Tag: Ice King

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Conquest of Cuteness” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: July 11, 2011

Written & Storyboarded by: Ako Castuera & Tom Herpich

Season premieres of AT typically take place following a cliffhanger set up in the prior season’s finale. The only exceptions are the first three seasons, but even then, season one and two had a much bigger scale in terms of their introductory episodes. Season one’s premiere obviously existed to introduce us to the Land of Ooo and the colorful characters within, while season two’s premiere (going off airing order for this example) introduced a new element of emotional sincerity within the characters, as well as a brand new villain. Season three disregards this formula completely and provides a simple, self-contained story. Nevertheless, Conquest of Cuteness is a very, very funny episode, and one that really kicks off the season on a high note.

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This is Tom Herpich and Ako Castuera’s last episode working together as a team. As I had  mentioned before, Castuera claimed that the two had trouble getting along as partners, but they still managed to put together some very well-written and creatively crafted episodes. It seems as though their styles blended together especially well for one final time, as there’s tons of terrific little gags and character moments throughout. I love the stuff with the now infamous Everything Burrito, the dysfunctional little cute people, Jake thinking a blanket is a dead goat, and just the general dilemma of the episode. Even tiny little bits, like how Jake’s burrito has a metal clang as he wraps it together. There’s no way it’s edible! For anyone who’s been watching the show religiously up to this point, it really feels like an episode for viewers to just appreciate the characters they’ve come to know so well and have grown so fondly of.

That being said, there’s some really nice atmosphere in this episode as well. There’s a sweet and subtle connection between Finn and Jake, as they bond over their appreciation for their mother. This is also somewhat of a changing point for the relationship between the duo, as they definitely begin to act more like brothers rather than best friends beyond this episode. It’s always endearing and somewhat poignant when the show takes a step back to allow these characters to breathe and just enjoy each other’s company, and this episode really takes advantage of those quieter moments. Also, we get to see Jake’s kickass sword again!

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The more subdued atmosphere also allows for some horror elements to play out. Obviously the episode never commits fully to this theme, as the cute people are generally ineffective, but it’s actually a pretty interesting concept to watch Finn and Jake be messed with psychologically rather than physically. It’s almost something I wish was pushed a little further. It’s fun to watch villains who aren’t capable of doing anything, but let’s face it, that’s somewhat of a running theme in AT. We’ve never really gotten to see a villain who completely messes with Finn and Jake’s mental health, and this might have been a good chance to showcase that further.

Despite that claim, however, I do generally enjoy the direction for the remainder of the episode. I really like how stoked Finn gets to help the cute people win, and he does so in the most humorous way possible. I especially love how Finn mentions recruiting all of his friends to join him, and it ends up being LSP, Cinnamon Bun, BMO, and a duck. I can totally picture him calling PB or Marceline up and the two of them being all, “nah, fuck it, I’ll sit this one out.” I don’t really love the Cute King character that much. He’s okay I suppose, but at the same time, it’s easy to sympathize with him. The little guy just wants to raise hell, but his friends can’t stop falling apart and/or blowing up. It ends on a relatively sweet note though, and almost works as a good moral for the youngins. It seems like it’s sort of leaning towards “if you keep failing at something, just give up,” but also I could see it being analyzed as “there’s plenty of other talents you possess, even if one fails you.”

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Whether it is or not, I just really enjoy this episode. It’s a premiere that doesn’t pile up big reveals or secrets to shove in your face, but it’s filled with so many gags and constant laughs that it’s hard to resist. It’s a wonderful return to watching the characters we love so much. From the minute Finn and Jake began to beatbox at the beginning, I knew I was in for a treat. Conquest of Cuteness sets the bar for a season that’s filled with many, many funny episodes, as some interlaced drama in between. 

Favorite line: This is the voice of your moooom… I’ve come back to tell you how dumb you always are!

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“The Wand” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: N/A

Written & Storyboarded by: Tom Herpich

The origin behind “The Wand” is sort of a mystery. Legend has it that it was screened at AMC Theatres before certain animated films, while other sources include screenings at Universal Studios and even Carl Jr’s. Besides that, I’m not sure why this minisode was made, or even when it was made. The animation looks like something that would’ve been produced around season three-ish, but I really can’t say. That bit of history aside, it’s a cute little short despite it’s brief run time.

