Top 10 Best Adventure Time Episodes

You know how every time there's a new episode of Adventure Time with Flame Princess I review it just so I can call the writers out on how terribly executed the character is? Well, I was going to do that again with "Ignition Point" until I realized I had nothing new to say. Same old critiques. Then I realized that even though I call Adventure Time one of my favorite shows on television, I only talk about it when it gives me something to complain about. That's just stupid. So today, I am here to tell you why Adventure Time is so great.

Adventure Time thrives on its harmony between two opposite tones: silly and serious. The show is as colorful as a child's artwork, and the concept of the show itself sounds quite upbeat: a boy and his dog go on wacky adventures to vanquish evil. However, the show gives itself the task of explaining the source of its "silly" adventures and what each event means to the characters involved. An episode about a jiggly baby doubles as an exploration of the impact parental abandonment had on the hero. An episode about the Ice King's embarrassing video journal doubles as a tragic tale of love and insanity. An episode about magical glasses that turn its wearer smart doubles as a lesson in why intelligence must be restrained. Every time you see the cute characters walking about in a colorful world, you are reminded that Ooo is really a post-apocalyptic wasteland painted to look beautiful. The way more and more is revealed about the world under that paint every episode keeps viewers on the edges of their seats. The world of Adventure Time is one you're sure to invest yourself into.

Need some more examples? Here are my top ten personal favorite Adventure Time episodes.

10. "It Came from the Nightosphere"
Aside from Finn and Jake, Marceline is the most popular character in the show. While her popularity is probably due to perverse sexual lust, Marceline has a certain charm to her. Due to the fact that she's lived for over a thousand years, she's a very dynamic character. There's always something new and interesting to be revealed about her life. In this episode, it is revealed that Marceline's father is the Lord of Evil. She had a falling out with him over fries. Yeah... more is revealed about that in a later episode. Anyway, Finn wants to reunite Marceline and her father, so he summons him with an evil spell. Of course, being the Lord of Evil, Marceline's father is more interested in sucking the souls out of every being in Ooo than making up with her. What makes this episode so funny is the way Marceline's father is simultaneously portrayed as a self-aware father and the most evil being that has ever existed. So in a way, this episode has two plots: Marceline's re-encounter with her father and Finn's quest to destroy the Lord of Evil, who both happen to be the same person. "It Came from the Nightosphere" is convoluted, yes, but also very fun.

9. "Too Young"
Hmm, only two picks in and I've already chosen a very controversial episode. After the events of "Mortal Folly/Mortal Recoil," Princess Bubblegum has been reverted back to a thirteen-year-old, meaning she is no longer old enough to rule the Candy Kingdom. The Duke of Lemongrab, Princess Bubblegum's "son" (really a failed experiment Bubblegum created in fear that one day she would die and leave the kingdom to no one), is brought in to rule in her place. Problem is, Lemongrab isn't right in the head, so Finn and Bubblegum must keep him under check. By torturing him. Lemongrab steals the show with his hilarious demeanor. The way he talks and reacts to things is instantly recognizable. Whether you think he's laugh-out-loud-worthy or annoying as heck (he's both in my opinion) you'll remember this guy forever. What makes this episode controversial is the fact that at the end of the episode, Bubblegum returns to her normal age. Many fans thought that the writers blew a perfectly good storyline by changing her back so quickly, but the thing is, this episode handled all the possibilities well enough on its own. When Bubblegum is young and has no responsibilities, she actually returns Finn's love, showing that she acknowledges all the things he's done for her. Even though she goes back to treating him like a friend when she's her real age again, Finn knows that he'll still have a chance when he's not so young. In one of the most mature moments I've seen in a cartoon, Finn decides to wait until he's older for his love. This is, of course, ruined by "Incendium." But disregarding that, "Too Young" is a very sweet and surprisingly mature episode.

