The Meaning of Finn's Journey in "The Hall of Egress" (Adventure Time)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 พ.ค. 2024
- "The Hall of Egress" is one of the most abstract and open to interpretation episodes of Adventure Time. I dive into the deep end to dissect this episode from my personal perspective to expose what I think the episode means and represents. I explain potential allegories, discuss meanings, overlay the episode onto the Hero's Journey, and compare it to a couple other fictional works that jumped to mind while I was constructing this explanatory analysis.
Check out my follow-up video on the phrase "At the seashell's center lies the cornucopia's smallest door":
• Adventure Time Analysi...
Check out my review of the episode "The Hall of Egress":
• Adventure Time Review:...
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - Three Attributes
02:20 - Allegories
06:52 - Coming of Age
13:17 - FLCL
14:26 - No More Heroes
16:13 - Hero's Journey
18:31 - Bubblegum's Words
Music:
"Island Song (Adventure Time Ending Theme) - Instrumental - Acoustic Guitar" by A Step Of The Moon HQ
"Adventure Time Ultimate Piano Medley (Synthesia)" by PandaTooth
"Island Song (Adventure Time Ending Theme) - Instrumental - Electric Guitar" by A Step Of The Moon HQ
"Bran-new Lovesong (FLCL Soundtrack)" by The Pillows
"Hell on Bare Feet (No More Heroes Soundtrack)" by Masafumi Takada - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
Check out my follow-up video on the phrase "At the seashell's center lies the cornucopia's smallest door" for more discussion and analysis:
th-cam.com/video/n_pf3MW_vaQ/w-d-xo.html
Uncivilized Elk I hope you get a million subscribers some day
you know a show is deep when the analyzation of a episode is longer than the episode
enclave315 yeah...
*nods slowly, gradually becoming faster*
analysis* yea
* 2x longer
Not really. I could spend an hour analyzing an episode of Chowder. Doesn't mean Chowder is deep. What really makes it deep is the meaning of what's being analyzed.
I found this episode terrifying on a personal level. I could only imagine how horrifying this situation would be if it happened to me.
+Nicholas LaRosa
Yeah, I mention in my review how this gave me the same sort of psychological fear as Marble Hornets did.
+Nicholas LaRosa Only if you take it literally. These dungeons and locked doors and blindnesses are all metaphors for understanding.
+Chazbot
But it _should_ be taken literally as well. A story cannot be purely metaphorical/allegorical, it inherently has a literal component mixed in to be a story in the first place, no matter how abstract the story might be (usually never an issue for cartoons, more of an issue in things like "art films" and whatnot).
"The Hall of Egress" is far more enjoyable when watched with an eye for nuance, subtext, symbolism, and the rest (at least for me, and I hope for most people), but it can also be watched purely on the surface layer and still be an enjoyable experience. And that surface layer of this episode was indeed quite frightening, and while I don't mix that psychological fear into the deeper analysis performed in this video, I certainly could do that and I think it could fit in quite well with the allegories I described.
I dunno. Most people would go mad reliving the same day, month, year over and over. How many times did Finn endure his Groundhog Day? Ten times? A hundred? A thousand? Doctor Who did the same idea as a almost literal hell that took a billion years to endure. I can see why it's scary because if it's taken as a literal experience, you would go mad. Quite fast, actually, Nothing makes you go mad like repetition.
I agree that kids don't deal with symbols directly but the reality is hell and the foundation of most nightmares.
Chazbot
"the reality is hell and the foundation of most nightmares"
Which, incidentally, is how quite a few people describe their teenage years, haha.
I think there's something to be said about Finn's reaction to finally seeing Jake again. Learning how to be grateful for who and what you have in your life is a really important part of growing up, and Finn's pure joy seriously made me feel lucky to have friends and family in my life.
So true
The army is teaching me this rn
7 year s late and watching fionna and cake and seeing finn still using the blind fold, it hits you harder realizing how much the hall of egress affected him.
Also from how I see it, Simon kinda went through the same way.
While Finn wasn’t able to verbally explain it instead of just temporary letting go of his old identity/past and go with the flow.
I had a thought about how this episode was the only time he was living without Jake before he passed and since it was his only experience with that situation he just travels that way now.
When finn is lost, he intentionally blinds himself, such law of the attraction awareness I find, hoping he may see Jake again? Hmmm
This episode was so terrifying. The fear of having so much of your life erased just by opening your eyes. 0_0
-_- --> O_O
+sgriff09
⊙-⊙
*It scared the s--- outta me!* Excuse my language, my apologies
IvettaB To me it's more sad
IvettaB NO 0_0 CUVER YOUR EYES
The snowman has his "gut" above his "head" so maybe , to exit the dungeon you have to believe in your guts and not reason?
Yagiz Tunceli yeah maybe...
That's a cool way to look at it.
Maybe it was the dungeon's (and the universe's) way of telling Finn his personal flaw; "his gut over his head."
at first i thought he would need to flip the snowman upright
that une Yeah I also thought so but we are actually wrong. Haha
So my question is, if Jake had entered rather than Finn, would he have experienced something completely different?
Lauren Bennett Ooh, that's a good question.
Lauren Bennett good question...
Well Finn's journey through the Hall of Egress, in my opinion, is just one big fancy visual representation of him going through the final stages of puberty and becoming a young adult -- since Finn goes into the Hall of Egress as a juvenile but comes out as a young adult.