The design of it is so specifically Herpich-y. It wasn’t till later in the series that his style became clearly apparent (Finn and Jake’s wider eyes, realistic hands, etc.), but it really looks nice in that regard. I’m guessing this was animated in-house, or by Rough Draft, but the animation in this one is really poppy and energetic.

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There isn’t much context when it comes to the actual plot. It just feels like something that would briefly happen in the everyday lives of Finn and Jake, which does feel somewhat appropriate given its length. I’m not sure that the concept behind The Wand could warrant an entire episode, as the story seems thin enough that it must be contained to at least two minutes.

One thing I do really like about this short is it showcases more of the dynamic of Finn, Jake, and Ice King working together. We saw this in Mortal Recoil, and it’s always sweet to see the boys genuinely getting along with him, as well as the IK simply wanting to help out in general.

There’s a couple decent jokes in this one: I like the ant that possesses Charlie Brown’s teacher’s voice, the brief implication that LSP dropped acid gave me a big chuckle, and even Jake’s opening line of “[the clouds] make me wish I didn’t have to poop ever again” is so out there that I can’t help but laugh at it.

Aside from that, it’s nothing special. Take it for what it is, a simple minisode, and it’s worth at least one watch. Now, onto season three, forreal this time!

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Favorite line: “Oh my Glob, Melissa! I think it’s kicking in!”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

Season Two Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Season two of Adventure Time pushed the envelope for the series a bit more than season one. It still focused on the lighthearted yet occasionally dark adventures of a boy and his dog in the post-apocalyptic land of Ooo, but this really feels like a point when the series began to get comfortable in its own skin. It began expanding what was already established in its world, and even added new elements on top of that. I’ll be revamping the season reviews a bit from the last one and, instead of breaking it up into sections, I’ll just kind of ramble on about the season as a whole.

First off, the humor and pacing this season became much more rounded and coherent. My biggest problem with season one is it could get a bit too juvenile and random in its approaches to humor. In season two, the writing focused a lot less on zany catchphrases and non-sequiturs and just focused on being funny, which it definitely succeeded at.

This season’s storyboard teams worked off of each other greatly! Season two introduced some of the most crucial writers on the Adventure Time crew, and some who work on the show even to this day. If I had to pick a team that I thought worked best together, it’d probably have to be Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar. The two definitely have an apparent chemistry with each other: Muto definitely has a clear vision of what’s important regarding the AT world, while Sugar understands the emotional complexity and the deeper layers of each lead character. The other teams were terrific as well: Kent Osborne and Somvilay Xayaphone helped create some of the zanier and more fun-focused episodes, Jesse Moynihan and Cole Sanchez began developing their own writing skills, and Ako Castuera and Tom Herpich had some of the most stylized work all season. Ako and Tom didn’t really have the best relationship as storyboard partners, but it’s great to see that creative differences within the staff don’t affect the actual quality of the episodes.

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As for story, the one main recurring theme revolves around honesty. Finn continues to battle with his feelings towards Bubblegum and struggles to be honest about them, Jake had to show his true self in order for the acceptance of his loved one’s parents, Marceline began to connect more with her real personality and became less focused on putting on her typical trickster facade, Bubblegum explicitly showed her affection for Finn throughout, and Ice King even began to ponder realizations about the cause of his unhappiness, and what he wants to do to improve it.

Finn continues to be an incredibly likable protagonist. Despite his goofiness, he is beginning to transition into his early teen years, and is starting to deal with more heavy handed issues that he typically isn’t accustomed to. Jake definitely began to grow into a more diverse character as well. My one complaint with the way Jake is written in the first season is that he seems a bit too similar to Finn, but this season begins to literally and metaphorically shape his character into someone with his own aspirations and view on life.

Additionally, Ice King and Marceline began to go through their own big transitions this season. Ice King is much less of a villain, which is a point where I really start to enjoy his character. It’s much more fun to watch him try to befriend Finn and Jake and fail than to watch his depiction as an ineffectual nemesis. As I had mentioned, Marcy has begun to connect more with her true self, which arguably lessens the wild and exciting aspects of her character, but leads to a chain of her complexity in return.

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Also, we begin to see a lot more BMO this season! It’s definitely a bit of a different portrayal of his character; he’s a bit more sassy and negligent, but not without his charms. It’s delightful to see a character that was practically irrelevant in the previous season have more screen-time, as he rightfully should.

