Jake the Dog
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Jake the Dog is a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
and one of the two
protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
in the American
animated television series An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...
''
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 ...
'' created by
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 ...
. He also appeared in the spin-off series '' Adventure Time: Distant Lands''. He is 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'', ...
. The character made his debut in the original pilot. During the events of the show, Jake says that he is 28 "magical dog years" old. Jake can stretch, shrink, or mold any part of his body to any shape and almost any size, ranging from becoming gigantic to becoming incredibly small. He acts as a confident mentor to his energetic adopted brother
Finn the Human Finn Mertens, also known as Finn the Human, is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the American animated television series ''Adventure Time'' created by Pendleton Ward. He also appeared in the spin-off series '' Adventure ...
, though he tends to give somewhat questionable advice. His powers help Finn considerably in combat and transportation but are sometimes used as nothing more than pleasant forms of expression. He has a girlfriend named "
Lady Rainicorn The American animated television series ''Adventure Time'' features a cast of fictional characters created by Pendleton Ward. The series revolves around the adventures of protagonists Finn the Human (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a teenage human ...
" (voiced by
Niki Yang Niki Hyun Yang (born in Seoul, South Korea as Hyun Jeong Yang; , June 8, 1985) is a South Korean animator, writer, storyboard artist, and voice actress. After graduating from Hongik University and then CalArts, she became one of the storyboar ...
); they have five children together, as seen in "Jake the Dad". He is quite skilled at playing the
viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
, which houses a worm named "Shelby Butterson the Worm Who Lives in Jake's Viola". Jake has received generally positive reviews from critics. A gender-swapped version of Jake called Cake the cat appeared in the third-season episode "
Fionna and Cake "Fionna and Cake" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''Adventure Time''. The episode was written and storyboarded by Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Mark Banker, Kent Osborne, Patric ...
", and is the main character of the spinoff series '' Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake''.


Design and voice acting

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 ...
has stated that he wrote Finn and Jake, including ''
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 ...
'' as a whole, as though he were playing a session of ''
Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
,'' a
tabletop role-playing game A tabletop role-playing game (typically abbreviated as TRPG or TTRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a form of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech. Participa ...
. Ward commented that Finn and Jake's motivations are noble, with a desire to "slay monsters, explore dungeons, find loot." He further said that "Jake was more into the loot". Ward spent much of his childhood at home, describing his " ndooradventure experience" as inspiring Finn and Jake the Dog's adventures. Early on in the development of the show, Ward had intended for Finn and Jake to be nomads who lived in tents. However, this was changed to having them live in a permanent home at
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
's request. Jake has three, four, or five fingers on each hand, as well as both hands and paws, which means, according to Ward, that he has the ability to grow and be flexible. He first appeared in the short film "
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 ...
", which centers around rescuing
Princess Bubblegum Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum (also called Bonnie or PB, occasionally P-bubs) is a fictional character in the American animated television series ''Adventure Time'', created by Pendleton Ward. She is voiced by Hynden Walch. Princess Bubblegum rules ...
(
Hynden Walch Hynden Walch is an American actress. She is best known for voicing Starfire in the ''Teen Titans'' franchise and Princess Bubblegum in ''Adventure Time''. She also voiced Penny Sanchez in ''ChalkZone'', Amore and Lockette in the Nickelodeon ver ...
) from the evil
Ice King Ice King is a fictional character in the American animated television series ''Adventure Time''. The character was introduced as the main antagonist and, as Simon Petrikov, develops into a supporting character in later seasons. The character is ...
(
John Kassir John Kassir (born October 24, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as the voice of the Cryptkeeper in HBO's ''Tales from the Crypt'' franchise. He is also known for his role as Ralph in the off-Broadway show ''Reef ...
). This short aired as part of
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
's ''
Random! Cartoons ''Random! Cartoons'' is an American animated anthology series that aired on Nicktoons. Much like '' Oh Yeah! Cartoons'', it was created by Fred Seibert and produced by Frederator Incorporated and Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It premiered on De ...
'' showcase in 2008.
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'', ...
voiced the character, then called Jake, in short. In 2018, when ''Adventure time'' was about to end, DiMaggio said "Until something's signed on the line there is no speculation ... this is it. It's over. It's done. And that's OK." He further said "A lot of me is in Jake, and I'll miss that part, that connection." ''Adventure Time'' composer Tim Kiefer said that the show had gradually became an exploration of the "
Hero's journey In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlie ...
" through the characters.