So if Jake, who is not only Finn's older brother but also a father and husband and therefore an adult, were to enter the Hall of Egress instead of Finn I'm guessing it wouldn't work for him because Jake had already found his own, personal Egress out of his youth as he is already an adult. Even though he does act childish at times, he does know when to get serious and take responsibility and action when something is going or about to endanger his loved ones, sort of like an adult! But that's just what I think.
Ironic Iconic Sure, if the hall of egress applies specifically to a coming-of-age-style growth and change. But why should it? Jake maybe has something he can egress from. Or something. Lol I dunno it’s why I asked. :p
Jake couldn’t enter the dungeon. Remember, he didn’t know Finn was in there and couldn’t see the outside of the cave, so only Finn was able to enter
I wonder how mentally or spiritually old Finn is. Considering episodes like Egress and Puhoy, and others... he must have a very old soul. I think it's what makes Finn, Finn. I think it's why he's such a great, caring, and wise hero by the end of the series.
I'm just curious how much he's concious of, how much actually affected him directly, and how much he doesn't directly remember but affected him on a deeper level.
This made me think of the episode where he remembers he used to be that one armed lady with the white tiger.
So I don’t know much about Finns past lives but from what I gathered his soul was around since before or the start of the great mushroom war. (I haven’t had the opportunity to actually watch the show in order, only clips for yt) But from what I remember he was either a butterfly, or a comet, or both, and he has many many lives.
Plus all his past lives!! The first one he remembers being is the catalyst comet. He is ANCIENT
Part of Adventure Time's central point is that this is what being a person is really like. We conceive ourselves as solid, immutable, singular, but we are in fact constantly morphing, reiterating, spinning off into dark or whimsical variations, adapting to different places, different thoughts, different worlds, enmeshed with the past and future of the universe we are experiencing. Finn discovers what few do: that he is just as great of a mystery to himself as the world around him is. Past lives, forgotten mystical experiences, erased timelines ("Is this why all of a sudden I was really good at the flute?"), the inexplicable curse of his right arm, his heritage as a human, fear-demons in his stomach, others selves he must struggle and reconcile with, astral projection abilities, colorblindness--the landscape of Finn the Human is just as wild and unexplored as that of the Land of Ooo. And so too are we, the creatures of infinite imagination, each an uncharted, fantastical continent all to our own.
You can check him out in distant lands
"everything stays but changes ever so slightly"
MIND BLOWN
Ikr! I love how that ties into the theme.
Daily and nightly
in little ways
When everything staysss
Let’s go in the garden
You’ll find something waitinggg
Right there were you left it
Hanging up...side down
Finn at the age of 16, is a more complete, experienced and wise man as I could ever wish to be. I know it's a fictional character but the simple idea of knowing that a character like this could be created gives me chills and a vague idea on how much we could grow intellectually.
problem was, he was a wreck in relationships, he became inconsiderate,but he started to become a man.
I believe adventure time isnt just about a boy his brother a magic dog, as they fight monsters and save princesses, its about growing up, Finn is in puberty, he occasionally is arrogant, but he learns to grow and become a man, he learns from his mistakes, he learns things he never did.
Arturo Rincon i like dank memes sir
He is a wise man now
he’s a gone man now
@@shok5045indeed as he's strong and wise as I'm very proud of him. I been training him since I took him as my apprentice (my version of master-apprentice relationship like Star Wars as oart of the Jedi). As he became more mature hero as far greater Jedi than I hope I imagine. 😊
Finn’s maturity in this episode really stood out to me, even before watching this ep. I had zero clue what the allegory was, but I could tell something beautiful was happening just by seeing how this kid handled such a mind bender of a problem with patience, understanding and tenacity.
PB;
"Keep it simple, stupid"
and "Some times less is more".
Waffleman2957 not in the episode dipshit, its one of her most famous quotes
Hall of Egress got an Emmy nomination!
Really? Woah!
@@PauI123 yeah and the show has actually won several Emmys and other awards.
As it should
@@inkeriananas liar
@@Onepieceistheworstfuckinganime Excuse me
Here is the meaning of the phrase "At the seashell's center lies the cornucopia's smallest door"
-- The cornucopia is a source of endless abundance. While normally this abundance is tied to the fruits of the earth, but it call also mean spiritual abundance.
-- Doors represent access. So the smallest door is the smallest access.
-- The hard one was pegging down what the seashell means symbolically, but I finally tracked it down. The seashell represents spiritual evolution. Movement from outward to inward in the spiral represents movement from the contemplating of the external world to the internal world.
So basically the statement means "Self contemplation is a small or slow source of revelation, but it is also ultimately limitless."
Beautiful
+Do not. Just don't. Thanks. The first two were easy to figure out, but I had to wade through a lot of shit to figure out the meaning of the seashell. Most of it didn't make sense or was about how Christians like to collect sea shells on pilgrimages. I finally found a site on Celtic mythology that gave me the final piece. Once I had that the phrase suddenly made perfect sense.
Finn's method of solving his problem relied on his self. It was slow, but ultimately fruitful. The statement fit the theme of the episode perfectly.
+TC Coltharp I disagree yo :) It is basically a metaphor for Fins departure from teenage-hood and his acceptance of beginning manhood. The poem at the end is meant to be a nice castoff, it’s a ‘goodbye teenage years here comes manhood!’ Here’s the logic behind the theory:
So when it says, “At the seashell’s centre lies the cornucopia’s smallest door.” it means…
If you look at a seashell (the spirally looking ones), you will notice that they all begin from the centre then spiral out, to form a complete seashell. The fully formed seashell looks like an empty cornucopia. (‘Cornucopia’ is an old word which basically means; a horn that holds good things such as fruits). So what’s the connection here? Well, Fin began his journey to manhood by taking baby steps. He had to repeat the hall of egress over and over again, but then he learnt how to overcome it. His development built like a seashells spiral. It started small but then it eventually formed the final product - a full shell or a man, in Fins case. The seashell shape is an empty cornucopia.