If there’s one of the leads that kinda got the shaft this season, it’s Princess Bubblegum. She appears in a handful of episodes, yet I feel as though we barely learned anything that new about her character. Besides her connection with Finn, she’s just seen as cute and nice, and it’s a bit of a shame that we don’t get to see any of her darker aspects that would eventually unravel later on. That’s not to say she’s written badly, but she definitely pales in comparison to the developments of the rest of the cast.

Top 5 Best Episodes

5. Susan Strong – The introduction of a character that forever changed Finn’s intrigue when it comes to the existence of humans, and a beautifully explored depiction of their relationship.

4. The Eyes – A humorous episode focusing on the mere interactions between our two main characters, as well as another sympathetic look into the life of the Ice King.

3. Mortal Folly – A high stakes and action packed episode that introduces the big bad of the series, and is filled with heavy atmosphere and intense imagery.

2. Power Animal – An entertaining look at the life of Jake the Dog and the inner struggles he faces, including a great subplot featuring Finn.

1. It Came from the Nightosphere – A beautifully crafted episode that kicks off an entirely new feel to the style of Adventure Time, with an important exploration of Marceline’s character and big, wide-scope feel to it.

Top 5 Worst Episodes

5. Crystals Have Power – An enjoyable and funny, but relatively slow-paced episode with somewhat distractingly crude drawings throughout.

4. The Chamber of Frozen Blades – A nice subplot featuring Ice King and Gunther, but the Finn and Jake material never quite got off on its feet.

3. The Pods – A bit too formulaic of a plot for even AT to bring anything that unique to the table.

2. Video Makers – An episode that highlights one of the worst aspect of Finn and Jake’s relationship: the two arguing over petty nonsense.

1. Slow Love – One that focuses on a pretty unlikable main character, which brings down the entire episode as a result.

Final Consensus

Season two brought to the table some of the most enjoyably fun AT episodes. It’s not my personal favorite season, but I think it’s arguably the season with the least amount of problems in it. Great depictions of the lead characters, higher stakes, terrific writing, and colorfully pulpy animation on top of that. It’s a great continuation of what season one started, and probably what drew in the large following that Adventure Time began to have. It’s surely not the strongest in story or character-study wise, but it’s one that will go down in history as one of the most delightful adventures a viewer can experience.

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Mortal Recoil” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed
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Definitely one of the most chilling title cards in the series.

Original Airdate: May 2, 2011

Written & Storyboarded by: Jesse Moynihan & Cole Sanchez

This episode starts immediately where the last one left off, as we’re treated to a dramatically funny scene featuring Dr. Ice Cream and Nurse Poundcake. “Dramatically funny” is a key adjective in this episode; where Mortal Folly was a mostly intense, fast-paced episode, Mortal Recoil is much slower and blends comedy with horror elements.

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Immediately this one makes up for the mistakes of last episode by making the Ice King beneficial to the plot. His constant interruptions of Finn and Jake earlier bordered on the annoying side, but here his purpose is more to serve the main characters, but not before Finn can get rightfully pissed at him. It’s a bit of a breaking point for Finn to blow up at the IK this way. Finn has treated Ice King as a mild disturbance in the past, but never has he affected Finn or someone he cares about so dearly in such a devastating way. It’s a nice instance of Finn royally chewing him out, and letting off that steam allows for things to gradually improve as the episode continues.

The scenes that follow in PB’s bedroom are straight out of a horror movie, but they’re still played lightly enough to save from complete darkness. It’s sad to see that this is really the first time Finn is truly upfront with his feelings toward Bubblegum, but she’s completely possessed and her true self isn’t conscious at all. The only other time we get to see Finn engage in this emotional release again is in Burning Low, and he does so mostly out of anger and sorrow. Here, he’s doing it to express his genuine care and appreciation for the princess, which again, is sadly squandered by the circumstances of the situation.

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Even sadder is Jake’s little booty dance can’t rescue PB from the Lich’s overwhelming presence. Bubblegum is able to absorb massive amounts of power through the fluids Finn gave her, and becomes an entirely new force. This is, of course, when Finn tries to use the sweater to defeat the demonic presence of the Lich once again, but fails this time. Even though Finn confidently holds that his feelings for PB were what helped him defeat the Lich last time, he realizes that love isn’t always the answer to defeating evil, and there’s no guarantee that something that worked fine once will do its job the same way again. Which is where the Ice King comes in with a tale of his wizard eyes, as Finn finally accepts his help and we see the two team up for the very first time. It’s an appropriate fit to watch Ice King and Finn work together civilly for once, and shows just how much the Ice King has evolved from the first instance we saw him. The IK isn’t an evil villain in the slightest anymore. Rather, he’s someone who just wants the attention of the coolest guys in Ooo.

