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fomee-c · 1 year

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Adventure Time has the best redemption arcs

I love deep-diving into my favourite shows, which makes me lucky that Adventure Time has been analyzed to death.

It's awesome because it feels like the show itself is growing up along with Finn. The older seasons are a lot more episodic and focused on the surreality of Ooo. Meanwhile, the later seasons really embrace the show's complicated lore and the idea that morality isn't black and white. The progression of maturity in this one show is INSANE. As the show becomes more mature, so does main character Finn, physically and emotionally.

Nowhere are the show's themes and Finn's personal growth better demonstrated through the show's use of redemption arcs. As the show progresses, classical villain-hero archetypes are subverted to show that Finn is learning that people aren't exclusively good or bad. As the show and Finna age, being a hero or doing the right thing evolves from the basic idea of "fighting evil" to being empathetic and seeking peace.

Heavy spoilers for the main series after the cut.

Some context

I just wanna mention some facts about the show's history.

If you watch the first AT episode followed by the last episode, you're gonna feel disoriented. They're clearly the same show, but it feels like they have very different goals. Early AT is more lighthearted and less serious. The episodes have morals, but they're pretty simple. The randomness of Ooo is played more for comedy than for lore purposes.

Around season 5, the show started taking on a different direction. It's still funny and weird, but the characters are more fleshed out and the messages the show is trying to convey require a lot of digestion. For example, Princess Bubblegum is always smart, but the way she's depicted in episodes like"Enchiridion" vs "Burning Low." Although I consider this a massive improvement, it's unclear how much was pre-planned. Was PB always destined to become a control-obsessed, unethical ruler-scientist? Or was her initial characterization just Finn's crush?

Yes.

Episodes as early as season 1 ep 24 ("What have you done?") show PB acting more like a tyrant than a princess and have the Ice King depicted in a less antagonistic matter. The reason for the tonal shift in the later season is that as Finn grows up, his experiences change the way he perceives reality.

Ooo through Finn's eyes

Adventure Time is about Finn the human and Jake the dog, but really it's mostly about Finn.

The other characters get character arcs and have plot-relevant conflicts, but the show's main focus is dedicated to Finn's coming-of-age story. Finn is Ooo's hero: he's social, caring, and brave, and he's motivated by a strong sense of justice and a desire for adventure. All he wants is to try new things and help others at any cost.

However, he's only 12, at least at the beginning. His idea of being a hero is rooted in black/white morality. If you do bad things, then you're bad. Stopping bad people makes you good. And as a 12-year-old, he believes the only way to stop bad people is through violence.

The show is immature in this respect, too. For the first few seasons, there are two main antagonists. There's the recurring Ice King and his plots to force princesses to marry him, playing off the "save the princess" trope (more on him later). And then there's the Lich, who's a genuinely powerful cosmic entity that seeks to destroy life in all its forms. Naturally, Finn fights them both off through righteous punching.

The show presents this basic understanding of evil, that evil is as evil does. In the beginning, there's almost no nuance to these characters. And this is true with good characters, too.

Billy is a huge catalyst for Finn's character development, but you can see the show's limited understanding of heroism in his debut episode. Billy is Finn's predecessor in a way, being the number one fighter against evil. In "His Hero," Billy realized the fighting evil through violence didn't treat the root problem, opting instead for community activism. However, the show makes this look like a bad thing, with the moral of the episode being that violence can solve problems. Ironically, Finn's character development mirrors Billy, as he realizes over time that he fighting evil might mean hurting people he cares about. Case in point: Simon Petrikov, the Ice King.

The power of redemption arcs

Redemption arcs are controversial because they're ideal but they feel forced if they go unearned. In Adventure Time, redemption arcs serve a two-fold purpose: to convey the message that "evil" people can be understood and rehabilitated and to show Finn's developing maturity as he realizes this.

Ice King

The first character to get a real redemption arc is the Ice King. Initially, he's portrayed as Jake and Finn's natural nemesis, especially when he targets Princess Bubblegum. However, as the show goes on, it becomes clear that the Ice King isn't really malicious; he's just lonely and he doesn't know how to socialize in an appropriate way. Over time, he becomes a sympathetic villain. However, this changes with the Christmas specials "Holly Jolly Secrets, parts 1 and 2." In this episode, Finn and Jake discover the Ice King used to be a man named Simon, whose personality and sanity were corrupted by magic. Simon's backstory is further developed in "I Remember You" and "Simon and Marcy." From this point on, Finn starts referring to the Ice King as Simon, acknowledging Simon's true self and stops treating him less harshly. This leads to a really heartwarming moment in "Don't Look," where Finn's perception literally warps reality, causing the IK to revert to Simon (in appearance but not in personality).

