#definitive history of bubbline

[j-partneringrime]

Bubbline made the show so much better when they started getting a bigger part, it gave not only amazing development to the overall story and Marcy and Bonnie but also Finn and Jake. When they started interacting with them after Bonnie and Marcy got an established dynamic and history, even if the actual details weren’t known at the time, it made it so much more interesting and gave especially Finn so much more potential for development with PB instead of his relationship with her mainly being the princess he helps out and kinda has a crush on, which was still a good dynamic and had good moments but after Finn moved on and it became clear that Marcy was Bonnie’s main relationship and who she was closest to in the show, Finn’s dynamic with PB became so much better and it really let Finn grow as a character after showing him have a better and more real friendship with this person who at the start of the show he had a very different and more pre established type of dynamic with, that was seen in other stuff before. And I feel like that change really helped Finns development in the show and made the later seasons a lot better because of Finns clear growth as a character emotionally and obviously physically with him getting older, which isn’t very common in the type of show adventure time is, or started off as.

And Bubbline’s relationship starting as a history that they had between them, which we didn’t know about then but was clearly there and was very impactful on both of them, really made it one of the best relationships and parts of the show, with them starting to connect again slowly in a very real way, without a big thing happening to start it again, because it didn’t need to, they were clearly two people who were once very close and them rekindling their friendship and relationship was a very real thing of them slowing just getting closer and kind of just getting back into what they used to be like, which neither of them really questioned or hesitated about because they both missed each other, but after splitting up, they eventually kinda got forced to just move on and keep living despite their regrets and feelings, so Finn and Jake re-introducing them and basically making them face their issues and start hanging out again since they both hung out around Finn and Jake so much, worked because neither of them had much actual dislike towards each other so when they started hanging out again through Finn and Jake and obviously had a very friendly relationship with them, it very easily spread to them slowly starting to have that friendly relationship with each other again. Without a big apology and confrontation about their break up because they���ve both had MANY years to think about it and learn from and they definitely crossed paths a few times between then and reconnecting so them being made to be in each others company again through Finn and Jake basically solved their problem of this mistake in both their lives of losing each other that both of them wanted to solve but neither of them knew how to or was brave enough to bring it up to each other. So the four of them being in a lot more episodes together made a really fun to watch and interesting dynamic of Finn and Jake obviously being brothers and super close, Bonnie and Marcy both having a close, but each different, friendship with Finn and Jake and then Bonnie and Marcy’s complicated relationship to each other, which when all combined made a super interesting and fun group to watch.

Bubbline’s dynamic added to much to the story without making a big deal about it to the audience, it was always there and added so much but the fact it wasn’t more than little bits of subtext at the beginning which gradually grew and became more obvious as their relationship grew again, and that it wasn’t just plainly stated added so much because it wasn’t just telling you what their relationship was and how it was developing, it was telling you to watch it happen instead.

I could go on about them forever, Bubbline is amazing and added so much to the story and to the show in general and everyone should realise that!

Bubbline also showed that even though Marcy and Bonnie are both very independent people, they still need each other. When we see their break up, Bonnie is getting annoyed at Marcy because she’s trying to work on something and Marcy is getting in the way and then they break up and Bonnie, now without Marcy, goes EVEN MORE into her work and ruling the candy kingdom. Even though we see her try to relax throughout the series, it isn’t until she gets closer to Marcy again and starts rekindling that relationship that she opens up more and finally says to Marcy that she’s needs to stop and take a break because she’s tired and she has been for a very long time, which is a big moment for her because we have seen her open up a bit before this, but this moment is clearly different, this was Bonnie actually truly opening up and saying something that even she had been ignoring for a long time and even though she is close to Finn and Jake, her opening up like this wouldn’t of happened like this with them, it had to be Marcy. Because that entire episode was Bonnie and Marcy properly talking again after their breakup and moving from that awkward stage of them being friendly again thanks to Finn and Jake and to actually trying to be in a relationship again. There is obviously a chance they started to try their relationship again before this or after this, since we don’t know their full conversations between episodes, but I think it’s pretty clear that this is the moment it properly happened, and it ending with Bonnie opening up to Marcy about something she has felt for a long time, which because of her age was probably 100s years, really showed to both us and to each other that they’re going into this relationship again.