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It’s here that Princess Bubblegum literally dies, in an even more aggressive way than the last time. In the end, she’s rebuilt to be thirteen, something that we’re going to explore later on, even if it never really got off it’s feet. The episode ends in what almost feels like a cap to the series, but we’re left with one haunting wave from the Lich possessed snail, signaling for more to come. This episode is really just a terrific showcase of how much the Lich’s introduction has forever changed the history of the show. Sure, the status quo and the way things return back to the main formula a good chunk of the time still remain relatively untouched, but it’s with this episode that I realized that literally anything can happen in Adventure Time. Princess Bubblegum can become thirteen, some plot points may be held and resolved and a later point. It was just a crazy burst of intrigue that left me so excited for the rest of the series. I began to really appreciate that element of surprise that came with every AT episode. In the past, any surprises or twists that came with the plot could be easily brushed off as something that was contained to just the singular episode, but Mortal Recoil introduced us to the idea that anything can come back at any point, and the fate of the characters could be altered at any given moment. This is all conducted by the intro of the show’s greatest evil, and one that would continue to affect the existence of Ooo much more down the line.

Welp, that’s season two folks! It’s been a lot of fun covering these episodes the last couple months, and really only increases my interest and love of my all-time favorite show. Thanks to everyone who has been reading (special shoutout to fellow commentators Stuped1811 and LilPotato911!), this isn’t really a project I’m doing for copious amounts of viewers, but it always helps to know that people are reading! The full season two review and a bonus mini-review should be out later this week, but besides that, I’ll see y’all for season three!

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Favorite line: “Uh, bleach, lighter fluid, ammonia, gasoline, I dunno. Lady stuff.”

Adventure Time, Animation, Lifestyles

“Mortal Folly” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: May 2, 2011

Written & Storyboarded by: Rebecca Sugar & Adam Muto

This is a big one. This is the game-changer for most viewers, as it was for me at the young age of thirteen. The stakes are instantly raised in this episode with the introduction of the Lich as a major villain. We’ve previously seen him in His Hero, but this is the first time we truly get to experience the Lich as a villain. His presence in this episode adds new heightened danger that Finn and Jake aren’t typically used to dealing with, and this time they aren’t just facing a threat to save a single princess or candy person. As Jake acknowledges, they’re fighting for the sake of the entire world.

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Immediately we’re thrown into the action, with brief meditations seen by both Finn and Jake. Most notably, Finn imagines himself as a big, bulky hero (including a pretty sick bionic arm) showing that his view on true heroes is still a bit materialistic. As Finn has learned countless times throughout this particular season, a hero is not defined by shape, size, or glamour, and while he has begun to grasp this concept, he still is drawn to those attributes that legendary heroes such as Billy possess. As His Hero displayed, Finn was able to prove himself as a true hero by choosing his own path over the path of his mentor, and it’s appropriately fitting that Mortal Folly has him following in his mentor’s footsteps once again by facing off against the ultimate evil.

After we’re treated to a nice bit of lore and backstory regarding the Lich and Billy, the snail that appears in the background of every single episode frees our grotesquely designed villain from his prison. This really is terrific use of the snail as a plot device; it’s rewarding to those who have been paying attention long enough to notice the hidden snail, as well as a way of building up apprehension by having it possessed. Every time it appears after this, there’s a certain fear of what’s to come and a constant reminder that it’s still a part of the story. But before we get to that, the Lich’s place in this episode is eerie and unsettling, fitting with his appearance that’s especially grotesque and diverse from most other designs in the series. While working on this episode, Sugar and Muto tried to avoid any typical villain cliches as possible to make the Lich seem menacing and serious, and a big kudos to them for pulling it off so well.

