"Princess Cookie" is the thirteenth episode of the
fourth season of the American
animated television series ''
Adventure Time
''Adventure Time'' is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn (Jeremy Shada) and ...
''. The episode was written and storyboarded by
Tom Herpich
Thomas Herpich (born October 4, 1979) is an American artist who is best known for being a writer and storyboard artist on the animated television series ''Adventure Time''.
History
Herpich graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and was k ...
and
Skyler Page
Skyler Dale Page (born October 13, 1989) is an American animator, writer, storyboard artist, and voice actor. He is best known as the creator of the Cartoon Network animated series ''Clarence'', as well as for his tenure as a writer and storyboa ...
, from a story by
Patrick McHale
Patrick McHale VC ( ga, Pádraig Mac Céile; 1826 – 26 October 1866) was born in Killala, County Mayo and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ca ...
,
Kent Osborne
Kent Matthew Osborne (born August 30, 1969) is an American screenwriter, actor, animator, producer, and director. He has worked for such animated television shows as ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', ''Camp Lazlo'', ''Phineas and Ferb'', ''The Marvelou ...
, and
Pendleton Ward
Ward Taylor Pendleton Johnston (born September 23, 1982), known professionally as Pendleton Ward or simply Pen Ward, is an American animator, screenwriter, producer, director, and voice actor who has worked for Cartoon Network Studios, Freder ...
. It originally aired on
Cartoon Network on June 18, 2012. The episode guest stars
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/ NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Cluele ...
as Baby-Snaps.
The series follows the adventures of
Finn (voiced by
Jeremy Shada
Jeremy Shada () is an American actor, musician and singer. He is best known for his work as the voice of Finn the Human from the American animated television series '' Adventure Time'' and Lance in '' Voltron: Legendary Defender''. He is also kno ...
), a human boy, and his best friend and adoptive brother
Jake
Jake may refer to:
Name
* Jake (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name
* Katrin Jäke (born c. 1975), German swimmer
* Jake (gamer), American ''Overwatch'' player and coach
Animals
* Jake (rescue dog), a ...
(voiced by
John DiMaggio
John William DiMaggio (; born September 4, 1968) is an American actor. His various voice roles include Bender on ''Futurama'', Jake the Dog on ''Adventure Time'', Marcus Fenix in the ''Gears of War'' series, Dr. Drakken on ''Kim Possible'', H ...
), a dog with magical powers to change shape and grow and shrink at will. In this episode, Finn and Jake are sent in to rescue the hostages from a rogue cookie named Baby-Snaps. Things get complicated when Jake begins to sympathize with him; he learns that Baby-Snaps only wants to be a princess.
The episode received largely positive critical reviews, with a Oliver Sava of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' calling it one of the fourth season's strongest episodes. The episode was later nominated for "Best Animated Television Production For Children" at the 2013
Annie Awards, although the episode did not win. It was also screened at the
2013 Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Plot
The episode begins ''
in media res
A narrative work beginning ''in medias res'' (, "into the middle of things") opens in the midst of the plot (cf. ''ab ovo'', ''ab initio''). Often, exposition is bypassed and filled in gradually, through dialogue, flashbacks or description of pa ...
'', with Finn, Jake, and Princess Bubblegum at the scene of a hostage situation. The perpetrator, a
chocolate chip cookie
A chocolate chip cookie is a drop cookie that features chocolate chips or chocolate morsels as its distinguishing ingredient. Chocolate chip cookies originated in the United States around 1938, when Ruth Graves Wakefield chopped up a Nes ...
named Baby-Snaps (voiced by
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/ NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Cluele ...
) and his henchman demands Bubblegum's crown in exchange for the prisoners. Jake, disguised as a milkman, and Finn, disguised as his shadow, successfully enter the building. Finn sneaks off to take care of Baby-Snaps's
chocolate chip accomplices, while Jake tries to reason with the cookie.