8. "Holly Jolly Secrets"
If it weren't for the last few minutes, this episode would be called "Finn and Jake Watch Ice King's Video Diary for a Very Long Time." This episode could've easily been shortened to eleven minutes rather than twenty-two, but then we would've missed out on some of the best cringe comedy ever. This episode does a good job at making you not want to watch the next tape just because of how horrendously awkward each one is. It's like some kind of horror movie with penguins and crossdressing old men. But of course, I'm sure most of you know why I really chose this episode. You see, while every tape shown in the episode is disturbing, the last one shown is... how do you say... horrifying. I won't go into too much detail so first time viewers can experience the episode like I did, but I will say that it changed my perception on the show. Up until this episode, I thought that the show's silliness would always override the seriousness. With the revelation in the tape at the end of this episode, what once was silly is now tragic. Never had I seen a show that manipulated the viewer's emotions so well. The great thing too is that it's not just a revelation for the viewers, it's also a revelation for the characters. It actually affects future episodes and the interactions between Finn, Jake and the Ice King. Watch "Holly Jolly Secrets." You'll laugh, you'll cringe, and you'll have a hard time picking your jaw up off the floor.

7. "Thank You"
Every once in a while, the Adventure Time crew gets bored of making stories about Finn and Jake and decide to make a story about something else. Here, they decided to make a story about an anti-social snowman who is forced into taking care of a flaming wolf. Before I say anything else, let me tell you that this episode qualified for an Oscar. Seriously, it did; it qualified for "Best Animated Short Film" after being shown in theaters with the few Finn and Jake scenes there were cut out before movies. This episode beautifully illustrates how care can burn through the hearts of anyone, even if that care is for their polar opposite. It definitely did a much better job illustrating that than "Hot to the Touch." The thing is, the story in this episode wouldn't of worked as anything other than a cartoon due to the simplicity of it. The animation is fluid, the scenery is gorgeous, and every scene manipulates the principals of animation to the greatest extent possible. Through all the trials the snowman faces to take care of the burning puppy, you'll come to love him and want him to succeed because you watched him go through it all in great detail. "Thank You" is a perfect example of why animation matters.

6. "Mortal Folly/Mortal Recoil"
In this episode, the Lich, an evil being who quite simply wants to kill everyone, is released from his prison. Horror ensues. This episode is widely regarded as the point where Adventure Time got GOOD. I mean, it was already good before, but here, man, it got GOOD. The storytelling in this one is simply phenomenal. Many episodes before this one were revealed to have been building up to it; everything regarding Finn's feelings for PB, everything regarding Billy's past, everything regarding the snail... the payoff is an epic two-phase battle between the power of hatred and the power of l-l-liking someone a lot. The best thing about this episode is that it could've just ended after Finn destroyed the Lich's body. Phase one was handled well enough on its own, with three acts of greatness. But of course, PB gets dropped into the goop, and everything goes to hell all over again, this time in a more personal way. Finn must destroy the person he's been fighting for two seasons for. And the thing is... he kind of does. She isn't permanently killed off, but the events of the episode have a great impact on not only the quality of the show but also the development of the underlying plot. "Mortal Folly/Mortal Recoil" proves that "kiddie shows" have no good excuse not to include elaborate, status quo-breaking plots. Unless, you know, they have terrible writers.

5. "Goliad"
I've met far too many people who think Adventure Time is nothing but stupid jokes on top of cliché plots. Everyone who thinks this is judging a book by its cover; a cover meant to enhance the tone of what is inside. And you know what's inside? An episode dealing with the natural evils of the mind. Goliad, PB's new creation to replace Lemongrab as her heir to the throne, is a creature with a limitless mind but little inside of it. Once she is taught the ways of authority by watching Jake discipline a few rowdy kids, she realizes how much different the world could be if she really used that limitless mind of hers. This episode is a philosopher's dream, or perhaps, a philosopher's nightmare. It exposes its viewers to a shockingly grim perspective on life and humanity through almost mockingly colorful characters. It's worthy of much analysis, but aside from that, it's also well-structured enough to be a fun watch. Yeah, it's okay to be shocked and amused at the same time. "Goliad" exposes kids (and adults) to important and intelligent messages they wouldn't get out of any other cartoon.

4. "Sons of Mars"
...You know, I was dreading talking about this episode. Why? Because I really don't know how to describe it while maintaining comprehensibility. Alright, here we go. Something that's always been great about Adventure Time is that the writers never let anything go to waste. Every character that's introduced and every seemingly comedic event that happens has a major effect on at least one future episode. This episode pretty much ties up everything that had happened throughout the series in merely eleven minutes. It's about Magic Man, and Abraham Lincoln, and Grob Gob Glob Grod, and Death himself, and... AND IT'S AWESOME. This episode harkens back to the tone of the seven-minute Adventure Time pilot, which aired as part of Random! Cartoons on Nickelodeon a few years back. Both the pilot and this episode have super elaborate plots crushed in a way that leaves you speechless at the end of the episode. Arguably, this episode does it even better than the pilot because it utilizes everything previously established in the series as well as it opens the door to many new possibilities. For the hardcore fans of Adventure Time who like to dig into every episode, "Sons of Mars" is the best treat possible, and for the newbies, it's the perfect welcoming gift.

