Princess Bubblegum

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For Princess Bubblegum Bella, see Groovy Girls § Candy Kingdom.
Princess Bubblegum
Adventure Time character
First appearanceAdventure Time (2007)
Created byPendleton Ward
Voiced byHynden Walch (series)
Paige Moss (pilot)
Isabella Acres (young in "Mortal Recoil", "Too Young", and Elements)
Livvy Stubenrauch (young in "Bonnibel Bubblegum")
In-universe information
Full nameBonnibel Bubblegum
Nickname"PB", "Peebs", "P-Bubs", "Bonnie", "Bon-bon"
SpeciesGum Golem (Candy Elemental)
GenderFemale
TitlePrincess of the Candy Kingdom
OccupationMonarch of the Candy Kingdom
Life scientist
FamilyMother Gum (parent)
Neddy (brother)
Gumbald (mechanical uncle)
Lolly (mechanical aunt)
Chicle (mechanical cousin)
Goliad (daughter)
Stormo (creation)
Earl(s) of Lemongrab (creation(s))
Chatsberry (past incarnation)
Pink Pond (alternate self)
Significant otherMarceline the Vampire Queen (girlfriend)[1][2][3]
HomeCandy Kingdom, Ooo

Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum (also called Bonnie or PB, occasionally P-bubs)[4][5] is a fictional character in the American animated television series Adventure Time and resulting franchise, created by Pendleton Ward. She is voiced by Hynden Walch.

Princess Bubblegum rules the Candy Kingdom, which other "Candy People" inhabit. She is good friends with the series' protagonists Finn the Human and Jake the Dog, first appearing with them in Ward's 2008 pilot. Bonnie's sexual orientation has not been officially confirmed. Reviewers have argued that she is either bisexual,[6] queer,[7] lesbian,[8] or a combination of some of the latter, as both live in a world where "sexuality is somewhat fluid".[9] In the series finale of Adventure Time, "Come Along with Me", Bonnie and Marcy shared an on-screen kiss,[10] confirming their relationship.

Character[edit]

Personality[edit]

Bubblegum is typically very kind and compassionate, having a strong sense of justice, though she shows a dark side when provoked. She is brilliant, responsible for creating the Candy People and various devices, including a miniature time machine. She is fluent in German and Korean, using the latter language to communicate with her friend Lady Rainicorn. Bubblegum is skeptical of magic, refusing to acknowledge it as anything other than “scientific principles presented like mystical hoodoo.”

Bubblegum's leadership is autocratic due to her subjects being extremely naive and childlike and without a guiding hand they'd quickly destroy themselves.[11] Bubblegum is highly protective of the Candy People and cares deeply for their safety, but is secretly strained by the pressures of ruling and expresses a desire for freedom. Following a near-death experience at the end of the second season, she starts to isolate herself and becomes overprotective of the Candy People, even exhibiting authoritarian tendencies temporarily in the fifth season such as installing multiple cameras in the kingdom and implanting tracking chips in every citizen. At the end of the sixth season, Bubblegum is deposed as ruler following an election, where she realizes she has made the Candy People too unintelligent. Following the miniseries Stakes, Bubblegum is reinstated as ruler and becomes less overprotective.

Characteristics[edit]

Bubblegum has light pink skin and long magenta "hair," which is made of bubblegum. Her usual outfit is a puffy-sleeved pink gown with purple trim, and her golden circlet crown with a turquoise jewel. Among many other outfits, she often wears a lab coat and glasses during science experiments. Additionally, Princess Bubblegum's crown has magic properties which protects her from the Lich's mind-controlling powers in the episode "Mortal Folly.".

Being made of candy, Bubblegum can deform and reform her biomass, through which she can regain lost body parts and fluctuate her biological age. She usually appears bodily to be eighteen years old, though her actual age is given as 827; she was born hundreds of years before the events of the series from a gum-like ooze, the "Mother Gum." Bubblegum temporarily becomes thirteen years old in the second season due to losing too much biomass after being attacked by the Lich.[12]

In the seventh season, Bubblegum discovers that she is an incarnation of the "Candy Elemental," the living embodiment of candy as one of the Adventure Time universe's four classical elements (fire, ice, candy, and slime). Like the Elemental, she can materialize various quantities of candy through her hands and communicate with past incarnations of the Elemental. When Bubblegum's elemental powers consume her in the miniseries Elements, she becomes psychically connected to all candy in the universe. She can transform others into candy, upon which they lose the memory of their life before their transformation.

Relationships[edit]

Bubblegum is close friends with Finn and Jake, with Jake occasionally being referred to as Bubblegum's "knight". Finn has a crush on Bubblegum in early episodes, often saving her from Ice King, though he eventually realizes she is too old for him and that she sees him like a little brother. But once they did kiss to make her older Finn is implied to have some residual feelings for a time afterward, over which his lack of closure causes some conflict as he starts a romantic relationship with Flame Princess. Bubblegum frequently tasks Finn and Jake with quests in service of the Candy Kingdom and is often seen socializing with them more casually. Finn refers to Bubblegum as one of his "best friends in the world".