And after learning more about Marcy we see that between the breakup and the start of series, she really hasn’t had many people she’s been close to, shes had a few friends but no one who she actually got close to. Even Finn and Jake aren’t that close to her early on in the series, they were definitely friends but not to the extent they are later on in the show, so that gap between their breakup and when she starts getting close to Finn, Jake and Bonnie again, it would’ve probably been very lonely, which to someone like Marcy who is very independent and stubborn, would’ve tried to view it as a good thing, especially after what we seen her like during the breakup. Imagine what it must be like to not only have no one close enough to talk and open up to but also the two people who you used to be able to do that with, the two people who you were closest to, the two people you love more than anything, you still see often but you can’t talk to either of them like you used to be able to, one of them doesn’t even remember you. Both Bonnie and Simon are still around and she probably spoke to both of them quite a bit over the 100+ years since they were close (1000+ in Simon’s case) but now they’re not close to her, but they’re still there, still constant reminders of what she’s lost, both because of her actions and because of cruel fate. She probably had a million things she wanted to say, especially to Bonnie since she’s the only one who she actually could say it to since Simon wasn’t himself during all that time. But she never did, until Finn and Jake got them to reconnect, after all that time, she finally got Bonnie back and she finally started to open up again which then helped her open up to Finn and Jake about her past and about Simon. All that time of her being independent and not letting anyone get too close to her, and the one time she did, he betrayed her and sold her most prized possession, Hambo.

Then after all that time apart with neither her or Bonnie being brave enough to go talk to the other during it, once they’re were literally forced to connect again through their mutual friends, Finn and Jake, they were… fine, great even, no massive fights or refusing to talk to each other, the only things we saw was Marcy pranking Finn to annoy her and even that before they started reconnecting and then “I’m Just Your Problem” which wasn’t really an argument at all, more just Marcy venting some of her frustrations about their past relationship, and more specifically, how and why it ended. The fact that there wasn’t a big thing about them becoming friends again, really shows how much they missed each other and probably how much they blamed themselves for their separation. After all time, where Marcy was alone again, she could of completely forgot about Bonnie and moved on, she could’ve cursed her out and left being near her altogether, but really she couldn’t of done that, she could never have done anything like that, because as much as she was hurt being alone again, and as much as she could think in her head how horrible Bonnie was anyway and how she’s better off without her. She knew she loved Bonnie and she always would love Bonnie, if she could still love Simon hundreds of years later while he is completely unrecognisable to who he used to be, she could hold on to Bonnie for a while longer, because Bonnie was still there and one day, if the day ever came to try their relationship again, she would be there. And it did come, and they got closer, helped each other out, talked again, until it was like nothing ever happened and they were closer than ever.

Both of them tried so hard to move forward after their break up but after all that time apart, all it took was them to getting close again to realise how much they need each other and how important they are to each other.

Bubbline is so good and I love it so much, I wrote this months ago and it is nowhere near my full thoughts on them, I could write so much more and go so much more in depth on them throughout the show, and I probably will next time I rewatch the show, but for now, this is it!

[little-green-lies]

Can I just say that I never thought I'd be reblogging so much Bubbline content in 2023. Like Obsidian back in 2020 was already a nice little treat. But to think that five years after the finale we'd have not just a revisit but a resurgence of love for Adventure Time. From a fandom that wasn't exactly dead, but was definitely dormant. I mean Bubbline shippers really fucking won. We went from a hypothetical backstory, to a confirmed history, to a slow burn handled with the utmost care. Concluding with confirmation to the audience that they were officially back together. And then they decided to show us their lives post finale and that was already shocking considering how the media treats sapphic relationships. Especially in animation. But then they gave us a spinoff show with the genderbent versions of this amazing ship and that's cool, I love Marshall and Gary. But they didn't just leave us with that, oh no. They ALSO gave us our girls, both in canon and as an au (which was phenomenal). And basically confirmed that they truly are soulmates no matter the universe. Even when they don't fall in love, their destinies are entwined. Like...that's unheard of. We're just barely getting storylines like that in live action. And they gave us that in a cartoon! And they weren't even a background ship. They were THE ship. I just... I've never been so happy. And the creativity that artists have now that we have more design choices and more outfits. It makes me cry every time I see it across ALL of my socials.

[wlwlibrary]

I'm super hyped for this so here's my predictions (totally not biased lol)

sorry if it's a little all over the place... (I was really tired when making the bracket list so excuse my spelling mistakes, namely supercorp with b T-T and 2017 instead of 2018)

So first 8 brackets top left, I don't know a lot about these ships but I do know Bubbline and they're quite popular so my guess is they definitely win at least one if not 2 rounds.

Brackets 8-17 middle left, again, don't know a lot about these ships except Lumity and they are really popular on ao3, top 3 ship actually. They will make it to the semi-finale because they have little competition (see brackets 1-16).

The next brackets are interesting... brackets 17-20 middle left. Korrasami, well known and liked will definitely win their first round BUT no way they will win against Supercorb. Supercorb is top 1 femslash ship on ao3 and one of THE most popular and well known femslash ships in history (along with SwanQueen and Clexa, honorable mention to Xena x Gabrielle bc they were the OGs).

