Although Adventure Time, one of Cartoon Network’s most iconic animated series, ended back in September of 2018, HBO MAX is bringing fans far beyond the land of Ooo for new adventures with some of the series’ most beloved characters with Adventure Time: Distant Lands. This new miniseries will consist of four episodes that bring fans on new adventures, starting with the most adorable video game console in the galaxy – BMO (Niki Yang, Gravity Falls).
Flying through the galaxy on a little rocket ship, BMO is side-tracked from their quest to Mars, I think, when they encounter a strange one-eyed alien BMO names Olive. Olive is more than BMO expects, however, as it latches onto the ship and transports BMO to a distant galaxy. Upon arriving, BMO notices that this new planet is ravaged by warring factions and holds a mysterious underground space station in distress. Looking to do some good deeds, BMO appoints themselves as the new sheriff in town and appoints a new friend named Y5 (Glory Curda, Crown Lake) as their deputy. Together, these two must uncover a secret plot that threatens the safety of everyone in Y5’s society.
Now, to the surprise of no one, this new miniseries contains all the excellently whimsical and weird animation that fans will adore. The opening is a perfectly strange trip through the galaxy filled with strange creatures and an overwhelming sense of wonder. Things become even more intriguing when BMO arrives on the episode’s central planet and we get to see Y5’s community. The best way I can describe it is that it’s like a modernized version of Rapture, for all you Bioshock fans out there, and it’s a pretty interesting environment. From the more civilized areas full of futuristic tech created by the mysteriously powerful Hugo (Randall Park, Always Be My Maybe) to the dangerous and secretive jungle area that contains some of the strangest looking creatures in the most serene environment, this biodome environment is designed and animated in a way that constantly peaks your interest.
It’s actually good that the animation is so strong because the initial storytelling is a little weak. Admittedly, the episode was a little tough to get into at first, given that watching the warring factions of Elves and Shells isn’t all that interesting (especially in comparison to what happens later in the episode). While BMO’s explosive entrance to the planet had me laughing, it was hard to get a sense as to where things were going. However, the one thing that does keep it from not getting a little dull is the awesomely adorable personality of BMO.
Frankly, I don’t know if its BMO’s sense of right that drives them to always do the right thing or just the way they boast that they’re big enough to take care of themselves, but BMO is just so damn lovable. Their tough personality and charming demeanor is just an absolute blast and the way that BMO is able to take charge in the moment just to do good shows how admirable and strong they really are. I also really loved how much of an authority figure BMO becomes in the community and how everyone recognizes them on sight. Not to mention, there’s an incredibly emotional moment where it seems like all is lost for BMO that’s beautifully animated and legitimately sad. I will say that if the entire 45-minute episode was solely about BMO, their adorable innocence would probably get old. Thankfully, it isn’t and BMO’s friendship with Y5, a new character to the series, is great, as Y5 actually holds her own very well.
Y5 is a great addition to the franchise as her desires to come into her own and make her community stronger gel incredibly well with BMO. Her story and experiences with BMO basically help her become a strong individual as she’s constantly trying to prove herself to her parents and everyone around her. BMO as an inspiration to her and even though she initially just brings them along in order to use BMO for their parts and prove that she’s capable to Hugo, her arc in finding her own strengths is really great. The way that she stands up to ignorant authority figures after learning some harsh truths about Hugo is really empowering and reflects how BMO inspires her to be a force for good – no matter the cost.
There’s also a really interesting story about corporate corruption and even a little message about how we take from the environment that’s simple, a little familiar, and effective. Initially, when we meet Y5 and head deeper into the community she calls home, Y5 and the rest of the population see Hugo as a hero and believe that he’s constantly doing things that are building a stronger environment. However, after a very well-done reveal that’s made even better through Y5’s crushed reaction, we see that that’s not exactly the case. It’s a strong revelation that showcases corporate greed and displays a great message about conservation and the environment – especially when we see what happens to the Jungle area as its legitimately horrifying and sticks with you. Also, it’s worth mentioning that the end of this episode presents a connection to BMO’s introduction to the land of Ooo that fans will definitely appreciate.
Adventure Time: Distant Lands Premiere gives fans the kind of radical and awesomely adorable return they would want by letting BMO run the show and take fans on a strange adventure to a new world with delightful characters and effective messaging. Thankfully, this isn’t the end as Distant Lands will also take fans on new adventures with Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, Peppermint Butler, and the reuniting of Finn and Jake.
