FINAL SPACE - OFFICIAL LICENSED MERCH
FINAL SPACE OFFICAL LICENSE MERCHANDISE Final Space first rocketed onto screens in 2018, running for three seasons before its untimely cancellation in 2021. The animated space epic, created by Olan...
FINAL SPACE
OFFICAL LICENSE MERCHANDISE
Final Space first rocketed onto screens in 2018, running for three seasons before its untimely cancellation in 2021. The animated space epic, created by Olan Rogers, quickly built a loyal fanbase drawn to its mix of high-stakes adventure, heartfelt storytelling, and off-the-wall humor. Like the show itself, the merchandise became more than just collectibles, it was a way for fans to feel part of the journey.
Star Cadet was the exclusive licensed provider of Final Space merchandise outside of the network’s own storefront. For me, this was the first major step into the world of licensed merchandise, a project that not only involved developing products but also curating the Final Space style guide that would shape how all future licensees approached the brand.
Year 1 (2018) – Launch Hype
When Final Space premiered in 2018, we knew the first wave of merchandise needed to capture the excitement of the show while keeping the collection tight and focused. Working closely with the show’s art director, Devo, we developed an iconic Gary + Mooncake design that paid tribute to the original “Gary Space” YouTube short that started it all.
At the same time, with the help of the network, and marketing genius Jez DeWolf, we partnered with a then up-and-coming plush manufacturer, Squishmallow, to bring Mooncake to life as a real, face-hugging plush. This turned out to be one of the earliest licensed Squishmallow collaborations, and it instantly became a fan favorite.
We also introduced playful accessories like custom Final Space socks, one design featuring Mooncake’s happy green face scattered across a starfield, and another with Infinity guard logo and bold red accents. These helped round out the collection with something wearable, subtle, and a little quirky.
Throughout the year, we layered in more unique items through continued collaboration with the network, including: A vinyl release featuring original tracks from the show. A detailed, architectural-style section cut poster of the Galaxy One, created in collaboration with artist Alex Pearson. A Squishmallow mooncake keychain.
It was a concise but powerful first collection, one that set the tone for all the Final Space merchandise that followed.
Year 2 (2019) – Episode Releases
In 2019, we took on one of the most ambitious, and exhausting, merch strategies of the Final Space era: releasing a new t-shirt for every single episode premiere. The idea was to capture the energy of each week’s storyline and give fans something fresh to collect in real time. It was equal parts thrilling and brutal to keep up with, but the results were worth it.
Some highlights from that whirlwind year included:
The Catos – Designed by our own employee and aspiring animator, Seth Jackson. This neon-line illustration of Avocato and Little Cato quickly became a fan favorite and a top seller.
Happy Place – A surreal, retro-inspired design created by Cierra Lagges, capturing Gary in his ultimate ‘80s daydream.
Cute Mooncake – An oversized, impossibly adorable version of everyone’s favorite planet-killer, brought to life in bright, bold print.
Each drop felt like its own little event, and while the pace nearly burned us out, it also cemented the idea that Final Space fans weren’t just watching the show, they were ready to wear it week after week.
Year 3 (2020) – Netflix International & Lockdown Creative Breakthrough
By 2020, Final Space had found a whole new wave of fans thanks to Netflix’s international reach. At the same time, Season 2 was premiering right in the middle of global lockdowns. I was living full-time in Los Angeles, working alongside Olan, collaborating with some amazing artist, and that strange mix of circumstances fueled what I still consider the most ambitious and best collection of Final Space merchandise we ever made.
Clasp of Friends – Based on one of the most iconic moments in the series, this design absolutely slaps on a t-shirt. Originally drawn by Devo, I heavily reworked it to make sure it translated perfectly into screen print form—and it became a true merch masterpiece.
Team Squad Hoodie – Inspired by fan art from Larissa Fitze, this design took something meta from the fandom itself and gave it right back in real-life wearable form.
Quinn & Nightfall – A psychedelic, mind-bending piece by Jon Kutt that captured the complexity of their intertwined existence and relationship.
Typography Collab with Rafael Serra – Rafael brought his wizardry to the Final Space logo and fan-favorite phrases like Chookity, Thunder Bandit, and Spidercat, delivering bold, collectible prints.
Retro Halftone Logo – Straight out of a vintage sci-fi paperback, this logo design brought a timeless touch to the collection.
