Adventure Time: Distant Lands

The series follows the adventures of Finn the Human (a boy), and his best friend and brother Jake, a dog with magical powers to change shape and size at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, where they interact with the other major characters, such as Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and BMO. Common storylines revolve around Finn and Jake going on the titular adventures, discovering strange creatures, and battling monsters to help others.[2]

On September 29, 2016, Cartoon Network officially announced that Adventure Time would end.[3] Storyline writing for the initial series ended in mid-November 2016,[4] and the show's final script was pitched to storyboarders on November 28.[5][6][7] Voice recording for the initial series ended on January 31, 2017.[8][9][10] Several of the show's crew members were then hired for Cartoon Network's Summer Camp Island, created by Adventure Time storyline writer Julia Pott.[11] The Adventure Time finale, "Come Along with Me", aired on September 3, 2018 to a largely positive reception.[12][13][14][15]

The Adventure Time: Distant Lands specials were produced by Cartoon Network Studios and Frederator, but unlike the previous seasons, debuted on HBO Max, the video on demand service from WarnerMedia Entertainment.[16] The Distant Lands specials have their origin during the production of the show's tenth season. Because the show had had success with specials and miniseries in the past (such as Stakes), the writers started to pitch a number of stories that could be told in longer formats. Two big ideas that emerged during this time were storylines focusing on BMO in space, and another focusing on Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship. Production for these longer stories, however, was halted when the series was cancelled. Later, when HBO and Cartoon Network began to revive the series for the HBO Max streaming service, the Adventure Time writers went back to these old ideas, and in time they generated the four Distant Lands specials.[17]

Longtime Adventure Time executive producer Adam Muto oversaw the production of the specials, with Jack Pendarvis, Anthony Burch, Christina Catucci, Charley Feldman, and Kate Tsang serving as part of the writing staff.[18][19][20] Storyboard artists who worked on these specials include (but are not limited to): Ashlyn Anstee,[21] Jim Campbell, Iggy Craig,[22] Megan Fisher,[23] Laura Knetzger, Hanna K. Nyström,[24] Maya Petersen,[25] Anna Syvertsson, Mickey Quinn, and Serena Wu.[26] From June to September 2019, Jenny Goldberg served as art director for the specials.[27]

On June 25, the first episode of that series dropped. This episode, titled "BMO," introduced Y5, an anthropomorphic rabbit and teenage scientist between age 11 and 13 who lives in The Drift.[28][29] Voice actress Glory Curda later argued that Y5's story has a lot of context and is representative of coming out into your own identity and defining yourself with whatever terms are comfortable for you.[30] Curda, in a Q&A on Reddit, said that after BMO left, Y5 grew and developed into "a leader and trailblazer to help save the drift,"[31] and noted that she was a big Adventure Time fan before getting the part.[32]

The episode Obsidian which is about Princess Bubblegum and Marceline's relationship is currently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming.[33]

• Jeremy Shada as Finn the Human[34]
• John DiMaggio as Jake the Dog
• Olivia Olson as Marceline the Vampire Queen
• Hynden Walch as Princess Bubblegum
• Niki Yang as BMO
• Steve Little as Peppermint Butler

