This episode is the best way to do a high stakes episode of television and is, for my money, not only better than the finale, but better than any cartoon finale and any other action episode of adventure time.
This episode combines three plots all going on and intersecting at multiple points during the episode: the Lich and his escape attempt and eventual showdown with the hero's, Finn's father and his interactions with the duo, and the giant war and collapse of a civilization in the background. These plot lines all effect and develop each other at multiple points throughout the episode and are all concluded excellently
The Lich is portrayed in a more menacing and threatening way here then before or ever after. This episode follows his murder of prismo brilliantly and shows him kickstart the collapse of the citadel and indirectly cause the death of all of the guards. His monologue is also one of my favorite not only in adventure time but on of my favorite monologues in all of fiction with excellent writing and delivery. Although I understand why some people say the defeat of the Lich in this episode was underwhelming, I believe that turning the most despicable character in the show to one of the nicest was a brilliant choice that only adventure time could have pulled off that well.
As for Finn's father, he is my all time favorite villain of the series. The way that he's portrayed as a surprisingly realistic conman and deadbeat dad only hits harder with the added context of future episodes, and the future building of his lore turns him from an already brilliant static villain to a character with one of the most expertly written arcs in the show, which is made all the more impressive with how little screen time he's given over all. The contrast of Finn's extremely high expectations and his extremely underwhelming father is a prefect example of the absolutely brilliant writing that makes adventure time stand out among other cartoons. Martin also does the impossible task of having lines that simultaneously hit like a ton of bricks and are hilarious.
Both of these plot lines feed into and build up the slow background events of the inmates of the citadel slowly banding together and killing all of the guards, and then continuing to escape the prison. It's increasingly rare to see villains win in any way at all in modern media and to see it happen in a cartoon is all the more surprising and satisfying.
These three plots happen in succession and all build up to what I believe is the climax of adventure time, the moment that is foreshadowed from the end of the second season and never truly resolved until the finale. In a desperate attempt to keep his father from abandoning him once again, Finn clutches onto his father's spaceship and won't let go until his arm is ripped out of its socket with a sickening whip sound. This moment hits harder than any other moment in Finn's story and is miles above any other hardship a main protagonist in a children's cartoon has or ever will face.
Brilliant dialogue, brilliant storytelling, intense action, hilarious humor, and the climax of Finn's journey, escape from the citadel is adventure time at it's peak. It proves not only that animation can still reach new heights, but that adventure time truly is a work of art, and that as far as cartoons go, we are in an age of renaissance.
10/10.
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