Adventure Time is a Legitimate Epic

Melding goofy comedy, colorful designs and a mythology that would make Game of Thrones jealous, Adventure Time has proven to be one of the best series of the last decade. Embracing the sheer scope of the world of Ooo and exploring the past, present and future of this mystical land, a cartoon goof by Pendelton Ward became one of the most ambitious epics in television history.

The Beginnings of Ooo

One of the aspects that designates an epic is the mythology of the world. It’s something that the best defined epics all share in common. Look at creators like J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin or J.K. Rowling. There’s a history to the universes they create, a feeling of history and legacy that allows for anything to happen.

The world of Ooo didn’t simply appear. There are creator gods and primordial forces that move the universe. There are elemental powers that reincarnate throughout time, impacting the world in millions of ways. Adventure Time connects thoroughly to the real world as we know it, turning that cycle of destruction and restoration into a warning.

More than once, elemental forces try to shape the world for their benefit. And, more than once, they fail miserably and cause a massive change. The great wizard Evergreen tried to stop the extinction level asteroid, but failed to save the dinosaurs. It happened again in the modern day, when Patience St. Pim froze herself to try and avoid the coming nuclear holocaust, but her attempts to change the world into a purely magical one almost got the world consumed by candy. It's a compelling and modern take on the kind of forces that bring about our favorite mythological worlds. It's The Silmarillion for kids.

All Things End

It’s worth noting that, like many epics, there is a great evil in the universe. Rather than a basic tyrannical dark lord, though, it’s entropy personified by the Lich. It speaks to the series' awareness of its roots and its baseline understanding of the structure of an epic that the big bad is an enemy that comes for us all. It’s an origin story that sets the stage for its ending, making an effective “great disaster” that touches on realistic fears. The nuclear-tinged green flames of the Lich could take us all someday, after all.

When speaking about The Dark Knight Returns, Alan Moore said, “All of our best and oldest legends recognize that time passes and that people grow old and die ... the Norse legends would lose much of their power were it not for the knowledge of an eventual Ragnarok.”

The stories that remain with us are the ones that actually end. The knowledge that the world will move on past our heroes is an important element of a true epic. It broadens the scope of the story and makes the continuation of the world a fitting and bittersweet aspect of the tale.

Adventure Time has touched on this over the years. In "Graybles 1000+" and "Lemonhope," we got the chance to see the fate of Ooo. The kingdoms that audiences explored for eight years lie in long-forgotten ruin, and we learn about the fate of the Candy People and the descendants of Jake and Lady Rainicorn. Life goes on, even if the world we knew isn’t there anymore. "Lemonhope" especially has a certain air of melancholy to it that makes the bittersweet homecoming for the wandering prince all the more powerful.

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='Death%20Has%20Always%20Been%20A%20Part%20of%20Adventure%20Time']

The Present is What We Make of It

In the world of Adventure Time, death has been a part of the world for eons in the form of the Lich. This is where Adventure Time really shines as an epic: By showcasing an understanding that there’s more to the world than just the people we know. There are entire kingdoms with internal conflicts we only get glimpses into. Wars are fought and romances blossom, and even theoretical opposites like magic and science can find a way to coexist.

What finally stops the Lich is Sweet P, the innocent little boy the dark presence was reincarnated into during the sixth season of the series. Sweet P learned from his adoptive parents and proved strong enough to hold back the darkness inside. When he was given the chance to give into it, he fought back and remembered who he was. He chose life over death, all on his own. His life.

Adventure Time isn’t just about Finn and Jake. It’s about Princess Bubblegum struggling as a ruler, Marceline becoming the Vampire Queen, BMO learning his purpose and the Ice King losing his mind. It’s about Sweet P and Lumpy Space Princess and Flame Princess, Lemongrab and Lady Rainicorn and Huntress Wizard. It's about Peppermint Butler and Fern and Betty and Root Beer Guy and Cherry Cream Soda. It's about a snow golem, a cosmic owl and a singing hole.

Adventure Time is about life, hundreds of stories about thousands of characters. It’s about the scope and extent of existence -- making it truly epic.

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.