Adventure Time Dum Dum Juice Would Make Pb an Infant Again

Original Airdate: March 18, 2018

Written & Storyboarded by: Sam Alden & Graham Falk

Later on multiple viewings, I even so grapple with my feelings towardsGumbaldia. As the penultimate episode to the series, it certainly builds up for what's to come in its climax. Though, that's exactly the issue. More than obvious in retrospect than during a first viewing,Gumbaldiawas clearly executed as an opportunity for the staff to take much, much more cloth downward the line. I opine that, had the show connected from this point on, we would have certainly moved into a miniseries revolving effectually the Gum War and the reunion of various villains throughout Ooo. It seems like that was the obvious next motion from this episode, but the sudden cancellation of the series kind of pushed the staff into a corner. They still followed up with the Glue War, but the "Candy Kingdom Haters" were sidelined nearly entirely, for the respectable reason that, with all other loose ends that needed to be tied upwardly, in that location but wasn't room for them. That being said, judgingGumbaldiafor what it is, rather than what it was intended to exist is a hard experience. I recall a lot of the set pieces in this episode are fine, and the eerie temper that encompasses its entirety actually adds to the harshness of its themes, just ultimately,Gumbaldia… doesn't really need to be.

I know that's a cryptic and most slanderous statement. In reality, there are plenty ofRun a risk Timeepisodes that could be pointed out and described equally "inconsequential." But, withGumbaldia, information technology's clear that its purpose is to develop story elements that carry through into the next episode. In this episode, Finn laments about the inevitability of war and embarks on a last ditch effort to resolve the tensions between 2 parties. In the next episode,Come Along With Me, he ends up post-obit the same exact path, only (somewhat) succeeding the second fourth dimension around. Gumbald is revealed to be paranoid in this episode, dealing with the aforementioned issues of inferiority that Pb suffers from. This concept is explored in much more detail in the following episode, in a way that successfully paints a moving picture of Gumbald's struggles, while this episode only plays effectually with the idea of such anxiety until Gumbald decides to follow through with his plans anyway. Aunt Lolly is revealed to have a possible softer side, but again, that's retconned by the finish of the episode, and only further elaborated on inCome up Forth With Me.

I experience as thoughGumbaldiaconsists of a lot of half-baked ideas that finish up simply being repeated in the post-obit episode (for better or worse), and while that'southward not really the episode's fault, it does feel as if information technology's entirely disposable upon revisiting. 1 could view this as an "establishing" piece, tossing around ideas that mostly get fleshed out more in subsequent entries, but when it feels as though you nonetheless go the gist of everything even without information technology, it's difficult to actually detect the underlying purpose of it all. The merely existent points of heavy evolution are the initiation of the Gum State of war (which, again, could have just every bit easily been established without a definitive bit of exposition) and Peppermint Butler being reverted by dum-dum juice – though I'm not really sure that counts as evolution.  I'd throw in Aunt Lolly also, but honestly, her grapheme growth is then perplexing that I feel as though her function in the post-obit episode would exist as as confusing regardless.

I've talked about this before, but this isn't really a criticism I enjoy dishing out. I think the idea of something "not needing to exist" is such a facile jab that information technology'southward almost quibbling. Merely, I think it's of import to hash out becauseGumbaldiais clearly a product of its time. This was an episode produced when the staff had the mindset of continuing the series and each established storyline. The sudden closure of product put the staff in a place where they had to retrieve nigh logically virtually what would be the almost plumbing equipment conclusion to the serial – non toGumbaldia. Thus, this truly does feel like a collection of set pieces that don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. The ideas presented are either scrapped entirely or redistributed, making about everything feel insignificant.

Then, that large tangent bated, what practice I call up about the episodewithoutthe finale in mind? Well, I call up it's decent. Like I mentioned, I call up it builds upwardly the eerie temper in a pretty successful way. I try to stay as far away from political discussions on this web log for two central reasons:

1. My own naivety when it comes to earth diplomacy. (I am a drawing annotator after all… what did you look?)
2. The lack of necessity it brings to detail points.

