From the mind behind the “Bee and Puppycat” series, Natasha Allegri brings back her iconic Fionna and Cake characters and offers an entertaining series full of comfort and love. As HBO Max concluded “Fionna and Cake” on Sept. 28, viewers and fans of “Adventure Time” have given their admiration for the expansive storytelling this spin-off had to offer.
Set in a distant future after “Adventure Time,” which ended in 2018, audiences are taken to the mundane world of Fionna Campbell (Madeleine Martin) and Cake the Cat (Roz Ryan), who are alternate gender-swapped versions of Finn and Jake in the original series. Fionna and Cake spend their days pushing through day-to-day odd jobs, with Fionna dreaming of the impossibility of living in a magical world. However, on the other side of the universe, the former Ice King, Simon Petrikov (Tom Kenny) accidentally opens a portal into Fionna’s universe, kickstarting a multiversal adventure of a lifetime.
Viewers of the show find out that Fionna’s world is an unauthorized universe created purely out of fanfiction by the cosmic being, Prismo (Sean Rohani). This prompts Scarab (Kayleigh McKee), a multiversal auditor to hunt down and destroy Fionna and Cake’s universe. In line with that, the duo of Fionna and Cake team up with Simon to find the Ice King’s crown across the multiverse to be able to revert Fionna’s world into a magical one.
Opening the doors to a cosmic journey
Throughout the series, audiences get a glimpse of various dimensions throughout the “Adventure Time” universe. It was exciting to see some nods to previous episodes and references to the original series such as the Farmworld universe and a universe where life is all eliminated by the evil cosmic being, The Lich (Ron Perlman)—which are dimensions both mentioned in earlier episodes of “Adventure Time.”
Another notable aspect of this multiverse-themed series is how it reimagined beloved characters. Some examples are Marceline (Olivia Olson) and Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch) who are reimagined in a universe wherein the former rules over the Land of Ooo and the latter is a vampire hunter, seeking to free the humans. Furthermore, in the episode, “The Winter King,” we get to see what it would be like for the Ice King to have control over the crown and not descend into madness like Ice King’s character in the original “Adventure Time” series.
While the concept of the multiverse has been trending with releases such as Everything Everywhere All At Once, Across the Spider-Verse, and “Loki,” “Fionna and Cake” offers its unique spin on the concept which is far from simply banking on concepts that are already established. It explores the “what ifs” fans and creators of “Adventure Time” might have pondered while the show was still running. The expansive multiverse-building showcases exceptional attention to detail, making it truly admirable from a storytelling perspective.
Breathing life into worlds of stories and colors
The show’s pacing adds an exhilarating dimension to each episode release. There’s proper build-up in the series’ narrative that makes viewers crave for more. While ending on cliffhangers can seem too suspenseful and repetitive with each episode, “Fionna and Cake” does this with such ease that leaves audiences anticipating with excitement and theorizing what happens next.
Moreover, there’s a lot of visual eye candy that comes with each episode. The environments in each dimension Fionna, Cake, and Simon hop into are designed accordingly. While every universe is different, audiences will feel that they’re still immersed in the world of “Adventure Time.” From the fight scenes in the episode, “The Star” to the winter wonderland musical number in “The Winter King,” there’s surely passion for this show that dazzles its viewers visually.
A love letter to our childhood
Overall, “Fionna and Cake” is a massive hit with its compelling story, lovable characters, and heartfelt approach to life and romance. While “Adventure Time” as a whole could be deemed as a children’s show, “Fionna and Cake” hits close to home for young adults trying to deal with growing up and wanting to seek an adventure of their own. The show takes a more mature path while maintaining the whimsical charm “Adventure Time” established 13 years ago.
With the ending of “Fionna and Cake,” fans speculate if there will be a second season on the horizon. While possible, the show does open many doors for spin-offs on the original series that can touch stories that are yet to be told. These include glitches that happen throughout “Fionna and Cake,” how Marceline and Princess Bubblegum met, or perhaps more on the cosmic beings in “Adventure Time,” such as Prismo, the Cosmic Owl, and even The Lich.
For more interdimensional adventures, tag along with Fionna, Cake, and Simon in “Fionna and Cake,” streaming only on HBO Max.