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Of course, the episode isn’t entirely focused on tension and darkness. At the center lies a large heart with the relationship between PB and Finn. Although, it is kind of off when you think about it. I know Finn is considered a legendary hero in Ooo and he does ultimately end up defeating the Lich for the time being, but you’d think with all of the life experience Bubblegum possesses, she wouldn’t send a thirteen-year-old out to preserve the fate of the universe. But of course, these were different times, so I can ignore it. It doesn’t divert from the adorable amount of compassion for each other that the two share, and there’s no way you can convince me that PB doesn’t care about Finn in this situation. The sweater she gives him, whether it was meant to be protective from the Lich’s powers or not, was an ultimate token of her appreciation for Finn, and it’s really sweet that he has no hesitation wearing it at all.

On the other hand, if there’s one thing that constantly brings down this episode, it’s Ice King. Not to say he’s without his funny moments, but his interference with Finn and Jake really diverts from the main focus of the episode. I understand that they had to break the episode up a bit and it was completely necessary to include Ice King in it, but from a viewer’s perspective, it really takes you out of the moment when our two main heroes are on an epic quest to save the world and IK continuously gets in the way of it.

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Thankfully, the last third of the episode is primarily focused on the main issues at hand. I love, love, LOVE the abandoned subway setting. It makes for such a cool and well designed battle arena, and is just oozing with post-apocalyptic eye candy. Love the skeletons, love the colors, love how it’s not even explicitly mentioned as a subway. Things get serious when Billy’s gauntlet is crushed by the Lich without any hesitation at all, which is kinda fucked up when you think about it. That gauntlet was totally sentient! It blinked! The atmosphere immediately grows quiet and blood curdling when Finn’s pendant breaks and we get our first-ever bit of dialogue from the Lich, delivered menacingly, yet attractively by Ron Perlman.

“Aren’t you cold, Finn…? Walk into the well… Finn… Aren’t you cold…?”

It’s important to remember that, save for a few moments, we never really get to see the Lich do much of anything destructive throughout the series. Sure, it’s implied he had a big part in the outcome of the Great Mushroom War, but aside from that, everything that is threatening about the Lich comes entirely through his design and his voice. This makes him one of my favorite animated villains of all-time. We only get to see him every so often, but every time we do, we know this guy has potential to blow up entire worlds if he wants to. We know that he can’t be defeated anytime soon. We know that he could set off countless Mushroom Wars with the snap of a finger. Most importantly, we know that the Lich is the ultimate evil. Not through his actions, not through his adversaries, not through his treacherous backstory or anything like that, but simply because of his demeanor. He has no motivation for wanting to destroy all humanity besides the fact that he can and wants to. And there’s nothing scary than that.

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But of course, the one thing that protects Finn from potential destruction is the sweater PB made him. It’s sweet, because they didn’t pull some twist that the sweater has protective armor or guns shooting out of it or anything like that. It’s just a sweater. And that, coupled with Finn’s feelings of l-l-liking someone a lot, is what is able to save him in the end. Again, it’s easy to draw contrasts to Billy and Finn here. Billy was able to defeat the Lich with his gauntlet, whereas Finn failed to the first time he tried. It’s obvious that Billy’s power comes almost entirely from his brawn and strength, while Finn’s ultimate power comes from his heart. It’s a corny but important lesson that’s been enforced many times this season, and this feels like an ultimate driving point. It Finn’s sweater that defeats the Lich, as he lets out a final laugh that’s evidence enough that we won’t be seeing the last of him. It’s a triumphant moment of victory for Finn and Jake, but the moment doesn’t last for long, courtesy of the IK’s “dropsies.”

So there’s a good chunk of really good moments surrounding the main plot, and a good chunk of mediocre moments in regards to the Ice King’s bits. There’s still more than enough for this to be considered as a good episode. Terrific atmosphere, intense action, some brilliant character moments, and a very nice jaw-drop worthy ending in preparation for part two to boot.

Favorite line: “No, I’m not! I’VE GOT A SWEATER ON!”

Adventure Time, Animation

“Chamber of Frozen Blades” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: January 17, 2011

Written & Storyboarded by: Rebecca Sugar & Adam Muto

Gunther the penguin is arguably one of Adventure Time’s strangest secondary characters. He’s either shown as a nonchalant penguin or some sort of deity and bastardization of creation. He balances between the two in this episode and it’s a hilarious introduction to the love/hate relationship he shares with Ice King.

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The episode struggles a bit to find a focus; there’s a long sequence of Finn and Jake discussing plans to ambush the Ice King as the hideout in his castle, followed by some cool scenes of the duo practicing ice-ninja moves, but also Ice King taking Gunther to the hospital, and finally, Ice King capturing doctor princess and having a brief battle with the boys. All of these smaller stories seem like they’d work perfectly fine as their own plot, so it’s rather disappointing that none of them could find enough focus.