So when Fin is running happily through that dreamy sky maze at the end, it’s basically saying that he entered his journey via the ‘smallest door’ (the tiny bit of the seashell where the spiral begins). In the end, he has become a man. His is like a fully formed empty cornucopia, ready to be filled with good things, the fruits of life, so to speak. He is ready for all the good experiences of being a man - and he should rightly so, be happy. :)
+cameundermayne The reference to a door does not fit anyway where in your explanation. There is no door in the center of an actual shell. And the statement relates cornucopia to the center of the shell, not the whole shell. And comparing a shell to a horn is just pattern hunting.
And finally I don't think your metaphor fits reality or the story. In my experience the the process for changing from child to adult is a slow process. There is no point in which all the child like things get dumped out and a person is ready to filled like an empty vessel. It is more a system of one adult behavior showly pushing out a child behavior like baby teeth. And in the show, Finn doesn't really change all that much.
+TC Coltharp "There is no door in the center of an actual shell."
.... Not to be rude, but no shit.
The episode seems to be a circular story but is actually designed in a spiral pattern. Finn has to go around and around after entering the wide opening of the seashell/cornucopia (I'm assuming the cornucopia imagery is referencing the woven ones, which are often open on both ends), in the same way that it's easy to fall into a problem to which there may be only one solution (the small opening on the other side). The "egress" that Finn is seeking may in fact be the reason his problem persists: he wants to escape the issue that's causing him trouble, and it seems that shutting his eyes lets him do so, and even causes the dungeon to "disappear." But by keeping his eyes shut and continuing with life as if nothing was wrong, he's helping the problem to maintain itself. Jake and BMO, by forcefully opening his eyes, are making Finn look at his problem again and again, causing him eventually to stop passively ignoring the issue and to change his routine. Sometimes, no matter how strong your friendships are, you're the only person who can deal with the challenge you're facing, and others can't help you, no matter how well-intentioned they may be. When he leaves the beaten path and starts to wander in the wilderness, Finn shows us that he has no idea what to do now. But he's at least accepted that doing the same thing over and over will only ever yield the same results. This is when the dungeon presents itself to him again, and the only way for Finn to finally conquer this challenge (and thereby exit the much smaller "door" on the other end of the cornucopia) is to stop looking for egress, to face his problem and to open his eyes to it. I see this episode as a commentary on the difficulties involved in facing and/or trying to escape complicated problems, especially those you have to solve on your own.
I always thought that PB's line at the end meant more of "the seashell's center" being the tightest, most uncomfortable place, but in that point of discomfort is the entryway to growth. By facing things that are uncomfortable or unfamiliar we find the cornocopia's door, ie, the land of plenty. In other words, as you explained, Finn has to give up everything he knows and face the unknown to finally break free.
I'm just now watching this episode BTW.
Thanks for this
It's been 6 years since you made this comment, but yes! I came to the same conclusion. :>
Our Finn is growing up | ( T -T)|
But so are we.
yea...true
+KikomochiMendoza yah, maybe
true. I'm turning 55.
I cri
sparky happy birthday 11months ago happy birthday 11months ago happy birthday dear sparky happy birthday 11months ago too you
I think PB's sentence is basically saying that the smallest changes reap the largest rewards, and that is the most important thing. So, in other words, the changes that happen that you don't even notice about yourself are the most important, and are what bring you to your 'egress'.
kind of like a ripple in the water.
ashiya029kaulitz Yeah.
Elizabeth K. i may be only 20 and went thourgh not that much but i do know ur right
That is so interesting.
In Puhoy Finn crawls down a tunnel that gets smaller until it ends in a door. He enters a world where he becomes and adult, husband and father.
I just watched Hall again and noticed a couple of common things with Puhoy. He emerges from both the hall by climbing out of a pile of rocks, and out of Puhoy through the top of the pillow fort, a pile of pillows. Perhaps these both represent graves. In Puhoy he has to die to escape. In Hall when he finally can open his eyes and not return to the beginning everything fades to white. In film fading to white is symbolic of death.
Puhoy was one of my favorite episodes lol
when finn emerges from both the pillows and the rocks it could also relate to the death of finn's childhood and symbolising him moving on from the past.
the same also happens in the final episode where to escape, finn has to leave golb through a narrowing tunnel (idk if it relates to the previous episodes but i thought it was a cool coincidence)
Finn experienced ego death twice.
So basically Finn had an ego death
High On Summer Kind of but not really. While the events in the episode mirror a lot of the steps of that by the end of the journey he still has an identity. Ego death is not only about one changing into a new one but one realizing that he's not a one at all. That's why the events a more comparable to adulthood than enlightenment
That was one of the parts required to escape, I believe.
I was looking for comments with psychedelic themes but it seems too many young 'uns still have pure minds :P this episode can be related to a lot of things from mental health, to growing up, to a full on psychedelic trip. Hell, I actually had a scarily similar sensation on psilocybin earlier this year. It felt like my life was restarting over and over and over again. Poor Finn... That dude has gone through so much in his short few years
I'm literally going "BABABABABABABABABABABABABA" through my whole life right now.
