Times Adventure Time Got Really Dark

If ever a show leaned into its own weirdness and surreal identity, it was the Cartoon Network hit "Adventure Time." The show, which ran from 2010 to 2018, was the brainchild of Pendleton Ward, who would later go on to craft the Netflix series "The Midnight Gospel." To say that "Adventure Time" was unique would be a gross understatement, playing host as it did to some of modern animation's strangest ideas. Nothing seemed off-limits for Ward's series, which tackled such subjects as life, death, rebirth, eldritch monsters, and even political corruption.

Despite its (literally) candy-coated exterior, the series was never afraid to get disturbing, resulting in some supremely dark moments. From recurring characters dying in gruesome fashions to an endless supply of supernatural spooks, this show didn't mess around. From its first season to its last, there was very little ground that "Adventure Time" didn't cover. These are just a few choice examples of times that the series threw caution to the wind and got really dark.

It wasn't uncommon for Finn and Jake to find themselves in unsavory situations throughout the show's eight-year run. In the episode "Power Animal," Finn finds himself kidnapped and at the mercy of a gaggle of gnomes. While hosting a party at the treehouse, Finn is praised for his seemingly bottomless reserve of energy and focus. This catches the attention of a rather bizarre partygoer whose identity is unknown to both Finn and Jake. Soon enough, this stranger kidnaps Finn. He later reveals himself to be the Grandmaster of the Gnomes.

As Jake attempts to find him—constantly getting sidetracked due to his lack of focus—Finn's situation only worsens. He is thrown into one apparatus after another, including a hamster wheel, an electrical containment unit, and a brain scanner. This is all done to harness Finn's energy, which in turn powers a device that will allow the gnomes to conquer Ooo. Jake eventually does come to Finn's aid, due in major part to a wish from the Party God that allows him to focus. However, it's still majorly distressing to see Finn in such prolonged and horrific circumstances for an entire episode.

Season two of "Adventure Time" began raising the stakes in terms of threats facing the Land of Ooo. The show's darker elements begin to take center stage in more episodes, with many shocking twists and turns. This is made abundantly clear in the two-part Season 2 finale "Mortal Folly" and "Mortal Recoil." Princess Bubblegum tasks Finn and Jake with defeating The Lich, The Land of Ooo's most sinister and powerful threat. The Lich is unique in that, unlike other previous villains, he is played completely straight with no comedic elements. The character oozes sinister vibes, helped in no small part by the voice work of the incomparable Ron Perlman.

At the conclusion of Part 1, Princess Bubblegum (PB for short) is dropped in a pool of the Lich's energy due to the Ice King's buffoonery. This results in PB being possessed by the Lich, which causes her to transform into an equally sinister entity. In a particularly horrific sequence, the possessed princess even traumatizes Jake with images of demonic fire before transforming into a monstrous behemoth. The expertly crafted pair of episodes is an indication of the darker path that the series takes in future seasons.

Despite Marceline's playful demeanor, the show never lets the viewer forget that she's a vampire with a thirst for blood. This is definitely exemplified in the fittingly titled episode "Red Starved," a story with a disturbing hook. While traversing the subterranean world of Ooo, Finn, Jake, and Marceline get stranded. Things worsen when it's revealed that a foolish Jake has eaten Marcy's bag of erasers, AKA her stash of red. Marcy informs the duo that things could become extremely dangerous for everyone if she gets too hungry. Jake has to contend with an increasingly ravenous Marcy while Finn goes off to find her sustenance.

Her deprived condition causes her to look more gaunt and withered, like a vampire from a classic horror movie. Given Marceline's usually playful demeanor, it is genuinely disturbing to see her in such a state. The episode adds an extra bit of morbid humor on top of this, as a starving Jake then tries to eat Marcy. It's an episode with a simple yet effective hook that results in genuine suspense and unsettling visuals.

Whenever "Adventure Time" does a legitimate horror-themed episode, it's always a very unique viewing experience. On a dark and stormy night, Finn and Jake are vibing at the pizza place and listening to Starchy's radio show. The show focuses on the unexplained and the paranormal events of Ooo, something that Finn reacts to with cynicism. Jake, however, is disturbed by the reports of a group of seemingly supernatural beings known as Blank-Eyed Girls. This urban legend soon reveals itself to be true, however, as the duo encounters one of them in their own treehouse. 

This results in several attempts to communicate with and banish the girls from their house using Starchy's on-air advice. The Blank-Eyed Girls seem at first to be nothing more than regular girls with fake eyes. Just when Jake opts to call the police, the girls remove their wigs and then their own heads. They then upstage themselves by unzipping their own skin to show their true forms as weird, cloud-like entities. The creepy physical gags result in a disturbing, hilarious, and mind-boggling ending.

While not a consistent onscreen presence, the character of Billy is definitely a memorable addition to the show's character roster. Voiced by Lou Ferrigno, Billy is the Land of Ooo's original great hero, a gigantic bearded man of epic reputation. Following the events of Season 2's finale, The Lich is largely absent, occasionally appearing only as a possessed snail. This Easter egg takes center stage when the Lich—having acquired the Enchiridion—attacks Billy. These events are shown to Finn via a strange series of dreams, leading him to check on his hero.

Billy appears to be all right, but shows concern when informed of Finn's dream about him. Eventually, it is revealed that Finn's dream was indeed real and the Lich has indeed killed Billy. This is confirmed quite horrifically when it's shown that the Lich has been wearing Billy's skin as a suit. This is one of the show's more disturbing developments and methods of writing off a character.

The Season 5 episode "All the Little People" boasts one of the show's most intriguing and legitimately unsettling premises. While Finn and Jake discuss the various aspects of relationships, the ever-mischievous Magic Man covertly leaves Finn a small bag. Inside the bag, the duo finds a series of living miniature replicas of every major character in the Land of Ooo. They take the little people home and begin examining them, noticing the unique interplay and chemistry between the various miniatures. Soon enough, Finn begins taking his godlike fascination with them a bit too far and creates unique couplings.

This fascination gets weirder as Finn begins intentionally causing strife and drama among the denizens of his little world. The episode's tone is definitely unsettling, but in a way that sets it apart from the rest of its disturbing brethren. There isn't anything overtly violent or horrific being portrayed, but the episode's music creates an undeniable sense of discomfort. Seeing Finn slowly lose himself to the inner workings of the miniature world is equal parts fascinating and unnerving.