Brackets 21-24 middle left, pretty confident Agathario will win these 2 rounds. Brand new ship that gained a lot of traction pretty fast. Sadly, I don't think they stand a chance against Supercorb either bc Supercorb just has such a long standing history while Agathario has just emerged. And what makes a ship strong imo (i dont mean the dynamic itself but its relationship to fandom) is endurance, like how long does a significant portion of the fandom continue to create fanworks and talk about the ship even after the original source material has ended.

Brackets 25-28 middle left, I could see both XenaGab and Avatrice winning the third round. XenaGab is the OG but it's not as well known and popular as Supercorb or SwanQueen for example. So maybe Avatrice has a chance because I've seen people posting about them.

Well, whoever wins of the aforementioned, SwanQueen will trump them, pretty sure.

Bottom left, I have high hopes for Chaggie because they had a really steep incline on ao3 with the release of Hazbin Hotel. Again, I don't think they'll win against SQ but there is a tiny tiny chance. I guess it all depends on the demographic this shipping contest reaches.

Quarter finals give me a headache bc I just know it's gonna be Supercorb vs. SwanQueen AGAIN. Kinda reminds me of Zimbio March Madness 2018 (just realized I wrote 2017 in the pic whoops). Anyway that's gonna be stressful lol personally I really want SQ to win that round :,)

So in semi-finals on the left we have Lumity against either SQ or Supercorb, so basically ao3 top 3 vs. top 1 or top 2 spots ahhhhh

Moving on to the right side...

Bracket 1-8, top right, Catradora will win it all up quarter finals where they're gonna loose to Gelphie or Caitvi. I don't know a lot of the ships but I'm pretty confident in my prediction.

Brackets 9-16 are really interesting because we have two newcomers or more like revival in Gelphie's case. Both pretty new ships but insanely popular at the moment, literally all over Tumblr. I can't really say who's gonna win between Gelphie and Caitvi, it all depends on who these polls reach. However, I'm leaning towards Caitvi simply because I feel like it's slightly more popular.

Brackets 17-20, it's gonna be a show off between Harlivy and Rhaenicent. Harlivy has a pretty solid fanbase that's been around for quite a few years which gives them an edge, but I wouldn't underestimate Rhaenicent (personal bias? what, no. jk).

Brackets 21-24 I have 0 idea how this is gonna turn out, all ships are pretty equal popularity wise. I guess Sanvers might win and Morgwen but afterwards? No idea.... Harlivy or Rhaenicent will be part of the quarter finals though.

Bottom 8 brackets, Wenclair will win 2 rounds at least. They've been really popular when Wednesday was released but I feel like they have died down a bit since then. I'm quite unsure if Clexa or Farcille would have a chance but just to be sure I put them as possible candidates for the quarter finals. Although the fandom Clexa has been mostly dead for too long (if I'm wrong pls correct me) and Farcille is still too new and unheard of in the entirety of femslash fandom.

My bet is still on either Rhaenicent or Harlivy for semi-finals.

So, semi finals...

I firmly believe that SQ or Supercorp, depending on who's winning quarter finals, will make it to the final. From the right side I'll place my bets on either Caitvi or Geplhie simply for the fact that my feed has been flooded by fanworks of them and because of the sensation of the ships.

Now regarding who will be the final winner... Could be either of the finalist, I really can't say. I'm hoping for SwanQueen but I'm having doubts due to the fact that there are really strong contestants before the final, Supercorp and Lumity, although Supercorp is the bigger threat.

The final itself is basically new vs. old-school ships, no matter who wins on the left haha.

That's it, obviously this is super biased and how this contest turns out is entirely dependant on what fandom spaces are reached but I'm really excited. Like there are possible demographic differences regarding live action vs. animation and eastern vs. western media.

Let me know your thoughts on who's gonna win and who you favor :D

Welcome to the Unofficial Top Femslash Ships Bracket!

Many people on Tumblr might have engaged in the practice of "shipping" in relation to "media". Some, according to legend, even have opinions on these matters.

If the above happens to apply to you, you might be eligible to vote in this bracket! We have pitted the most popular femslash pairings against each other to see who will emerge victorious. Round 1 polls drop on Thursday, December 26th at 4PM PST, and will run for three days.

Check current vote counts here!

FAQ:

How was the bracket made and seeded?

This bracket was made with a combination of centreoftheselights' Ao3 data, the Tumblr 2024 Year in Review list, and a few notes of historical interest, and seeded according to the results of this survey!

What are your stances on voter fraud, campaigning, bribing people with drabbles and/or art, etc?

Enthusiastically in favor! We do, however, ask that you don't DDOS Tumblr, and ideally don't commit any murders that can be traced back to us.

I have an issue with [x] being included in this poll.

This poll is a celebration of fandom and fandom history; we're aware that there are certain issues with some of the listed pairings and sources, but they are a part of that history. Please do not take this as an endorsement of anything included in the bracket, and refrain from harassment.

