BMO

Lore & Background

The Distant Lands specials originated during the production of Adventure Time's tenth season. Writers pitched storylines for longer formats, including one specifically focusing on BMO in space and another on Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship. Although production halted when the series was cancelled, these ideas were revived later by HBO Max and Cartoon Network to generate the four specials. The special "BMO" is part of this anthology, which follows the adventures of Finn and Jake in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo but shifts focus to new and returning characters. BMO, a dog with magical powers to change shape and size at will (wait, that's Jake; BMO is the sentient console), interacts with Y5 and Hugo in this space setting. The character serves as a bridge between the whimsical present and the show's history, appearing alongside other main characters like Princess Bubblegum, Marceline the Vampire Queen, and Finn.

In Their Own Story

The special "BMO" premiered on June 25, 2020, following a period where writers had initially pitched storylines about BMO in space during the show's tenth season. In this narrative, BMO encounters Y5, a character whose story is representative of coming out into one's identity and defining oneself with comfortable terms. The antagonist Hugo is characterized as a futurist akin to Elon Musk or Steve Jobs, serving as a satire of modern-day corporations and capitalists who destroy the world around them. Critics noted that the special hints at social commentary toward the end, referring to the destruction of Earth, resource management, and how certain human billionaires view space as an escape pod. Grace Z. Li of Vulture called the special "disappointing" despite praising BMO's performance, while Dave Trumbore of Collider critiqued the pacing as rushed regarding story beats.

Reader's Guide

BMO appears in Adventure Time: Distant Lands, a limited series developed by Adam Muto and produced by Frederator Studios and Cartoon Network Studios for HBO Max. The character is voiced by Niki Yang, who returned from the original series. For this special, new cast members included Glory Curda as Y5 and Simone Giertz as CGO, both of whom were fans before joining. The creative team featured Adam Muto as executive producer, with Miki Brewster serving as supervising director. Jenny Goldberg was art director from June to September 2019, followed by original series art director Sandra Lee. The special is one of four hour-long episodes in the anthology, designed to explore new and returning characters in unexplored areas of the universe.

Did You Know?

• Niki Yang returned as the voice of BMO for the Distant Lands specials.
• Glory Curda, who voiced Y5 in the "BMO" special, was already a fan of Adventure Time before joining the cast.
• The storyline focusing on BMO in space originated during the production of the show's tenth season but was paused when the series was cancelled.
• "BMO" premiered on June 25, 2020, as the first of four hour-long specials for HBO Max.
• Critics noted that the character Y5 represents coming out into one's identity and defining oneself with comfortable terms.