My mum died a few months ago, my siblings moved away hundreds of miles to live with my aunt and uncle. Everything I know changes - I live alone for the first time ever, the house I was living in was contracted and moved on to a new tennant, I'm stuck with a job I'm not exactly crazy about, but ironically, I can feel myself going crazy on the worst days. I'm turning twenty soon, and this is my transition into adulthood. I have no idea what I'm doing, where I'm going.
I cross my fingers hoping that the end of this is pretty.
that dosent sound good, i rather take control of my life by planning ahead so i wont make bad mistakes. Just like finn drawing the map.
Adam Handoko wow that sucks
It’s been 2 years since you wrote this, are you ok? I honestly hope you are.
@@nooooo2843# latesquad
@Exodus gaming I'm the latest so I must be the leader of the late gang the next leader will be the last person
I think the phrase mean:" Go back to where everything started, go to the source of yourself, and you will find limitless possibilities" Self relavation is hard and obscure, we don't normally think of it. but if we find our center, we'll know where everything should go, and the purpose of our own being. Thus at the source of everything lies the hidden entrance of the great abundance of life.
+Pan Makser That's BRILLIANT!!!!!!
I would disagree only because we don't need to have a purpose, in my opinion. The fact that we're living is in itself the reason to live. Experiences just shape who we are and have no correlation to what we should/n't be doing.
Pan Makser *woah*
@@dwier1
But AT doesn't give a fuck about nihilism scum, it has proved tons of times they've already found a meaning of their lives so...
Aye aye captain. Similar understanding and subsequent comment came from my brain synapsis and then some other ones activated the necessary muscles to motion my hands into typing it out and submitting it to this TH-cam video. And then again to respond to you. Magical. lol
But....... what happens if he opens ONE eye only?
cheating like this might go wrong. or not fully change his perception so he wouldn't open the door.or he could stuck between the doors i think.
it just wouldnt work
Either something WAY to conplecated for me to want to understand, or maybe *D E A T H*.
PokemonMaster4742 3rd
It's about looking one eye would be the same
"As above so below"
This came to mind after he made it out of the dungeon. He was underground but he could see things like he was in the sky.
I saw this episode describe the concept of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). The idea is that by rejecting disturbing thoughts, you actually get stuck (don't think about the pink elephant). If you accept the bad thoughts as just a thought, you take away its power. You're not running away from it anymore. So it comes less and less until you're able to "move on". We see Finn try to run away and put things in his "vault", but we know it's still it still bothers him. It isn't until he opens the vault he is able to move on from things (e.g. Shoko, Flame Princess, his father).
+cmarie159
Great comment, and I concur.
Steven Universe explores that very same concept!
that moment when u get stuck reading about the pink elephant and the sentence becomes a pun
In the hall of Egress, Finn falls and can not exit the room, he has no choice but to solve the puzzle.
However, when he comes back to, there is a ramp. He could have come back, blindfolded, to Jake and BMO. Is this ramp there to be nice to him so he does not hurt himself? Or to tempt him? Is it a way to say that he still has the choice not to grow up, but the price to pay is to stay blind?
+Yann Odin
I'd say that last question nails it!
The ramp was there because he didnt step on the hexagonal pressure plate. So maybe he does have choice to go back but to stay blind. But also because he has reached the level of mentality to have a choice.
#latesquad
Your awareness of your areas of growth is proof enough you are on the right track. Keep it up and never stop searching within for the answers to your personal questions. Our inner damage and trauma effect how we perceive and interact with the outside world and we have infinite potential to keep growing and becoming better In so many ways. So keep at it, you got this youngin.
Keep searching for the answers and be open to finding new ways to understand and navigate the world, especially if it comes from a place of inner truth. Even try meditation if that’s something you can see yourself getting into.
Also a little advice from what worked for me. Find ways to continue to expand your empathetic capacities, suddenly everyone becomes an open book whether they want to or not. Choose to help them if they are open to it and it will help you.
Good luck.
This is by far the best comment on this video. That question is perfect. I just started growing up and becoming deblinded a few years ago. I can tell that I'm still in the process and I can confirm that those two things are mutually exclusive.
Actually "Egress" can be translated to "Egreso" in spanish, that sometimes is a synonym of "graduation" of school, college, etc. 🌠the more you know
Exit
The Hall of Graduation
@@applepie1272 o joko m j
"Mildly interesting bullshit" is the only way to describe Freud. His work AND his life.
I think this statement is untrue and very mean as well.
Sigmund Freud is known as the father of psychoanalysis and his contributions to the field of psychology have been immense.
@@andyreactsyeah but Freud was not exactly a great scientist and his theories have generally not held up or have even been problematic
@@andyreactsFreud was the "father of psychology" in the sense that he was one of those fathers who deposited his DNA and then disappeared. He may have played a role in creating psychology, but he didn't raise it into what is today. And thank goodness he didn't raise psychology, I'm worried psychology would've developed an "Electra complex"... oh wait, that's not a thing that exists. Oh well!
@@andyreacts IF HE'S THE FATHER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS WHAT DOES THAT MAKE JUNG?
I can't help but question the education level of anyone who shits on Freud, it's basically a meme. I don't think people realize how much of his conclusions we accept as fact now. His body of work has been picked apart, warts and all, and either discarded or absorbed to the point that the major influences he had aren't attributed to him because they are so widely accepted.
There was this person who used to watch Adventure Time, but who always thought of it as a brainless and funny waste of time.
Too bad they dont give a crap about it anymore. I would love them to watch this (and the late seasons in general). This show has become something else.