In general, please remember that this is intended to be a fun time for the wide community which is fandom culture, and treat each other with respect!

Bracket Schedule!

[tuiyla]

A Definitive History of Bubbline

With “Obsidian” coming out in two days, it really is time for a definitive history of Marceline and Bubblegum’s relationship. And by that I mean the tumultuous road that led us to “Obsidian” from a production and fandom point of view. For a list of Bubbline episodes, check out my Bubbline Guide (and part two) - which I need to update, I know I know. For this post, I wanted to highlight how far this pairing has come and what Bubbline means to queer representation in children’s cartoons.

This is less of an analysis and more of an overview with links to more information on specific incidents to keep it (relatively) brief. I say it’s a definitive history but it isn’t an exhaustive one, so do check out the links included to learn more about how we got here. I realize not everyone cares about these kinds of things but I think it’s important to know how hard Adventure Time’s creators had to fight. Bubbline is a pioneer ship in many ways but it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

Initial Concepts

As is the case with much of Adventure Time, the initial concept of who the characters of Bonnibel and Marceline were going to be is very different than what we ended up getting. @gunterfan1992 explores this and other production tidbits in depth in his book so I do recommend checking that out. The short version is that these two were created to be opposites and with a Betty and Veronica type dynamic in mind where they would both be love interest to the protagonist, Finn.

This didn’t quite end up being the case but remnants of this concept are seen in “Go With Me” (March, 2011), the episode with the first on-screen Bubbline interaction. As Marcy helps - and sabotages - Finn in asking Bonnie out, she also becomes a potential love interest for him but she shuts him down immediately. So while Finn’s crush on PB continues, the notion that Marceline would be part of a love triangle is dismissed. Instead, this first Bonnie and Marcy interaction established that the two already know each other and there’s some bitterness in that past.

“What Was Missing” and the Mathematical Controversy

A potential preexisting relationship between the two was further explored in “What Was Missing” (September 2011) just a season later. The episode was written and storyboarded by Rebecca Sugar and eventual showrunner Adam Muto. Sugar was responsible for much of the character depth added to Marceline and later even played, quite aptly, her mother in the Stakes miniseries. It was Sugar who wrote the now beyond iconic “I’m Just Your Problem” based on personal experiences and suggested that Marcy and Bonnie be queer characters with a complicated romantic past.

“What Was Missing” was hugely important in how it hinted at a complex relationship through character interactions, Marceline’s song, and the last scene twist with PB’s shirt. The AT crew were supportive of the idea and sneaked in plenty of queer subtext, but this is where I have to point out that 2011 was a very different time and it’s thanks, in part, to Bubbline that things have changed. Autostraddle’s article from back when covers what is now known as the Mathematical controversy. Audiences picked up on the subtext and Cartoon Network was not having it. The popularity of the ship soared but the execs were not taking to queer implications kindly.

Great Bubbline Drought

So, the ship has sailed but controversy looms over it. “What Was Missing” s subtle by today’s standards but it was enough to keep Marceline and Bubblegum apart for two years on-screen. Each character went through wonderful development in the meantime, as did the show itself, but there’s a certain sense of bitterness to what came to be known as the Great Bubbline Drought. CN got so afraid of the potential backlash that they waited two years to have a new episode featuring the pair, “Sky Witch” (July 2013), by which point Sugar had left AT to work on her own show, Steven Universe. I’m happy that Sugar got to create her own show and push for even more queer representation, but it’s also sad that she never got to write more for the ship she pioneered.

“Sky Witch” still happened, though, and featured even more subtext, from PB’s side this time around. The shirt returned and there was hope as Marcy and Bonnie were seen hanging out together more often (”Red Starved” and “Princess Day”). Another controversy threatened to emerge in August 2014 when Olivia Olson, Marceline’s voice actress said that creator Pendleton Ward had confirmed a pre-show Bubbline romance. It was a messy ordeal with deleted tweets and questions about whether the two could get together again in the series. Fortunately, though, things changed in the three years between 2011 to 2014 and another Bubbline drought didn’t follow.

The Season That Changed Everything

It took another two years after “Sky Witch” but the ball was finally, inevitably, relentlessly rolling. “Varmints” premiered in November 2015 and three episodes later, the Stakes miniseries kicked off. What season 7 meant wasn’t just breadcrumbs and (not so) subtle songs anymore: suddenly, there were too many Bubbline moments to count. “Varmints” served as a follow-up to “What Was Missing” and a final reconciliation, and though Stakes was primarily about Marcy, it also developed her relationship with Bonnie. Afterwards, it became clear that Bubbline was heading somewhere.