Bubblegum has a strong bond and complicated history with Marceline. Though they are initially shown as hostile toward each other, they are implied to have a past romantic relationship in the third season. This history was later confirmed off-screen by Olivia Olson, Marceline's voice actress.[13] In the episode "What Was Missing", Bubblegum's most prized possession is revealed to be a t-shirt given to her by Marceline, a fact of which Marceline had been unaware. Bubblegum eventually trades the shirt for Marceline's beloved childhood toy, Hambo, in the episode "Sky Witch". In the season seven episode "Varmints", Bubblegum and Marceline reminisce about a past in which they would hang out and go on adventures together with more freedom, which they had eventually stopped doing. Bubblegum opens up to Marceline about the stress of her building responsibilities and laments that her obsession with work had previously caused her to push Marceline away.[14] They are shown as close and amicable throughout most of the series, despite their personalities often being at odds. By the time of the season seven miniseries Stakes, Bubblegum refers to Marceline as her "best friend", and expresses happiness when Marceline says that they will get to "hang out forever". In the final episode, they share a kiss after Marceline saves Bubblegum from GOLB, and are shown in a relationship in the epilogue. In Adventure Time: Distant Lands, the episode "Obsidian" focuses on the two's romantic relationship. It is confirmed that they were previously exes during the time of the main series, and several years after they are still together and live in Marceline's cave. The episode contains a love song titled "Monster" from Marceline to Bubblegum.[15]

While Bubblegum seems to have dated a male character named Mr. Cream Puff,[16] her exact sexuality, unlike Marceline's,[17] has not been confirmed. As such, reviewers have argued she is either bisexual,[18] non-binary,[7] queer,[7] lesbian,[19] or a combination of the previously mentioned, as both live in a world where "sexuality is somewhat fluid."[20]

Ice King has a strange fascination with Bubblegum and she is often the target of his kidnapping schemes and romantic advances; it is revealed that she reminds him of his fiancée Betty, whom he often referred to as his "princess." Bubblegum is frequently seen in the company of her close companion, Lady Rainicorn. Bubblegum is frequently depicted riding on Lady Rainicorn's back, and the two have a strong trust in each other. Bubblegum has a younger brother named Neddy, a "candy dragon" spawned alongside her from the Mother Gum. Neddy lives underneath the Candy Kingdom, where Bubblegum keeps him isolated, as he is very easily frightened. Bubblegum is highly protective of Neddy as she is with the other Candy People, claiming that Neddy is merely "built different... we just need to respect it". Most if not all citizens of the Candy Kingdom were created by Bubblegum. In "Bonnie and Neddy", Bubblegum states that creating the Candy People was one of the first things she did after ensuring Neddy's safety, and that she had missed the experience of being surrounded by others as she had been before leaving the Mother Gum. Due to their easily scared and childlike nature, Bubblegum's relationship with her citizens is equal parts ruler and caretaker, something which occasionally leads to exasperation on the monarch's part. Bubblegum's first creation was her "Uncle" Gumbald, whom she created after feeling lonely and desiring a companion. Gumbald originated the idea of a Candy Kingdom but became tyrannical and attempted to turn her into a simple-minded candy person using "dum-dum juice." Bubblegum shatters the bottle in his hand out of self-defense, and he turns into a punch bowl. Bubblegum also created an "Aunt" Lolly and a "Cousin" Chicle, who were also turned into Candy People by Gumbald. Bubblegum decides to become Princess of the Candy Kingdom and uses the "dum-dum juice" to bring the candy people to life. Near the end of the series, Gumbald, Lolly, and Chicle are returned to their prior forms and seek revenge on Bubblegum, though Gumbald and Chicle are turned back into Candy People. Lolly repents and reconciles with Bubblegum, helping her look after Neddy as seen in the epilogue. Bubblegum's other creations include the Earl of Lemongrab and two "candy sphinxes" named Goliad and Stormo.

A male counterpart of Bubblegum, Prince Gumball, exists in Ice King's "Fionna and Cake" stories. Princess Bubblegum enjoys science and talks to Lady Rainicorn in Korean. Prince Gumball is fond of baking. He has a friend named Lord Monochromicorn with whom he communicates using Morse code. Prince Gumball is voiced by Neil Patrick Harris and Andrew Rannells in Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.

