After a two-year long break, Fionna and Cake has returned for its second season. The Adventure Time spinoff premiered on HBO Max on the 23rd of October, with one episode releasing every Thursday. This new season, in addition to picking up the story where we left off, focuses on an underexplored character from the original Adventure Time lineup—Huntress Wizard, one of the lesser-known love interests of protagonist Finn the Human. 

In the time between seasons, many fans have turned to speculation on what a second season would even look like, considering the contained story of the first ten episodes, which wrapped things up nicely with the “canonization” of the Fionna and Cake universe in-show. But season two has brought to light some loose ends from both the spinoff and the original show, and the writers have taken things in a fascinating new direction. 

This season, Fionna, Cake, and the rest of their world must deal with the aftermath of their decision to become a “canonized” universe, while Simon Petrikov and the original Ooo crew (an adult Finn the Human, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and a few more familiar faces) face their own consequences from an episode early in season one — consequences that have put Finn’s life in grave danger. 

Huntress Wizard, in the process of trying to save Finn’s life by finding the Heart of the Forest (something touched upon briefly in the first season by Huntress Wizard’s counterpart in Fionna-world), finds herself torn apart and stranded in Fionna’s universe, and must find a way back in order to save him. 

As an extension of the original Adventure Time universe, Fionna and Cake is certainly a show that has aged with its audience. With its TV-14 rating, Fionna and Cake is unafraid to delve into darker and more adult themes. It has also adopted a different brand of humor than one might find in the screaming antics of Lemongrab, which might read as tonal whiplash if you were to jump straight in from early seasons of Adventure Time. However, it does allow for a deeper and more serious exploration of each of the characters we came to love in the original show, while maintaining the spark of irreverent humor that Adventure Time was so well-known for.  

Unlike season one, the titles of each episode this season feel taken directly out of a story by the Brothers Grimm; The Lion of Embers, The Hare and the Sprout, and The Bird in the Clock, to name a few. These fairytale-esque names reflect the character focus of the episode; DJ Flame (and Flame Princess), Fionna and Huntress Wizard, and the Cosmic Owl, respectively. Many of the episodes themselves also take on a fable-like quality, telling the story of each character through sequences with unique animation styles. One particularly stunning example comes at the beginning of episode four, The Cat Who Tipped the Box, in which Huntress Wizard’s backstory is told through storybook-quality painterly backgrounds and charming character design. 

It is easy to recognize this show as an endeavor of love for Pendleton Ward’s original world — Fionna and Cake acts as a conduit through which the already densely-packed lore of Adventure Time can be expanded upon and explored to its fullest potential, even fifteen years after the first episode came out. The animation and background design are gorgeous, and the story is compelling and entertaining to watch. 

Though it might be a confusing watch for those new to Adventure Time, the second season of Fionna and Cake is a wonderful continuation of the story of Fionna-world and the original land of Ooo. For fans of Sailor Moon, genderbent coffee shop AUs, commentary on the state of land ownership, and a lot of references to Cheers, Fionna and Cake’s second season might be able to satiate your hunger. All ten episodes are out now on HBO Max.