Episode IV: Jack, the Woolies, and the Chritchellites

"Episode IV: Jack, the Woolies, and the Chritchellites" is the fourth episode in the first season of Samurai Jack. Jack must free a civilization of Woolies from the tyrannical Chritchellites.

Plot
The story begins in a forest with Jack making a trap out of vines and putting a carrot in the middle as bait. Moments after he's done, a warthog comes along and sees the carrot in the trap. Jack waits as the warthog slowly walks to the carrot. Suddenly, the ground begins to vibrate and a roar is heard in the distance, scaring the warthog away. A large, furry, four-legged animal bursts through the bushes with three other ones following. The other three appear to have small, blue, civilized creatures wearing white suits riding on their backs. The first large animal steps on Jack's trap, which is somehow tied around one of Jack's ankles, dragging Jack along. As Jack is dragged along with the animal, he grabs and climbs the vine, until he reaches the animal tied to it. Jack climbs onto the animal and ties the vine around the animal's front legs, tripping it over and stopping it at the edge of a cliff. After Jack gets off the captured animal, the small, civilized creatures get off the other three large animals and punish the captured one by electrocuting it with trident-like weapons that act like tasers. Afterwards, the small creatures thank Jack for helping them capture the furry beast, and invite him to their village to celebrate its capture. Jack agrees, since he hasn't eaten in days.

As Jack and the small creatures ride the beasts back to their village, the small creatures talk to Jack about the beasts, calling them "Woolies", claiming that long ago, the Woolies would attack their ancestors. But now, using their modern technology, the small creatures managed to tame the Woolies and get them to help them with their daily duties. When they arrive at their village, Jack notices the buildings there look very old. The small creatures then lock the captured Woolie in a giant cage and start the party to celebrate its capture. That night at the party, Jack watches how the small creatures treat the Woolies. Using their electric tridents on the Woolies, they force them to do stunts and performances, similar to a circus. When the Woolies fail at their performances, the small creatures punish them again by electrocuting them with their electric tridents. Jack tells one of the small creatures that the way they treat the Woolies is somewhat harsh. But the creature explains that it's no different from the way humans treat horses.

Later that night, Jack takes another look at the structures and back at the small creatures, finding it strange how the large buildings seem unbefitting for their size. Jack then walks to the cage that the captured Woolie is locked in to feed it. As Jack starts to walk away, the Woolie says to Jack in perfect human English, "Help me." Before Jack can respond, the small creatures suddenly appear, run into the cage, and electrocute the captured Woolie with their electric tridents. The leader of the creatures tells Jack to be careful, claiming that the Woolies have mind-control and can fry people's brains.

Even later that night, Jack dreams that he walks through a gate and fights multiple imp-like creatures. Suddenly, the same captured Woolie appears behind Jack and again says "Help me." Jack turns around and sees that the poor Woolie is trapped by a magic orb. After the Woolie again begs Jack to help him, Jack uses his sword to destroy the orb, freeing the Woolie and giving it the ability to stand on its two hind legs. Jack suddenly awakens from his dream and sneaks to the cage that the Woolie is locked in. Jack asks the Woolie if he understands him. The Woolie answers, "Yes. Please help us." Jack asks the Woolie what he wants him to do. The Woolie tells Jack to free him and all can be explained. Jack does so and allows the Woolie to escort him to a large pen where all the other Woolies are kept at night. In the center of the pen is a large stairway. The Woolie urges Jack to climb the steps. Once at the top, Jack finds what appears to be a much older Woolie sitting still. The old Woolie slowly opens its eyes and explains to Jack that its name is "Lazzor," the eldest of the Woolies. Using his eye beams, Lazzor gives Jack a psychic vision of the Woolies' past, as he explains to Jack that long ago, the Woolies walked on their hind legs and were a civilized, peaceful race in their own homeland. But one day, a bunch of small rockets from outer space landed in their homeland. A large army of small, blue creatures wearing white suits called the "Chritchellites" walked out of the rockets. The Woolies tried to defend themselves, but were no match for the Chritchellites' technology. The Chritchellites used a giant orb on top of one of the rockets to enslave the Woolies to their service, by making them too front heavy to travel on their hind legs, forcing them to stand on all fours. The Chritchellites enslaved the Woolies and abused their land for decades. Lazzor fears that if the Chritchellites are not stopped, his people will soon fade from history. He begs Jack to help them.

Jack agrees and sneaks to where the orb is, with the other Woolie again by his side. Jack attempts to climb up the rocket where the orb sits on top. The Woolie waiting on the ground accidentally awakens the Chritchellites. To distract the Chritchellites, Jack pretends to help the Chritchellites capture the Woolie. Jack then draws his sword and throws it at the Woolie. When the sword hits the Woolie, it actually frees the Woolie from its imprisonment from the orb, giving it the ability the stand on its hind legs again. The Chritchellites realize they've been tricked and attempt to attack Jack and the Woolie, but the duo hold their own. Back in the Woolie pen, Lazzor hears the clanging sounds of Jack's sword in the distance and states "It is time." Lazzor orders the other Woolies to head for Jack and the one Woolie to help out. By the time they get there, Jack leaps onto the one Woolie, informing it they must destroy the orb. So, with Jack on its back, the Woolie climbs up the rocket to get to the orb. The Chritchellites attempt to stop Jack and the Woolie from reaching the orb. When the Woolie states he is too weak to keep climbing, Jack simply pokes the Woolie on the butt with his sword, sending the Woolie sprinting up the structure, flying in the air and landing on the orb, destroying it and freeing the rest of the Woolies from their four-legged imprisonment. The leader of the Chritchellites orders the Woolies to stay back. But when he points his electric trident at the Woolies, one of them simply snaps it like a twig. Another Woolie says to the Chritchellites, "Your weapons are worthless now! This is our home!" The rest of the Woolies attack the Chritchellites, causing the small blue invaders to run back into their rockets and retreat back to outer space. Afterwards, Lazzor arrives and honorably thanks Jack for helping them, asking the Samurai if they can return the favor. When Jack tells him that there's one thing he quests for, Lazzor immediately understands what it is and tells Jack to travel north, explaining there is a magical land that can help him fulfill his destiny.

Credits

 * Written by
 * Chris Mitchell


 * Directed by
 * Randy Myers
 * Genndy Tartakovsky


 * Storyboards by
 * Chris Mitchell
 * Chris Reccardi


 * Voices
 * Phil LaMarr as Samurai Jack
 * Tom Kenny as Chritchellites
 * Brock Peters as Lazzor (Elder Woolie)
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Woolie


 * Casting by
 * Collette Sunderman