3. "The New Frontier"
Mortality seems to be a recurring theme in Adventure Time. The characters' common fear of death is emphasized in too many episodes too count. However, of all these episodes, this one handles it best. In this episode, Jake has a dream in which, after a series of seemingly random events, he dies. Once the series of random events actually starts happening in real life, Jake believes that his dream was a warning of his fate, and that there's no way to avoid his oncoming death. As Jake accepts his path, Finn, who's clung on to Jake throughout most of his life, isn't ready to let his brother die. The whole episode revolves around Finn's desperate attempts to fight away fate, and it's just as heartwrenching as it sounds. Finn is usually portrayed as a hero who constantly saves lives, but here, he's helpless. He uses the same techniques he does to save other people to try to save Jake, but he loses to fate every time. In this episode, Finn's title "the human" is more relevant than ever. Never had Finn's determination mattered so much. Of course, Jake doesn't die at the end, but it's only because of the love he shared for his brother. He was able to move past fate to protect Finn. While my top two picks are cinematic triumphs, "The New Frontier" is an emotional one.

2. "Beautopia"
As indicated by its title, Adventure Time is all about adventure. However, it avoids looking formulaic by giving different adventures vastly different tones in structure, even if the art style always points to comedy and the underlying plot always points to tragedy. You've got your loud, in-your-face adventures like "The Enchiridion!," you've got your tragic, heartbreaking adventures like "The New Frontier," and then you've got "Beautopia." The plot of this episode is simple: Finn and Jake team up with Susan Strong (who is either a human or a hyooman) to save the hyoomen from a few monsters. The whole episode thrives on subtlety more than anything. The episode has no clear moral or message, and despite there being an ultimate resolution to the main conflict, the whole thing leaves the viewer with many more questions than answers. Of course, the viewer wouldn't really dwell on these questions unless the episode made an impact on them, and for me, it definitely did. This episode has some of the best action sequences, scenery, and character designs in the series. As you get lost in the beauty of it, you really start to care about the simple little conflict, all leading up to a gorgeously executed conclusion that'll have you thinking about it for a long, long time. "Beautopia" is true to its name.

1. "Lady & Peebles"
Odd choice, you say? I suppose so. As of the time of this writing, it's one of the most recent episodes. It's also rather unconventional in that, as the title suggests, the episode stars not Finn and Jake, but Lady Rainicorn and Princess Bubblegum. Basically, Finn and Jake have been missing for a few weeks, so Lady and Peebles (they call Bubblegum "Peebles" sometimes) go out to find them. Revealing any other plot points would spoil the fun. What makes this episode stand out more than any other is its focus on atmosphere. The soundtrack is more prominent in this episode than in any other. It's kind of like one of those old shorts from the 30's and 40's where the music seems to be the root of each event that happens. The episode primarily takes place inside a dungeon that seems to have a lot more rhythm than the ones Finn and Jake explored in the past. Every sequence flows as smooth as butter. But this episode isn't just a treat for the ears and eyes; it's also one for the mind. This episode seems to take half of its structure from classic literature and half from The Legend of Zelda. The first act perfectly establishes the conflict and characters while raising important questions (namely, "What the heck is Rainicorn talking about?") and the rest of the episode maintains a sense of adventure through atmosphere while still using what was established earlier in the episode to its advantage. And it's not only perfectly structured in and of itself; it builds upon what was established in previous episodes as well, with a third act that will blow longtime fans' minds. You also have to appreciate the little details; watch the episode twice and you'll notice loads of foreshadowing for the shocking third act, as it is subtly hidden throughout much the dialogue and imagery. Simply put, "Lady & Peebles" gets everything right on a cinematic level while still maintaining the complexity of the world it takes place in. There's something for you to admire in this episode, whether it be the soundtrack, the art, the characters, the structure, or the dialogue.

So there you have it. Agree? Disagree? Let me know your opinion in the comments.