Ice King

Lore & Background

The Ice King's backstory is revealed in the third season two-part special "Holly Jolly Secrets," where it is disclosed that Simon Petrikov was an antiquarian who purchased a magical crown from a dockworker in Scandinavia. The crown gradually turned his skin blue and made him act erratically, causing his fiancée Betty Grof to leave him. Despite this influence, the crown allowed him to survive the apocalyptic Mushroom War roughly one thousand years before the series began. In episode 25 of season four, "I Remember You," Simon is shown meeting Marceline the Vampire Queen when she was a young orphan, helping her survive the war's fallout while his own mental health rapidly degenerated. He wrote her an apology letter for actions he might take once he no longer remembered her. The episode "Simon & Marcy" further reveals that Simon reluctantly began wearing the crown specifically to use its power to protect Marceline, eventually leaving her out of fear that the insanity would cause him to hurt her.

In Their Own Story

Throughout the series, the Ice King's powers are manipulated by various forces, leading to significant turning points. In "Ricardio the Heart Guy," his heart escapes his body and attempts to seduce Princess Bubblegum; after being defeated, it is returned to him. Later, in "Betty" (season five, episode 48), his powers are taken by Bella Noche, an anti-magic creature. Stripped of the crown's influence, Simon regains his memories but begins to die without its life-sustaining properties. With Marceline's help, he creates a time portal for Betty to save him, leading her to defeat Bella Noche and restore him as the Ice King. In the series finale "Come Along with Me," Betty uses the power of the deity GOLB to strip Simon of his powers permanently, freeing him from the curse inside GOLB. Afterwards, his penguin Gunter absorbs the crown and becomes the "Ice Thing." In Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, a struggling Simon attempts to summon Betty but accidentally summons Fionna and Cake instead, leading to a multiverse journey where Golbetty prevents him from re-wearing the crown.

Reader's Guide

The Ice King is characterized as an elderly man with blue skin caused by his magical crown, which grants immortality and control over snow and ice. Originally introduced as "evil but incompetent," he is prone to misanthropy, depressive episodes, and anxiety over his body image. His behavior is described by voice actor Tom Kenny as that of a "very real psychopath" who does not understand why his actions are wrong. The show's creator, Pendleton Ward, viewed him as a "pathetic" character whose sympathetic backstory allows audiences to fall in love with the villain. Critics have noted the crown's influence as a complex depiction of Alzheimer's and bipolar disorder, highlighting episodes like "I Remember You" and "Simon & Marcy" as some of the show's best. While initially receiving lukewarm reception, his development into a tragic figure was widely acclaimed. In Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, Simon struggles to adjust to life without magical powers and feels uncomfortable with the popularity of fan fiction he wrote while under the crown's influence.

Did You Know?

• The character was first voiced by John Kassir in the short film "Adventure Time" before Tom Kenny took over for the television series.
• Journalist Neil Strauss noted similarities between Ice King and creator Pendleton Ward, including "Trotsky glasses," a large beard, and a desire for social interaction.
• In the episode "Ricardio the Heart Guy," the Ice King's heart escapes his body, takes on anthropomorphic features, and is named Ricardio by George Takei.
• Simon left Marceline the Vampire Queen out of fear that the crown would eventually make him hurt her.
• In the series finale, Betty Grof absorbs the powers of Magic Man in an attempt to cure Simon, but ultimately merges with GOLB to become "Golbetty".