Simon Petrikov

Sometime before the Mushroom War, Ice King was a normal, olive-skinned, dark-haired human named Simon Petrikov who was studying to be an antiquarian. He had a young fiancée named Betty Grof. Ice King was a Professor of Archaeology and had discovered the ancient text of heroes, the Enchiridion, during an expedition to the Hindu Kush mountain range. At some point in his career, he purchased a strange jeweled crown from an old dock worker. After bringing the crown home, he put it on his head to make Betty laugh, but the crown caused him to blackout and experience odd visions. He "fought with [the visions]… shouted at them until [he] realized it wasn't real—it was the crown." Simon had no recollection of what he had said or done while wearing the crown, though his actions were enough to frighten away his fiancée. Simon never heard or saw Betty ever again and began to record himself on VHS tape so people would know his story. Around the time of the Mushroom War and before losing his sanity, he found a young Marceline crying in the wreckage. He gave her a stuffed doll from a toy shop destroyed in the conflict to comfort her. This toy would eventually become Marceline's most precious possession, Hambo. Simon also used the crown to protect Marceline from dangerous creatures left over from the mushroom war. At some point Marceline grew ill. Later on, from at least 2-3 years from that point, Simon ultimately left Marceline after the filming of his final video diary, which Marceline watched him record. Fearing for her safety at what he was becoming, Simon left Marceline before losing his sanity. Before this, using an unknown method, he contacted and summoned Marceline's biological father, the demon Hunson Abadeer into the land of Ooo from the Nightosphere. He did this in an attempt to arrange a new caretaker for Marceline in his place, someone who he believed would not leave in the manner he did. It could be implied that the crown he wore only sought to protect him. It taught him the secrets of the "ice and snow," so he would survive the Mushroom War. As time passed, Simon began to lose his mind as he began to wear the crown, deteriorating in both mind and body over the years into his current state. His condition worsened after his fiancée Betty was spirited into his future, which played a role in his subconscious need for princesses. As his mind and body became further twisted by the crown, Simon thought himself "too far gone" to find an escape from its influence, though he hoped that he could one day regain his sanity enough so that Betty, his "princess," would come back and love him again. He is no longer considered a human; the power of the crown not only twisted his mind but his body as well. Simon soon became disassociated from his original identity to the point that his only reaction to watching a video of his past was an embarrassment at the idea of having once worn glasses Betty had linked herself with Maja with the goal of harnessing the power of GOLB. King Man told Ice King that he is the only one who can stop her. Ice King compared King Man's instruction to reason with her to "fan-fiction." and began singing "Oh, Fionna" to her, which caused her to awaken and madly berate him for opposing her when she was almost "successful" in using GOLB's power to cure him. Her powerful emotions connected to Maja causes the latter to explode, blasting Ice King and Betty into GOLB's mouth with Finn jumping in after them. While inside GOLB's "stomach". Betty and Simon were digested and reverted back to their sane and non-magical forms, with the two completely reunited, with Simon now remembering Betty. Reunited once again, Simon and Betty embrace each other as the space they are trapped in begins to shrink. Later on, allowing Simon and Finn escape from inside GOLB, although Betty decides to stay behind as a sacrifice and use the Ice crown (which was restored to its essential form, granting its wearer their deepest, truest wish) to wish GOLB out of existence. When this doesn't work, she wishes instead that Simon is protected at all costs. As a result, Betty is fused with GOLB and the two become one singular entity. Devastated at Betty's decision, Simon cries out for her as the new GOLB leaves the planet through another portal. Actuality: Simon is now visibly much older, with gray hair and wrinkles. Simon’s personality evokes a blend of melancholy, loneliness, and occasional moments of poignant clarity that hint at the profound loss he has experienced. This plays into how he interacts sexually - becoming anxious, vulnerable, and submissive.