#shermy

But in retrospect, it does really drive the point home about deconstructing the idea of having a specific person you're 'supposed' to be with. Like, when Fionna started chasing Phelix because she felt like they were 'supposed' to be together because of fate and souls and stuff, that seemed Clearly Obviously Wrong not just to the other characters, but also to the audience.

There were so many red flags that indicated to us that Fionna's thinking is misguided… if Phelix is willing to cheat on his girlfriend with Fionna that kinda makes him an asshole, Fennel is constantly emphasized as a nice girl and a sympathetic character, narratively, Hunter exists as a the more 'obvious' choice for Fionna' love interest, pursuing Phelix often has a clear negative influence on Fionna's character arc… everything about the way the story is constructed tells us Fionna should probably move on from Phelix.

And then you also add in the fact that the Audience doesn't even think that A Finn and A Flame are 'supposed' to end up together, regardless of what was the status-quo when Fionnaworld mundanenified.

So this is just a situation where it's very easy for the Audience to go "Oh, obviously, just because a relationship might've been 'fated' in the previous version of this universe doesn't mean it's supposed to happen now, clearly lol"!

And meanwhile, Cake and M-Cron weren't just an established couple in the previous version of Fionnaworld…

They are also counterparts to Jake and Lady, probably the most consistent and stable relationship in all of Adventure Time… one of the most consistent things in Adventure Time period…

A relationship that set in motion the fate of this universe for a thousand years in the future.

And M-Cron and Cake's relationship seemed to have been (accidently) ordained Fated by the Cosmic Owl…

And from a narrative perspective, it seemed to be going fine. They both had a clear interest in each other….

M-Cron seems to be a genuinely nice guy who wants to help and support Cake…

Everything here works to makes us, the audience, believe that these two are 'supposed' to end up together, no matter what. But…

Well, if the concept of fate is 'B.S.' and 'True Love' is complicated and no relationship is just ordained by Destiny... Well, sometimes life just takes an unexpected turn...

And if Jake and Lady and their multiversal counterparts aren't a Universal Constant Ship then… well… what the hell would it be?! except Bubbline

I think it was pretty clever and bold of the show, to demonstrate that it doesn't just go against the characters' preconceived notions of who is 'supposed' to be together, but can also make the audience confront their own.

Although to be honest, on some level I am kinda cheering for a Cake/Karmic Worm/M-Cron OT3 eventually. Like I'm not convinced that one awkward kiss in a very stressful situation proves that this relationship was totally dead… But on another level that might be part of the point? Not having One Destined Lover also means there is no one person in the whole world you could possibly be happy with and any other relationship is unsatisfying and subpar.

Maybe if Cake hadn't ended up in the Undergrowth when she did, she could've worked out all the difficulties and insecurities in her relationship with M-Cron and got that Happy Ending instead, awkward first kiss or not… but, that's just not what happened, chance (and her undying loyalty to Fionna) offered her a different opportunity at the right moment with a relationship she's more comfortable pursuing right now, making any future progress with M-Cron just a hypothetical possibility.

Just like "Would Finn and Flame Princess still be in love if 'Frost & Fire' hadn't happened when it did?" or "What if Jake met Prismo before he got with Lady?" is just a hypothetical possibility…

good show everyone