"What Was Missing" | |
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Adventure Time episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 10 |
Directed by |
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Written by | Adam Muto Rebecca Sugar |
Story by | Mark Banker Kent Osborne Patrick McHale Pendleton Ward |
Featured music | "I'm Just Your Problem" "My Best Friends in the World" |
Production code | 1008-062 [1] |
Original air date | September 26, 2011 |
Running time | 11 minutes |
"What Was Missing" is the tenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series Adventure Time . The episode was written and storyboarded by Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Mark Banker, Kent Osborne, Patrick McHale, and series creator Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on September 26, 2011.
The series follows the adventures of Finn (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake (voiced by John DiMaggio), a dog with magical powers to change shape and grow and shrink at will. In this episode, Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, and Marceline the Vampire Queen form a band in order to defeat the Door Lord and recover what the creature had stolen from them.
Sugar noted that while the episode may appear to be about friendship, it is really about the power of telling the truth, as exemplified by the episode's songs. Episode composer Tim Kiefer played all of the conventional instruments himself, and used unique instruments, like a Game Boy, to make some of the loops heard in the episode. The episode was watched by 2.185 million people and caused a controversy due to the suggestion of an intimate (and possibly romantic) history between Marceline and Bubblegum, a fact that also garnered praise for the episode from several LGBTQ-oriented review sites.
Jake and BMO decide to give Finn some "alone time" with him and his piece of Bubblegum's hair, which he acquired in the second season episode "To Cut a Woman's Hair". However, a Door Lord suddenly materializes and snatches the lock, along with Jake's beloved blanket, and BMO's controller. Finn and Jake chase through the creature's various doors, stumbling upon Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, who both appear to be victims of the Door Lord's theft. Finally, the Door Lord jumps through a door that the group is unable to get past. They realize that they must sing a song to pass through the door; the group decides to create a band. Jake gets his viola, and Marceline retrieves her bass. Princess Bubblegum decides to play BMO as an 8-bit instrument, and Finn beat-boxes.
Tensions amongst the band members, however, boil over. Marceline sings a song ("I'm Just Your Problem") lamenting her and Bubblegum's estranged relationship, which almost opens the door, due to it being a song based on truth. Marceline and Bubblegum begin arguing, and Jake joins in; the band disbands. Finn, dismayed at his friends' behavior, sings "My Best Friends in the World", bemoaning the fact that his friends are fighting. Bubblegum, Marceline, and Jake all come back to join him, reforming the band, and the four are able to open the door. Inside, Finn, Jake, and BMO reacquire their belongings. The group also finds a black rock T-shirt which they mistake to be Marceline's. However, it is revealed that it is Bubblegum's; it was a gift given to her by Marceline in the past. Finally the group turn to Marceline, asking what she had lost. When they realise she only wanted to spend time with the friends, Marceline feels embarrassed and chases Finn, Jake, BMO and Bubblegum from the Door Lord's abode.
"What Was Missing" was written and storyboarded by Rebecca Sugar and Adam Muto from a story developed by Mark Banker, Patrick McHale, Osborne, and series creator Pendleton Ward. The episode was directed by Larry Leichliter, with Cole Sanchez serving as creative director and Nick Jennings serving as art director. [2] The original title for the episode was "Door Jam", [1] but this was later changed because, according to Muto, the show tries to avoid pun-based titles. [3]
"What Was Missing" was Sugar and Muto's second episode dealing with Marceline (the first being "It Came from the Nightosphere" from season two), and because of this, Sugar "wanted to get it right". [4] Sugar later explained on her Tumblr that, "It might seem like this episode is about friendship, but I wanted it to be about honesty! Marceline almost gets the door open because she drops her guard and tells the truth for a second while she sings this song." [5] She later likened the theme of the episode to a quote by Bob Fosse—“The time to sing is when your emotional level is too high to just speak anymore"—noting that she "really wanted to try for that feeling." [5] When looking over the episode’s plot prior to it being storyboarding, Sugar noticed that the interactions between Marceline and Princess Bubblegum recalled the animosity shared between two exes. She consequently pitched to Adam Muto and Pendleton Ward the idea that the two had been in a relationship, but had since broken up. The production crew of the series approved of this story approach, but due to restrictions at Cartoon Network, the writers were unable to explicitly confirm this information in the episode. [6]