Bolo in the Cube – My personal favorite. Illustrated by Luke Bodine and adapted by me for merch, this piece turned Bolo’s tragic and powerful form into a striking design.
Epic Space Opera – Artist Jappy Agoncillo closed out the collection with a sprawling, explosive illustration that felt like it belonged on the cover of a classic movie poster.
Enamel Pin Game
On top of apparel, we also cooked up one of our most beloved accessory lines: enamel pins. Mooncake was a no-brainer and appeared in multiple expressions as a set, but we also went big, literally, with an oversized Bolo pin. Each pin came with its own custom backer card, elevating them beyond just collectibles into tiny art pieces.
Collect All Five
But the item that really sent the fandom feral was the Dimensional Key pin giveaway. Every order had a chance of including one at random, with five different designs to collect. Over time, fans started trading them online, and I believe there are still Reddit threads dedicated to pin swaps. With only about 200 made of each "key", these became some of the rarest Final Space items ever produced, right up there with the Mooncake Squishmallow plushies.
Year 4 (2021) – The Final Season & Limited Runs
In 2021, Final Space returned for Season 3, though none of us knew it would be the last. As the series was finding its stride, fans were holding onto merch more tightly than ever, almost instinctively treating each new piece as a future keepsake.
At the same time, post-lockdown fashion trends were shifting, and tie-dye was having a huge moment. It felt like the perfect match for Final Space’s vibrant, color-saturated aesthetic. We leaned into this trend with bold, psychedelic washes that paired seamlessly with the show’s visual energy. These drops weren’t just another round of merch, they felt celebratory, like souvenirs from the final leg of an epic journey.
Knowing what we know now, the 2021 releases have taken on an even deeper meaning. They weren’t just limited runs, they were the last official waves of merch tied directly to the show’s original run, making them some of the most cherished pieces in the fandom’s collection today.
As art director, I continued to collaborate with Jappy Agoncillo to create a set of truly epic sci-fi designs, including:
Bolo Titan – A Masters of the Universe-inspired scene, freed from his prison and reimagined as a glowing powerhouse. This shirt featured glow-in-the-dark ink, turning Bolo’s presence into something larger-than-life.
Planet Destroyer Mooncake – Mooncake remained our strongest merch ally, this time exploding across a starburst tie-dye canvas in a retro comic-book style.
Attack of the Garys – Jappy delivered a horror-comic-inspired masterpiece, which we paired with an aurora tie-dye base. Each shirt was unique, making this one of the most collectible pieces in the entire line.
Every drop from this era carried a sense of finality, even if we didn’t know it at the time. These weren’t just t-shirts, they were artifacts from the closing chapter of Final Space, treasured by fans who knew the series was something special.
In continuation of the artist-wash trend, we introduced a mineral wash hoodie and jogger set featuring a bold Final Space logo printed in puff neon-green ink. The texture of the wash gave it a rugged, lived-in feel, while the striking color pop made sure the branding jumped right off the fabric. It quickly became a fan favorite for anyone wanting something more substantial than a tee.
Another standout was Lost in Space—a cosmic tie-dye shirt with a tiny embroidered Mooncake sitting proudly on the chest. Simple, subtle, and endlessly wearable, this shirt practically sold itself. In fact, it never stopped selling. It became one of those evergreen pieces that outlived seasonal drops and proved that sometimes the smallest design choices make the biggest impact.
These pieces closed out the year’s lineup with a mix of bold experimentation and understated fan service—fitting for what would unknowingly be the last official season of Final Space merch.
Mooncake Plushies
One of the wildest chapters in the Final Space merch story came with our collaboration with Squishmallow. When we first launched the original Mooncake plush, it was simply about giving fans a soft, huggable version of the galaxy’s cutest planet killer. It did exactly what it was meant to do, people loved it, and it became an instant favorite.
But by the time we released the second iteration, Squishmallow itself had exploded into a full-blown craze, with collectors treating the brand like modern-day Beanie Babies. Suddenly, our humble Mooncake plush wasn’t just a piece of Final Space merch, it was a highly sought-after Squishmallow rarity. That’s when things got… intense.
