Too Young | Aired: August 8, 2011 | Reviewed by Grumproro

I think this is an incredibly fascinating and strange episode of television. I signed up for it because, in my mind, this is a Lemongrab episode, and when I first watched Adventure Time I was fascinated by him as a character. The sense I have is he is…not very popular or well-loved (maybe I’m wrong! I’ll find out when I read your comments), but I like what his character brings to the show and he gives me a lot to think about. 1And let me just say now that I hate that Justin Roiland, an absolute piece of garbage, voices this character. If you can’t stand to hear this voice anymore, that’s more than understandable! Of course, he is difficult and loud and antagonistic. It’s built into his character, after all. But I still find Lemongrab interesting and have so many questions about him in a way that constantly draws me to him, even more now than the first time I watched “Too Young”. I don’t think I will provide any answers here, but because I have these questions, I’m going to talk a lot about Lemongrab in this review. And a little about Finn, and a little about Princess Bubblegum. But mostly Lemongrab. So, anyway, let’s jump in as I try to channel the me that saw this episode for the first time 8 years ago…

Ok! So Princess Bubblegum is still 13! Finally, we’re getting to see her in this new state to pick up that storyline. How exciting! Finn seems to be enjoying his time with her, and she appears to be having fun too. That’s nice. Hm, looks like things are a little wild in the Candy Kingdom these days…um…Who is this guy? I…think…this is very interesting!

This feels like something slightly new entering the universe of Adventure Time. Not that he doesn’t belong or fit, or that he’s the first difficult antagonist we’ve seen. I just have a sense of…what is this guy’s deal? Suddenly there is an Earl out there who is next in line for the throne of the Candy Kingdom, which is making me really think about the fact that this is a monarchy for the first time. Not only that, but he was created by PB? Not only THAT, but he is apparently her “first failed experiment”? FIRST? What does that imply? And now he’s saying she’s too young to rule, and I mean…I did say above that the castle is getting pretty wild, so maybe he’s not entirely wrong? Ok but now he’s throwing Candy People into the dungeon and yelling a lot? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

As if that wasn’t strange enough, Finn & PB decide that the best way to deal with Lemongrab is…pranks? I can see Finn’s playfulness in action here, and I find it endearing to a point. The Rube Goldberg scene is hilarious and clever, and I think it’s a lot of fun.

And it creates the opportunity for us to learn that Lemongrab is completely unfamiliar with the concept of a “prank” and “jokes” for “laughs”. Ok, now that’s really interesting. What has his life been like since PB created him? Where has he been? What has he been doing? What kind of socialization has he experienced? Suddenly, I find I have A LOT of questions for PB. And I’m thinking about the way she rules, and how it’s both similar and different from what Lemongrab is doing. And. So many questions! But that gets pushed aside for now as the pranks continue…and become a little more intense. To be honest, the scene where Lemongrab gets punched always makes me feel a little like I’ve been punched in the stomach too. I have a sinking, uncomfortable feeling. This is only enhanced as he sits up and tries to laugh it off as he wipes away tears. I ask for the hundredth time, what is happening?!

So this episode makes me feel a lot of complicated feelings. And I am conflicted. Because there are three main things I find myself wanting as I watch: 

1) More Lemongrab. Who is he? What’s his deal? I want to know more. 2) I want PB to go back to her older self. The Candy Kingdom clearly needs her to do this, and I think the show needs her to be an adult. Lemongrab creates a way for that to happen. 3) I want Finn to be happy.  

The problem is, these “wants” (at least in this moment) contradict one another. If PB is in charge again, there goes Lemongrab. Back to being forgotten and set aside. Hm. And if PB grows up, Finn is sad. Hm. But…Finn’s sadness is, perhaps, necessary for his future happiness? He cannot, after all, continue to crush on PB. It’s not going to happen. Sorry Jake, you know I love you, but your advice is so bad, and is only going to hurt Finn more. PB is not a princess in a video game. And she clearly has a lot more going on than we (including Finn) know. Creating failed experiments and sending them off to be Earls and who knows what else? She may have had fun being 13 for a while, but the way she pushes Finn away after her transformation is pretty clear. So, what I think is, with the introduction of Lemongrab, I felt another shift in my understanding of Adventure Time. It is not afraid to explore very complicated, sometimes contradictory, feelings and ideas. Especially when it comes to Finn’s growth. The show is going to test Finn. And he’s going to have to figure out how to deal with all these feelings and experiences in his own way. Mistakes will be made. Because he is, after all, human. 