It’s worth noting that the cultural context also changed between when “Sky Witch” and “Varmints” aired. In December 2014, The Legend of Korra ended with Korra and Asami beginning their romantic relationship, and Rebecca Sugar was making Steven Universe more and more explicitly queer by the day. Adventure Time started the ball rolling but now it wasn’t alone as a popular Western cable cartoon with queer characters. However, Bubbline was still very much subtext at this point, just with significantly more hope of becoming more.

Late Series Entanglement

But at what point does subtext become plain text? Bubbline fans sure did have fun with that question between Stakes and the finale. Bonnie and Marcy became near inseparable, with most of their major appearances involving one another from this point on. These included the meet the adoptive dad date “Broke His Crown” (March 2016), the Elements miniseries (April 2017) and the nigh on obnoxiously on the nose “Marcy & Hunson” (December 2017). In fact, all but two of Marceline’s major appearances from season 7 on included Bonnie - the exceptions being “Everything Stays” as part of Stakes, and “Ketchup”, which really wasn’t any less gay.

Bubbline moments really did become too many to count, with the vast majority of them having romantic implications. And with queer representation becoming more and more prominent in Western animation, canon Bubbline romance seemed like a question of when rather than if. I’d like to point out here how this was often frustrating, though. After the very rocky start, this relationship was thriving and was really basically confirmed, but that last little push to make it undeniably a part of queer history was still needed.

“Come on!” - The End and Beyond

The almost three years that passed between Stakes and “Come Along With Me” (September 2018) were much more tolerable than the Drought; after all, there was plenty of Bubbline content in the later seasons. The big question as the finale came was whether Adventure Time would fizzle out on its early pioneer of a wlw ship or follow through, once and for all. Almost four years after LoK ended and just before season 1 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power dropped, Marcy and Bonnie had an emotional moment, kissed on screen, and ended the series together.

The intricacies of why a kiss was needed as a signifier of romance is a discussion for another day. But wouldn’t it have been strange after almost a decade of build-up for them not to seal the deal with a kiss? And to think it almost didn’t happen, as by that point it was so obvious they were together. Again, I direct your attention towards Paul Thomas’s book, he explains how it was storyboard artist Hanna K. Nyström’s call to add this final detail. Because, come on! Sometimes, you need to be as clear as possible, and that’s the case with queer representation in animation.

Since the finale, the comics have been continuing the Bubbline train - which are not technically canon but one can have fun regardless. In any case, the existence of Marcy and Bonnie’s relationship, of their queer identities, is not something that can reasonably be denied. It was a long road, and, make no mistake, an arduous one, but this is the story of a win. A win for storytelling and a win for wlw relationships.

We’ll Build Our Own Forever

So, there you have it, a Bubbline timeline of sorts. In March of 2011 we had the first on-screen interaction and now, in November of 2020, we’re getting a 45-minute-long special with the two of them as the central characters. They’re canonically in love, with King Princess covers of Bubbline songs and more. I tried to contain myself, for once, and not write too much. I think it’s important that people have a general idea of just how monumental all of this is and how, even just 9 years ago, “Obsidian” would have been totally inconceivable.

Some of this might have come as a surprise to you. It’s certainly not been easy to get to where we are now with Bubbline and it’s yet to be seen how open “Obsidian” will be about the relationship. I’ve been talking about Bubbline for years and attempted to chronicle their relationship many times so I’m happy I’ve finally done it from this perspective as well.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands “Obsidian” is streaming on Nov 19 on HBO Max. If you can, stream it so we can show that there’s popular demand for stories like that of an angry vampire and a despotic piece of gum.

[gunterfan1992]

Interview with Fan Artist loycos!

(Art by loycos)

So a few months ago, I was absent-mindedly scrolling on Tumblr (or was it Twitter?) when I came across something: an Adventure Time fan comic by an artist named loycos. As a person embedded in fan spaces, I find fanart like this all the time, but this time, there was something special about the art I was seeing. It was so... show-accurate!

I don’t mean that necessarily in regard to the art style (although it does feel right at home in the Land of Ooo, while still being its own thing with its own flourishes), but rather in relation to the characterization; the way loycos wrote the characters was spot on. She nailed PB and Marceline’s dynamic as former lovers who deep-down miss one another. She nailed Finn’s naive heroism and his one-sided crush on PB. She nailed Jake’s goofball energy. It was perfect.

In the past, I’ve only interviewed people affiliated with the show’s production, but I thought I’d mix things up a bit and reach out to some fan artists that I think are fantastic. As such, I’m delighted to share with you an interview I had with loycos, who answered my questions about her art, her history with Adventure Time, and where her work is headed!

What is your 'artistic origin' story?

[It’s] kind of a corny answer, but I've been drawing since I remember myself. My earliest drawing memories are drawing Clifford (the big red dog) fanart when I was around 5 y/o. I was always more of a "fangirl" artist, [and] I would draw characters from my favorite franchises to illustrate my headcanons and daydream scenarios I'd put them in. That hadn't changed one bit since. I had since gone on to study animation and illustration in official institutions which forced me to design characters and worlds of my own, but when I draw for myself it's always back to fanart (or studies). I don't have any OCs.