All of the songs featured in the episode were initially composed by Sugar, who released her demo version of "I'm Just Your Problem" on her official Tumblr page. [5] Her father, Rob, later released the demos for both "I'm Just Your Problem" and "My Best Friends in the World" on YouTube. [7] [8] "I'm Just Your Problem" was actually the last song written for the episode; Sugar was down to the last minute, and as such, she argued that her emotionally exhausted state informed her songwriting. The song was inspired by an incident that Sugar had experienced with a former roommate. Although the two often fought, Sugar desperately wanted them to be friends despite not particularly liking her. Sugar transferred this situation onto Marceline, writing the song so that Marceline—while having issues with Princess Bubblegum—wanted to become her friend. "My Best Friends in the World" was written by Sugar as a celebration of the friendship she shared with her coworkers, especially her storyboarding partner, Muto. [9] Ward later admitted on the commentary track for "What Was Missing" that, while he was editing the animatic for the episode, he started to cry because the songs featured in the episode were so full of emotion. [10] Adventure Time composer, Tim Kiefer, played the instruments featured in the episode himself. To complement the tones of the bass and viola, he created percussion sounds with Game Boy loops, and then used an autochord for "Princess Bubblegum's melodies" to make "pretty, melodic swoops to accompany BMO's rigid, robotic patterns, loops, and structures." [11]
"What Was Missing" first aired on Cartoon Network on September 26, 2011. The episode was viewed by 2.185 million viewers and scored a 0.4 Nielsen rating in the 18–49-year-old demographic. This means it was seen by 0.4 percent of all households aged 18 to 49 years old were watching television at the time of the episode's airing. [12]
Tyler Foster of DVD Talk called the episode a "highlight" of the Fionna & Cake DVD. [13] Specifically, he praised the song "I'm Just Your Problem", calling it both a "fan favorite" and "significant as the moment I decided I was a fan". [13] Dana Piccoli of AfterEllen.com enjoyed the way the episode "alluded to perhaps, more than platonic feelings between" Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, as well as the fact that "What Was Missing" was underlined by potential lesbian "subtext". [14] The A.V. Club named the episode one of the ten additional installments of the series that illustrates that "emotional complexity" lies "beneath Adventure Time's weirdness". [15]
"What Was Missing" became controversial because of an allegedly implied past relationship between Marceline and Princess Bubblegum. [16] [17] The controversy largely began after an accompanying "Mathematical" recap—a behind the scenes video series produced by Frederator Studios, one of the show's production companies, that implied that there were lesbian relations between Princess Bubblegum and Marceline and that the writing staff actively seeks input from fans. [17] [18] [19] This incident was addressed by Fred Seibert, the show's executive producer, who said that "in trying to get the show’s audience involved we got wrapped up by both fan conjecture and spicy fanart and went a little too far." [16] [17] Soon after, the video recap and the entire channel was pulled off of YouTube, although "What Was Missing" still airs during reruns. [17] Seibert's decision to remove the video also proved controversial; Bitch magazine later wrote an article about how the episode "handled female desire—female queer desire at that—in a subtle but complex way", and that the removal of the recap and the studio's perceived treatment of the controversy was detrimental towards the acceptance of queer romance in children's television. [16] Ward later addressed the issue and gave a more neutral view, saying that, because there were "so many extreme positions taken on it all over the Internet", he did not "really want to comment on it [because] it was a big hullaballoo." [20]
In August 2014, Marceline's voice actress Olivia Olson told a crowd of fans gathered at a Barnes & Noble book signing from The Adventure Time Encyclopedia, that, according to Ward, Marceline and Princess Bubblegum had dated in the past, but that because the series airs in areas that discourage homosexual relationships, the show has not been able to officially clarify the relationship in the series itself. [21] [22] In the finale of Adventure Time, "Come Along with Me"—which aired on September 3, 2018—the relationship was officially confirmed when Marceline and Princess Bubblegum shared a kiss. [23] [24] [25]
The episode was first physically released as part of the 2013 Fionna & Cake DVD, which included 16 episodes from the series' second, third, and fourth seasons. [26] It was later re-released as part of the complete third season DVD in February 2014. [27] In addition, the 2015 limited edition 12" vinyl record release Marceline the Vampire Queen – Rock the Nightosphere included "I'm Just Your Problem" alongside other songs sung by Marceline. [28]
Adventure Time is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward and co-produced by Frederator Studios for Cartoon Network. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake —a dog with the power to change size and shape at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, where they interact with Princess Bubblegum, the Ice King, Marceline, BMO, and others. The series is based on a 2007 short film that aired on Nicktoons. After the short became a viral hit on the Internet, Nickelodeon's executives passed on its option before Cartoon Network commissioned a full-length series from Fred Seibert and Ward, which was previewed on March 11, 2010. The same year, the series premiered on Cartoon Network on April 5, and it ended its eight-year run on September 3, 2018.
Finn Mertens, better known as Finn the Human, is a character and one of the two protagonists in the American animated television series Adventure Time and resulting franchise created by Pendleton Ward. He also appeared in the spin-off series Adventure Time: Distant Lands and Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake. He was voiced by Jeremy Shada in most appearances. The character made his debut in the original pilot, where he is named Pen and voiced by Zack Shada, Jeremy's older brother. Jonathan Frakes voices Finn as an adult in some appearances.