Despite the ninja subplot sort of feeling like a “hey, what do kids like these days? Ninjas! We’ll have Finn and Jake be ninjas!” kind of plot, it succeeds in having Finn and Jake discover some pretty creative ice powers, and it’s one of the first times we see someone use ice powers that isn’t related to the power of the crown. I’m sure it has something to do with the elemental power of ice, and I really wish this was brought back and harped on later, but sadly it isn’t.

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This episode continues developing the ever-changing relationship between Finn, Jake and the Ice King, and while he’s still by definition considered an antagonist in the series, it’s rewarding to see an scenario where Finn and Jake betray the Ice King’s trust. We already had a bit of this in What Have You Done? And it’s done just as well here.

Two of my favorite tertiary characters are introduced in this episode: Doctor Princess and Flambo. Flambo is a character that never seems to get enough attention from the actual show, but I can’t get enough of him and his odd Brooklyn accent. Also, I’d love to see an entire backstory dedicated to Doctor Princess. Her entire life is a lie.

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If anything, I would have really enjoyed if this episode focused mostly on the subplot with Ice King and Gunther at the hospital. The promos for this episode way back in 2011 suggested that it was what the entire episode would be about, and I was really looking forward to that. Not that the ninja stuff wasn’t relatively cool, but Ice King trying to act cool and pick up ladies at the hospital while Gunther tries to get medical attention just seems so much more rewarding.
Also, I’m holding out for the endgame villain of Adventure Time to be Gunther’s unusual baby.

Favorite line: “It turns out Gunther here, was preggers!”

Adventure Time, Animation

“The Eyes” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: October 18, 2010

Written & Storyboarded by: Kent Osborne & Somvilay Xayaphone

Many comedians will agree that comedy almost always derives from tragedy. That if we weren’t laughing at something, we’d most likely be crying. This very principle applies to the Ice King, who, if you think about it, is primarily funny because of how miserable he is. While it can be used for a tearjerker convention in a handful of cases, here it sort of borders on the middle. I’m not really sure if the intention for this episode was to sympathize with the Ice King or laugh at him, but I felt a little on both ends, which is a sign of great writing.

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Kent Osborne & Somvilay Xayaphone are a terrific pairing for this hilarious romp, making it one of the funniest episodes of the season. There’s a ton of memorable lines and sight gags in this episode; the poo-brained “horse”, the snakes in Finn’s underpants, the constant bickering between Finn and Jake and the deterioration of their sanity throughout, and so much more. This is one of Somvilay’s best examples of unconventional humor. There’s a lot of terrific gags going on in the background, including Jake randomly stretching his arm to say “yo” when reaching for his viola. Also, Peppermint Butler totally killed that goblin! Jesus Christ!

It’s actually kind of nice that after however many adventure filled episodes we’ve gone through so far, this is just an episode where Finn and Jake simply want to sleep. Humor and misery go hand-in-hand in these sequences as well; Finn and Jake’s descent into hopelessness is both hilarious and somewhat pitiful to watch. While I laugh, I still really just want these two to go to bed for the sake of their own sanity.

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Of course, the real emotional core of this episode is Ice King disguising as the horse to learn how to find happiness. There’s a great bit of foreshadowing at the beginning of the episode when the IK shouts “I just wanna be happy!” in the flashback sequence. At this point in the series, Ice King just wants to be loved and be happy, and there’s a sweetly melancholic moment at the end of the end of the episode when IK and the boys snuggle up and he declares that he still isn’t happy. It’s admittedly hard to decide on whether I should laugh or “aww” at this statement, but it’s clear that the Ice King will remain unhappy until he finally finds someone to love and, more importantly, someone to love him. Happiness certainly doesn’t involve dressing up like or horse and stalking a boy and his dog at night, or using your ice powers against them (that was a terrific fight scene, by the way).

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If I had one thing to nitpick about this episode, it’d be that Somvilay’s drawings can look a bit wonky at times. This isn’t necessarily a criticism of his art style, but a lot of storyboard artists who were welcomed to the AT storyboard team this season had a bit of trouble transitioning into drawing the characters on model, as we’ll see with some others later on. Finn’s body can appear to look incredibly small and disproportionate at times and both Finn and Jake can look a bit flat. Other than that, it was a hilarious, spunky, and sad episode coming off the heels of an equally energetic and emotional episode.

