Adventure Time's Jake is the Best Character on TV

While nominally about Finn and his growth from a boy into a man, Adventure Time is also very much about Jake the Dog. It’s why he’s featured in the credits as prominently as Finn is. And, while Finn has experienced a strong character arc, Jake has proved to be far more fascinating.

Simultaneously the most relaxed and loyal friend you could have, over the past eight years Jake has become one of the best characters on television.

Jake the Crook

Voiced by John DiMaggio, Jake is never treated like a pet. Raised alongside his brother Jermaine and an adopted Finn, Jake starts out as the ideal older brother. He and Jake bicker occasionally and tease each other constantly, but they share a strong bond. His romance with Lady Rainicorn has been one of the most consistent relationships in the series, and was a stable example that Finn could look to as he waded into his own romantic entanglements. Jake is an easy-going and calm figure in Finn’s life, something the excitable adventurer sorely needs.

As the series progressed, however, audiences began to learn more about Jake’s criminal past. He was one of the most prolific crooks in Ooo, with a full team of thieves to back him up. Episodes like Season 5's "One Last Job" explore that side of Jake, and reveal that he gave up that life when he moved in with Finn following the death of their parents. That background played heavily into his best trait -- empathy.

His time on both sides of the law gave him an understanding of humanity. As a result, he befriends anyone, from insect to cosmic deity. That's important because the show never treats this tendency as a flaw. His simple connection with the world allows him to help a desperate cookie in "Princess Cookie" and enthrall the world with his radio nature documentary in the Emmy Award-winning "Jake the Brick." That connection helps him to bond with abstract concepts of the universe, and the world was saved more than once because Jake is so cool he made friends with God.

The Family Dog

One of the biggest developments for Jake came in Season 5's "Jake the Dad." After Lady Rainicorn gives birth to their litter of five puppies, Jake is ecstatic about the prospect of being a father. He even left the tree house. But, because of their Rainicorn heritage, the pups matured at an accelerated rate. Within an episode, they were talking and fighting. A season later, they were actually older than Jake.

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='Jake%20Saved%20His%20Family%20AND%20the%20Universe']

They didn’t need him, so he went back to Finn, who did. It was a moment of understanding from Jake, and not one he liked. While Jake tried to move on, it remained a soft spot for the character. But as the pups and Lady gently remind Jake throughout the series, it was for the better. His style and personality didn’t make for a terrific father, especially to the children who didn’t need it. He’s a terrific big brother, but not a great dad.

That really came into play with his son Kim Kil Whan, who grew into a responsible and humorless capitalist. He bought the tree house in Season 6's "Ocarina" in an attempt to force Jake to “grow up." In other shows, the father would have seen this as a “come to Jesus” moment, but in Adventure Time it’s not something Jake can do.

That carefree soul is what makes Jake, well, Jake. It’s an aspect of his outlook on life. There’s nothing he wants in return. Jake just wants to love and be loved. He’s a dog. The episode ends with Kim Kil Whan looking at the useless ocarina Jake made him as a sign of his love, despite everything he has done to him and Finn. It softens his heart and helps their relationship.

My Name Is Jake and I Love My Life

Being happy is difficult for Jermaine, Jake’s biological brother. He shouldered responsibilities left behind by their parents, and eventually that anger shifted to Jake. But Jake never saw it that way. He was there for Jermaine and never got mad in return. Jake simply helped Jermaine to let it out and find peace, all with his empathy. It helped his brother immensely.

The moral with Jake is to focus on the connections rather than on the differences. He walked away from a life of crime for family, but then gave them space when they needed it. Adventure Time played up the importance of Jake's empathy by never reprimanding him for it. His friendliness saved not only his family, but the entire universe.

Sometimes, it feels as if people are more divided then ever, so it matters that someone like Jake reminds us about the importance of empathy.

Adventure Time: The Final Seasons four-DVD collection, which includes the series finale, is on sale now from Cartoon Network. The Adventure Time "Come Along With Me" original soundtrack is available for digital download and streaming on all major platforms.