Consequently, the Ice King becomes less antagonistic in general and we even get IK-centric episodes where he takes on a heroic role. For all intents and purposes, post-season 3 Ice King is Finn's friend. The show went from using a cliché villain-type to dedicating a significant amount of time and plot to Ice King's eventual return as Simon. From this, Finn learns that treating people with kindness is imperative to stopping evil. Not only did finding out that IK's personal life was tragic but by treating him as a friend he diminished IK's evil inclinations.

Magic Man

Magic Man is one of the more disturbing characters on the show. He always shows up to do something gross or psychologically messed up. Unlike the Ice King, who was shown to be evil because he wanted companionship, Magic Man wants people to suffer out of pure contempt for the world. His "pranks" include simple stuff like turning Finn into a foot, to more deranged acts like forcing Jake to escape a dream world where doing so would mean destroying all his new friends.

What's interesting about Magic Man's redemption arc is that Finn and Jake have little to do with it. Magic Man redeems himself practically by accident.

We gradually learn that Magic Man's wife was destroyed by GOLB, a powerful entity that can erase things from all realities. So Magic Man's cruelty is best described as frustration or vengeance to an extent. He is constantly suffering, which he tries to mitigate by deriving pleasure from others' suffering.

However, he eventually loses his magic powers (and with it, his anger and sadness) in"You Forgot Your Floaties", grounding him back in reality. From then on, his journey is one of atonement. He tries to reconcile with his family and seeks forgiveness from the people he has tortured.

This arc says more about the show's maturity than it does about Finn's. Although Finn shows no hatred towards a magic-less Normal Man, he seems pretty indifferent. The show, on the other hand, takes the time to make him a tragic figure and offers him a chance at redemption. It wants the audience to know that experiencing loss is not an excuse for being a jerk, but it can explain someone's actions.

King Man's (his title after rejoining the Martian community) redemption arc also demonstrates AT's advancing writing skills. Instead of giving King Man a clear-cut redemption arc, the show depicts him as genuinely sorry without changing his personality. King Man is still obsessed with Margles and is harsh with Martian prisoners, but he's no longer angry with the world. He hasn't moved, as is difficult to do with grief, but he wants to contribute to society instead of rage against it.

Betty Grof

Betty marks a milestone in the show and Finn's personal growth. She is the first antagonist who is shown to be sympathetic from the start. It helps that we know Betty before she goes crazy with magic, but despite that, Finn nor the show ever thinks of Betty as an "evil" character. She's misguided and unethical but well-intentioned.

Betty's whole deal is that she wants to be with Simon, which requires curing him of the Ice King Crown's effects. However, after she absorbs Magic Man's madness and sadness, she starts undertaking strategies that cause Ice King more stress than good.

She becomes a true antagonist in the Elemental mini-series when she prioritizes Simon's recovery over the lives of Ooo's inhabitants, despite the Ice King begging her to save his friends. Even after she betrays Finn, he doesn't seem to see her as a villain specifically. The real source of conflict in the Elemental series was more so the unchecked emotions of Finn's friends; Betty was just an obstacle.

Betty's redemption arc is completed in the show's finale. Betty summons GOLB, risking the entire universe's destruction to save Simon. Except her goal is not only to save Simon but to save their relationship. In an act of self-sacrifice, Betty manages to banish/merge with GOLB to save Ooo, despite knowing she could never be with Simon.

However, it's not as clear as I make it out to seem. While Betty does sacrifice her relationship with Simon, she still manages to save him, begging the question: if Betty couldn't save Simon, would she have made that decision? (I'm inclined to think no, but let me know what you think!)

Even if the "redemption" part of her arc feels rushed, it's Betty's journey that highlights the show's maturity. Just because she does bad things doesn't mean she's a bad person. Finn gets this; he doesn't blame Betty for almost destroying the world. He's more focused on aligning with her desire to save Simon and the rest of Ooo.

Through Betty, Adventure Time explains that it's impossible to judge people as good or evil. To do the right thing doesn't mean to help people who you think are "good" or oppose people you think are "evil" but to find common ground and a common goal.

Uncle Gumbald

He's basically the last antagonist of the show. I don't think there's a lot to say about him that hasn't already been said, so this section will be short.

He's a lot like PB in that he's a visionary. Their conflict stems from their competing ideas and the fact that they both want to subjugate each other.

They almost reach an understanding in the finale when they experience each other's lives, with PB realizing that Gumbald deserved to be treated as an equal. However, he isn't redeemed because he attempts to subjugate PB anyways by faking a truce. I feel like this was supposed to highlight PB's character growth as early PB definitely wouldn't have been willing to share authority.

Fern

I would say this is probably the most important redemption arc for Finn's character. It's weird to say that because Fern is introduced so late into the show and his arc is completed when he dies in the last minutes of the finale. Furthermore, he's a strange character to begin with. He's a grass clone of Finn made from two magic swords, and he's hardly antagonistic toward Finn except in the last two seasons.