Regardless, I practise retrieve this episode is interesting, given the time period it was released during. It was a menstruation of time where the concept of state of war and international conflict was peculiarly stressful, and almost unavoidable.Gumbaldiacame along right after that anxiety seemed to have peaked in u.s., merely it is intriguing to look dorsum on Finn's almost hopeless feelings of being trapped in a war that he doesn't want to be apart of as sort of a brandish of empathy. Of form, this is clearly an episode that can exist used to describe a variety of different conflicts and electric current affairs, and to elaborate on all of them would just be breaking my two golden rules. Especially that first one. Once more, cartoon reviewer, guys. Ya can't teach an one-time canis familiaris new tricks.

On the subject of controversy, I think in that location is a lot of debate on whether Finn is portrayed in a light that's true to his character or not. After all, this is a graphic symbol that has stated that he "kills things all the time." I suppose for a lot of people, this approach to pacifism has never been a role of Finn's character; I'll admit, it does seem much more than like a development more suited for Steven Universe than Finn Mertens. But, regardless of this, I retrieve the decision to have Finn choose a more peaceful route over his naturally inclined instinct to punch and boot everything that opposes him is something I practise respect.

My main takeaway of Finn'south realization isn't that he decided that fighting is wrong, simply that some bug merely cannot be solved by violence. I don't even personally think this is an entirely accurate conventionalities; I'm confronting violence for the most part, but I do acknowledge that there are certain situations where beast strength is a necessary selection to consider when reason and logic prove ineffective. I'm non so sure that Finn is even written to be entirely in the right from the episode's perspective – after all, his chances at making peacedofail by the end of it. There's even that brief substitution at the beginning that kind of plays off Finn's desires for peace as innocent and not fully realized. Despite beingness particularly unclear of the complexities of foreign conflict, I exercise recall he is peradventure beingness the most logical out of both parties involved. I mean, it's tough to say, because the subject at manus is pretty complex and probably more than difficult to dissect than it appears to be from a surface level. But equallyGumbaldiapresents, both PB and Gumbald are coming from standpoints of paranoia fueled defensiveness. Pb fears that Gumbald's superior technology will destroy everything that she'southward ever worked with, and Gumbald fears being micromanaged and essentially left lobotomized once more than. Finn is operating from the perspective of what'southward best for anybody (with probably a slight chip of selfishness when it comes to not wanting to be involved in warfare) instead of internalizing a quick and potentially fatal solution that may forever dismantle Ooo as they know information technology.

Finn's want to brand peace instead of solving problems with violence may stem from his previous encounter with Fern that permanently scarred the lad. Subsequently practically killing his alternating self, Finn was left with the idea that things didn'ttaketo stop this way and that the two of them truly could have come to terms with their issues if Fern just complied with talking it out. Finn tries the same approach this time likewise, though to no avail. Fern is yet unwilling to exist reasoned with, believing that he'due south apart of the aforementioned superiority circuitous that Pb and Gumbald are competing for. Though, the episode does brilliantly explicate in a visual sense that there is one thing Fern doesn't have – a loving brother to dorsum him up no thing what. Fern may experience the superiority of being physically enhanced through Gumbald'south experiments, though he withal lacks the support system that truly helps for him to feel whole.

Once we become into the Gumbald stuff, the episode begins to feel a bit convoluted. I'm still non sure I really sympathise Aunt Lolly's role. At the start of her appearance, it kind of seems like you're supposed to sympathize with her because, unlike her hammy counterparts, she does understand the weight of her surround and connects with Finn for those reasons. Aunt Lolly did have the potential to make a comeback, considering Gumbaldwasthe one who ended upwardly betraying her, not Pb. But her development is made super confusing, because patently her empathizing with Finn was an elaborate scheme the entire time. But so the following episode decides to continue with her development regardless, as if the ending ofGumbaldianever happened. Then, I'thousand not really sure what I'm supposed to get from her graphic symbol. Gumbald's scheming is equally equally confusing – instead of simply pretending to empathise where Finn is coming from, he puts his own self in danger on the take a chance that Finn and Jake would absolutely come up to his rescue in time. Um, isn't this a chip insane? It's somewhat convincing as a viewer to lookout man these events unfold, but for expectations to be subverted subsequently on, merely in-universe it'south a really, actually stupid plan.