The emails started pouring in from collectors who didn’t even care about Final Space. They only wanted the plush because it was rare. Some even accused us of lying about it being an official Squishmallow because they couldn’t find it in stores like the others. It was surreal. Business-wise, it was a happy accident to stumble into this subculture. But mental-health-wise? Let’s just say the Squishmallow craze brought a level of chaos I could’ve done without. Nothing in my life compares to being bullied by full grown adult women trying to get their hands on a rare plushie.
Today, those Mooncake plushies remain some of the rarest Final Space items ever made, coveted by both fans of the show and diehard Squishmallow collectors who might not know Gary from Avocato but definitely know a rare plush when they see one.
The Rebellion Era – Post Season 3
After Season 3 wrapped, ending on one of the most brutal cliffhangers in animated history. Olan and I were hit with the devastating news: Final Space would not be renewed. Along with that came the end of our license to produce "official" merchandise.
For me, merch wasn’t just a side project, it was a lifeline. It supported our business, kept the fandom engaged, and gave us a way to translate the heart of the show into something tangible. Losing that so abruptly stung on both a personal and professional level.
So, we pushed back. Thus began our parody and rebellion stage of Final Space merchandise. The centerpiece of this era was the #renewfinalspace collection—a few simple shirts that carried the hashtag loud and clear. The designs weren’t flashy, but they were defiant. For a while, the hashtag even trended on Twitter, as fans rallied behind the movement.
Did it get the show renewed? Sadly, no. But the collection helped soften the blow, both emotionally and financially. It gave the fandom something to rally around, and it gave us one last spark of connection to the community that had grown around the series.
The Final Collection – Rock Parody Era
If Final Space was going out, we weren’t going to let it fade quietly. Our last official collection leaned hard into parody, taking inspiration from classic rock and punk aesthetics to give the show one last, loud send-off.
The #renewfinalspace campaign was already in motion, but this collection amped it up. Bold type, distressed prints, and tongue-in-cheek references gave the line a rebellious edge, perfectly matching the mood of the fandom at the time.
All of the artwork in this final collection was created by Bailey Galloway—our business partner and wife of Coty Galloway, the voice of Avocato. That personal tie to the show made the collection feel even more meaningful, like it came directly from the heart of the Final Space family itself.
Highlights included:
Renew Punk Tee & Flannel – With hand-lettered grit and DIY energy, these designs looked like they could’ve been screen-printed in a garage before a basement show.
Ventrexian Tee – A stripped-back, band-tour-shirt-style homage to Avocato and his people.
Red Hot Chookity Pok – A tongue-in-cheek nod to rock parody culture, reimagining Mooncake’s catchphrase as a band logo.
Buttons & Stickers – Carrying the rallying cry of Renew Final Space, these little extras helped fans wear their heartbreak (and their hope) wherever they went.
It was the perfect closer: part rebellion, part love letter, and part rock concert encore. We knew the license was ending, but if this had to be the final curtain call for Final Space merch, we were determined to make it loud and personal.
A Legacy in Merch & Storytelling
As much as I try to remind myself, “it’s business, not personal,” that rule doesn’t always hold true in the small business world, especially when the business is rooted in art. When something is born from passion, it becomes personal. Final Space was woven so deeply into the DNA of our company that it pushed us to create some of the best work we've ever done.
From Olan shepherding his vision of the show, to my role in product sourcing and art direction, to Bailey closing things out with her heartfelt artwork on our final farewell collection, this license became a true portfolio piece in the evolution of our careers and skills.
In 2023, Olan was granted one last license to finish his story through a graphic novel. It’s been a long and grueling journey, over two and a half years in the making, but the ending is finally near. Watching my business partner and husband endure the process of saying goodbye to these characters has been equal parts heartbreaking and a privilege. But you can not make diamonds without pressure. And this graphic novel is just that a beautiful masterpiece. And has now sold over 30,000 preorder copies.
The merch may have ended or has it.....? but the spirit of Final Space lives on, not just in the products we created, but in the fandom that continues to cherish them, trade them, and wear them like badges of belonging. In many ways, the merchandise became a second vessel for the show’s legacy, something tangible that still connects fans to a story that meant so much.
Thank you for taking the time to walk through this journey with me. The story of Final Space merchandise is as much about the fans as it is about the products themselves. Every shirt worn, plush hugged, or pin traded was a reminder that this show meant something to people and that made all the long nights and hard work worth it. Your support kept the spirit of Final Space alive, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.
- Rachel Rogers
