Remember the opening of the cartoon when Samurai Jack says’ Fifty years have passed, but I do not age. Time has lost its effect on me. Yet the suffering continues. Aku’s grasp chokes the past, present and the future. Hope is lost. Got to get back-back to the past’. This was a true way to grasp the interest of cartoon lovers all over the world and they did. The cartoon series was created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network.
The beginning of the end of the story of Samurai Jack sees him spend fifty years in the future at the beginning of the final season. He has been sent into the future by a shape shifting demon called Aku. Jack now has seen the destruction which the demon wrecks on the world. Aku goes further to destroy all the time portals so Jack cannot find his way back to his own timeline. Sending Jack into the future, he arrive there with just his infamous sandals, his robe and his famous sword. This future is nothing like what Jack could have imagined and he tries to find his way back home. This way back home is filled with so many challenges and trials which make this cartoon series a must watch for everyone and you have the chance to watch samurai jack online.
The true beginning of the story shows the life of a young prince. His father is in possession of a magical katana(a type of sword) which was given to him by the gods. The sword has the power to defeat a very powerful demon which the gods knew would soon find its way out of imprisonment and bring havoc to the world. The gods know all because eight years after the sword was given to this emperor, the demon escapes and overthrows the land. Everywhere is in chaos, the emperor is been held hostage by the demon and the prince is no where to be found.
The absence of the prince isn’t out of cowardice but due to the fact that the emperor sent him on a quest to discover himself, train to use the magical katana and see the larger world. During this journey he learns to become a samurai and one of the best the world has ever seen. This quest and training was also so he could handle the magical katana and save the world from the demon when the time comes. True to his word, the prince returns, changed into a samurai and battles the demon called Aku, who had taken over. In this fight between the powerful demon and the changed prince, the prince overshadows the demon with his skills and prowess, but just before he strikes the killing blow on Aku, the powerful demon sends the prince into the future by the means of a time portal he creates.
Thus begins the quest to find his way back home and end Aku. When he arrives in the future which is dystopian, he is called Jack by the first people he encounters and that is where his name is born, Samurai Jack. The name of the prince before he is called Jack isn’t mentioned, so it is another thrilling reason to watch the show. Do we ever get to know what Jack was called in his own time? His different journeys in this dystopian future brings Samurai Jack in battles with Aku or his minions and there are times when Jack almost makes it home but is thwarted by Aku. There are also times when Aku would have ended Jack’s life, but he is saved in different fortunate ways.
This future which Aku rules is filled with various imaginable and unimaginable beings. There are monsters, magical creatures, robots, deities, animals that can talk, aliens and also another fighter who is a Scotsman that wields an enchanted sword. The earth as we know it is gone under Aku’s reign. He has created a world which sees some parts of it in technological advancement and some parts uninhabited jungles. He has destroyed alien planets and brought them to come and inhabit the earth under his power. Criminals roam freely and cause nameless forms of havoc. Every mythical creature you can think about exists in this earth that Aku rules.
This all comes together to give you a series that is worth watching. There are twists, turns and unpredictability in the storyline which leaves you wanting more. Over the years from the premier of the series in 2001, the series has won many awards like the Annie Award, OIAF Award, Primetime Emmy Award, TCA Award, over its lifetime. The series however came to an end in 2017 after the airing od 62 episodes over it lifetime. Although the series was made for Cartoon Network which also showed it from August 2001 to September 2004, the final season was shown on Adult Swim on March 2017.
The final season sees Jack defeat Aku’s minions who happen to be called the ‘Daughters of Aku’ who train to become assassins with the focal aim of killing samurai Jack. There is a battle in which Jack kills them all except Ashi, the oldest of the daughters of Aku. He saves her and thus begins their quest together which eventually leads to love blossoming between them. Jack is faced with different situations where this love is tested but they come out stronger than ever even when Aku tries to force Jack to kill Ashi.
The series ends on a very sad note which we didn’t see coming because we believe in happily ever afters but Aku is defeated, the world is free of the shape shifting demon’s tyranny and Jack is finally free.
This is a great story which is bound to capture your heart as you cheer Jack on towards his journey to find his way home. If you haven’t watched samurai Jack, you can start now and be sure to thank me later.
