Featured Photo by Max
Story by Larry Rincon
It’s time to go to distant lands once more as everyone’s beloved childhood show “Adventure Time” returns with its latest installment.
Back in 2020, Max — formerly HBO Max — slowly released a four-episode miniseries that served as a continuation of the original story told in “Adventure Time.” It provided fans with much-needed closure to the stories of the different characters.
From explaining Marceline and Princess Bubblegum’s relationship both past and present to Finn and Jake reuniting now that the two of them have passed away, “Distant Lands” was everything that fans could ever need. Now after just a few years, the fans who have been craving for more can rest.
Last Thursday Max had its season premiere for an adult-animated “Adventure Time” spin-off series called “Adventure Time: Fiona & Cake.” In case you’ve forgotten why those names ring a bell let me take you back to season three episode nine of the original show. Ice King in his crazed state of madness has created a fan fiction based on gender bent versions of all the characters from the show. From then on this alternate universe that Ice King created appears every now and then with brand new adventures for Fiona and Cake.
Since the premiere of this series just happened, only two episodes have been released. Both episodes are titled after characters in the show and follow their current lives.
In episode one, “Fiona Campbell,” Fiona and Cake find themselves in a “Sailor Moon” based dream until Fiona wakes up to her regular apartment and regular life. It seems that Fiona dreams of having adventures but instead lives a very mundane and depressing life. The rest of the episode focuses on Fiona’s interactions with the other, now regular, characters living their life. The episode also focuses on Cake’s weird behavior. At the very end, Cake follows a mysterious blue light and disappears.
Episode two is titled “Simon Petrikov.” It follows Simon, who is trying to move on from his past as Ice King. He is also depressed and finds it hard to adjust to the world when the characters around him either bring back memories as Ice King or seem to be fine now that everything is over. Ultimately, Simon decides to cast a ritual in order to be taken back to his fiancée, Betty, but instead opens a portal on the back of his head where Cake pops out of.
I had so many questions after watching those first two episodes. If Fiona and Cake are real, how did Ice King come up with them as fan fiction? If Fiona and Cake can feel that their lives had adventure, why are they normal now? Finally, if they live in two separate universes, how many other variants and worlds are there?
As the story continues to unfold, I do believe these questions will be answered. Every week two episodes will be released until they have all ten out. A lot can happen in the next eight episodes. Based on those two episodes, there is a lot to unpack.
This series was definitely made with the original audience in mind. All the characters we grew up with are grown up as well. They are facing the struggles that we face living day to day. The magic of the past is gone. Everything we knew about this franchise is now even darker and setting forth a new era.
With Cake showing up in the Land of Ooo, I can only imagine the kind of journey Fiona will go through in order to be reunited with her cat. Not only that, but now that Simon is seeing a living embodiment of what should have been Ice King’s imagination, what kind of journey is he going to go through? Will Simon finally be able to accept his past as Ice King, or could this be the adventure Simon needs to move forward with his life?
This show has started off on the right path. It is surprising to see a cartoon you grew up with be transformed into a new series that is still meant to target you. The language and few curse words are a surprise, but it’s intentional considering we’ve all grown up. The seven-year-old version of you who grew up with Finn and Jake is not seeing the world the way the 20-year-old version of you is.
I love the way “Adventure Time” is growing with its audience. As we see these characters overcome their hardships, I hope the grown-up versions of ourselves can continue to learn a thing or two about growing up.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