Personality and character traits


Background

According to the series, Jake was conceived when his father, Joshua, was bitten by the shapeshifting extra-dimensional creature Warren Ampersand during a detective investigation with his wife Margaret, and was later born from a pustule on his father's head originating from the creature's bite. It is inferred that Jake's magical powers are a result of his biological relationship with Ampersand, though he is apparently unaware of the circumstances of his birth and instead believes his powers to be the result of having rolled around in a "magical mud puddle" as a pup. In one of the episodes that shows him as a pup, it shows that he had a best friend named Anna Spurrier that was a leaf bunny, but disappeared unexpectedly and was never seen again. After his birth, Jake was raised normally by Joshua and Margaret as their son, alongside their own biological son Jermaine and their adoptive
human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
son Finn. Little has been shown in the series about Jake's subsequent childhood life with his family, though in his youth, he was known to be a successful criminal and the leader of his own gang, a position he later retired from to take part in a more respectable life as an adventurer with Finn. Around this time, he also began a romantic relationship with
Lady Rainicorn The American animated television series ''Adventure Time'' features a cast of fictional characters created by Pendleton Ward. The series revolves around the adventures of protagonists Finn the Human (voiced by Jeremy Shada), a teenage human ...
, with whom he has five children—daughters Charlie, Viola, and Jake Jr., and sons T.V. and Kim Kil Whan. The finale episode, " Come Along With Me", reveals that Jake's hybrid descendants will become the continent's dominant species in a thousand years.


Appearances

Jake the Dog is the main character of ''
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 ...
'' and often appears alongside his best friend and adopted brother Finn the Human. In the series finale " Come Along With Me," Finn and Jake help Princess Bubblegum fight her dictatorial uncle Gumbald. Realizing that violence is not the answer to the conflict, they ally with Gumbald to defeat the evil deity GOLB, who is intent on destroying Ooo. GOLB is defeated, although Fern dies in the aftermath. Jake and Finn promises to plant Fern's seedling in the ruins of the treehouse, which has been destroyed. The seedling grows into a new treehouse, with a grass sword inside. Finn and Jake are shown relaxing on a beach. The '' Adventure Time: Distant Lands'' special "Together Again" takes place sometime after the end of the series, when Jake has died of old age. He then journeys through the Dead Worlds to be reunited with Finn, who is also deceased. After reuniting with Finn in the afterlife, the two choose to reincarnate back into the living world.


Others

Since ''Adventure Time'''s inception, Jake has appeared in various comic book series, video games, and other merchandise. Jake's first
console game A console game is a type of video game consisting of images and often sounds generated by a video game console, which are displayed on a television or similar audio-video system, and that can be manipulated by a player. This manipulation usually ...
appearance was as a playable character in '' Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!'', which was released on
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
and
3DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
in 2012. He was subsequently a playable character in '' Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know!'' (2013), '' Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom'' (2014), and '' Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion'' (2018). Jake has also made
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
appearances in other franchises and media. He appeared in the seventh season ''
Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'' episode " Leela and the Genestalk". In the ''Futurama'' episode, Jake had a minor dialouge, and was still voiced by DiMaggio, who also voiced one of the main characters in ''Futuramama'', Bender. The opening sequence
couch gag The opening sequence of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' is among the most popular opening sequences in television. It is accompanied by " ''The Simpsons'' Theme", one of television's most recognizable theme songs. The fi ...
in the 28th season ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' episode "
Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus "Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus" is the The Simpsons (season 28), twenty-eighth season season premiere of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'', and the 597th episode of the series overall. It aired in the United States on Fox Broad ...
",
Homer Simpson Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared, along with the rest of his family, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short "G ...
appears as Jake in an extended
couch gag The opening sequence of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' is among the most popular opening sequences in television. It is accompanied by " ''The Simpsons'' Theme", one of television's most recognizable theme songs. The fi ...
parodying the opening sequence of ''Adventure Time''. He also appeared in the Uncle Grandpa episodes "Pizza Eve" and "Cartoon Factory". He also appeared in the '' OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' episode, "Crossover Nexus". Jake is a playable character in
toys-to-life Toys-to-life is a video game feature using physical figurines or action figures to interact within the game. These toys use a near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or image recognition data protocol to determine ...
game '' Lego Dimensions'' (2015),
beat 'em up The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, ...
game '' Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers'' (2016), crossover game ''Bloons Tower Defense: Adventure Time'' (2018), and
fighting game A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
''
Brawlhalla ''Brawlhalla'' is a free-to-play fighting game developed by Blue Mammoth Games and published by Ubisoft for macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S & X, Android and iOS, with full cross ...
'' (2019), and action-adventure game ''
Immortals Fenyx Rising ''Immortals Fenyx Rising'' (originally known as ''Gods and Monsters'') is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. The game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Wi ...
'' (2020). In November 2021, Jake was confirmed to appear as a playable character in the fighting game ''
MultiVersus ''MultiVersus'' is a 2022 free-to-play crossover fighting video game developed by Player First Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game is a platform fighter, featuring characters from Warner Bros. Discovery franc ...
'' (2022).