Marceline the Vampire Queen is a fictional character in the American animated Cartoon Network television series Adventure Time and resulting franchise, created by Pendleton Ward. She is voiced by Olivia Olson in most appearances, by Ava Acres as a child, and by Cloris Leachman as an older woman. Marceline is a fun-loving 1,000-year-old vampire queen, as well as a musician who plays an electric bass that she made from her family's heirloom battle-ax. Ward created the artistic design for Marceline, with small changes and additions added by Phil Rynda, the former lead character and prop designer for Adventure Time.
"Fionna and Cake" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Mark Banker, Kent Osborne, Patrick McHale, and series creator Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on September 5, 2011.
The second season of Adventure Time, an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward, premiered on Cartoon Network on October 11, 2010, and concluded on May 2, 2011, and was produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios. The season follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive 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 main characters of the show: Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lumpy Space Princess, and BMO.
The third season of Adventure Time, an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward, premiered on Cartoon Network on July 11, 2011, and concluded on February 13, 2012, and was produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios. The season follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive 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 main characters of the show: Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lumpy Space Princess, and BMO.
The fourth season of Adventure Time, an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward, premiered on Cartoon Network on April 2, 2012 and concluded on October 22, 2012, and was produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios. The season follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive 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 main characters of the show: Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lumpy Space Princess, BMO, and Flame Princess.
"I Remember You" is the twenty-fifth and penultimate episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Cole Sanchez and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Patrick McHale, Kent Osborne, and Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on October 15, 2012. The episode later re-aired on March 25, 2013, together with the fifth season episode "Simon & Marcy", and as such was advertised as a half-hour special.
"Lady & Peebles" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Cole Sanchez and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Patrick McHale, Kent Osborne, and Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on August 20, 2012. The episode guest stars George Takei as Ricardio.
"Card Wars" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Somvilay Xayaphone and Bert Youn, from a story by Patrick McHale, Kent Osborne, and Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on July 16, 2012.
"Burning Low" is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Cole Sanchez and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Patrick McHale, Kent Osborne, and Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on July 30, 2012.
"Bad Little Boy" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Cole Sanchez and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Sugar, Patrick McHale, Adam Muto, Kent Osborne, and series creator Pendleton Ward. The show follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake, a dog with magical powers to change shape and grow and shrink at will. In this episode, Marceline tells the Ice King a fan fiction involving her genderswapped form Marshall Lee.
"Incendium" is the twenty-sixth and final episode of the third season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. The episode was written and storyboarded by Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Mark Banker, Patrick McHale, Kent Osborne, and Pendleton Ward. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on February 13, 2012. The episode guest stars Keith David, and also features Jessica DiCicco, who would go on to play the recurring role of Flame Princess.
Stakes is an American animated television miniseries comprising eight episodes from the television show Adventure Time, created by Pendleton Ward. It aired as part of the show's seventh season from November 16, 2015 to November 19, 2015 on Cartoon Network. Adventure Time follows the adventures of Finn, a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother Jake, a dog with magical powers to change shape, grow and shrink at will. In this limited event series, Princess Bubblegum removes the vampiric essence from Marceline the Vampire Queen, which unleashes five recently resurrected vampires into The Land of Ooo. Marceline, Bubblegum, Finn, Jake, and Peppermint Butler are forced to deal with the fallout.
The ninth season of Adventure Time, an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward, premiered on the Cartoon Network on April 21, 2017 and concluded on July 21, 2017, and was produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios. The season follows the adventures of Finn and his best friend and adoptive 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 main characters of the show: Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lumpy Space Princess, BMO, and Flame Princess.
The tenth and final season of Adventure Time, an American animated television series created by Pendleton Ward, premiered on Cartoon Network on September 17, 2017, and ended on September 3, 2018, and was produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios. It follows the adventures of Finn and his best friend and adoptive 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 series' other main characters: Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lumpy Space Princess, BMO, and Flame Princess.
"Come Along with Me" is the series finale of the American animated television series Adventure Time. A 44-minute four-part episode, it is counted as the 13th to 16th episodes of the series' tenth season and as the 280th to 283rd episodes of the series overall. The episode first aired on September 3, 2018, on Cartoon Network.
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is an American adult animated television series developed by Adam Muto, based on the Cartoon Network series Adventure Time, which was created by Pendleton Ward. Unlike the original series, the show is made for an adult audience. The third series in the franchise, it premiered via the streaming service Max on August 31, 2023. It was later announced by Cartoon Network that the show was renewed for a second season.
Adventure Time is an American animated fantasy franchise created by Pendleton Ward, set in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo. The franchise originated from a 2007 short produced for Fred Seibert's animation incubator series Random! Cartoons at Nickelodeon Animation and aired on Nicktoons Network. After the short became a viral hit on the Internet, Nickelodeon's executives passed on its option before Cartoon Network commissioned a full-length series from Seibert and Ward, which premiered on Cartoon Network on April 5, 2010, and ended on September 3, 2018. The series drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons and video games. Alongside the original television series, the characters of the show have been featured in a variety of media, including two spin-offs, comic series, card games and video games.