This is confusing
skeleton chef
Jayempee
Vilkku is that like regular show? Because I think it is a show that’s funny with nothing to it, so has it gotten better now?
it was something else from the start :)
This video made me feel a whole heck of a lot better about my life. thanks, guy.
+Melody MacFarland
That has gotta be the best unintentional consequence of creating an analysis video.
thank you Uncivilized,this video is helping me in a big transition of my live.I just subscribed your channel,keep doing amazing videos.:)
I always felt like it was criminal how this episode was never capitalized on. I can understand not wanting to take the show in such a different direction, but it has always bugged me how these experiences (that I am sure would have been traumatic) were essentially locked away in Finn’s vault. There is so much potential for a drastic change in Finn’s character, and yet everything seemed to go back to normal afterwards. It was an incredible episode, but it made me really dissatisfied with what followed immediately after.
You have to hand it to adventure time, all of their characters had incredible development yet never changed who they were. Arguably, the first two sessions of adventure time were funny and more childish, but as the seasons go on, each character learns more about themselves and each other, especially finn. But even with all those changes, finn never stopped being a ridiculous hero, even if he did mature. Still my favorite show to this day, and this was a really good analysis!
At the center of your spiraling life, the door to paradise looks small.
11:14 "That's what being an adult feels like..." paired with *that* image.
Best moment of any video I've seen this month.
lol I'm ded
hahahaha ikr? like i hardly ever actually laught but that image make me lol hard :P
lol
I had not realized that :V
The first mini theory that you describe, is called the planning fallacy. It encapsulates everything that you mentioned how essentially life often moves faster than what we can plan for and we just have to pick up and keep going with the new data/output/reality that we are given.
I wonder if Finn ever left the Hall of Egress. Think about it. If it can produce string and spike traps and tape recorders, who’s to say it can’t replicate different terrains and the voices of loved ones? It would explain why Finn is back to normal after supposedly months of wandering around and how now that his eyes are open he knows the path out perfectly. His whole journey was in the Hall
This was one of the weirdest, most confusing episodes I have every seen in any show. And even though it eventually became one of the bests too, I still feel very uneasy when I watch it. Maybe that is the reason it is so good.
hope this show goes long enough Finn turns 18 and goes to adult swim, his coming of age story is one of the best on TV.
8bitmagic y would it go to adult swim
It’s ending this year and finn is only 17 :/
Adult Swim would ruin it with their nihilism scum, when AT has proved tons on times they've already found a meaning of their lives...
Matthew Myers Oj my man
17, close enough.
I thought of this episode as a representation of growing up.
I think of it not so much as puberty but as the process we constantly go through in life. As an abuse victim the episode made me think of when I was involved in the abusive relationship.
You believe in what you see and what you hear, so most times you think it's all your fault and try to make up for your mistakes without ever seeing any positive outcome. You feel trapped and feel as though you don't deserve to get out of that horrible situation. People trying to help you sometimes make you feel like they make everything even worse and a part of you knows that nothing of what you think about yourself at the moment is true. You then have to forget everything you've ever know about the person you are to actually find yourself. That's when finally something changes and you are able to break free and get to where you belong and you realize; that place was the one you were in the beginning before all the bad things happened. Difference being, you are not the same, you are better.
"at the center of everything, the smallest transition brings the most abundence."
i think that PB's phrase and your inference of spiral shells are close. the "shell" reminds me of a Chambered Nautilus, where when it grows, part of its shell is sectioned off but is still part of the shell as a whole. Finn is going through puberty and his childhood part of his "shell" is closing. Finn having to close his eyes and move forward could also mean that he's trying to deal with that might be the future of his life. he can still remember his past "chambers" but it's not what's controlling his path now. the dungeon Finn goes though could be a literal representation of his "shell" and when he finds the door after shedding his identity, could symbolize him closing that chamber and emerging into his new bigger chamber.
Lady Lucario damn that was a good analysis
thank you ^^
this is the best adventure time related video on the internet by far. :)
Linn Jansson yeah I agree
This episode is like having a dream about your laptop finally worked again but when you open your eyes, it still broken 😭😭
this 😭
I think all throughout the episode, it is all an illusion that the cave gave to Finn. That only stops when you're in a different state of mind.
How I understood/concluded the episode by minor analysis: The only way to get to your goal is through the act of doing it, hence the term egress...the act of exiting. No shortcuts only through hard work and perseverance.
you are part of the ritual to summon a portal to the nightosphere
of course, douse me with milk ;)
At first I was confused as well when I heard her quote, "At the seashell's center lies the cornucopia's smallest door." -Princess Bubblegum. But along with your sort of basic analysis of the quote, it sort of thoroughly explained what was there. At the beginning of the seashell's sort of "life" there is not much there, it hasn't gained anything quite yet, only through growing will it then be classified as older.
The beginning of the seashell shows how primitive it once was. So based on what she said we can imply that she is saying that the simplest of things is what sets us free. Through puberty and going through such awkward and confusing stages of life one will try to search a way out as soon as possible when the answer was there in front of us. It is not the ending that is important, but what is important was the journey you had to go through to get to the ending. Life has given us bountiful experiences and memories, we should not brush that off. The tribulations you have gone through are what makes you you.
