Cartoon Network’s mind-bending Adventure Time is delving into the diary of mysterious and musical Marceline the Vampire Queen, with an eight-part special event called “Stakes” that will be spread over four nights starting Nov. 16.
Marceline the Vampire Queen wishes to be an undead, red-sucker no more, but can Princess Bubblegum concoct a cure? At the same time, five of Marceline’s most fearsome foes return from her past. What might her most powerful nemesis, the Vampire King, have in store? Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum and their friends join the Vampire Queen’s fight against her immortal enemies.
The regular AT voice cast, including Olivia Olson as Marceline, is joined in “Stakes” by guest stars such as Rebecca Romijn as a character called “The Empress” and Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar in her voice acting debut as Marceline’s mother.
We’ve seen glimpses of Marceline’s past before, usually in context of the maniacal Ice King’s poignant and tragic backstory as Simon Petrikov, a relic researcher driven to madness by a magical crown that he must use to safeguard a young girl he rescues from the wastelands left behind after a nuclear apocalypse — young Marceline herself.
Cartoon Network is promising “Stakes” will answer “the burning questions” fans have about Marceline, but that doesn’t mean that in doing so they won’t introduce more …
Marceline’s complicated relationships — such as those with her father, the evil lord of the Nightosphere, and the manipulative and sometimes perplexing Princess Bubblegum — are definitely in contrast with the aimless antics of heroes Finn and Jake, but they make Adventure Time stand out as more than just another boy-focused fantasy-action cartoon. It’s got a complex and challenging story with multiple layers of plot development, diverse storytelling styles and … just lots and lots of feels, you know?
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