Are there particular artists or styles that you were inspired by and/or like to emulate or allude to?

I'd joke that my artstyle is just a mesh of all the franchises I've drawn fanart for over the years, but honestly, is it even a joke? I think you can easily recognize I had a Disney Phase like every other teenager (I didn't have an anime phase though! I know, I'm an anomaly) and [Steven Universe] definitely left it's fat mark on my style too. Out of [Steven Universe]'s storyboarding crew (which I followed very closely over the years) I especially love Raven Molisee and Jeff Liu for their wacky expressions and proportions, and of course Rebecca Sugar for their fluid and carefree lines. When it comes to art in general, I tend to prefer stylized, colorful and brushy styles over realistic or gothic ones, So people like Hue Teo and Patri Balanovsky pop to my mind (and my artstation feed, seriously look them up).

How do you approach your projects; what is your general art process?

It really depends on the type of project I'm doing, though, my [Adventure Time] comics were all pretty similar in their conception: I write down all of my ideas in my notes so I won't forget them. Then I either roughly sketch out the entire comic as fast as I can, or I write a script (if the concept is specifically very dialog heavy) and then sketch it roughly. Then I do the lineart and color, nothing too complicated. The one thing I think is worth noting in my long comic process is that I draw all of my panels on the same document- that way it's easier for me to make sure the characters stay on model and that my panel layout remains fresh. So basically, the way you read the comics on tumblr, as a long scroll, is the format I work on.

How did you come to find Adventure Time? What made you join the fandom?

Adventure Time is one of those shows you just know about, so I don't remember how I first found out about the show. However, I do remember when I started shipping Bubbline—after the episode “Broke His Crown” aired. I somehow ended up in their Tumblr tag and was blown away by the (by 2016's standards) blatant representation. Despite my obsession with them at the time, I never actually watched any episode that didn't feature the girls' relationship. I only started fully watching the show recently. But I did consume a lot of fan content, which I think helped me shape my own headcanons and such. After my initial interest in 2016 I put Bubbline back on the back burner and kept on my [Steven Universe] ramage, until last year's “Obsidian,” which brought me back fully on board the Bubbline decks around 2 weeks before it aired, so I was in maximum hype mode when I watched the special. It did not disappoint [and it] really reminded me of why I loved these characters and their relationship to begin with. I started drawing my own art for the ship shortly after, when I felt like the hype around the special died down and there wasn't much to keep me sustained anymore. I make what I want to see ;)

As for joining the fandom, I don't know if I can be considered a member, seeing how inactive I am most of the time and my very limited list of [Adventure Time] mutuals. I am extremely flattered that my stuff caught ATimers attention in a positive way.

You've done some amazing Bubblegum and Marceline stuff. What draws you to their dynamic?

I'm gay.

OK, seriously now. I have a soft spot for extremely feminine, dainty characters that are very reserved, so PB immediately marked herself as an obvious fav, and the road to shipping her with Marceline (who is such an obvious candidate and a multilayered, fascinating character herself) was a short one. I know calling PB dainty is far from a true statement, but that's what she appeared like on the surface and that's what caught my attention. Another thing is that I love relationships between immortal beings, I think it always adds another layer of complexity to any relationship, especially a romantic one. The whole "getting older without appearing like you've aged" and "watching everyone you love die around you while you stay the same" can surely make 2 beings bond, right? It always felt like PB and Marcy get each other in a way no one else can, they are very different on the surface but share fundamental internal similarities. Oh, and the fact that they're EXES? The romantic tension and the longing? The familiarity and banter they had in every scene they shared?This hit the jackpot on literally every relationship trope that I love. I'd much rather watch a "getting back together" than a "falling in love for the first time" story.

All of this and the fact that they [are] gay. It's really that simple sometimes.

In broad strokes, what is next for you as an artist and/or as a fan?

I have a few [Adventure Time] comics ideas\scripts on the back burner and one that is in the making. I think I'll dabble into some Nintendo fanart cause I've been playing a lot of Smash Bros and [Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild] lately.

I’m so excited to see what comes next! Either way, a huge thanks to loycos for chattin’ with me! If you’d like to check out more of her art, visit her Tumblr and her Twitter page!