Reception[edit]

Bubblegum's relationship with Marceline has generated some controversy. At a panel in 2014, Olivia Olson, who provides the voice of Marceline, mentioned that Ward told her the two "dated", though she later Tweeted "I like to make things up at panels. Y'all take my stories way too seriously".[21][22][23][24] A video produced by Frederator Studios to offer a "recap" of Adventure Time further implied that Bubblegum and Marceline were in a relationship; the video was removed from YouTube, inciting further controversy.[25][26][27] Bitch magazine saw Frederator's action as detrimental toward the acceptance of homosexuality in children's television.[25][28] Executive producer Fred Seibert later admitted that "we got wrapped up by both fan conjecture and spicy fanart and went a little too far" in making the video, which was meant to provide an outlet for input from fans.[25] Ward admitted he did not "really want to comment on it [because] it was a big hullabaloo."[29]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Swift, Andy (September 3, 2018). "Adventure Time EP Talks Bubblegum and Marceline's Series Finale Moment: 'There's Enough to Draw a Conclusion'". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  2. ^ Valdez, Nick (September 3, 2018). "Adventure Time Fans React to Princess Bubblegum and Marceline's Big Finale Moment". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  3. ^ Sava, Oliver (September 3, 2018). "Adventure Time Concludes with a Celebration of What Makes It So Special". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  4. ^ Orange, B. Alan. "SDCC 2011 Exclusive: Adventure Time Cast Interviews". Movie Web. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  5. ^ Adventure Time #9. October 2012. Published by KaBOOM!, a division of Boom Entertainment, Inc., Los Angeles, California, USA.
  6. ^ Curve Staff (September 25, 2020). "5 Best LGBTQ+ Characters On Kids TV And Why They Matter". Curve. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Fleenor, S.E. (June 19, 2019). "The awesome (and unexpected) queering of Adventure Time". Syfy. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Soussan, Arielle (July 15, 2019). "The 50 Most Relatable Lesbian and Bisexual Characters On TV". AfterEllen. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  9. ^ Zachary, Brandon (September 25, 2020). "Adventure Time's Princess Bubblegum & Marceline May Be TV's Best LGBT Romance". CBR. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020..
  10. ^ Fleener, S.E. (April 21, 2020). "An Adventure Time binge guide for Marceline the Vampire Queen". Syfy. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "An exceptionally weird Adventure Time has surprising political relevance". The A.V. Club. 26 January 2017.
  12. ^ Larry Leichliter (director); Cole Sanchez & Jesse Moynihan (writers) (May 2, 2011). "Mortal Recoil". Adventure Time. Season 2. Episode 26. Cartoon Network.
  13. ^ Karlan, Sarah (14 August 2014). ""Adventure Time" Actor Confirms Princess Bubblegum And Marceline The Vampire Queen Once Dated". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  14. ^ "Adventure Time brings the feels as Marceline saves Bubblegum from despair". The A.V. Club. 4 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-09-13. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  15. ^ Prine, Aaron (July 25, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands Announces Obsidian for HBO Max Featuring Marceline and Princess Bubblegum". comicbook.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  16. ^ Krell, Jason (June 6, 2014). "Finn Is Lost In The Darkness On This Weeks' Adventure Time". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on June 26, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  17. ^ Moen, Matt (August 5, 2020). "In Conversation: Rebecca Sugar and Noelle Stevenson". Paper Magazine. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020. ...people began to recognize Marceline as a bisexual individual
  18. ^ Curve Staff (September 25, 2020). "5 Best LGBTQ+ Characters On Kids TV And Why They Matter". Curve. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  19. ^ Soussan, Arielle (July 15, 2019). "The 50 Most Relatable Lesbian and Bisexual Characters On TV". AfterEllen. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  20. ^ Zachary, Brandon (September 25, 2020). "Adventure Time's Princess Bubblegum & Marceline May Be TV's Best LGBT Romance". CBR. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.See page 1 .
  21. ^ "Bubbline Shippers Rejoice: Adventure Time's Marceline & Princess Bubblegum Confirmed To Have Dated". www.themarysue.com. 9 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2016-07-10.
  22. ^ Potts, Andrew (21 August 2014). "Adventure Time's Marceline and Princess Bubblegum once dated, show's creator said". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  23. ^ Wu, Connie (August 15, 2014). "Adventure Time Fans Rejoice! Olivia Olson Confirms Marceline and Princess Bubblegum Dated". SheWired. Here Media. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  24. ^ Bradley, Bill (August 15, 2014). "'Adventure Time' Actress Confirms That Big Rumor We All Suspected". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  25. ^ a b c Seibert, Fred (2012). "Well I Completely Screwed Up". Frederator Studios. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  26. ^ Polo, Susana (September 28, 2011). "Did Adventure Time Just Admit To Lesbian Characters". TheMarySue.com. The Mary Sue, LLC. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  27. ^ Muto, Adam (September 29, 2011). "Could you explain what this whole Mathematical video thing did that was bad?". Formspring. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  28. ^ Johnson, Kjerstin (October 4, 2011). "Adventure Time Gay Subtext: "Spicy" or Adorbz?". Bitch. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  29. ^ Smith, Zack (February 13, 2012). "Adventure Time Creator Pen Ward Talks Before Season Finale". Newsarama.com. TechMediaNetwork. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
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