But let's look at what we're dealing with here.

Fern's internal conflict is an identity crisis. At one point in the series, Finn comes into contact with a past self (merging timelines situation, dw about it), turning one of his selves into a sword. It's intentionally ambiguous at first, but it's eventually revealed that there is a miniature Finn inside the sword who is cognisant of the world around him. Because of Real Finn's carelessness, Sword Finn ends up getting busted, and eventually infected with a grass parasite, creating Fern.

Up until now, Finn has been acing his new pacifist approach to conflict resolution. He now prioritizes understanding someone's actions and reasoning with them, saving fighting as a last resort.

Fern represents Finn's greatest empathy challenge: trying to understand someone he thinks he already understands. To do this, Finn has to accept that his preconceived notions of Fern are wrong and take the time to get to know the real Fern. He thinks that because they share some sort of biology and memories, they are the same people. He fails to acknowledge the different life experiences that have forged him and Fern into distinct people.

When Fern heel-turns into an antagonist, it's not a surprise. We have seen repeatedly the jealousy that he feels outcasted by the real Finn. We also know he's frustrated with the dissonance between his past "life" and his current circumstances. Like Betty, Finn doesn't see Fern as a villain. However, he doesn't try to understand where Fern is coming from. He assumes that because they are similar, Fern will be willing to talk things out. In other words, Finn wants to reconcile with Fern but doesn't get how devastating Fern's identity crisis is.

In the finale's dream-dimension fight sequence, we see Finn finally hear out Fern's concerns and the two explore Fern's past together.

Fern does die because of plot reasons, but not before re-establishing his and Finn's friendship. I don't really like it when stories sacrifice one character for another's development, but it makes sense given Finn's narrative is about realizing that doing the right thing isn't always a feel-good experience. Finn wants the people he cares about to be safe, and he knows that Fern is in danger by siding with malicious characters like Gumbald. Fern also decides to align with people who care about him rather than someone who wants to use him. If Fern's villain arc is caused by feelings of inadequacies, then it's resolved through self-acceptance. Redeeming Fern requires Finn to truly understand Fern, but this means Finn loses someone who gets him.

I think it's implied Fern could never be at peace alive, since the grass demon was keeping him alive while corrupting his heart. It's a unique take on a heroic sacrifice: setting Fern free means letting Fern go.

Misc. thoughts

Not all redemption arcs are equal. I wanted to touch on a few mini-redemption arcs that either didn't fit the post or had a lesser impact on the story. These aren't relevant to the text, so feel free to skip to the conclusion.

Irredeemable villains

Some AT antagonists never get redemption arcs. These are usually one-off villains who don't get much characterization apart from just being evil. I don't think that AT wants to imply these people are beyond help (see Magic Man for proof), but maybe becoming a good person means that someone has to understand you first, which is harder to do in some cases. Examples include:

Ricardio the heart man

Thief Princess

Wyatt

Redemption arcs?

Originally, I wanted to write a section on Princess Bubblegum and how she gradually releases her iron grip on her kingdom. However, I decided against it because Finn never really sees her as a bad person. However, understanding that she's not perfect is definitely part of her arc. If I were to write about PB, it'd have to be a separate article, probably incorporating how Marceline plays into her character development and how her relationship with evolves over time.

Another character I omitted from this analysis was Lemongrab. I wouldn't describe his arc as a redemption arc because I feel it was more focused on self-discovery than making up for his past actions.

Finally, I thought about writing about the Lich's transformation into Sweet Pea, but I almost don't count it since they are essentially two different characters. A redemption arc to me means that a character undergoes a change of heart. I feel like Sweet Pea is more like the Lich reborn, and while you can argue that the events in "Whispers" are the good Lich fighting against his dormant persona, I feel like it's clear that Sweet Pea and the Lich are not one and the same. Either way, Sweet Pea being the Lich's redemption is to muddy to discuss in this context.

Becoming good

One thing I like about Adventure Time is that no one tries to make the bad guys turn good. Redemption arcs are mostly self-initiated. With characters like Ice King, Finn doesn't try to turn him into a hero, he just stops treating Simon like a villain. Unlike in other media, heroes and villains are not real roles in AT. They are more like social constructs that are easily altered once you start to empathize with supposed villains.

But while "villains" is a flexible term in AT, evil-doing is not. AT puts forward the standard that people should seek forgiveness and atone for the ways they've caused harm. It's a pretty grown-up idea that we should own up to our actions but also forgive people who want to be forgiven.