[rrandomtthings]

Everybody thought Finn would end up with Marcy or PB, and the bets were huge on Marcy because you know, mean cool girl that protag hangs out with always kind of wins in the end BUT HAH. Bubbleline developing since day one with their complicated ~HISTORY~ aaand the fact Finn was a really just a kid with a crush yeh

It was like kr////bk getting pretty popular while bkdk were getting developed a bunch and krmn getting their cute little moments to shine too

I was actually never in the fandom bc I was actually pretty young when Adventure Time came out and honestly didn’t rewatch the series until 2 years ago. bUT, even at the age of 7 I knew that Bubbline had SOMETHING. That episode where Marcy was singing out her feelings was fruity AF (and is also the best ep :)) )

I also actually?? Didn’t know that people thought Marceline and Finn would be a thing?? That’s,,, definitely interesting. Hmmm,,, I always kind of saw them as siblings more than anything? I mean, to be fair, Finn also had a crush on anything that could walk sO

Bubbline is canon, we just need bkdk to be canon <3

[sugarless--girl]

Day 11: Rest Day — Bubbline

Princess Bubblegum rarely takes a break. A princess her duty to fulfill—even in a dying world.

Read on AO3

Princess Bubblegum once wondered what it would be like to watch your lover die—crumble away before your eyes. It was very much a reality for her, considering her immortal nature. Perhaps, she lucky to prolong this process for so long. Her long-time lover, Marceline was an ageless vampire. It would be centuries—millennia even—before she finally took her last rest.

But perhaps what she thought about more and more each day was her own last days on this earth. The older you were, the faster time moved. There was always so much to be done—history to be documented, science to be discovered, technology to be created. And she’d yet to find something that would slow down time. Bubblegum felt as though she were always trying to catch her breath with everything she had to do. Even with no subjects left, Bubblegum still had her duties to fulfill.

“What are you thinking about?” Marceline asked, as her arms snaked around Bubblegum’s waist. They were both lying in bed but it was about time for them to start their day. “You have that wrinkle between your eyes.”

Bubblegum tried to smooth out her expression as she tried to think of a polite way to phrase ‘our inevitable deaths.’ But then again, Marceline would be probably delighted to hear about Bubblegum thinking about such macabre subjects.

“Just wondering if we should have a rest day or not.”

“Wow, is this the same Bonnie I married?? Taking a day off without being forced into it.....guess the world’s really ending, huh?”

“This is what cements it? Me taking a break for once? Not the sun expanding?”

“Hey, the sun expanding is one thing. You, taking a break?? Yeah, things are definitely reaching the end.”

Bubblegum reached out poke Marceline in the nose, suppressing a smile when the other woman wrinkled her nose. “Keep teasing me and I’ll reconsider my offer.”

Marceline smirked before she grabbed Bubblegum’s wrist. She pressed a kiss to her lover’s fingertips before she quickly rolled atop Bubblegum. “I see your offer and raise you a better one.”

The pink-haired woman giggled—she knew what Marceline was getting at—before she gently pushed away Marceline’s face. “Let’s brush our teeth first. You may not mind morning breath but I certainly.”

“After all this time, you’re still not used to it.”

Marceline groaned but relented as she floated up into the air. “Fine, let’s go get cleaned. But seriously, you brought up the ‘rest day’ thing so you better hold to it.”

Bubblegum would’ve responded with more banter but her earlier thoughts came to her once more. “It’s important to take a break every now and then. To understand what we’re living for.”

Marceline didn’t say anything at first. “Is this what you were thinking about?”

“Somewhat.”

“Huh. Well I’m with you there. We can continue with our capsule later. Let’s go take a nice long bath.”

“That sounds lovely.” Bubblegum murmured as she let Marceline steer her to their shared bathroom. Time wouldn’t stop and the sun would keep expanding until it burned the earth but that was still a ways later. Until then, Bubblegum would spend her time with Marceline.

[tuiyla]

Trauma, Transgression, and most definitely Triumph

[prologue] [Bubbline] [Korrasami] [Catradora] [epilogue]

An Epilogue

This post serves as a conclusion to a larger project, see the links above. If you’ve read them all, thank you so much, I hope I could provide some insight into these characters and their relationships. If you haven’t, that’s still cool, I’m hoping you’ll give this post a chance as I’m going to summarize what this project has been about.

These are all canonically queer characters in animated series primarily aimed at children, and I believe there’s a huge importance to that representation. What’s even more important is that these stories have depth to them, that even if certain scenes like a kiss are censored, you cannot take the significance away from these stories. Because these characters are so well-developed and because their queer love is a part of that development, it becomes a part of the story itself. This manifests itself in various shapes and forms through these three shows.

Marcy and Bonnie both embody the repetitive nature of history where time is an illusion and everything stays just as you left it. Marceline’s trauma represents being stuck in the same cycles of abandonment and betrayal but her transgression signifies that there is a life beyond that. Bubblegum’s anxiety of the future is justified in a world such as Adventure Time’s but she lets go of control and focuses more on herself. Their shared moments thrived on subtext and packed so much meaning into small moments that by the time their romance grew into plain text, there was no question as to what they mean to each other. Because it took so long and so many small steps, Bubbline isn’t always appreciated for the milestone that it was, but hey, they’ll keep on going. They are quasi immortals, after all.

