Bacon Pancakes

S4 E16: Burning Low

Adventure Time, 2010.

This episode isn’t just an exploration of adolescent emotions, romantic triangles, and the eternal question of “Can a flame burn forever?”— it’s also the episode that gave us bacon pancakes.

Yes, the iconic song sung by Jake as he whips up breakfast (“Bacon pancakes, makin’ bacon pancakes!”) is enshrined here, a siren call to kitchens everywhere. That earworm is almost enough to overshadow the rest of the plot—but then again, this is Adventure Time, where nothing is ever just funny or cute.

Written by Rebecca Sugar and Cole Sanchez—Sugar being the creative powerhouse who would later go on to create Steven Universe—this episode feels as emotionally layered as Finn’s attempts to stack bacon atop pancakes. Sugar’s influence shines particularly brightly in the quieter moments, the ones where the character dynamics shift without dialogue, just the subtlest eyebrow raise or flicker of flame. Fun fact: Rebecca Sugar is also the songwriter behind many of the show’s best musical moments, including this episode’s song, which, it’s worth noting, Jake sings entirely while frying bacon. A multitasker after our own hearts.

The story centers on Finn’s blossoming relationship with Flame Princess—a literal fire elemental who struggles with controlling her destructive nature—and Princess Bubblegum’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction to it. There’s tension, miscommunication, and a love triangle so hot it could scorch your TV. Bubblegum’s jealousy manifests as a paternalistic concern for Finn, warning him that Flame Princess could self-destruct if she feels too deeply, a fact that Finn, all swooning and lovelorn, naturally ignores. Meanwhile, Jake, bless his simple heart, narrates the chaos like an extremely chill Greek chorus, flipping pancakes as love burns all around him.

What sets Burning Low apart is its tonal balance: it’s deeply emotional without being melodramatic, and funny without ever undermining its stakes. The episode dives into some pretty heavy topics for a show ostensibly about a boy and his stretchy dog: emotional regulation, the nature of love, and whether protecting someone you care about means letting them grow or holding them back. And of course, it’s all delivered with the show’s signature blend of whimsy and existential dread.

If there’s a lesson to be learned here (besides the fact that you should absolutely make bacon pancakes sometime soon), it’s that love is complicated, messy, and occasionally flammable. And that’s okay. Finn’s willingness to learn, Flame Princess’s fiery self-determination, and Bubblegum’s eventual vulnerability all prove that even in the Land of Ooo, relationships require effort and understanding. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have some bacon pancakes waiting on the table when things get too intense.

Make it! Bacon pancakes from Martha Stewart.