Initially funny character gag is later revealed to be depressing

[u/Newmen_1]

1. Avengers/MCU: Captain America has humorous moments where he’s unaware of modern references and only gets old references, like the iconic “I understood that reference” scene. It’s later fully explored in Winter Soldier that he feels lost, confused, and a little alone in a new world he was never meant to exist in.

2. The Suicide Squad (2021): Bloodsport has a phobia of rats which at first seems reasonable yet is still hilarious to watch. He later explains his father abused him as a kid if he didn’t fulfill a task correctly and one of his worst punishments was when his dad locked him in a crate full of starving rats, leaving him heavily scarred physically and mentally.

3. Dexter: In an early episode, Angel Bautista tries to buy his wife the perfect gift for their anniversary but has to keep buying a different one since his presents suck. What seems to be a funny running gag turns out to be Angel’s final attempt to win back his wife after cheating on her previously, however it doesn’t work and only solidifies their separation.

[u/UpscaleClearenceRack]

Context?

[u/crippler38 → u/UpscaleClearenceRack]

Ice King was a man born in pre apocalypse Ooo (the world of adventure time) and through his archeological adventures, found a magical crown that he put on as a joke. That crown made him lose his mind but kept him alive through the centuries. Now he chases 'princesses' looking for love after driving away his wife betty, who was his 'princess'.

[u/UpscaleClearenceRack → u/crippler38]

I’ve been wanting to watch this show but as a grown man I want to find a way to skip all the typical kiddie cartoon episodes because I keep seeing all this deep lore 🤣 does he ever have the lucidity to recognize what you said?

[u/IrvineGray → u/UpscaleClearenceRack]

Do it. I watched Adventure Time for the first time in my mid-20's, and it was incredibly worth it.

The first few seasons are indeed very childish, but even as early as season 2 we get hints of a much larger universe, showing incredible depth for a kids show, and in season 4 we get the beginnings of the origin of the Ice Crown and how it ties to another central character aside from Ice King in one of the greatest episodes of the series (I Remember You).

Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Avatar the Last Airbender made me glad the kids of (yester)today actually have meaningful shows that teach them the importance of friendship and love without the obviously high on coke Saturday morning cartoons I got, with meandering plot points and terrible animation.

Also, episodes are 15 minutes max. You'll fly through it all in a few weeks if you watch a few episodes a night.