When Target Corp. on Aug. 7 announced that it would remove gender-specific signs in its toy department, the normal hue and cry that passes for civic discussion these days emerged in online forums. Gripers complained that the retailer would make it harder to shop, and some misconstrued the decision to mean that Target was going to remove all gender-related distinctions in its stores, even between men's and women's clothes.

One clever man decided to create a Facebook account and impersonate Target's social media team but with an edge. From the account, called "Ask for Help," the man wrote sarcastic, biting responses that even made fun of the complainers, which is not something that Target, nor any service-oriented company, would do. It's a practice in the online world called "trolling" and there's a whole vocabulary about being "a troll" and "having trolled" somebody. Clickbait-crazy websites had a field day with the guy, with some calling him the "king of trolls."

Of course, Facebook took down the man's fake Target account Thursday afternoon. And then, Target itself appeared to weigh in the whole matter. On Thursday evening, it posted on its Facebook account a picture of two little blue- and green-haired troll doll toys, which are soon returning to its toy department.

Social media mavens went nuts, thinking the company was making a clever response to having been trolled by someone. "Target, you win the Internet tonight," one commenter posted underneath the troll picture.

Turns out, Target had used the same picture and message on Instagram two days earlier. To promote the return of the troll dolls, the company has a social media campaign going with pictures of the troll dolls acting out pop culture scenes. The picture of the two dolls depicted them in a scene from the movie "Titanic."

So was Target actually making a comment about being trolled? On a quiet Friday afternoon in summer, these questions take on burning importance. When we asked the company, they sent this:

"As Trolls get ready to relaunch, Target has brought them to life in social posts inspired by nostalgic pop culture moments from years ago. Not necessarily the slightly less iconic moments from the past week. But, no matter how you cut it, good timing."