Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 2 Episode 2 Review: The Crocodile Who Bit a Log

As Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 2 slowly, yet surely, picks up from where we last left off, Season 2 Episode 2 “The Crocodile Who Bit a Log” gives us more insight into Huntress Wizard’s power. Though it does build the stakes of what we can expect, it also feels like Fionna and Cake’s situation is going in circles, at least for now.

Given how Season 2 is more focused on building the ground between what we might not know, Fionna’s circumstances almost take a backseat this time. Instead, what we’re treated to is an intriguing look into Huntress Wizard’s physical, and magical, development.

Although, that isn’t to say that Fionna’s story about helping her friends, Gary and Marshall, isn’t important. There are certain elements that propel that storyline forward, but in ways that make it feel a bit slow.

Of course, the heist that Fionna, Cake, Gary, and Marshall put together in the beginning puts some kick into the episode. There’s some comical action and chasing done about with Kheirosiphon making his surprise return from Season 1. Turns out even sacred deities can’t escape the complications of life’s slight annoyances!

This heist is pretty much what makes up for Fionna and Cake’s story in this episode, similarly to how Season 1 Episode 2 mainly focused on Simon’s perspective. Though, the back-and-forth confrontations that Fionna has, even as she brings the Peppermint Tank back around, do provide some lighthearted fun.

This side of “The Crocodile Who Bit a Log” is mostly played up for stereotypical shenanigans to add some of that Finn/Fionna bravado. Unlike Season 1 Episode 2, this episode emphasizes on exploring that untapped lore about how Huntress Wizard got her powers rather than focusing on the now.

This is done through both introductory flashbacks and the present moments with what Huntress Wizard is contending with. In a mosaic-like  flashback, we’re shown how Huntress Wizard lived her “lone wolf” lifestyle. However, all of this turned out to be a ritual involving the Green Wizards, guardians of the Heart of the Forest.

Up to now, the Heart of the Forest only felt like a forgotten plot device all the way back in Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 1. It felt like it was nothing more than a MacGuffin, but now, it’s managed to become the centerpiece of Season 2 almost in its entirety. Though, you can’t assume the importance of what is and what will be in Adventure Time.

This seems to be the case for Huntress Wizard: what seemed like something that could be dismissed actually has great importance now. Furthermore, the reveal that the “Heart of the Forest” is actually a dormant, possibly primordial, creature also holds some emotional weight. 

Although, what comes after Huntress Wizard’s bout adds onto the weird surrealism that made us fall in love with this spinoff in the first place. She gets displaced in this forest-y web of roots that are connected to other worlds, though it’s unexplained how this “world between worlds” works.

All there is to know is that Huntress Wizard’s essence gets split up into seeds that disperse into different universes, like how Jake cut the Lich’s hand in Adventure Time, only on a smaller level. Still, it almost feels unusual to see Huntress Wizard at, what might be, her lowest point. Though, the consequences to be felt remain to be seen.

All of this comes back around in terms of Huntress Wizard’s story this episode. She sought to go independent and out for herself, only to be faced with an entirely messed up situation of her own doing. It shows that, in some way, her care for others, like Finn, can go too far.

It’s that trait of untested, fierce loyalty within the character that makes Huntress Wizard an intriguing character. She does have her own emotions and way of handling those things, but watching her do what she can in a near-volatile manner poses some interesting questions to ask later.

Overall, Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 2 Episode 2 confidently builds upon Huntress Wizard’s character in a way that tests her strengths, but at the cost of putting the titular duo in the backseat. While it slightly feels nostalgic of that Season 1 episode, its method of balancing both stories to create more emotion feels can make you feel somewhat unfulfilled.

Still, given how we’ve been waiting to learn more about Huntress Wizard, I’d say that Season 2 Episode 2 has successfully done its job.

Stray Thoughts:

• It was actually nice to see the Spirit Dream Warrior make his return in that flashback since his history with Huntress Wizard was briefly mentioned way back when.
• The fight between Huntress Wizard and the Witch Wizard (who was the bear back in Season 1) did a good job showing more of the Wizards’ abilities and range too!
• There’s some suspicion to believe that the way that these root-like gateways work similarly to how Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse addressed its connection to the MCU’s multiverse.
• Also, I’m very happy we’re getting more Princess Bubblegum and Marceline involvement too!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

—

New episodes of Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Season 2 release Thursdays on HBO Max.

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!