LGBTQ+ animation fans will be happy to know that Cartoon Network and HBO Max have recently announced that the Adventure Time franchise will continue with a 10-episode series titled Adventure Time: Bubblegum and Marceline. It will focus on the adventures and relationship of Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen.

The show is still in its early stages of development, but Variety has confirmed that previous Adventure Time executive producer Adam Muto will be the showrunner. The synopsis is as follows: “Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen journey across the farthest reaches of Ooo, encountering familiar faces and new dangers.”

Many millennials and Gen Zers grew up with the Cartoon Network series, and ever since it ended in 2018, the fandom has remained strong. It’s a show known for its unique characters, with Bubblegum and Marceline being favourites among the LGBTQ+ community.

From the start, queer fans picked up on unresolved romantic tension between the two characters, shipping them under the name ‘Bubbline’. This subtext is clear in the Season 3 episode ‘What Was Missing’, when Marceline sings ‘I’m Just Your Problem‘, revealing that they have a deeper emotional history.

Part of what made them such a perfect pairing was how their personalities played off each other, with Marceline being a rebellious punk and Bubblegum being an intelligent scientist. However, as Adventure Time is primarily targeted at children, for a long time, that queer subtext remained implied rather than directly addressed.

Their relationship developed further over the course of the show’s run, building ‘will-they-won’t-they’ speculation among fans. This is why it was such a big deal when they finally kissed in the series’ finale after Marceline saved Bubblegum from near death.

Their kiss subverted expectations because Bubblegum was often positioned as the love interest of the protagonist, Finn. It was a significant moment that showed that the creators weren’t going to resort to a heteronormative happy ending to avoid potential backlash from homophobes. If that wasn’t cute enough, the finale’s epilogue shows them cuddled up on a couch together.

 

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Adventure Time returned in 2021 with the HBO Max miniseries Distant Lands, and its second special, Obsidian, centres on Bubblegum and Marceline going on a new adventure together. The fruitiness is off the charts in this special as it delves into their past relationship struggles implied in the original show and features a heartwarming love song called ‘Monster‘.

In a 2020 interview with IGN, executive producer Adam Muto describes Obsidian as “Seeing where they would be a bit further down the road, because you have these dramatic moments but then what comes after?”

Since it was only a single special, the announcement of Bubblegum and Marceline shows that there is far more to be explored with these characters.

What makes Marceline and Bubblegum stand out in terms of LGBTQ+ representation is how their relationship normalises queerness in kids’ media. You only have to look at the far-right backlash from Pixar’s Lightyear depicting a kiss between two women to know that LGBTQ+ animation has been a hot topic. For young queer people especially, seeing this badass lesbian couple fight monsters can offer a much-needed source of comfort and empowerment.

With the new series on its way, now is the perfect time to watch the original show if you haven’t already!