Fionna and Cake

A gender-swapped version of Jake called Cake the Cat appeared in the season 3 episode "
Fionna and Cake "Fionna and Cake" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''Adventure Time''. The episode was written and storyboarded by Adam Muto and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Mark Banker, Kent Osborne, Patric ...
", and was brought back in subsequent episodes. Cake is a main character in the spin-off series ''Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake''. The concept for Fionna and Cake came from drawings made by ''Adventure Time'' storyboard artist
Natasha Allegri Natasha Allegri (born June 18, 1986) is an American animation creator, writer, storyboard artist, storyboard revisionist, and comic book artist. She is the creator of Cartoon Hangover's and Frederator Studios ''Bee and PuppyCat'', and is also n ...
. Both Fionna and Cake the Cat became popular with ''Adventure Time'' fans. Cake later appeared in the fifth-season episode "
Bad Little Boy "Bad Little Boy" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series ''Adventure Time''. The episode was written and storyboarded by Cole Sanchez and Rebecca Sugar, from a story by Sugar, Patrick McHale, Adam Mu ...
", the sixth-season episode "The Prince Who Wanted Everything", the eighth-season episode "Five Short Tables", and the ninth season episode "Fionna and Cake and Fionna". Cake will star in the upcoming spin-off series '' Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake''.


Reception

Jake has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Brandon Zachary of ''
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' claimed that Jake is the best character on TV, stating that "while Finn has experienced a strong character arc, Jake has proved to be far more fascinating." Dan Neilan 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 ...
'' claimed that "Jake is the ultimate sidekick," stating further that "Not only can he grow, shrink, and transform into any shape that might help his buddy Finn during battle, but he can also dance, sing, and make a mean plate of bacon pancakes." Richard Whittaker of ''
The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogr ...
'' noted that he felt that the "strong but emotionally vulnerable" Cake was written in a way that successfully provided a female analog for Jake as a gender-swapped version. Cassidy Ward of ''
Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...
'' mentioned of how "bizarre" the biology of Jake. Writing for ''Vox'', Emily VanDerWerff called the series "this era's finest coming-of-age story", mentioning how Jake "has moved from happy wanderer to something like adulthood." Jake became popular among ''Adventure Time'''s fanbase. In 2019, Rich Goldstein of ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' commented on Jake's popularity among
cosplayers Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...
, saying "Halloween nights and comic conventions of the last few years have seen an increase in the number of children (and adults) all over the U.S. who wore Finn and Jake costumes." John DiMaggio recalled "walking around at conventions and seeing everybody wearing their Finn costumes and their Jake costumes and how the characters endeared themselves to people". A
float Float may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Albums * ''Float'' (Aesop Rock album), 2000 * ''Float'' (Flogging Molly album), 2008 * ''Float'' (Styles P album), 2013 Songs * "Float" (Tim and the Glory Boys song), 2022 * "Float", by Bush ...
in Jake's likeness was included in the 2013
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with ...
.


References


Bibliography

* {{Authority control Adventure Time characters Anthropomorphic dogs Fictional characters who can stretch themselves Fictional cyborgs Extraterrestrial characters in television Fictional hybrids Fictional musicians Fictional patricides Fictional shapeshifters Male characters in animated series Male characters in television Orphan characters in television Talking animals in fiction Television characters introduced in 2008 Television sidekicks