Where does ‘Fionna and Cake’ fit in the ‘Adventure Time’ timeline?

Fans of the beloved Cartoon Network series Adventure Time can rejoice in the fact that the thought-provoking and hilarious fantasy series has come back in the forming of the streaming exclusive miniseries Fionna and Cake. But for those who haven’t watched the show in a few years, it’s worth asking: When does this Max original revival take place in the overall timeline?

You would be forgiven for not immediately knowing when exactly Fionna and Cake takes place. This is because not only is the show known for the way it evolves characters over time, but this new adventure is touted as “a multiverse-hopping journey of self-discovery,” according to its synopsis.

The show juggles a variety of topics from the mundane to the fantastical, such as the struggle to afford vet care for Fionna’s beloved pet Cake. Or the former Ice King, Simon Petrikov dealing with the repercussions of becoming human in a magical world. The entire gang also faces a dangerous new threat throughout the course of the series.

When does Fionna and Cake take place?

What started as a story-within-a-story, Fionna and Cake brings to fruition the gender-swapped alternate reality that was previously only relegated to existing in the minds of other characters in the main Adventure Time series. Does that mean this show takes place in tandem with the mainline series? Not quite.

While you could argue Fionna and Cake takes place in a parallel universe to Adventure Time, the former actually does have a concrete placement in the timeline of the original show, which we can tell thanks to a few tell-tale signs that audiences have seen. For instance, the trailer featured an aged Finn with a beard, with Fionna and Cake set up as strangers from an exotic place. This all adds up to Fionna and Cake taking place considerably after the events of Adventure Time.

Throughout this series, a number of instances that affirm this have occurred about what has happened between Adventure Time and Fionna and Cake. Such events like Simon’s attempt in this series to perform a ritual to bring back his fiancée Betty, who disappeared after the events of the Adventure Time series finale. Or how audiences see the Candy Queen here, is actually an insane Princess Bubblegum, another character from the original series.

You can enjoy all the episodes of the 10-part series currently on Max.