Korra and Asami balance each other out just like the four elements do. Korra is eager to fulfill the role of the hero but gets rejected over and over again, only to redefine that very role and embrace her own empathy and spirituality. The more Asami loses the more she creates and builds a new modern world, and in the end she’s able to face her own demons and let go of the trauma she’d been carrying. Their bond was unexpected to even the creators themselves but they took a chance on both these characters and it grew into something beautiful. They find compassion and happiness in each other as they’re finally allowed to just be themselves in a world that demands so much from them. It took time and effort and their final triumph might seem small today, but that’s okay. If anyone, Korra and Asami are used to the world diminishing the importance of their achievements.

Catra and Adora grew up with each other only to find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict. They have to process their childhood trauma before they can find their way back to each other and this time around be honest with on another. Adora learns self-worth when she stops basing it on her identity as a soldier and hero and allows herself to want something. Catra accepts vulnerability and stops using excuses and misdirected anger, takes responsibility and allows herself to feel her true feelings. Their love is such an integral part of She-Ra story that it saves the day, showing how far we’ve come. It’s not a triumph to be taken lightly but it is one that gives hope for the future. Their love saves Etheria and paves the way forward in the real word.

I titled this project Trauma, Transgression, Triumph and set out to examine six characters and three relationships from these angles. What makes them all unique is not just that they were even allowed to exist in the first place as queer stories, though that in and of itself is a transgression. They are all stories where we can relate to these characters, truly feel for them, and cheer for them when they overcome adversity and succeed against all the odds. With all of them combined, we have diverse stories with diverse figures who are all united by their love. Here are three shows that not only featured queer characters but made them complex and gave them compelling arcs where they ultimately succeed.

What a time to be alive that we see this level of compelling storytelling with queer characters and in all-ages TV. And again I would like to emphasize how this triumph shouldn’t be taken for granted as every one of the creators behind these shows had to fight for what we ended up getting. But it is, ultimately, a triumph, and this project is meant to celebrate that. This epilogue had its own various versions and in some of them I was tempted to elaborate on some of the things I mentioned in the main posts. Like I said at the beginning, these are not deep-dives meant to cover every single aspect of these stories and there’s so much more to be said. For now, though, I thank you once again and at the same time urge you to explore the stories you’re presented with. Queer viewers had to search for breadcrumbs for the longest time. Now that we have more explicit representation it’s truly fascinating and satisfying to look at why these stories work and why they matter.

[pumpkin-in-a-pear-tree]

Ha thanks I was going to tell you anyway but it's nice to know someone is actually interested! Ok so in no particular order:

I want to kiss/kill you

Examples:

Curwen!

Catradora!

Bubbline! (to a certain extent)

I love this dynamic because it has the potential to have just so much angst, oh my god, it's killing me, BUT ALSO has the potential to be kinda funny and show what morons the characters are with feelings

2. Just unbearably adorable

Rupphire!

Conniverse!

Look. It is almost impossible NOT to love ships like these. Just them being in the same room makes me squeal and grin uncontrollably.

And, although this is strictly platonic and so maybe doesn't belong here but I still love this dynamic as a platonic ship, 3. Just some good, supportive friends who are there for each other despite being mixed gender (bonus points if there was a romantic history that they have completely moved past)

Finn and flame Princess!

Finn and pb!(gosh my boy's grown so much)

Tati and Curt! (neither of them have ever had a friend before I'm so proud)

Man, the possibility-aromantic-but-definitely-not-straight side of me just loves these good pals you guys. Idk.

Hey hey hey who wants to hear about some of my all time favourite ship dynamics???

[pumpkin-in-a-pear-tree]

Ha thanks I was going to tell you anyway but it's nice to know someone is actually interested! Ok so in no particular order:

I want to kiss/kill you

Examples:

Curwen!

Catradora!

Bubbline! (to a certain extent)

I love this dynamic because it has the potential to have just so much angst, oh my god, it's killing me, BUT ALSO has the potential to be kinda funny and show what morons the characters are with feelings

2. Just unbearably adorable

Rupphire!

Conniverse!

Look. It is almost impossible NOT to love ships like these. Just them being in the same room makes me squeal and grin uncontrollably.

And, although this is strictly platonic and so maybe doesn't belong here but I still love this dynamic as a platonic ship, 3. Just some good, supportive friends who are there for each other despite being mixed gender (bonus points if there was a romantic history that they have completely moved past)

Finn and flame Princess!

Finn and pb!(gosh my boy's grown so much)

Tati and Curt! (neither of them have ever had a friend before I'm so proud)

Man, the possibility-aromantic-but-definitely-not-straight side of me just loves these good pals you guys. Idk.

Hey hey hey who wants to hear about some of my all time favourite ship dynamics???