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"His Hero" is the twenty-fifth episode in the first season of Adventure Time. It's the twenty-fifth episode overall.

Synopsis[]

Finn and Jake discover Billy, the greatest hero who ever lived, and try to help other people without using violence in their methods.

Plot[]

Finn and Jake are fighting a Swamp Giant, who has captured the Mini Queen. After falling down a long cliff, they beat up the Swamp Giant and save Mini Queen. As they were walking home, they find the sword of the greatest warrior that ever lived, Billy. After a series of flashbacks about Billy's greatest achievements, they try to remove the sword, which opens up Billy's cave. They walk in to find a much older Billy. When the heroes ask Billy to make him be their apprentices and fight monsters better, Billy says fighting monsters is a waste of time as they will always come back, so he tells Jake and Finn to help people without being violent. Finn and Jake take Billy's advice, and leave.

While they are walking, they run into a cobbler being chased by a dragon. The cobbler asks for help, but Finn and Jake tell they can only help if he has a non-violent problem. The cobbler says he is hungry, so they leave to go to make food for poor people. When they reach a town, they feed the townspeople free gruel, but Finn put too many stone-skin potions in the gruel thinking that it would help them become more tough, and the townspeople grow stone armor. The heroes decide to go take the cobbler's place while he goes to the dermatologist, and a woman going to a funeral asks for Finn and Jake to fix her shoe. They do, but the shoe becomes a weapon when Finn puts a magic nail in it. They later decide to be doctors, and do plastic surgery on Lumpy Space Princess so she can fit in her new swimsuit. The operation is successful, but Finn uses another magic nail and turns Lumpy Space Princess into a cyborg.

The heroes realize they suck at being non-violent, and believe to never be helpful. But the Swamp Giant makes a return when he tries to grind up an old lady, so Finn finally gives in and beats up the Swamp Giant and saves the old lady. Though they save her, Finn feels guilty as he betrayed Billy. The old lady makes him feel better by saying that he can help people with violence, because that was what he was born to do. They go back to Billy's cave, and tell him he was wrong, and they can help people by being violent. This fixes a hole in Billy's stomach, as his heart is repaired, and that Finn and Jake are his heroes. Billy kicks Finn and Jake out of his cave, and they run off laughing happily as Billy's old spirit returns.

Characters[]

Major characters[]

Minor characters[]

Flashback characters[]

Music[]

Locations[]

Trivia[]

  • This episode features the first appearance of The Lich, who will become the main antagonist of the series. Although here he is referred to by his old name, 'The Lich King'.
  • This episode also features the first appearance of Billy.
  • After Finn saves the Mini Queen, she writes "THANK YOU 4 SAVING ME, XOXO CALL ME" on his hand.
  • This is the first episode (and the only season 1 episode) to be banned from airing on Cartoon Network Australia and Philippines.
    • Although banned in Australia, this episode is called "Finn meets his Hero" in the episode information, but doesn't get shown.
  • Although barely visible, only the Snail's shell can be seen in this episode.

Episode connections[]

  • When Billy is shown beating the Lich, he is wearing his gauntlet, which was later stated in "Mortal Folly" to be the only known weapon that can harm the Lich.
    • Also in that same flashback, the Lich has both horns intact, but in "Mortal Folly", his right horn is broken. This is presumably the result of the fight with Billy.
  • The Swamp Giant reappears from the episode "Business Time".

Cultural references[]

  • The title card is a homage to fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer.
  • Billy's vow of non-violence is based on Ahimsa, a Buddhist/Jainist term meaning to do no harm. Ahimsa also means that non-violence is most essential religious duty for everyone.
  • When Jake turns into a balloon, he is similar to the Bubbles from Angry Birds.
  • "Nothung", the name of Billy's sword, is also the name of Siegmund and Siegfried's sword in Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung".

Storyline analysis[]

The lyrics of Billy's Song mention things Finn does later on in the series:

  • Who's the greatest warrior ever? - After Billy dies in "The Lich", Finn becomes Ooo's greatest warrior.
  • A hero of renown! - Finn becomes a hero of renown, and makes an alter-ego in "Davey" to get away from his fans.
  • Who slayed an evil ocean! - Finn conquered his fear of the ocean in "Billy's Bucket List."
  • Who cast the Lich King down! - Finn defeated the Lich in "Mortal Folly."
  • And that time the evil Fire Count captured a damsel fair. - Finn rescued Princess Bubblegum from the Ice King multiple times. (The Fire Count and Cotton Candy Princess are counterparts to the Ice King and Princess Bubblegum.)
  • Who saved her with such bravery she offered him her hair? - Princess Bubblegum gives Finn some of her hair in "To Cut a Woman's Hair."
  • Also... he fought a bear! - Finn confronted the Bear in "In Your Footsteps", something which, ironically, led to Billy's death. Alternatively, Finn fought Rap Bear in "Billy's Bucket List."

Production notes[]

  • This episode was originally titled "Finn Meets His Hero."[1] The episode is still called this in the Charter, AT&T U-Verse, Netflix, Hulu, Optimum, DIRECTV, Xfinity, and iTunes descriptions.
  • Billy said that the Mini Queen was probably dead after Finn and Jake rescued her. In the original storyboard she was taken by goblins after she left Finn and Jake.

Errors[]

  • When Finn saves the old lady, she is slightly larger than Jake. However, when they arrive at Billy's lair, she is smaller than Jake, as she is able to ride his buns (note: Jake did not size-change, as he is still the same size relative to Finn).
  • When Jake finds the sword, his nose runs along it. This would cut him, but it didn't (probably due to this being a show suitable for young children).
  • When Jake said, "You up for some serious plastic surgery?" there was probably supposed to be new logo saying "Surgery Time" with a medical tool going through "Time" instead of the original logo. This may or may not be an error. Therefore this is unknown.
  • When Finn and Jake first give LSP plastic surgery, they are wearing doctor outfits, but when they finish and walk outside, they have what they usually wear on.

Video[]

Censorship[]

This episode was refused to air on Cartoon Network Australia. See Censorship of Adventure Time on Cartoon Network Australia for more information.

Gallery[]

Official art[]

Background art[]

Screenshots[]

Storyboard panels[]

See Full Storyboard


References[]

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