Conclusion

In Adventure Time, Finn wants to be a hero, but in trying to do so, he needs to answer this question: "What makes a hero?" Originally, the show asserts that a hero is someone who beats up bad guys and obeys people in authority. But as Finn and the audience get older, the show's ideas evolve, too. Through the use of its extensive rogue gallery, Adventure Time affirms that "bad people" are usually just normal people with personal issues. Heroism becomes less associated with righteous violence and more geared towards empathy and reconciliation. Eventually, Finn and the show give up on the hero-villain dichotomy, acknowledging that these categorizations prevent people from helping those who need it most.

Note: this is the first analysis I've posted on Tumblr and I'm planning on writing more with the goal of getting better at writing and media literacy. Additionally, I really love this franchise and I'm always down to discuss it further. Please let me know what you all think?

#adventure time #adventure time analysis #tv analysis #cartoon network #finn mertens #finn and jake #princess bubblegum #ice king #magic man #betty grof #fern #uncle gumbald #golb #the lich

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vanfleeter · 1 year

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Labor Pains // JTK & DRW

Pairing: Jake x reader, Danny x reader Warning: Fluff, slight swearing. Author's Note: I love when tv shows inspire fic ideas. Also, Uncle Danny has now arrived! Summary: While you and Danny are setting up for Josh's kid's birthday party, you go into labor and he's stuck with you until Jake arrives.

“Hello!” You hear Danny’s voice call as he steps through the front door. “(Y/N)? Are you here?”

“Kitchen!” You call while mixing up the ingredients in a bowl for cookies.

Today is the fifth birthday party of Josh’s little one and you are in charge of the cookies. Jake is in charge of the cake but that seems to be handled by Danny.

“He’s stuck in the studio rerecording a few riffs so he’s gonna be late.” Danny says as he sets the cake on the counter. “Need help with anything?”

“Yeah, can you grab the ice from the garage freezer and fill up the coolers? There’s drinks in the fridge out there too that can be put in as well.”

“Of course.” He says before slipping out into the garage.

Turning towards the mixer, you flip the switch to a quick pace to mix up the cookie dough. Walking over to the fridge, you pull the door open when you feel a cramp in your stomach. You hand shoots to the side of your swollen stomach as you wince. Not today. Please not today.

As the pain subsides, you grab the carton of milk and bring it back over to the counter. You’ll need it for the Tres Leche cake that Ronnie begged you to make as a side dessert.

It wasn’t long before Danny came back inside and dragged the coolers with him to bring them back to the patio. You shut the mixer off to pull the bowl out to get started on rolling the dough. Another cramp pierces your side and your first tightens around the kitchen counter as you lean over. Danny pauses in the doorway and arches his eyebrows.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Mmm, yeah..” You sigh once the pain subsides. “Just a little cramp.”

“A little cramp?”

You nod your head. “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.”

Danny slowly nods his head, not fully believing you but decides not to push the matter knowing just how stubborn you can be. “Alright, well I’ll be out here if you need anything.”

You nod your head. “Okay..”

You try to distract yourself by rolling the dough into small balls and placing them on the cookie sheets. Another cramp springs on you causing you to drop the sheet of dough balls on the ground. It only felt like the pain intensified this time around. You groan pain as you hold your stomach. Danny rushes inside and freezes by the counter.

“Shit, (Y/N)…” He says rushing over to you. “Are you in labor?”

You nod your head. “I think so..”

“Oh shit.. Uh, okay. Um.. Should we go to the hospital?”

You vigorously shake your head. “The party..” You say straightening up as the pain subsides. “Denver has been looking forward to this party for weeks.” You add trying to keep yourself up right by clinging to the counter. “And I promised him I’d make his favorite cookies..”

Danny chuckles. “Denver will understand,” He says. “Right now, we have to get you to the hospital.” He reaches over to the stove and turns off the oven.

“Oh the dough..” You whine looking at the mess on the floor.

“Not your biggest worry right now,” Danny says. “It’ll get cleaned up later. Is your hospital bag packed at all?”

You nod your head. “It’s the black duffel on the floor in Jake’s closet.” Another contraction hits and you double over in pain.

“Black duffel, I’ll be right back.”

He’s only gone for a few seconds before you feel warm liquid slide down your legs. “Danny!” You yell.

He bounds back down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I got the bag!” He announces as he runs back into the kitchen. He pauses when he sees the clear liquid on the floor. “Oh fuck…” He freezes for a moment trying to process what’s going on before he slings the bag over his shoulder and guides you out of the house and to his car.

On the way to the hospital, Danny tries calling Jake but it only keeps going to voicemail. “Dammit Jake!” He shouts into the phone. “Answer your damn phone!” He says before hanging up and pressing his foot down on the gas.

Arriving at the hospital, he helps you get checked in and settled into a room. His phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out to see Jake calling.

“About time you call back.”

“What’s going on?” He says. “I just finished recording.”

“Your wife is in labor.” He says.