Favorite line: “I diagnosed this horse with whacked out poo-brain five minutes ago.”

Adventure Time, Animation

“It Came from the Nightosphere” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: October 11, 2010

Written & Storyboarded by: Adam Muto & Rebecca Sugar

Marceline is one of the most mysterious, yet developed characters in the entire series. Many elements of her past are vague; how she came into this world, the timeline between her entrance into vampirism to the time she met Finn and Jake, her past relationship with Bubblegum, etc. In her two spotlight episodes during season one, the only thing we could gather about Marceline is that she’s lived way beyond a handful of the main and secondary characters, and that she’s lost a chunk of her moral ethics along the way. It wasn’t until this episode that the more hidden layers of her character begun to unravel, in what is most likely the second season’s strongest effort.

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This is the first episode to welcome Rebecca Sugar to writing team, and I’m sure I don’t even have to explain to any of you who she is. I have somewhat controversial opinions about some of the episodes she has worked on, but overall believe that she’s one of the strongest writers on AT. The staff has said time and time again that Marceline is one of the hardest characters to empathize with, but I think it’s safe to say that Sugar knows Marcy better than anyone. She really made the character her own during her time on the show, and helped this episode to go above and beyond to showcase her more sympathetic side, along with the help of Adam Muto.

While I’m certainly not one of those people who believes that the series instantly began to rot once Sugar left during season five, the music of the show sadly did undergo decline. The reason I mention this is because “Fry Song” is the first song that was written by Sugar, and it really sky rockets above anything we’ve heard thus far in the series, and one that isn’t really comparable to anything we hear in later seasons. The raw emotion, the soothing strums, coupled with Olivia Olsen’s beautiful voice are really what make it one the show’s most famous symphonies.

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Hunson Abadeer, who is simply referred to as “Marceline’s Dad” or “Daddy” in this episode, as well as being voiced by Olivia Olsen’s father Martin, is the first real threat to the series. Thus far, we’ve had Ice King, Magic Man, Ricardio, among others, but none have felt as threatening as Abadeer. What makes him most effective as a villain is his connection to Marceline; we’re not really supposed to like this guy, but at the same time, we feel the strong emotions of our main heroine (in this case, Marceline) and want the two of them to be able to be able to reunite as family once again. It’s an impressive feat of conflicting emotions, and helps us both empathize with Marcy, as well as wanting Abadeer to be defeated.

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Finn is written terrifically in this episode. While we’re able to put ourselves in Marceline’s shoes, Finn never lets his emotions get the best of him. What he wants is what’s best for Ooo, but also for Marceline. While a 12-year-old can’t possibly understand what Marceline’s going through, Finn knows to allow what’s pure and righteous to save the day, and not to let his own feelings control the outcome.

This is also a great episode to showcase some of Ooo’s wonderful side residents. Among some of those residents are the Marauders and the Fuzzy Friends, who, to this date, have not appeared since this episode. Maybe they never got their souls back? Keeping in the tradition of building story arcs off of non-sequiturs, Abadeer deems Gunther as the most “evil thing I’ve encountered,” and we learn later on that Gunther is actually the powerful space deity Orgarlorg. I doubt this was planned from the beginning, but it’s a lot of fun to go back and watch this episode to see that the concept of Orgalorg didn’t arise from nothing.

There are some really beautiful nighttime landscapes in this episode. Ooo feels extremely expansive, as we explore Marceline’s House, the Grasslands, Red Rock Pass and the Ice Kingdom. The colors are especially vibrant, and really make the entire experience illuminating. As I’ve said, it’s just really nice to see Finn and Marcy hanging out as well. I just genuinely enjoy the way these two characters work off of each other, and this is one of their cutest interactions thus far. Also, if you were wondering where Jake was in this episode, he was in Finn’s pocket the whole time!

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Favorite line: “No one flicks me in the butt without my consent!“

Adventure Time, Animation

“Loyalty to the King” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: October 25, 2010

Written & Storyboarded by: Somvilay Xayaphone & Kent Osborne

I could’ve swore that It Came From the Nightosphere was the official season premiere, but I guess the season two DVD episode order would suggest otherwise. So, here we have Loyalty to the King! Certainly not one of Ice King’s strongest outings, but it is a delightfully silly opening to the second season.

