Adventure Time - Season 5 Episode 46 - Recap - Rattleballs
Adventure Time - Season 5 Episode 46 - Recap - Rattleballs
Cartoon Network has found a real hit with Adventure Time, their hit fantasy action show that has hit strong across lots of demographics. This week's episode is a bit of a sequel to last week's, but don't worry too much if you're behind. The story is mostly self-contained, with just a few references that are pretty self-explanatory.
Finn owns up to his recent slacking in his duties as the Candy Kingdom's prime hero. He overeagerly rededicates himself to the cause, getting in Princess Bubblegum's way. She orders he go take a rest and just chill out, so he heads to the junkyard to practice with his new sword. There, he meets a mysterious hooded figure, a gumball machine swordmaster known only as Rattleballs.
Rattleballs shows off some cool sword moves, but refuses to teach Finn the ways of the sword. His hacking cough gets up Finn's empathy, though, and when Finn helps unlodge a stuck gumball, Rattleballs agrees to teach him sword combat. Finn's technique improves, but he can't really compete with a decades-old trained warrior who is also a robot programmed for fighting. Finn gets curious and asks where Rattleballs came from.
Rattleballs tells a tale of the Candy Kingdom long ago, when the Banana Guard was still green (literally) and the kingdom was in chaos. Princess Bubblegum commissioned an elite squad of robot cops, but when they solved all crime, they turned to underground fighting rings. Their violent nature led to PB destroying the lot of them, with only Rattleballs defying his programming to escape. Rattleballs begs Finn not to tell the Princess and the two part ways.
Finn, sworn in service to the Princess, immediately betrays Rattleballs' trust. PB brings the entire Banana Guard to destroy Rattleballs, but he defeats them easily (and non-lethally). The old warrior has truly given up his bloodlust. PB fakes his death so she won't look weak to the guards, but allows Rattleballs to protect the Candy Kingdom in secret, newly dubbed Sir Rattleballs.
This was a cool follow-up to last week's new sword episode, while also filling out some of the world's backstory. I like episodes that center on Finn, but it can be a bit weird when there's no Jake to balance his wackiness. Anyway, good episode overall, even without Jake!