‘Adventure Time’ Finale Delivers the Big Gay Kiss Fans Have Been Waiting 10 Seasons For
Adventure Time, the long-running Cartoon Network series about a boy and his shapechanging dog in a post-apocalyptic future, came to an end last night. But before fans departed the Land of Ooo, we were given confirmation of the relationship between Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the vampire, one of cartoondom’s most shipped queer couples.
In the finale, “Ultimate Adventure: Come Along With Me,” Finn and Jake join Bubblegum, Marceline, Lumpy Space Princess and their friends to do battle with the mysterious creature GOLB. The battle takes its toll — when Bubblegum falls, Marceline unleashes her monstrous side to rescue her. “I was so afraid something bad would happen to you and I wouldn’t be there to protect you,” says a tearful Marceline as they hug. “And I don’t want to lose you again.”
The two then lean in for a kiss.
HERE'S A HIGH QUALITY VERSION. Watch it before you sleep to have clear skin and peace of mind ♥️🌈#Adventuretimefinale #AdventureTime #Bubbline pic.twitter.com/JOap28Tkrn
— ᶜᵃˢᵉʸ ˡᵒᵛᵉˢ ᵇᵗˢ (@caseyreyes25) September 4, 2018
“Bubbline,” as the couple have been dubbed, has been shipped for years. Even Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward told voice actor Olivia Olson (a.k.a. Marceline), “You know they dated, right?” But the kiss marked the first on-screen confirmation of their relationship.
And fans were definitely here for it.
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“Oof #20GayTeen keeps delivering,” wrote one. “I’m happy for fans that grew up with Adventure Time and believed in #Bubbline from the beginning. It’s another win for the gays uwu”
Oof #20GayTeen keeps delivering. I'm happy for fans that grew up with Adventure Time and believed in #Bubbline from the beginning. It's another win for the gays uwu pic.twitter.com/cDyLRo4eZa
— BLIИKTWIƆE™ (@MlNACHAEYU) September 3, 2018
My friends and I looking at that kiss #Bubbleline #AdventureTime pic.twitter.com/RhrXwKgH85
— Avatar Jess (@Panquem) September 4, 2018
#Bubbline happened now i can bring this gem back pic.twitter.com/kv7FHdwAmE
— O S O 🐻 (@XBlackStarXIII) September 3, 2018
The episode also featured a montage showing the various characters at the end of the episode, with Princess Bubblegum and Marceline cuddling and watching TV together. Adventure Time will continue as a comic book (and possibly a movie), so we’ll likely see more of Bubbline in one form or another.
Cartoon Network has also pushed the needle forward with same-sex relationships on Steven Universe, on which the characters Ruby and Sapphire recently got married. And back in 2014, a gay male couple was featured on the Cartoon Network show Clarence.