(just a guess... When Bmo and Jake would force Finn to open his eyes that was sort of the way of them showing that that was the answer. The beginning. Perhaps with them not even knowing they were actually showing him the answer.)
well said
+OminousNotebook Reading what you thought about (I needed translation a bit as English is not my 1 language), and trying to analize it I;ve come up with this. At the seashell's center lies the key to everything, so - you (when you are born there is only center, you learn as you go, you and others create you) are the answer to your problems, YOU need to change if you want to change, YOU need to realize things, and YOU need to do it if you want to change. You need to accept and know yourself (plus world of course). I love how this season is about growing up (BMO
jesus, after watching other youtubers do videos on The Hall of Egress and coming back to yours. you really notice a huge quality differences in the writing. your videos and breakdowns are unmatched. the writing is soo damn snappy and dense. So many other people will have soo many paragraphs and pointless explanations that have little to do with the point at hand, leading to almost nothing actually being said even minutes into the video. you make it looks soo easy.
once "oh bubblegum" started playing in the bg, i wasn't able to focus 😂
😂😂😂lol I can almost relate.
Yeah I had to rewind the video a little bit Haha
"The Hall of Egress" is one of my favorite episodes, but for the longest time I couldn't piece together why. Thanks for the help!
Very professional. Proper speaking voice. Well structured. I have nothing to say that wouldn't be redundant. Gr8 work. I thoroughly enjoyed this as I struggle with poetic stuffs in general. Now how about some Lord Of The Flies, or the ending of Gurren Laggann or Escaflowne.. Damn, there's alot to do. I look forward to more from you.
adoboawesome true words
👌
I’ll second the gurren laggann
You know, after the first few seasons, which are all happy and full of life, gets darker and a bit more realistic. In my opinion, it's just the view Finn has on the world. He grows up and realizes that not everything is as happy as it seems
This video made me love adventure time again thank you. I used to think adventure time was getting worse because of the emotions being brought into the show. This is the first time I'm realizing that while watching the show and being the same age as Finn, I'm growing with the character. I'm feeling these emotions that Finn is feeling and I'm learning how to cope from his perspective. Though it's just a cartoon I can use his coping tactics as an example to shape my own in real life. This is a very big and fun realization for me. I'm so in love with this show again thank you so much.
Thank you all for the insightful comments you've provided on this episode - keep 'em coming! It's awesome.
In fact, all the discussion of Princess Bubblegum's phrase has filled me with new ideas and ways to examine her words, so now I'm eager to create a follow-up video which will analyze her phrase in more detail and from new perspectives.
+Uncivilized Elk You know, sometimes I can't decide whether the adventure time crew carefully plannig these episodes, and the order in which they came out, or they just do it randomly. :D
+Uncivilized Elk It was a very insightful analysis. I would definitely add this episode to the 'quintessential' list-with Breezy, Puhoy, Frost and Fire, The Visitor and others in noting areas of Finn's development. I'm thinking of writing something more broad on this idea of transition, relating AT to Virginia Woolf's The Waves.
+Uncivilized Elk Hey dude wish I could have messaged you directly. Loved your analysis and the entire video, it looks like it took a lot of time and effort and it was really fun to watch as a fan of literature and the show. My interpretation of the last words spoken by PB revolve around the blindfolds that Finn removes before he is able to transverse into the Hall of Egress (or, before he is able to gain the experience necessary to work out puberty). The first blindfold that he takes off is made from the blue fabric of his shirt. Finn must overcome his bodily desires that weigh down the soul such as material possessions, and fame. Finn has shown a disposition towards loot (Vault of Bones), and has had to deal with his own fame in the past (Davey). The second band Finn removes is of his hat, representative of the mind. One could name any number of examples from the past few seasons, however I think that 'Food Chain' shows Finn's acceptance of a particular function in society, namely as the hero. It's worth noting that in 'Crossover' that Finn comes in contact with his alternate self, and so comes face to face with the consequences of hubris. The final blindfold is made from Finn's underwear, representative of his libido. He must overcome his sexual desires for PB who he has come to idealize and to some extent infatuate. The last sentence makes uh, obvious sense if you read it with a sexual pretense. If one were to overcome this desire (as Finn has by removing this final blindfold), the final sentence would, in my understanding, relate to your statement on the two perspectives of a spiral. Finn has come to find his center through all of his past experiences (dominated by body, reason, instinct), and now has access to the final door to inner peace. This door is small, easy to miss and incredible hard to traverse through, however when one enters through it they gain a cosmological understanding (enlightenment). Which explains Finn's final words in the episode, 'No comment.' as he has no way to put this new understanding into words, as it was a unique experience for him and is untranslatable.
My two cents! Thanks for the video, gonna watch some of your other stuff later. Cheers!
+Uncivilized Elk please do it! you're the best! i'd watch any explanation of adventure time you do. Please do Puhoy and evertything is jake, these episodes always got me puzzled.
Not the deepest, but it's something interesting. Finn is astral projecting in the episode: "Astral Plane"
This is the kind of detailed, elegant, various interpretation that just enriches the episode. It's so cool that there's a show for kids (and adults) that doesn't patronize them by serving up all the answers on a plate. It makes the show far more haunting and memorable and it subconsciously plants lessons in kids' heads that will be of use to them later on in life.
I watched this episode for the first time while in the middle of an about year long depression and I loved but was extremely disturbed by it and i didn't know why. I understand it better now because I've found my egress from my own mind dungeon, and this episode will always hold an important place in my heart (the whole show does) and as I enter adulthood I hope to apply what I learned both in this episode and from overcoming that part of my life. Thanks for making this video and making me think about this great story again.
This episode was released before Birdbox was trending.
Okay... WOW!!! That's all that I can say. You have such a profound way with words, and your insight into these episodes mirrors that of a wise old sage.
