The Samurai Jack Series Finale

No pony stuff this time. Today, I want to hear your thoughts on the Samurai Jack series finale. I loved this season. I loved, loved, LOVED it. Although I did have a few minor complaints, seeing Jack's story finally come to an end was so worth it after a long 13 year hiatus. If I were to rate this season, it would be a perfect 10/10. A masterpiece. But, there are still some things I think could have been done better.

Here are some of the changes that I think would have made Season 5 much better:

- Episodes 1-4 follow through as already established. These episodes are fantastic, and I saw no problems with them.
- In episode 5, when Jack is showing Ashi all the evils Aku has placed upon the world, she does not fully turn against Aku. Whereas Ashi joins Jack on his journey to destroy Aku, this time she doesn't know what to believe, and is even apprehensive about aiding Jack in saving the children from the factory.
- Episode 6 follows through as already established. Another perfect episode, this time with Ashi's redemption flowing a bit more naturally as she slowly turns to Jack's side and abandons her life serving Aku.
- In episode 7, Ashi faces no orc army, but instead just fights her mother, the High Priestess. Doing this will give more time on Jack's inner journey to regain his sword. Also, when Jack finally regains his sword, he keeps his beard (it's not a major change; the beard is just awesome :P).
- In episode 8, Jack and Ashi's relationship does not develop into full romance, at least not yet. They defeat the creature, and Jack and Ashi leave the alien ship hand in hand, giving the possibility that their relationship could blossom into something more.
- Episode 9 is another great episode that I saw no problems with.
- In episode 10, there were a few things that could have been done differently. First, the episode should have been 40 minutes long compared to an average 22 minute episode. This gives the episode more time to create dramatic, heart-pounding moments as well as further developing characters and interactions. Next, the battle between Aku and all the people the Jack has helped is much grander in scale. The entire valley is swarmed with Aku's and Jack's armies battling. Next, Jack saves Ashi from under Aku's control. He does not tell her he loves her, but rather that he "needs her". Ashi stabs Jack before finally breaking out of Aku's control, and after discovering she has Aku's powers, she grabs Jack's sword and creates a portal that sends them both to the past. Jack faces Aku in the past, and the two engage in one final battle, each delivering devastating blows upon the other. In the end, Jack defeats Aku, and he and Ashi escape his destroyed castle. It is here that Jack and Ashi share their first kiss. Jack and Ashi return to Jack's home, where Jack gets a much-needed shave and the two prepare for their wedding. But, without Aku, Ashi cannot exist, and she dies and fades away in Jack's arms.

The final scene in episode 10 would take place several years later, where King Jack rides in through a foggy forest on horseback. If you don't know who King Jack is, in the third season of Samurai Jack when Jack faced the Guardian, it was shown in the portal of an older, bearded Jack with a crown, a possible future for him.

I thought this would be a perfect tie-in for the series. In the final scene of season five, it is King Jack who sits near a tree and is visited by a ladybug. He smiles at the bug, as the ladybug represented Ashi. He picks up his sword, places its tip in the grass and stares out into the blossoming valley. The final shot is the same shown as in season three of King Jack staring out into the open.

And so closes my third favorite cartoon of all time. Overall, those were my minor complaints with season 5, and although I didn't get the ending I would have hoped, I was still very satisfied with what we got. After all, it was Genndy's story, and I respect everything he has done to see Jack's journey come to a much-deserved end.

But those are just my thoughts, what were yours? Have you seen season 5, if so, what were your thoughts? Have you even seen Samurai Jack, and if so, where were your favorite episodes? I would love to read your opinions.

For season 5, my favorite to least favorite episodes are as follows:

1. Episode 2
2. Episode 1
3. Episode 3
4. Episode 10
5. Episode 9
6. Episode 5
7. Episode 4
8. Episode 6
9. Episode 7
10. Episode 8

Comments

[Metroid Prime]

Personally I unlike most people can accept the 22 minute length, and it just cements how this show is unconventional in its tropes. Like when Ashi dies, her final words are not "I love you" which is what everyone says before they go. Jack not being able to say goodbye to his future friends is acceptable because they know that its much easier to just go back to the past and destroy Aku when he is less powerful than in the future where it would have moot since they were going back in time anyway.

One thing I wish they would have done is we could have hear Aku's final screams of agony and defiance as he is destroyed for good, it would have been so much more satisfying to her him scream as he dies.

Above all I wouldn't change anything else, and while it may not be the ending that we wanted it was the ending the show itself deserved and the ending Gendy envisioned.

all and all, goodbye Samurai

[MetalJrock]

I hadn't even thought about tying it back to the King Jack vision. Is Jack still technically immortal?

I thought this season was a perfect conclusion to an amazing cartoon with only a few small bits holding it back, like pacing.

Here are my favorites from least favorite to favorite. I don't actually despise any of them.

10: Episode 8 : Nothing against the plot, as I loved the humor. But the romance could've been built up more.

9: Episode 4: It was a nice little breather after the Daughters of Aku episodes, but the only purpose it served as for Jack and Ashi to bond.

8: Episode 7: The entire episode was great what with Ashi's fight and Jack finally getting back his sword after ending what looked to be Mad Jack, but the High Priestess should've been the main threat and not the army.

7: Episode 5: It was awesome to see the Scotsman again. And seeing Jack and Ashi finally team up was surprising. Though her reformation could've taken another episode.

6: Episode 6: Seeing the world through Ashi's eyes and learning of the good deeds the samurai she was raised to hate was touching. Especially since she was the one who brought hope back into him before committing seppaku.

5: Episode 9: Aku's comeback was well worth the wait and seeing him troll Jack like old times was certainly something. And the Guardian was addressed, just not in the way we hoped.

Also, RIP Scaramouche, Aku's numero uno assassin, babe.

4: Episode 1: The comeback. We were brought in fifty years later to where Jack lost all hope in getting back and witnessing the Daughters of Aku. And the introduction of Scaramouche, the best robot in the series. A goofy smile was on my face when I saw the end card. It was then we knew Samurai Jack was back.

3: Episode 3: Seeing Jack cope with the idea of spilling blood was strange considering the old seasons. Seeing him struggle for an episode before slaughtering the rest of the Daughters was satisfying to watch.

2: Episode 10: The grand finale. Everyone against Aku. There were so many details that I loved. From the original opening to the dogs to 'jump good' and seeing Jack and Scotsman share some small talk one last time was heartwarming as a fan. Then he finally fulfilled his goal and killed Aku! A shame that came at the cost of Ashi. At least he can move on knowing the world as safe. The only problem was pacing.

1: Episode 2: This episode hooked me in from the beginning. It was a rough fight between Jack and the Daughters of Aku and he nearly lost! Plus we were introduced to Jack's conscience who tried to convince him to end it. The tomb scene was a masterpiece and seeing Jack's first onscreen kill caught me off guard. Best episode of the season imo.

All in all, this season was perfection. The ending was heartbreaking, but like Jack realized, there is still good out there and in the end everything was worth the outcome.

Farewell, Samurai Jack. We will never forget you and your adventures.

[JDPrime22]

4541530 Same as me. Just a few minor nitpicks, but the season overall was a great conclusion to Jack's story.

4541676 We will never forget the Samurai. It's so disheartening to know that we won't be getting the genius of Genndy and his team any longer, or just for quite some time. It's so hard to find quality cartoons nowadays (Gravity Falls, Star vs., and MLP just being the few that actually stand out), but at least we got Jack's final journey.