The scenes to follow are all executed decently: the dinner scene in which Finn and Jake call up the events ofJake Adjustwas moderately fun, albeit that Gumbald'south investment in their lives never feels very disarming. Pepbut being dum-dummed upon their trip home was a huge bummer for me, peculiarly considering my affinity for the character. I'grand also non really sure why they decided to keep his character in this state, but I'll complaining more on that in our next word. The endmost $.25 are unarguably bleak, with Finn'southward plans for peace failing entirely, and the inevitability of war being at hand. Though I'm disappointed in their lack of a follow-upwardly, information technology was cool to see all of these classic villains in one case more than as kind of an initial feeling of suspense that shit actually was about to go down. Of form, the staff didn't really follow through with that suspense, simply once more, I'm non sure I can blame them for excluding elements that would make an already cluttered finale fifty-fifty more than jam-packed.

And then, with all of that said,Gumbaldiais still an episode that perplexes me when information technology comes to having a definitive opinion. There'southward a lot of stuff that works in the moment, just doesn't really piece of work when you view the whole picture. And if I'm judging it strictly standalone from the rest of the series, I'thou non really certain if information technology fully succeeds in what it's trying to achieve either. Information technology's an episode that really banks itself on its eerie atmosphere, just if yous take the time to even recollect about if its story elements make sense, such every bit Aunt Lolly and Gumbald'south plans, it sort of falls apart. Information technology's filled to the skirt with lots of ridiculous conveniences that aren't peculiarly believable in whatever sense. I still don't really think information technology'due south abadepisode, every bit Finn'due south office carriesGumbaldiathrough pretty successfully. Just yet, I recollectGumbaldiais undoubtedly a production of its time. Information technology was clearly created to be a precursor for ane story, and ended upward being the precursor for an entirely different tale. I think at that place were definite hints hither and in that location throughout the 9th season that theATmay not have had a huge heads up before the show's cancellation, just looking back,Gumbaldiais definitive proof that adjustments were made terminal minute. Not even just in the sense of the old-schoolhouseATvillains making their triumphant return, but all developments regarding the Gumbald family that failed to be fleshed out entirely in the way that they so desperately needed to exist. In a perfect world,Gumbaldiacould have been a fine setup to a whole batch of new episodes down the line. But, as is, it'due south an example of the true and few amount of time that theATcrew had left.

Being this far in the series is somewhat of a surreal feeling. I started this blog iii years ago, joking to myself that I'd be on my expiry bed finishing up my review of the serial finale. Information technology's odd to know that this journey is nearly complete, and I want to over again accept a sappy moment to thank all you lovely people for supporting this blog, even as its gotten more inconsistent in its releases. Even if I'm not directly responding to everything I am sent on this blog, Reddit, and elsewhere, I cannot begin to express the joy I get from reading all of your interesting takes on private episodes. It's certainly bittersweet to begin inbound the "wrap-upwardly" phase, only I tin can ensure you all that there will be plenty of content to hold you over for the adjacent few months. I do programme on shifting my attention onto bigger projects into the next year that accept nothing to do with Adventure Time, but for now, I look forward to sharing a lot of my final hot takes on the series every bit a whole.

Instead of jumping into the finale side by side week, I'll exist taking on Diamonds & Lemonsfirst, but because information technology would feel anti-climatic to finish off this episode review series with a Minecraft homage. In two weeks, I'll be starting with theCome up Along With Mereviews. My pals on the Reddit advised that it would be interesting to tackle this episode by separating it into parts and and so analyzing it every bit a whole, similar to what I typically practise with the miniseries. How I'll execute this, I'm still unsure. I'll probably release the first two parts in the aforementioned day, and the remaining 2 parts the following calendar week. It honestly all depends on how much I have to say and  how much time I take in my schedule. Regardless, yous tin await my opinions on the finale quite shortly, and thank yous all once once more for your connected back up!

Favorite line: "You thought you had browbeaten me? Me?! Cool sword."

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