I believe this episode is the pinnacle of Finn's growing up process. We've seen him deny reality on several occasions. He denied the bad thing that happened to him so frequently he set up a mental vault to keep all of his bad thoughts and fears. And throughout the series, we see him eventually cast aside those childish shackles. He opens his mind's vault to Marceline. He returns Bonnebell's amulet and cleansed the sins of his past life. He cuts out the Fear Feaster from his life when he confronts his fear of the ocean. He learns to let go of his anger when he nearly kills himself attempting to reach his bastard father. And with this episode, he leaves behind everything he has ever known, casts aside his own identity as you specified, and threw himself at the mercy of the wilderness and the entire world and eventually forced himself through it.
Finn is such an amazingly complex character, and I give Cartoon Network great applause for what they've done with a seemingly insignificant children's cartoon.
"That's all that i can say" writes a 12-lined paragraph
adventure time turned into some deep,dark shit,I remember episode one,it was so weird and kid like,and didn't make much sense,and it seemed like nothing meant anything but then it turned into something entirety new,bringing in serious topics and covering them with weird stuff,(adventure time stuff) making it hard too uncover the hidden morals and meanings imbedded within episodes,man I really gotta start watching adventure time again,its so inspirational,and thought provoking,and really deserves the title of art,at least in my book
Reminds me of the mirror in Undertale. How even after everything... "It's still you."
This is one of the best written shows to ever exist, and I feel it's true appreciation will be fulfilled in foresight.
But what about the final question?!?
Is he still in the dungeon or not?
When Finn first managed to pass through the door, it didn't seem like he just closed his eyes. It looked like he took on a completly diffrent state of mind. Much more like he has to relax completly and leave his material form left behind. In addition the first time he "comes back" it feels more like he awoke from some kind of future vision.
All in all, in the whole epsiode it felt like he was only imagining walking inside the Hall of Egress. I mean he always came back to the complete same position when he started.
So, what if he is still in the chamber and the only way out is actually to rearange the snowman.
I would be mind blowing if he, one day, wakes up again finding himself back in the chamber and only to find out it all wasn't actally real...
It really gives me the creeps...
Marvin Bo great job dude now I won't be able to sleep but think about this
This was clearly the true finale
Its giving me chills
I cant sleep now sh*t HAHAH
I would've actually been terrified if at the end of the hour long finale, he were to have woken up in the chamber, looked around, been like "What?" Then had a classic jump cut to the credits, this was a really scary thought but it's awesome to think about
I think the way you fit the meanings of the cornucopia sentence fit better as: “The smallest door [the most important but yet undiscovered, or the hardest one to go through] lies at the center of the source to all things.”
I personally think this is foreshadowing of some eventual revelation coming Finn's memories of being a baby. His past still holds a couple central mysteries.
6:38 AAAHHHH!!! All the snowman means is don't stand oin your head, or don't overthink an easy situation.
"the smallest transition of great abundance is at the center of everything" I believe means that every step of your life gives you a whole new and rich experience wich is in the center of the present moment
and by the way uncivilized elk i loved this video its the first i watched and it opened up a world of interest for tour content and thank you for your great work
i love how this is longer than the actual episode XD
accept who you are at the core to understand how to move forward
The Hall of Egress is the reason why I love Adventure Time
This is my favourite review of yours, I come back to watch it from time to time.
Why do I find this scary, even though it's not?
+yanie tucpi because life is scary
because its real
I personally found it scary because going blind and also not knowing what's real or not are two of my worst fears
For me, (insert really really really really long answer here, since I'm way too lazy to type it)
First of all, congratulations for this great analysis. You presented and interpreted many elements about this episode, going through the screenplay events, to the art choices and even talked about archetypes and the premiss of the whole season. As an animation screenwriter, it's amazing to see people doing this kind of effort to understand all the references, massages and feelings that we want the viewer to feel.
So, great job, keep on going with your process of thinking and even expressing yourself (which was clear in the video, a true lesson about film analysis).
Oh, I've seen that you talk a lot about Steven Universe and Adventure Time. Well, I'd love to see your reviews about others series too.
Mariana piedade,damn, better then game theory
Please believe me when I say I'm not a grammar nazi, but sometimes these things just bug me more than usual, and i feel like I have to speak up... please forgive me...
premise, messages, other, not others, unless you mean series by other people, in which case there should be an apostrophe (I don't remember if it would come before or after the s), and there should be a comma between series and too. Also, it should be making, not doing, so... yeah.
I'm sorry. -~-' I just... it was bugging me too much. *crai*
The amount of work and analysis you put in the video is very much appreciated, especially by someone who was and is growing up in the context of Adventure Time and is so desperately in need of explanations. Thank you very much.
I never understood this episode truly. But after watching the video and reading some comments I realized it’s so similar to dreams I’ve been having and that other people have. I’ll have dreams that feel so real and have an entire other life and days months or years will pass and then as soon as I wake up and open my eyes it all goes away and I’m right back where I left off...
Just discovered you channel and holy shit where has this been all my life. Yours is some of the most thoughtful, insightful and comprehensive analyses I've seen of anything ever. No joke man, I'm *seriously* impressed.
Being an avid fan of Adventure Time theory, I've been trying to figure out this episode since it came out. You've definitely opened up a ton of doors and given me a bunch of new ideas. I can't wait to binge watch all of your theory videos and reviews.
Thank you, I've always wanted a video on this, glad someone did it
I love YOU man, your channel are all that i allways wants to listen. Thank you.
