my favorite thing in games.

Last thing: Chapter 6 of Storm’s Calamity, my Poptropica fanfic series, is now available on Tumblr and Quotev.

Heart out!


Hope you enjoyed this guest post by HeartofEnder. If you did, you might also enjoy her fanfiction series, The Witch’s Heart.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? We’d love to hear from you!