“WHAT?!” You hear Jake shout through the phone.

Another contraction hits and you cry out in pain. Danny hangs up and sets his phone on the table. “He’s on his way. He’ll be here as soon as he can.”

A nurse walks into the room and flashes you a smile. “It’s a perfect day to have a baby.” She says. “How’s the proud parents doing?”

“Oh uh, I’m not–The baby isn’t–” Danny stammers.

The nurse laughs. “You’re standing in for Dad?”

Danny nods his head. “For now.”

The nurse smiles and walks to the end of your bed. “I’m going to check your dilation so we can figure out how to proceed from there.” She says.

“Oh, I can leave–”

“No!” You exclaim, grabbing tightly to his hand. “Please don’t leave me.”

“But she’s gonna–”

“You won’t see anything,” The nurse says. “Don’t worry.”

Danny gulps and sits back down in the chair as you cling to his hand. Another contraction hits you and you grip tighter to his hand making him squeak in pain. “Jake better fucking hurry up and get here..” –

It’s only been thirty minutes but to you it felt like eternity. You cry out in pain as your grip tightens around Danny’s hand. He chews on his knuckles as he tries to keep himself from crying out in pain himself. His knee bounces anxiously as he stares down the door of the hospital room. The door opens and he perks up in hopes that it’s Jake but instead it’s the same nurse as earlier. He sighs in defeat and leans back in the chair.

“Sorry, just coming in to check her vitals.” The nurse says as she flips a couple pages on her clipboard. “Hanging in there mama?”

You shake your head. “I just want it to be over already.”

The nurse smiles. “Very soon, I promise.” She says. “Do you know what you’re having?”

“No,” You say. “We decided we wanted to be surprised.”

“Well that’s exciting.” She says. “Your vitals look great, your baby’s heartbeat is perfect. Would you like me to put in an order for an epidural? Ease your pain some?”

“Please?” Danny says as he lifts his head. “I beg.”

The nurse giggles. “I meant the woman in the bed but I can get you some ice.”

“Right..” —

The door to the delivery room flies open and Jake stumbles inside. “I’m here, I’m here.” He says out of breath. “Traffic sucked..” He rushes over to the bed and plants a kiss on your forehead. “Are you doing okay?”

“Aw honey, I’m great.” You beam up at Jake.

He raises his eyebrows and looks at Danny. “She’s got the epidural but it made her slightly loopy.” Danny explains. “But thank god you’re here.” He stands up from the bed. “I’m gonna go stick my hand in a bucket of ice so I can somewhat drum still..”

Jake chuckles. “Thanks man, I appreciate it.” Jake says as they hug.

“No problem, congrats. I can’t wait to meet the little bean.”

After Danny leaves, Jake takes his place in the chair beside the bed and reaches for your hand and gives it a soft kiss. You turn your head to look at him. “How’s Denver? Is he upset about his party?”

Jake chuckles. “He’s just fine.” He says. “He’s more excited about getting a new cousin. Although he did find the cake and happened to eat most of it, according to Rachel.” You giggle and rest your head against the pillows.

It wasn’t much longer until the nurse came in with the doctor and they told you that it’s time to push. The epidural had yet to wear off so pushing wasn’t too bad. “Last push, Mom.” Your doctor says. Pushing for the final time, you hear the cries of your baby fill the room and pierce your ears. Your head falls back into the pillow as tears fall down your face. “Congratulations you two, it’s a boy!”

“Oh god..” You hear Jake sigh. “We have a son.. I have a son..”

You look up at him as they lay the goo covered infant on your chest. Tears brim his eyes as he stares at your new baby laying on your chest. –

You rest your head on Jake’s shoulder. He rests beside you on the bed while he holds the baby in his arms. He hasn’t torn his eyes away from the baby. “Hi buddy,” He whispers. “I’m your daddy.” The little fist is curled around his index finger. “I love you so much.”

The baby's eyes slowly peek open and he stretches his neck as he grunts and squeaks. He rests back into Jake's arms and cuddles into his chest, his hand still clutching tightly to Jake's index finger.

Jake found this situation the slightest bit funny because eight months ago, he never had thought about having his own kid. That was until he saw the two lines on the pregnancy test that he had found in the bathroom.

You thought it was negative so you didn't think twice of it when you tossed it into the trash can but he happened to find it when cleaning one day and the two lines were clear as day.

He approached you then holding the test in between his index and thumb. His mouth slightly open as if he tried forming words but failed to every time. Neither of you knew what to say or even do. Sure you two have been married for a few years now but having kids just never seemed like priority for either of you.

You knew what he was feeling and it wasn't apprehension. He was happy. Tears filled his eyes and suddenly he was pulling you into his body and hugging you tightly as he kissed your forehead.

"I hope it's a boy.." He mutters into your hair.