Wow, you really know what your talking about. This was exceptionally deep, and I hope you keep up the good work
The snowman reminds me of the tarot card the hanged man. One of the interpretations of the card is a need to see things from a new perspective. The man on the card - and the snowman in the scene - are upside down, literally seeing the world from a different perspective
This video is a meditation! Your way of seeing things is absolutely incredible! I adore it!
I like to think that PB’s phrase meant that the hardest part about growing up is looking inside yourself. Sorta true if you think about it cause looking inside yourself means asking who you really are and who you intend to be. Going back to basics essentially could mean reverting to your core personality traits. Finn’s are kindness and bravery. He needed to return to his basic essence and hone those. This is proven in his statement in The Bubblegum War when he commented on his gungho personality, now brokering peace between kingdoms. His transition from boyhood to adulthood could be marked by this line. He took his “seashell’s centre” and he turned it into a “cornucopia” which is difficult to fit through a “small door”. But that’s my two cents. Cheers!
I 100% agree with this analysis. What's great about this episode is how it can apply to just about any stage of transition in life, not just from adolescence to adulthood.
"The smallest transition of great abundance"
One small change that will affect a lot
"Is at the center of everything"
The center of everything is in my eyes some viewpoint verging on the realization of the human condition from a solid ground.
being even a half decent upbringing or pool of friends to draw on when you're at your weakest its a "cornucopia" of social wealth but also knowing that sometimes your responsibilities are your own to bare and knowing that you are responsible for yourself.
I watch this video from time to time. Dude, you've made a truly good thing here. Hope you are as proud of your work as I am.
This is probably my favorite episodio and your analysis was truly beautiful
Brother, youve shed so much insight. Thank you for this. Subbed.
This episode is one of the episodes I watch over and over and it doesn’t get old I like this episode
This is my life. Thank you man. I'd appreciate if you don't ever stop making cool videos like this
loved this video man, i've never seen this episode this way, as you say in the video itself, a new perspective, thank you, it means so much for me because hda it's over now and i loved it so much
I feel like this show somehow helped an entire generation through a time of depression or being lost. Its like we were all here at the same time and are all changing and moving with finn. And thats so beautifuo
fr
For the PB quote at the end, you should look up Daedalus and the challenge of threading a seashell. that and the whole labyrinth and thread trails makes it a pretty strong allusion to the mythology of Daedalus (who created the labyrinth to contain the Minotaur) I think the analysis is on the right track anyway, but it might offer added nuance to your insight.
+Batmanmg
There's certainly an allusion to the motifs from Greek mythology, and I bet they played some part in the inspiration to the concept of this episode, but I'm not sure on how far you can take any direct comparisons. I think the motifs were used as a starting-off point, but the episode takes them in new directions and develops its own meanings that are rather removed from those in the original Greek tales. After all, a recurring element in this episode is how the thread needed to be cut rather than to be followed which is quite contrary to the Greek tales. I think one thing a good work of fiction can do is take common/traditional imagery and apply it in brand new ways or subvert the original context and meanings, and "The Hall of Egress" accomplished that really well.
I've been watching your videos and loving them for literal YEARS and SOMEHOW today is the first time I realized I wasn't subbed to you yet.
This episode always stood out and was one of my favorites. Somehow what it was subtly trying to communicate really resonated. You really clarified what I must have been picking up from the ep with this breakdown. Thank you. Also, love the parallel to FLCL!
When the chunks haven't loaded in Minecraft: 5:45
I just realized how 2018 was just this one single episode for me. I never really found my way out, still haven't, but one day, I will find my way out.
The work you put into this video really shows. Your thoughts are very insightful. Great job 👌
This is a beautiful upload. You shared so much wisdom.
To add to the vid.
"Atonement", could be attributed to himself.
He didnt say an apology, bt the moment he knew he had to leave BMO and jake (who are his perceived security, internalized, and personified.) He indirectly apologizes to himself and forgives himself for leaving senses that he is so comfortable with to acquire new information to free himself from the dungeon(or past life experience- traded for new. which could imply him gaining new abilities as a character. hes always had random occurrences of insight into "powers" and "summoning
", etc. but not too many on purpose).
His unconscious mind knows what his conscious mind needs to accept to move forward. Which is why when they opened his eyes prematurely, in a playful/teasing manner, it was like a way of Finn telling himself "its time to move on, you've already done this".
SHELLS AND CORNUCOPIAS
speaking in imagery, shells represent infinity- either forward or back depending on the direction of the spiral.
Cornucopia is the bounty.
THE 2 TOGETHER
The shell, being an infinite cycle- is the body of perception. but at the smallest door, a point or last available option, OUTSIDE of the perception, is the bounty of ENDING the cycle. (in turn starting a new)
i think cornucopia is clever wordplay to make it poetically cryptic, but fundamentally the shapes of both are the same.
Maybe literally, the cornucopia is when you enter those final layers of spiral that draw in on the door.
you were on the outside layer, now inside layer, now outside of the form entirely
At the seashell's center lies the cornucopia's smallest door
At the center of a sealed object lies the smallest door
That door can be found if you just search it within yourself, hiding the large portion of yourself is not the option. After you've found it. You've found who you really are... You... are... Yourself...
Never seal yourself as you are the seashell and the cornucopia represents you... the smallest door shall you find, and once done, you have found yourself, open the door and you have accepted that You are You.
You're GREAT! Your interpretation, your thinking, analizing... I can't belive how amazing you are. I'm defenitly staying here, subscribed and waiting for another mind-blowing productions!