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Right off the bat, it seems like this episode has somewhat of a different tonal shift from the first season. There’s something about season two that just seems much more rounded in writing, character depictions, and humor than season one. The animation also seems very fluid in this episode, more so than usual. This is actually the first episode to welcome Somvilay Xayaphone onto the series as a storyboard artist, and he would later stick with the series till the very end. I’m not the biggest fan of Somvilay’s episodes; his whole writing style revolves around avoiding actual jokes at all costs and mostly just focusing on weird or quirky dialogue and gags. This has potential to be really funny, but can also completely slow down an entire episode. Luckily, he does just fine in this very humorous episode.

This isn’t Ice King’s most sympathetic appearance, but I think it’s really the point where we can sort of identify with him as a character. Staff members on AT have mentioned that Ice King is the easiest for them to empathize with, and I think this is the final transition that turns Ice King from a psychotic jerk to a psychotic sad sack. In fact, I like that a majority of the beginning of the episode is through Ice King’s perspective. We only had a few moments in the past 26 episodes where we got to spend time with him without Finn and Jake’s company, so it’s a refreshing treat that he finally takes the spotlight.

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One of the things I love about this episode is that it’s a nice outlet to see some of the many princesses of Ooo we rarely get to see, including Princess Princess Princess, Ghost Princess, Bee Princess, etc.. I think it’s most interesting that Princess Bubblegum is completely absent from this episode. I get the feeling that once she heard about a “Nice King” she was completely uninterested. Considering her stance about kings in Ooo, such as the one true King of Ooo, it makes sense that’d she’d immediately deem the Nice King as a fraud. And it’s also quite possible that she’s the only princess smart enough to know that the Nice King’s true identity is the Ice King.

And I could listen to that title card music all day long. Man, is that a jam!

Adventure Time, Animation

“Adventure Time Pilot” Review

Adventure Time Reviewed

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Original Airdate: January 11, 2007

Written by: Pendleton Ward

No idea why it took me so long to get to this, but here’s the pilot! A bit of unnecessary exposition, considering everyone who reads this blog probably already knows this, but this pilot originally aired on Nicktoons Network. Pen Ward originally pitched the show to be picked up by Nickelodeon, but they declined. And boy, are they probably kicking themselves to this day.

There a couple noticeable differences between the pilot and the series; obviously the animation style is quite different, and while I prefer the character designs of the actual series, the animation is actually really fluid and smooth in movement. This is especially apparent in the fight scene between Finn and Ice King and just how hard hitting and flowing their movements are. Of course, it also makes the entire pilot seem a lot slower, so I’m glad they went with a faster and more high speed animation process in the final product.

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As for the voices, John DiMaggio as Jake and Ward as Abraham Lincoln are the only voice actors from the series who are present for the pilot. Finn (or Pen, as he’s referred to in the pilot) is replaced with Jeremy’s brother Zack Shada, Ice King is voiced by John Kassir, Princess Bubblegum is portrayed by Paige Moss, and Lady Rainicorn, for some reason, is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. I have to say, everyone does a good job in their roles, as Zack does a terrific job of simply soundly like a younger version of his brother. I’m sure John Kassir’s inflections as Ice King were where Tom Kenny got his inspiration for which direction to take the IK’s character in, and while they don’t sound identical, Kassir still does a terrific for only voicing the character once. It’s kinda like one of those character voices you see in a in a video game where it’s trying to be that character and sort of sounds like that character but isn’t that character. I have no idea why Lady speaks in gibberish, but it’s actually kind of fucking hilarious. I wouldn’t have wanted her voice to sound like that in the actual series, as Niki Yang’s voice is just so damn cute, but Dee Bradley Baker does an awesome job of just turning the character into a batshit animal. PB doesn’t speak much, but Paige Moss’s voice seems to suit her well.

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What really works about this pilot is that it essentially works as a segue into the actual series. Besides the fact that Finn’s name is Pen, (which is humorously explained in one of the comics that Finn had such a fascination with pens at one point that he made everyone call him “Pen”) this pilot introduces Jake and Lady Rainicorn to each other, Finn’s infatuation for Bubblegum, Abraham Lincoln’s role as the king of Mars, and Ice King’s love for princesses. It’s a delightfully silly and crazy introduction to some of our beloved characters, and I could see it fitting along just fine with the rest of the series.

Onto season two!