And eight months later, he got his wish. His tiny, little boy asleep against his chest. His whole world is changed forever. No longer is he Jake, the infamous guitar player for Greta Van Fleet, but now he's just Jake--father. A title, aside from being your husband, is one that he is proud of.

He's pulled out of his thoughts when he feels the familiar rumble against his hand. You giggle when you watch his nose scrunch and he groans.

"Every time.." Jake mutters. "First Denver, then Joan, now this little guy.."

You smile and pull away from Jake. "I can change him."

Jake shakes his head. "No, I got it."

He climbs off the bed and goes over to the changing table in the room. Undoing the zipper of the onesie, he slips out the tiny legs and sets to work on changing the diaper. He's barely got the diaper removed when a stream of pee flows through the air.

"Shit shit.." He says recovering the baby with the soiled diaper. "That's a first.." You couldn't help but laugh. "Oh you hush it.."

"It's your initiation to parenthood." You say giggling.

Once the diaper was successfully changed and making sure he wouldn't be peed on anymore, he scoops the baby back into his arms and goes back over to the bed.

A knock comes on the door and Josh peers his head inside. “Hey, are you okay for some visitors?” He asks.

“Of course,” You smile. “Come on in.”

Josh ushers in his little family, Denver immediately rushing for the bed. Sam is next to come through with his wife and Joan clinging to his neck. Ronnie comes in followed by Karen and Kelly and Danny comes back in the room now with his wife at his side.

“Oh Danny, I hope I didn’t bruise your hand too bad.” You say making him chuckle.

“My hand is just fine.” He says.

“Is this your new baby?” Denver asks as he stands on his tiptoes to get a better look.

“Yes he is.” You say smiling down at him. “I heard you ate most of your cake.” You add making him giggle.

“It was really good.” He says making everyone laugh.

“So have you decided on a name yet?” Ronnie asks. “I know you two have been having a hard time picking one.”

Jake inhales and turns his head to look at you. “Well.. We’ve decided on Jude Robert.” He says as he looks away from you and plants his eyes on Danny.

“Shut up..” Danny sighs. “You didn’t..” Jake nods his head.

"Well, you were such a great help." You say smiling. "Do you want to hold him?"

He eagerly nods his head and steps up beside Jake. Jake carefully hands over the new baby to Danny. He grunts a little as his face scrunches up but soon relaxes. His eyes slowly open and he peers at Danny.

"Well hi there buddy." Danny says as he lightly bounces the baby in his arms. His lips pull apart into a smile as he squeaks a little making everyone fawn over the interaction. "You, little bean, caused your mommy a lot of pain which resulted in me being in pain." He says holding up his hand. "I figured that I would be nice and save your daddy from the worst of it, he needs his hands more than I do."

Jake chuckles and shakes his head. "She did plenty of damage after you left." He says flexing his hand. "Though I'm just glad you were there for her and our son, I hope you always will be."

Danny eagerly nods his head. "Always."

#greta van fleet #jake kiszka #greta van fleet fic #jake kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka fic #danny wagner #greta van fleet fanfic #dad!jake #uncle!danny #fluff #jake kiszka fluff #danny wagner fluff

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kryptonitejelly · 2 years

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Jake and babies/kids. That's it.

Whether they're his, nieces/nephews, or godchildren, you know Jake loves and adores the babies & kids in his life.

He'd have a whole football team worth of kids if you'd let him (you managed to talk him down to four but he's been dropping hints lately for maybe a fifth or sixth). Besides 'husband', 'dad' is the title he's proudest of having. He loves being a dad & taking care of his kids and absolutely hates it when people make the "dad's babysitting" jokes. He isn't phased at all by spit up, diaper changes, potty training accidents, or sick kids. When someone brings it up that they're surprised he's not freaking out during one of those situations, he just shrugs and says "It's a part of life."

And he'd totally be the fun dad and uncle. The zoo, museums, parks, Disney on Ice shows - he loves going on special outings with the kids. Always spoiling them by buying whatever souvenir or snack they want. He's also on board to play whatever made up games they want to play. And he's always down for a good tea party or just chasing them around the backyard.

It's not unusual to find him napping with a baby on his chest or a kid snuggled up against his side. It takes forever for your kids to get used to napping or sleeping by themselves because he just doesn't want to put them down. He's also usually wearing a baby carrier instead of using a stroller.

When the kids are bigger, he gets one of those running strollers and takes them out with him on his morning runs, letting you sleep in. If you wake up before he gets back, you sit on your front porch with your coffee to enjoy the view of him shirtless and pushing a stroller as he comes back down the street and up the driveway. He always gives you a cheeky wink and a "Like what you see, Mrs. Seresin?" when he sees you. If you're still asleep when he gets back from his run, he gets the kids dressed and fed so it's one less thing you have to worry about when you wake up.