But what is Lemongrab? 

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The Monster | Aired: August 15, 2011 | Reviewed by Mrs Queequeg
Written by: Larry Leichliter & Cole Sanchez
Storyboarded by: Kent Osborne & Somvilay Xayaphone

This brings us back to one half of my problematic faves: Lumpy Space Princess. An LSP focused episode means that we’re going to learn a lesson about communication and/or emotional regulation. 

After a little ditty, Finn and Jake receive a message from the revised models of the King and Queen of Lumpy Space, who are searching for their daughter, and could Finn and Jake also give her these sandwiches they made? The messenger looks identical to LSP, save the moon on his forehead, so I guess ⭐ > 🌙. Luckily, Finn and Jake know exactly where LSP is: in the woods, eating beans.

On their way, a little villager falls from a tree and pleads with the boys to help them stop the monster that’s been terrorizing their village. The villager doesn’t know where the village is, but conveniently, Howard falls out of another tree with a map. Unfortunately, it’s only half the map, but another villager falls with the rest of the map. Once three more villagers fall out, the group is ready to set off. They lead them to a lighthouse, where Finn and Jake prepare for a battle, only to find LSP under a blanket. She admits that she, in fact, is the monster, and gives them her sob story. 

Her parents invited her home under the pretense of sharing sandwiches, but they really want her to move home. She is infuriated that they lied – and won’t send the sandwiches to her apartment – so she leaves Lumpy Space forever. It’s not clear when this backstory happens, her parents say she’s been missing for “days.” LSP proves to be completely incompetent in the wild and manages to be the most pathetic after it starts raining and she tries to construct a shelter made out of acorns.

Eventually, she’s taken in by a pack of wolves, who are very concerned for her well being.

Finn asks what we’re all wondering: “So these were talking wolves?”
“No.”

LSP is living her best life with the wolves: running, howling, scavenging. She seems truly happy and thinks her parents would be jealous of how lumpin awesome her life is, especially after she accused them of thinking that she couldn’t take care of herself. LSP appears to be carrying her weight, literally with the pumpkins and watermelons, but she isn’t having to make any decisions for herself. She is able to go with the flow and continue having others look out for her.

When Lumpy Space Princess was found by the wolf pack, her tale somewhat resembles that of Romulus and Remus. However, Romulus and Remus established Rome while Lumpy Space Princess terrorized a village.

Adventure Time Wiki

Eventually conflict arises because LSP is all id. She can’t resist her base impulses and starts drama. She can’t help but announce to the pack that she saw Stephanie groom Mark, when Stephanie’s supposed to be exclusive with Tony. The wolves seem to understand her proclamation (which makes me wonder if LSP really can read their body language) but they don’t get upset until she hits Stephanie for trying to groom her. The pack chases LSP off a cliff, causing her to fall in a mud puddle, getting completely bedraggled. She comes across the villagers’ gardens, eating her fill after they flee in terror. She repeats the scare whenever she’s hungry because she’s still not able or willing to actually make something for herself.

Finn calls her out and she starts sobbing, because she knows she’s in the wrong. LSP is a great character for comic relief, but she’s also a pretty good study for emotional honesty. She’s over her head and she knows it, but she doesn’t know how to correct the situation. Finn and Jake advise her to apologize, but she does it in a predictably terrible way.

Finn, who is only 13 in this episode, has a lot more emotional maturity than LSP and he tells her that she needs to try again. A non-apology is worse than no apology. LSP doesn’t understand why rudeness masked as honesty isn’t warranted or wanted. She eats while taking in Finn’s criticism, and this is what finally sets the villagers off, chasing her to a cliff, mirroring what happened with the wolves.

LSP shows that she has no life experience or understanding of the real world Ooo. She suggests that their parents buy more food for them, but when they announce that they are the parents, LSP thinks of everything her parents have given her and feels a connection to the villagers. She looks at the note in her sandwich basket, and shares the sandwiches with the villagers because they are delicious and made with lots of love. It’s a genuinely sweet and thoughtful gesture from a normally self-absorbed character. LSP does want to be good but she struggles to look outside her own orbit. When she does though, she’s pleased by the results, happily recounting to her parents how she ‘saved the village.’

She returns to Lumpy Space, though it’s not clear if she moved home or not, and their majesties are happy. 

“Thank you Finn and Jake.”
“No problem!”
“We didn’t really do anything.”