The series finale of Adventure Time is upon us, air date still unknown, so I’ve been re-watching the show till it comes out! Spoilers ahead if you aren’t caught up on all the episodes! In the most recent episode Gumbaldia, Finn comments on how he doesn’t care about using violence as much as he used to. Finn’s realization, made me realize how he has character has matured and his experiences have changed how he uses and understands violence.
Starting in season one, we learn that Finn’s desire and interest in violence, stems from a father that raised him and Jake to believe they ‘always need to be tough’. Also, at the time, 12-year-old Finn is finding his purpose in life through beating up bad guys and monsters to help others.
In the episode His Hero, Billy convinces Finn that the path of non-violence is more worthwhile than a violent one. However, young Finn realizes he can’t just suddenly change his whole lifestyle and sometimes violence can help others.
Throughout season two we continue to see Finn find validation and rely on violence to solve his problems. Although the show demonstrates that violence is sometimes necessary, Finn also has a sensitive side that he needs to learn to accept.
In Finn’s first battle with a big villain, the Lich, he uses a combination of violence and the protection of Princess Bubblegum’s “love sweater”. Of course, when he must face off with the Lich again when he possesses the princess, the sweater cannot defeat him. However, blind violence also doesn’t destroy the Lich, Finn learns to accept the help of others, the Ice King, and to strategize instead of act impulsively.
In the season three episode, Morituri Te Salutamus, Finn and Jake engage in battles against ghost warriors, in the hopes of winning a prize. However, they soon realize the prize won’t be worth it because they’ll have to battle against each other to get it. Finn convincingly pretends to ruthlessly murder Jake and be full of blood-lust. These actions are all a big ruse because Finn knew Jake would diverge from the original plan, but Finn still has a strong obsession with violence. However, at the end of the episode the ghosts are freed and reunited with their partners, and Finn and Jake comment on how they’ll always be best friends. Finn defeating the fight king and reuniting the ghosts shows he does care more about friendship than fighting.
In Thank You, Finn shows compassion to the Ice King for the first time. Finn is starting to mature and not look at situations so black and white. He is learning violence is not always the best way to deal with a situation and enemies.
In Another Way, Finn has a ‘violence relapse’ and goes overboard with doing things his way, hurting many people in the process. Finn learns that there needs to be a balance between doing things your own way and respecting others.
In Dad’s Dungeon, we learn more about how Joshua was always concerned about Finn’s strength and essentially his masculinity. Although at the end, Joshua’s last message is how he believes in Finn and loves him, he still created a dungeon for Finn to prove he is a strong person and not a ‘crybaby’. This episode helps explain part of the reason Finn is so driven by violence, his upbringing, but also his desire to help those that are helpless like he was as a baby.
In the Season four episode, Goliad, Princess Bubblegum creates a creature from Finn’s DNA to stand off against the corrupt and violent Goliad. Stormo demonstrates that there is an altruistic part of Finn that will do what is right over being violent and impulsive.
We come to season five and we see how Finn starts to view violence differently, while helping teach Flame Princess how to be a good person. In Vault of Bones, he is surprised by FP’s impulsive and violent behaviour, however in the early seasons of Adventure Time Finn was just as misguided as her. His relationship with Flame Princess causes Finn to mature and start to consider that maybe violence shouldn’t be used senselessly. He also starts to broaden his interests and not just care about fighting.
However, in Jake Suit, we see that Finn can still be incredibly stubborn and is thrilled by danger and violence. He is maturing but violence is still a form of entertainment and excitement for him. This episode, foreshadows how his thrill for violence will eventually lead to reckless behaviour and hurting others.
Frost and Fire is when Finn inevitably lets his thrill for violence lead to destroying his relationship with Flame Princess, and cause chaos for those around him. His breakup leads to him reflecting and working on himself, and it’s a long road that doesn’t get solved in a few episodes. Flame Princess also goes through her own transformation, and they both learn to treat violence and power with a new respect.
In Blade of Grass, Finn gets a cursed sword attached to his arm. He decides to see the curse as an opportunity, and in the following episodes the sword helps him learn how to better deal with his emotions, instead of just using violence to manage his issues.