He's also that dad that loves showing his friends and coworkers the latest pictures and videos he has of his kids. And no matter how often he takes his kids to work with him (he loves showing them all of the planes), Family Days at the base are always a favorite of his. 💙

homgggggggggggg thank you for this 🫠🫠🫠 dad!jake or uncle!jake absolutely gets to me 😌

He would absolutely hate the dad’s babysitting jokes 100% - because Jake believes all dad’s should be 200% involved. Whether you hc he comes from family with a shitty father or not I think this works - family with a shitty father? Jake will strive to be better. From a loving family - Jake will have had a good influence.

Everyone would totally think he would freak out at all these things - I mean look at him, always striving to be perfection, but they wouldn’t bother him. Just takes it in his stride.

I imagine that once he has kids - his helmet will have stickers. Weird sparkly ones, dino ones (sorry! idk if it is against regulations or not, but lets pretend for fandom sake it is ok). Even the back of his phone.

He’ll tape drawings to the inside of his locker :’) and people would ask him what is that, and he’ll be able to tell you in detail what the squiggles are.

Yess 🥺 whether uncle or dad, you’ll find him sitting with the kids with a tiny plastic cup in his hand at the pretend tea party, or just running around making them scream as he roars (think of that video homg). And he’ll just fall down at the end of it and let them climb all over him.

YES THE BABY CARRIER!!! And once whichever baby gets too big to be carried he would mope, and tell you “now we need another”.

I picture him as the crazy uncle / dad that is always tossing his kids / pushing them into the pool. And then of course after that he’ll come for you with a heheh >:)) on his face.

The shirtless runs with the stroller - hot damn, yes. All the neighbourhood moms would try to run with him - but he’ll entertain them for a while to be polite, and pick up the pace, leaving them behind - because he gets to go home to you.

Your kids love his pancakes more than yours - you totally pretend to be hurt about it, but it’s so cute you can’t really be mad about it.

Yesssss he takes the little buggers to work when he can - maybe one or two at a time because you can’t have 100000 children running about. And everyone loves them, because they won’t be shy at all (how can they? They are Jake’s kids) - and would be really chatty.

Each of his kids have mini flight suits, with patches that say “hangman’s son” or “hangman’s daughter” - gifted by his squad from the base.

Family days are when he gets to have ALL the kids and you there, and he loves it, loves that you all get to see what he loves. He also swells with pride when people tell him he has a beautiful family. Jake has pictures from family days over the years - where his family gets larger, his kids get bigger and bigger - and it’ll go aaaaall the way till he becomes old and grey with you + as he climbs up the ranks in the Navy.

And maybe, as the years and pictures go - some of his kids start to don their own real flight suits and uniforms, and it starts to include pictures of you both at their bases and with their own families :’)

#dad!jake #uncle!jake #jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x you #jake seresin x y/n #jake hangman seresin #hangman x reader #hangman x you #hangman x y/n #hangman seresin #jake hangman seresin x reader #top gun maverick #jake seresin imagine #not cm

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scottishaccentsareawesome · 4 months

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Hangman(in bed with Rooster):...This time, I really do need to go. Rooster: That's disappointing. Just five more minutes? Hangman(smirks): I know your "five minutes", Bradshaw...

#incorrect quotes #top gun maverick #hangaroo #hangster #sereshaw #original: the man from UNCLE #jake seresin #bradley bradshaw #hangman seresin #rooster bradshaw

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sysig · 8 months

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Second request: baby todd and Jake fluff perhaps? 💖

Day 12 - Little hands, my one weakness

#My art #Requestober #Vargas #Edgar #Jake #Todd #Uncle Jake! :D #It's funny ♪ I actually asked how Jake might react to baby Todd while I was still making a bunch of those doodles #But I never actually drew anything from it! Even though it's so cute!#I did fully intend to - so I'm glad I can now! :D Thanks for the reminder haha #Jake so nervous with Just how baby this baby is haha - he's so much bigger than this little one!#It's all well and good to hold Edgar - he's an adult! As much as he wants to give him a good hug haha #But little ones are just so fragile! It's nerve-wracking ♥ It's sweet hehe 💕#Babies are built tough - he'll be asking for uppies and spins and to be thrown around before you know it lol #I do love the idea of Edgar having not only a good support system as a single(?) parent -#Being able to ask Devi and Jake for help when he needs it and raises a family as a group! It takes a village #But also of him settling into the parent role and being confident in places that others aren't #He can be quite capable but he's also often prone to being kicked while he's down haha poor lad #Seeing him confident and happy to have someone to rely on and have Jake defer to him on I just jfdlsafjd ♥💕💖#Directing his hands in return <3 They uplift each other!! It can be so sweet

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iceman-maverick · 2 months

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"uncle mav + bradley over the years" fic

unmoored

Maverick, drifting in and out of his life. That’s what Bradley remembers most.