Jake soon learns that Baby-Snaps grew up in an
orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or ab ...
, and that his life changed when he first met Princess Bubblegum, due to the happiness she brought to the children. However, after a young Baby-Snaps told her that he too wanted to be a princess, she laughed at him. This in turn, caused him to resent her. Jake, sympathetic to Baby-Snaps's plight, helps him escape, although the two are pursued by the Banana Guards. Cornered on the precipice of a canyon, Baby-Snaps realizes the futility of his flight, thanks Jake, and jumps over the edge.
However, instead of dying, he is merely fragmented into several pieces. Baby-Snaps is later put back together and institutionalized. At the hospital, Finn and Jake arrive and, with the approval of Princess Bubblegum, Jake gives Baby-Snaps a grass crown so that he can be the princess of the Grasslands.
Production
![Donald Faison](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Donald_Faison.jpg)
"Princess Cookie" was written and storyboarded by
Tom Herpich
Thomas Herpich (born October 4, 1979) is an American artist who is best known for being a writer and storyboard artist on the animated television series ''Adventure Time''.
History
Herpich graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and was k ...
and
Skyler Page
Skyler Dale Page (born October 13, 1989) is an American animator, writer, storyboard artist, and voice actor. He is best known as the creator of the Cartoon Network animated series ''Clarence'', as well as for his tenure as a writer and storyboa ...
, from a story developed by series creator
Pendleton Ward
Ward Taylor Pendleton Johnston (born September 23, 1982), known professionally as Pendleton Ward or simply Pen Ward, is an American animator, screenwriter, producer, director, and voice actor who has worked for Cartoon Network Studios, Freder ...
,
Patrick McHale
Patrick McHale VC ( ga, Pádraig Mac Céile; 1826 – 26 October 1866) was born in Killala, County Mayo and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ca ...
, and
Kent Osborne
Kent Matthew Osborne (born August 30, 1969) is an American screenwriter, actor, animator, producer, and director. He has worked for such animated television shows as ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', ''Camp Lazlo'', ''Phineas and Ferb'', ''The Marvelou ...
.
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/ NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Cluele ...
guest stars in this episode, playing the part of Baby-Snaps. Faison later noted in an interview that his experience with ''Adventure Time'' was extremely positive; DiMaggio came and read lines with him, which Faison called "really cool because usually when you do voiceover work it's just you in a box and a director and a writer and whoever else is in another room."
[ He also revealed that he has received a large amount of positive feedback for his role, and that he would love to reprise his character if given the chance.][ ] Likewise, the writing and production staff of ''Adventure Time'' were pleased with both Faison's performance and his amiability, with Herpich noting he was "so, so nice."
Reception
"Princess Cookie" aired on Cartoon Network on June 25, 2012. The episode first saw physical release as part of the 2013 ''Fionna and Cake'' DVD, which included 16 episodes from the series' first three seasons. It was later re-released as part of the complete fourth season DVD in October 2014.
Oliver Sava of ''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' awarded the episode a "A", calling it "one of the strongest episodes of this season".[ He was complimentary towards the story, writing that it "starts mid-adventure and never loses momentum."][ Sava praised the casting of Faison, writing that he "is absolutely fantastic in this episode, delivering his absurd lines with a passion that helps sell the drama of the scenario."][ Sava also felt that the final scene was both optimistic and beautiful, and he concluded that the "contrast between a bleak situation and literally candy-covered everything else is what ''Adventure Time'' is founded on, and 'Princess Cookies' icembodies that idea masterfully."]
The episode was later nominated for "Best Animated Television Production For Children" at the 2013 Annie Awards, although the episode did not win. It was also screened at the 2013 Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Explanatory notes
References
External links
*
{{Adventure Time episodes, 4
2012 American television episodes
Adventure Time (season 4) episodes
Cookies in popular culture
Hostage taking in fiction
Television episodes about crime
Television episodes about suicide
Television episodes set in psychiatric hospitals
Fictional princesses