• Y5 – voiced by Glory Curda:[35] Y5, appearing in "BMO", is an anthropomorphic rabbit and 13 year old scientist[28] who lives on a space station called the Drift.[29] Originally named "Y4", Y5 chooses her new name[36] with BMO's encouragement and eventually becomes the robot's "deputy".[37][38][39] Y5 struggles with managing the expectations of her parents (voiced by Tom Kenny and Michelle Wong), and finds herself forced to disobey them in order to save the Drift—all the while discovering her own identity.[38][40] In "BMO", Y5—with the titular robot's assistance—helps the citizens of the Drift defeat Hugo, and after their overlord is dethroned, she proposes a new form of social organization based on cooperation that will ideally allow the Drift to flourish.[41] Curda, the voice actress, said that Y5's story has a "lot of subtext" and is "very representative" of coming out into your own identity.[30]
• Mr. M – voiced by Stephen Root:[40] Mr. M, appearing in "BMO", is a mysterious and suspicious individual who does not care about BMO.[29] This character ends up helping BMO, Y5, and others counter the rule of Hugo.[40] Mr. M is heavily suggested to be Martin Mertens, sharing a voice actor, selfish demeanor, views on parenthood, and even saying some of the same lines including, "Here comes the rascal".[42] Showrunner Adam Muto called this an "unsubstantiated rumor".[43]
• Hugo – voiced by Randall Park: Hugo, appearing in "BMO", is an inventor and self-appointed leader of The Drift[40][44] who tasks BMO with acquiring a crystal needed to complete a device known as "Unity Pod". It is later revealed that this is a device to allow him to leave the Drift, and that Hugo created this machine by exploiting the resources on the space station.[37] It is revealed that Hugo was once a human who "biohacked" his DNA with the genetic material of aliens before arriving on the Drift.[40][38] When Hugo tries to power up his Unity Pod, the residents of The Drift band together to foil his plan, launching him into space by himself. While lamenting his loneliness, Hugo is later joined by the small worker robot Olive; in regard to this plot point, Adam Muto stated that they tried to leave Hugo on a "somewhat hopeful note", implying that, with the help of Olive, he may be able to "someday find a peaceful, less manipulative life" apart from others.[45]
• CGO – voiced by Simone Giertz:[46] CGO, appearing in "BMO", is knockoff MO Co. clone, created by Hugo. CGO reveals to the main characters that Hugo came from Earth to escape from a war; the robot also contends that after he arrived at the Drift, he stole the natives' technology for himself.[40] According to Adam Muto, Giertz—the self-styled "queen of shitty robots"—was chosen as the character's voice actress because he was a fan of her videos; likewise, she was a fan of the show, and had long expressed a desire to do a voice on the show.[47]
• Glass Boy – voiced by Michaela Dietz.
• See-Thru Princess – voiced by Charlotte Nicdao.[lower-alpha 1]
• Molto Larvo – voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.
• Sandy – voiced by Maria Bamford.
• Limeston – voiced by Jeff Bennett.
• Choose Goose – voiced by Jeff Bennett.
• Simon Petrikov – voiced by Tom Kenny.
• Elise – voiced by Erica Luttrell. Marceline's mother, a human woman who lived a thousand years prior to the events of the series. Luttrell replaces former Adventure Time writer and Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar as Elise's voice.
• Sir Soda – voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.[lower-alpha 2]

While in the United States, HBO Max becomes the primary platform to watch the series, there are debuts of "BMO" (and by extension Distant Lands specials) in different countries and regions in respective Cartoon Network channels worldwide, on different dates mainly in 2020; such as October 24 (Turkey),[48] October 25 (France),[49][50] November 21 (the United Kingdom),[51] December 12 (Germany, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines),[52][53][54][55][56] and December 27 (Russia).[57] In South Korea, the debut was on January 1, 2021.[58] In Southeast Asia and Taiwan, this special also premiered on December 7, 2020 via HBO GO;[55][56] the later three episodes will become available on Cartoon Network and HBO Go in 2021 in Southeast Asia as well.[59]

Reception to "BMO" has been mostly positive. Rollin Bishop of Comic Book wrote that the special's biggest strength is that BMO is "the most innocent and also the most prone to misadventure" compared to the other Adventure Time characters, which made the special itself a "solid watch from start to finish."[60] Others called "BMO" a "blend of dream logic, comedy, and surreal heroism".[61] Other reviewers praised the show for recapturing the magic of the original show,[44] with Petrana Radulovic of Polygon arguing that it shared the same "melancholy feeling" as its parent series.[38] Other reviews were not as positive. Grace Z. Li of Vulture called the special "disappointing" even while praising the performance of BMO.[37] Dave Trumbore of Collider singled out the pacing for critique, writing that the special seemed rushed "when it comes to story beats and character development."[40]