(Bradley and Maverick, in ten parts)

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my submission for the Insert Title Here 2024 collection :)

#i have beef with rooster for being unfair and overly cruel toward maverick considering he's like a WHOLE ASS adult by the time tgm happens #this fic was an exercise in me dealing with that and being nicer to rooster #because if brad cut off mav he also cut off ice which makes for some fucked up behavior re: ice's cancer #so yeah #this was fun but weird to write #im not sure if i hate it or not #icemav #iceman x maverick #top gun fanfic #tom iceman kazansky #bradley rooster bradshaw #top gun fanfiction #pete maverick mitchell #tg86 #my writing #jake hangman seresin #hangster #uncle maverick #mavdad

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oh-surprise-its-me · 8 months

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I watched some rodeos today so that means I desperately need to write about 20 year old non pilot Jake being a cowboy and terrifying his New York dads. (Here’s prequel to this fic)

Chris, David, Wolfman and Lucas are all up on the fences watching. They all are used to this kind of thing. Oh the joys of growing up in Texas.

Tom, Ron, and Hollywood are in the stands. They all keep flinching when people get tossed. Tom’s nails are digging into Ron’s arm. He gasps every time someone lands wrong. He can’t believe they let their kid do this.

They’re in Vegas. All things considered a fun trip. They all took vacation time for this. Promised that if Jake used his fake ID they won’t call him on it. This is the final day of four for the rodeo.

Jake’s good. Too good. Ron can’t stand to watch him most days. Terrified that their kid is going to slam his head and not get back up.

Lucas promises him that he’ll be over the fence first before anyone else can be. Ron supposes an ER nurse is better then the paramedics they’ve got on ground.

Jake is hopping in place. He can feel the energy of the stadium, he watches them put the bull in the corral, Hell Maker is his name. Jake slides his helmet on and climbs the fence. He settles on the bull.

He hears the announcer.

“And now. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin. He’s one of the best twenty year olds competing he’s got a real chance at winning this Frank.”

“You’re so right Shawn. His father rode in Texas circles, Chris Seresin is in the crowd tonight. We’ll remind y’all listeners that the Seresins have a long history in riding rodeo.”

Jake shakes off the nerves. He knows he’s best. He can make it twelve seconds. Has to.

As he’s flying through the air it’s in slow motion. He made it nineteen seconds. He beat the records in place. Jake is going to make his dads buy him so many drinks tonight.

He slams into the ground. He tucks and rolls. He leaps up and takes off for the siding. Makes it over right at the bull slams into the wall.

Suddenly Jake is being held in the air. He shrieks, David and Wolf have him on their shoulders. Chris and Lucas are standing grinning up at him. Chris opens his arms and Jake jumps down and into them.

“Baby you did so good. I’m so proud of you.”

Jake sees his pa and tata make their way over to him. He’s surrounded by everyone suddenly. He’s so overwhelmed. He has to blurt it out now or he’s going to explode.

“I think this is going to be the last pro competition I do. Gonna go to med school.” They all stare at him for a second. “I’m not going to stop riding. Just no more getting thrown off intentionally.”

Ron is the first to react. “Chickie thank god.” He scoops Jake into a hug. Tom hugs him from the side. Chris plucks the hat off Jake’s head and kisses his hair.

He’s then passed to all of his uncles. Lucas looks like he might cry. He holds Jake’s face for a second. “You’ll be incredible.” Jake grins at him. “Wanna be a nurse like you. Help people.” Lucas lets the tears go down his face now. David loops his arm around his neck.

Jake is grabbed by Hollywood and Wolfman, Holly is grinning at him. He passes over two hundred bucks. “What the fuck?” Wolf blushes. “We made a bet on which career you’d follow. Decided you’d get the money no matter what happened.” Jake laughs. He grabs the two of them into a hug.

A photographer comes over and asks to take a photo of Jake with his dad. Chris smiles and agrees. Women still practically faint for him at points. Ron and Tom smile at the two of them. Jake is every bit his dads son.

Jake ends up getting a trophy. He’s proud of it but is even more proud of the money he wins at slots two nights later. All of them insist he cheated. He didn’t he’s just lucky.

In his thirty’s he talks Bradley into going to the rodeo, Bradley thinks it’s insane that Jake’s dads let him do this. Jake points out Mav and Goose had Bradley up in planes when he was definitely too young.

Bradley leans over while they watch the kids rodeo, “our kids are never doing this.” Jake stares at him. They’ve barely talking marriage. Fuck, Jake wants kids with Bradley. He flushes, “okay. They’re learning how to ride horses though.” Bradley nods. He presses a kiss to Jake’s head. “Anything you want sweetheart.”

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