The season six episode, Tower, Finn thinks ripping off his dad’s arm, like his arm got ripped off, will heal his issues with his father. Of course, Finn finds out that healing does not come from revenge but from finding peace within yourself.
In Breezy, Finn finally breaks out of his apathy and remembers his identity as hero. He is given another sword, and its focus becomes on how the sword is like Finn, figuratively and literally (after the episode, Is That You). This is the first sword Finn develops an emotional attachment to and doesn’t just see as a weapon.
In the season six finale, the grass sword returns after Finn breaks his Finn sword. Violence is still a part of Finn, but not in the same childish and entertaining way like when he was a kid.
In season seven we’re really reminded of how much Finn has grown when he mentors some young ‘scamps’. Princess Bubblegum says how the kids reminds her of a young Finn, acknowledging that he has grown up.
In Don’t Look, we get another introspective episode from Finn. This demonstrates how Finn has personal issues that cause him to question his beliefs, instead of staying the same kid that only thinks about fighting monsters.
In Bun Bun, Finn finally properly apologizes to Flame Princess and they reconcile. This episode signifies how Finn understands he must take responsibility for his actions and he is aware of the personal flaws he had to work through. In the early seasons, Finn was used to problems in his life being simple and solved through violence. Now, he is dealing with more complicated issues and understands some problems take more time to be fixed.
In Breezy, Finn used Breezy and kissing other girls to try to get out of his depression. In Music Hole, Finn helps somebody else and confronts his pain instead of trying to ignore it. Finn used to be self-destructive and deflect his problems through violence, but now he doesn’t use violence as a crutch.
In the season seven finale, Finn loses his arm again and the grass sword. The sword that then becomes Fern expresses how the violent side of Finn has become this separate entity. Finn even tries to help Fern learn how to be more nurturing and a helper, than a fighter, like others helped him (Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Billy, Flame Princess, Marceline etc.)
At the beginning of season eight we see how Finn has transitioned from being a fighter to a helper. He is still a hero, and he still uses violence, but only when necessary now.
In the Islands miniseries we learn Finn’s mom is also a helper. However, Min became afraid to deal with danger and wanted to shelter people’s lives. Unlike Finn, who embraces that life will be dangerous and scary sometimes. Finn understands that you shouldn’t create more danger in life, but you also can’t always avoid fighting.
In the Elemental miniseries, Finn becomes a violent beast when he transforms into a fire elemental like Flame Princess. Only by looking inside his hero heart and going to his happy place, does he transform back to himself. This demonstrates how Finn is no longer consumed or thrilled by violence like he once was. Instead, having strong friendships and feeling like an equal is more important to Finn.
Just when you think Finn is going to catch a break after all the turmoil he’s been through since the end of season five, one more traumatic thing happens. Accidentally killing Fern shows how Finn does not want to be recklessly violent, but he is still learning how to deal with his strength and power.
In the premiere of season nine, The Wild Hunt, Huntress Wizard helps Finn get over his fear of killing and get back to defeating monsters. Also, now that I think about their weird kiss again, maybe seeing Fern just means Finn finally forgives himself for what happened. He does see Fern’s face smiling and not full of hate.
In Seventeen, we see how worn down Finn is as a fighter. The poor guy has not had a moment to rest and now his grass self has been made into this mean fighting knight. He does not have the same vivacity for fighting like 12-year-old him did. It’s not that Finn has given up on being a hero, it’s just now he prefers to deal with problems in different ways and fighting is not his first choice anymore.
This finally brings us to Gumbaldia, the penultimate episode of the series. Finn remarks to Jake how he once ‘used to be all about violence’ and now ‘things are different’. Jake replies how he’s enjoyed watching him grow and change. In cartoons, sometimes characters stay the same, and children characters don’t age, but with Finn we got to see an appropriate maturation of his character. Finn’s personality isn’t completely different and he hasn’t completely sworn off violence, he’s just become a wise and responsible hero. Here’s hoping our hero finally gets a happy ending.
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