Adventure Time (With Finn and Jake) is an animated series centered around a young boy (Finn) and his adoptive-brother (Jake) who is an anthropomorphic, talking, shape-shifting dog. The duo were raised together after a baby Finn was found by Jake’s mother in the forest. While Finn doesn’t have the magical powers his new family possesses, he is raised by a heroic father who taught him the values of doing good, the fun in adventure, and the techniques to become a hero.
When we join Finn and Jake, we see that their parents have passed on and they live in a gigantic treehouse by themselves. The house is filled with strange creatures, including worms with hypnotic powers, a talking video game console (Beemo) and eventually the original tenant of the Tree House, Marceline the Vampire Queen. The duo adventure into the mysterious Land of Ooo, an island presumably on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Finn is regarded as the last human, as the population seems to have mutated after a mysterious extinction-level event known as The Mushroom War. While other characters appear to be human, they are mainly evolved creatures from humanity’s past including a kingdom of Candy People rules by the fair and benevolent Princess Bubblegum, who Finn admires and plays affection towards. The age gap between the two characters creates an issue, as Princess Bubblegum seems unaware of the younger boy’s (she’s 18 while Finn is presumably 12/13) advances.
The heroes are often met with strange antagonists, ranging from giant monsters to zombies. More often the group battles the likes of the princess-obsessed Ice King, a wizard with the power to use Ice to attack his adversaries. He lives a solitary life alongside many penguins who share his ice castle in the frozen mountains of Ooo, so he spends much of his time either kidnapping princesses so he can marry one or simply harassing Finn and Jake.
Throughout the series, the pair of heroes battle the monsters, criminals and ne’er-do-wells of the island in an attempt to become true heroes and create a legacy. Due to the amount of encounters they must face, Finn often carries a sword with him. Other weapons, including flame-throwers and magic, are used. While action scenes are frequent, blood is not very common, but is seen. When Finn battles a giant heart, it explodes into a red liquid explosion. However, since it was part of a magical test of his mettle, the blood and the monster vanish. Finn also only fights those who are evil, and encounters moral-conflicts if he has to hurt anyone he sees as good. Since he is still a child, he struggles with understanding why people do bad things but he can see the clear line of good versus evil present in the Land of Ooo. On several occasions, Finn and/or Jake have refused to fight an adversary either on ethical grounds or admitting they are not evenly matched.
The show, much like others in the prime-time lineup, is geared towards tweens and teens, and young adults as well. Because of this, more agressive language may be heard than during the daytime programs. Nonsense language and other grade-school ‘swears’ are common, and used for comedic effect. Finn talks like any boy his age would be expected to, pronouncing words incorrectly, or using them in the wrong context. Upon ridding themselves of a curse that turned Finn and Jake into thieves, Finn exclaims “we’re virgin islands”.
Adventure Time rarely seems to inject an actual moral of the story, but demonstrates how the power of friendship, teamwork and trust are essential to living a hero’s life. Often, Finn tries to convince others to not do wrong and takes pride in the fact that he truly wants to help everyone. It also shows that children have the capacity to do good, and can rise above their problems. The show often involves themes of sacrifice, including when Finn throws himself into a hoard of zombies to save the town.
The dynamics of the show usually range from neutral to positive, but some tones may be too intense for younger viewers. Aspects of love are also common, and hugging and kissing is prevalent. Finn often kisses animals, friends and his brother in a non-sexual or non-romantic way. However, kisses have been shared as a sign of affection. There are not many sexual themes in the show, however there are a few underlying messages when they are present but can easily go over the heads of younger viewers. Teenagers could easily identify with the themes, but some may confuse those under 12.
Much like Regular Show, the show should be viewed by a parent for kids between 7 and 12 to address certain themes and plot devices that might startle, confuse or upset some children. However, I feel that most kids will simply enjoy the comedic battles, (intentionally) bad jokes and bizarre humor, and the exciting places the cast visits.
