What happened to Jake in ‘Adventure Time?’ His ultimate fate, explained

The bizarre and epic journey of Finn and Jake in Adventure Time came to an end, but their story of friendship still resonates today. Between battling monsters, chilling in the treehouse, or just traveling the universe, the two best buds were up for pretty much anything.

However, while Finn continues to show up, either as himself, or as the reincarnated Penelope, the question of what actually happened to Jake the Dog prevails. Is he still alive? Are he and Finn still going on quests together? We can find answers through numerous hints, as well as episodes of Adventure Time: Distant Lands and Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake. 

Is Jake the Dog still alive after Adventure Time?

Let’s fast forward to Adventure Time: Distant Lands, specifically the special episode titled “Together Again”. In this episode, we finally get answers to Jake’s fate– he dies of old age. In “Together Again,” Finn is reunited with Jake in the afterlife, and they embark on one final adventure to stop the villain New Death from taking over. Jake, who had already passed on and was chilling in the afterlife, seems at peace. He’s embraced the idea of death and is living his best afterlife– that is, until Finn convinces him to go on one last quest. Even though he’s passed on, he’s still the same Jake: full of fun, love, and a little bit of chaos. Throughout the episode, we see Finn struggling with the idea of letting go of Jake, while Jake is way more accepting of their new reality.

Similarly, Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake hints at Jake’s end, by bringing back one familiar face from the original show—Finn. Here, Finn is older and without his best friend. Indeed, the idea of Jake’s death may be heartbreaking, but it makes sense when considering the timeline of Fionna & Cake. While bringing Jake back would feel nostalgic, it would have been out of place, especially since the series is set in the future with an older Finn. But Finn and Jake’s legacy doesn’t end there. 

Fans may remember that in “Together Again,” Finn makes a wish to be reincarnated, and fans can spot his reincarnated form in the Adventure Time comics. In the comic, a new character named Penelope, who first appears in Adventure Time #25, is revealed to be Finn’s reincarnated form. Although we’ve seen Finn reincarnated, we have had no sight of Jake reincarnated yet. 

While this may leave us mourning the loss of Jake, it also reminds us of the everlasting bond between Finn and Jake, extending even beyond death. Fans can take solace in knowing that their adventures continue in some form, be it through reincarnation or in the afterlife. Jake’s fate may not be what some fans imagined, but it’s perfect for a character who never took life too seriously.