You want explanation? Here it comes:
The first two seasons of Adventure Time are more in line with the style of cartoons that came a little before than it (mostly Flapjack) than the lore cartoons that came after (like Steven Universe).
I would let the show stay the same way it began. Wacky, not trying to explain the weirdness, and a simple story. Season 2's ending was good as a series finally, but since CN would insist on making more episodes I'd make the 3rd season end with Finn finally discovering his origins. But the rest of the season would still follow the classic style. After that I don't see the need for more episodes.
I think it works in this particular case because the episodes (Holly Jolly Secrets and I Remember You) themselves follow a simple format: Ice King does a bunch of shit that makes him look pathetic to the point of being funny then a short reveal happens at the end that recontextualizes him and his actions into being sadder. Short, simple, and impactful.
Compare and contrast to other sad villain backstories in stuff like One Piece, where we just get a long flashback and it's the most over the top shit ever that it feels more like parody than something you're meant to sympathize with.
Looking back, I am genuinely surprised that that flashback was allowed to show the hints of war that it did.
The soldiers, that hint of the fall of Saigon, the way a young Mr. Hyunh breaks through the barricade into the US embassy so he can escape the country with his daughter. It's just a vague telling, they don't even name the country and war by name, but it's done tastefully and in a way kids could understand it. It hit me hard as a kid, and harder as an adult rewatching it over a decade later.
this crap was when adventure time jumped the shark for me
how would you have done it better?
yeah
by not doing it
you need some explanation, the rest of the characers go one
You want explanation? Here it comes:
The first two seasons of Adventure Time are more in line with the style of cartoons that came a little before than it (mostly Flapjack) than the lore cartoons that came after (like Steven Universe).
I would let the show stay the same way it began. Wacky, not trying to explain the weirdness, and a simple story. Season 2's ending was good as a series finally, but since CN would insist on making more episodes I'd make the 3rd season end with Finn finally discovering his origins. But the rest of the season would still follow the classic style. After that I don't see the need for more episodes.
>what if goofy villain was actually... tragic?
Yawn.
>what if anon was actually... moronic?
yawn
what if? I'm seeing it right now
Dr. doof does it better
True, since the "sad backstory" is just as goofy as Doof himself.
pretty much
I think it works in this particular case because the episodes (Holly Jolly Secrets and I Remember You) themselves follow a simple format: Ice King does a bunch of shit that makes him look pathetic to the point of being funny then a short reveal happens at the end that recontextualizes him and his actions into being sadder. Short, simple, and impactful.
Compare and contrast to other sad villain backstories in stuff like One Piece, where we just get a long flashback and it's the most over the top shit ever that it feels more like parody than something you're meant to sympathize with.
Nah man AT got it right.
I want to thrust my face on Simone's grey brush and make her grip my head.
>They hated him because he told them the truth
This shitty reveal was the start of the slow death of adventure time
Mr. Hyunh and his daughter, Mai, in "Arnold's Christmas"
Happy ending, thankfully.
>Mr. Hyunh seeing his daughter for the first time in over 20, years
Shit man, those are some feels I forgot I even had
real serious moment for a Nick holiday special honestly
Looking back, I am genuinely surprised that that flashback was allowed to show the hints of war that it did.
The soldiers, that hint of the fall of Saigon, the way a young Mr. Hyunh breaks through the barricade into the US embassy so he can escape the country with his daughter. It's just a vague telling, they don't even name the country and war by name, but it's done tastefully and in a way kids could understand it. It hit me hard as a kid, and harder as an adult rewatching it over a decade later.
I wish I could go back and be suprised by this again
I wish Nick had greenlit this show so that it could have been canceled before reaching this point.
The song they sing is literally just Strange Magic from ELO.
The show went out it's way to make Pink, Satan.
I liked the wubba lubba dub dub reveal.