Adventure Time is an animated series that premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010. The Adventure Time series finale aired September 3, 2018, after 8 years and 10 seasons of wildly surreal 11 minute long episodes. I watched the cartoon as an adult, and at first I didn’t think I would like the show at all. I was put off by the weird art style, and bright and colorful, polymorphous characters. The overall aesthetic definitely seemed targeted towards a much younger audience. But even though I was introduced to the show as an adult, it was just as influential on my life and helped shape my character as if I had grown up with it. This Buzzfeed article, which provides a glimpse of some of the life lessons the show has touched on, has been at the top of my Bookmarks for years.
Finn the Human, along with his shapeshifting best friend, Jake the Dog, go on adventures in the post apocalyptic Land of Ooo, saving princesses and fulfilling other miscellaneous heroic duties. “Come Along With Me” is the title of the final episode, which is a line that any seasoned viewer would recognize from the show’s closing theme “Island Song”. The title is perfectly fitting for the finale as it essentially embodies what Adventure Time is all about: the power of friendship.
While its premise and its characters are purely fantastical, the show is built on very real and relatable human moments, showcasing its ability to address mature concepts through the lens of a kids cartoon in a way that resonates with its audience. Adventure Time is also notorious for its soundtrack, a factor that definitely sold me on the show. The show is full of fun, silly, melodic tunes with touching lyrics that, much like the show overall, can be surprisingly profound.
“Come Along With Me” takes place in the distant future where everyone’s favorite sentient video game console BMO, now formally known as the King of Ooo, recaps the events of the Great Gum War to some inquiring adventurers. The episode even starts off with a reimagined opening credits, showing how Ooo and its residents have changed since the aforementioned war. All of the show’s most notable characters are present in the finale, united over Ooo being in the midst of a war. Our heroes must fight to save the residents of Ooo and defeat the demon GOLB.
The episode is full of epic moments, both touching and tragic. Some memorable moments include a long awaited kiss between Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, Finn and Jake’s beloved tree house being destroyed, Ice King changing back to Simon for good, Gunter turning into the new Ice King, and everyone singing one final song together to defeat GOLB.
BMO’s story simply ends with everyone going home, and Finn and Jake replanting Fern in place of the tree house. The takeaway here is that things will happen, both good and bad, and life will go on. After the war was over, everyone went on living their lives. The song featured in the finale “Time Adventure” was written by Rebecca Sugar who previously worked as a writer on the show, and the song completely captures the spirit of this theme. Sugar’s rendition performed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con is a tearjerker and worth a listen.
Over the years, Adventure Time grew to have a massive fanbase, with a noticeable presence at pop culture conventions every year. Adventure Time’s influence on the animation industry is undeniable. Throughout its run, the show experimented with different art styles, won a few Emmys for animation, and launched the careers of artists who went on to create even more successful animated series including Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall, Bee and PuppyCat, and the new PowerPuff Girls. Ending such a long running and beloved show was no doubt a daunting task, but in my opinion the finale was successful in giving its viewers a satisfying ending. The finale may give you feelings that are hard to describe, but I think it’s like being wrapped up in a warm, cozy sweater, while drinking hot cocoa with your best friend.
Did you watch Adventure Time? What did you think of the the finale? Sound off in the comments below!
Comments are closed.