A number of reviewers commented on the episode's social commentary. Alexander Sowa of CBR argued that Hugo is a futurist akin to Elon Musk or Steve Jobs, whose characterization is "a clear satire of modern-day corporations and capitalists."[62] Sowa also argued that contra Hugo—a capitalist and colonist who "destroys the world around him"—Y5 can be seen as a fighter for equity who pushes for a new form of social organization that is fairer to the inhabitants of the Drift. Joe Matar of Den of Geek noted similar themes, saying that the story is about those living in Drift realizing that "their Elon Musk-esque tech capitalist overlord [Hugo] is destroying their world," which forces them to come together and rely on one another.[63] Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times likewise noted that the special hints at social commentary toward the end, referring to the destruction of Earth, the nature of resource management, the importance of cooperation, and "the way that certain human billionaires look at space as an escape pod."[39]

Writing for The A.V. Club, William Hughes gave this episode an A, calling it "fan service at its finest" with "plenty of the usual lovely Adventure Time touches".[64] Additionally, Rebecca Long also gave a positive review of the episode for Polygon. She wrote that the episode gives fans the "emotional payoff and answers" they have been yearning for and that the special uses the plot to explore Marceline's childhood trauma, her romantic history with Bubblegum, how the two are interconnected, and fills in gaps about her past. Long also stated that while the special is not "as offbeat" as BMO, it is heavier in terms of emotional weight and plot, and making clear that "romantic subtext" in the original show has "always been straight-up text." At the same time, she states that not all interactions between Bubblegum and Marceline are loving, that the special has flaws due to a conventional structure and storytelling, even with some "inconsistencies in Princess Bubblegum’s character design," but is still heartfelt and effective, complete with new music, with Marceline and Bubblegum having "a shared future that feels real."[65]

Rosie Knight of IGN wrote that the special was a "perfect example of why [Adventure Time] made such a huge impact." Knight contended that the special's strongest asset was "how accessible it is to new viewers", given that both "hardcore fans" as well as new viewers who had little understanding of the characters could still come together and "enjoy this fantastical romp about aging, falling in love, and settling down". Knight further complimented the special for its message that Marceline's power comes from her love of Bubblegum. Knight also applauded the "Monster", which she argued is as iconic as "I'm Just Your Problem" (from season three's "What Was Missing") and "Everything Stays" (from Stakes). Knight concluded her review by noting that while the special could be seen as mere "fan service", it is "fan service of the highest order", "a wonderful animated episode", and "a fitting addition to Adventure Time's legacy."[66] Petrana Radulovic of Polygon argued that 2020, when it came to all-ages animation, was a "glorious gay celebration that was unheard of just five years ago," the development of Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship in the "Obsidian" episode.[67] She specifically said that Obsidian was a "perfect end to this big gay year in animation," while noting that there is still work to do going forward.

Alexander Sowa of CBR described the episode as "a story about time," including various flashbacks, and is a story about immortals, with Sowa saying that Bubblegum and Marceline will "remain young at heart" even as their human companions die.[68] Sean Cubillas had a similar description. He stated that the episode had "plenty of emotion and heart," adding that the episode showed that Marceline has grown up from what she was like in the original series, how Bonnie and Marcy met one another, and how they broke up in the past.[69] At the same time, Princess Weekes of The Mary Sue, before the episode aired, said she found it reassuring because for queer representation "it is important to acknowledge that loving someone doesn’t fix emotional issues or personality flaws."[70] At the close of 2020, The New York Times named "Obsidian" one of "best TV episodes" of the year, calling it "the best excuse for [HBO Max's] existence."[71]

The album, "BMO's Mixtape (Gilligan Moss Mix)" was released on September 18, 2020.[73] It is not a soundtrack of the "BMO" special, but features remixed music from the original series, as well as a mix of the song "Eternity With You" from the "Obsidian" special. The album is mixed by the American musical duo Gilligan Moss.

The soundtrack to "Obsidian" was released on November 20, 2020.[74] The album also features a promotional cover of the song "Monster" sung by American singer-songwriter King Princess. This track was released as a single on November 13, 2020.[75][76]