Sky Witch
Marceline and Bubblegum confront Maja the Sky Witch.
"Sky Witch" is the twenty-ninth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Adventure Time. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on July 29, 2013, and was written and storyboarded by Ako Castuera and Jesse Moynihan. The episode guest stars Jill Talley as the eponymous Sky Witch. In this episode, Marceline enlists Princess Bubblegum's help to track Maja the Sky Witch, leading to a confrontation that reveals Marceline's ex-boyfriend Ash sold her beloved stuffed animal Hambo to Maja. The episode was met with critical acclaim, with reviewers commenting on the series' approach and presentation of Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship. It was watched by 2.075 million viewers.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Adventure Time
- Production
- 1014-138
- Season
- 5
- Episode
- 29
- Story
- Kent Osborne
- Pendleton Ward
- Jack Pendarvis
- Adam Muto
- Jesse Moynihan
- Writer
- Ako Castuera; Jesse Moynihan
- Director
- Nate Cash; Nick Jennings
- Air date
- 29 July 2013
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Marceline arrives at the Candy Kingdom and asks Princess Bubblegum to help track down Maja the Sky Witch, suggesting it will allow them to spend quality time together. Bubblegum agrees, and they journey to Maja's trap-filled lair. Bubblegum learns that Marceline seeks her teddy bear Hambo, which Marceline's ex-boyfriend Ash traded to Maja for a magic wand. Bubblegum is annoyed by Marceline's concern over a teddy bear, but Marceline runs deeper into the lair thinking she sees Hambo. Bubblegum follows and confronts Maja. Maja later muses that the shirt has more psychic resonance and can be used for something big.
Production
The episode was written and storyboarded by Ako Castuera and Jesse Moynihan from a story by Kent Osborne, Pendleton Ward, Jack Pendarvis, Moynihan, and Adam Muto. Art direction was by Nick Jennings, and supervising direction by Nate Cash. At Pendarvis's request, Moynihan and Castuera included a reference to the 1973 film Don't Look Now, though Pendarvis later said the reference was transformed and no longer an allusion. Marceline's outfit was based on an American Apparel model that Moynihan and Castuera had seen, which they exaggerated for the show. Jill Talley voiced Maja; she is married to series voice actor Tom Kenny. Chris Houghton, a cartoonist for the official Adventure Time comic book, was hired for freelance work, drawing finalized versions of Maja and key frames. Background artist Santino Lascano noted it was fun to design new locations for the episode, and Maja's totems were designed to resemble real-life sculptures by Castuera.
Reception
"Sky Witch" first aired on Cartoon Network on July 29, 2013, and was viewed by 2.075 million viewers, scoring a 1.3 Nielsen rating, meaning it was seen by 1.3 percent of all households watching television at that time. It was the most-watched Cartoon Network episode for the week of July 29 to August 4. Sonia Saraiya of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" and called it "awesome in every way," praising how it showcased Marceline and Princess Bubblegum's developing friendship by pushing together two characters who are both terrible at showing vulnerability. Some critics argued the episode officially recognized a relationship between Marceline and Bubblegum, unofficially called "Bubbline." Dana Piccoli of AfterEllen.com wrote that the episode appeared to shift Bubbline from subtext to canon, and Ali Osworth of Autostraddle argued it was evidence the show was moving toward canonizing the relationship. On his website, Moynihan stated that the meaning of the episode is open to interpretation and that a writer does not have more authority over meaning than the audience.
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