Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster

"Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster" is the tenth episode in the first season of Samurai Jack. In it, Jack must do battle against an earth-elemental who is under Aku's curse.

Plot
The episode starts with Jack walking through a field during a windy day. He continues to walk until he hears a voice telling him "Come!". He keeps hearing it and asks who is there. But the only things he sees are animals. He keeps walking and hears the voice saying "Come to me!" Jack withdraws his sword and tells the voice to show itself. It doesn't show and Jack calls it a coward. He starts running until he reaches a burnt field. He identifies that a familiar evil ravaged the lands.

He suddenly hears the voice again and goes in to investigate. He passes what looks like old Viking ships and skeletal remains of warriors that were killed in combat. He reaches a mountain, hears the voice again, and starts climbing. He enters and discovers booby-trapped cave. The ceiling starts to get closer and he runs. It looks like his exit will be blocked, but he uses his sword to cut through. The voice tells him to come further. Jack refuses until he sees the place about to crush him again and runs. He encounters more booby traps like hidden darts, mouths he has to jump through, and gas exiting the walk way. Jack eventually makes his way within the mountain and lava pours from above. He quickly jumps from rock to rock until he lands on one that carries him through the river of lava and reaches the heart of the mountain. Finally, Jack is confronted by a giant made of rock, wield a mace made of rock and crystals. The Lava Monster greets Jack, "Welcome to your DOOM!"

Jack says that many warriors have died on their way down and asks why. The Lava Monster replies that his purpose is to battle. He then attacks Jack, who is sent on the defensive. Jack charges at the Lava Monster with his sword and slices at his side. Although injured, the Lava Monster states that after all these years, a worthy opponent stands before him now. Jack sheaths his sword and says that he will not fight any more, but the Lava Monster protests. Jack says that there is no honor in fighting for the monster's amusement, but the Lava Monster question Jack's knowledge of honor. The Lava Monster goes on to say that a millennium has past and that his goal is within his reach, declaring that the fight will last until the end. The monster then forms a crystal sword using his magma body, and strikes at Jack, who still decides to not battle him. Enraged, the Lava Monster declares that he will not be denied and fire beams of heat from his eyes at Jack, but Jack still refuses. Jack offers the monster to kill him if he wishes, but he will not fight. However, the Lava Monster refuses to, saying that this battle must be concluded by the warrior's code, and begs Jack to continue to fight. When Jack asks why, the Lava Monster replies, "for freedom," which puzzles the samurai.

The Lava Monster then tells Jack that the monster he sees is actually a man trapped in a rock body. He shows Jack a recording of his past carved in stone and tells Jack his history of when he was human, a warrior like Jack. His land used to be a great Norse kingdom where he lived with his wife, two sons, and a faithful canine. He states that his people prospered in good times, until one day after returning from a victorious hunting trip, a solar eclipse happened with a black moon blocking the sun, growing until it enveloped the sky. The darkness took form and attacked the warrior's kingdom, revealing it to be none other than the familiar evil Jack spoke of before: Aku. All the warriors tried to slay him, but Aku proved to be too powerful to be brought down, and were destroyed in turn. The warrior was the only one left. He tried in vain to fight Aku, which amused the demon. Instead of killing him, Aku imprisoned the warrior within an unbreakable crystal, not only forcing him leaving him to watch as Aku destroyed his kingdom, but also denying him a warrior's end. Aku then grabbed the warrior and took him to the top of the mountain before thrusting him into its core, never to join his fallen comrades in Valhalla, the resting place of all great warriors. For centuries, the warrior was trapped inside the mountain, but the warrior found a way to manipulate the rock and form a body in order to move. He then created a pathway that only the best warrior could pass. He states that the only way into Valhalla is to fall in combat to another great warrior.

He also reveals that Jack is the only one to survive thus far. With his story told, the Lava Monster tells Jack that his fate was in his hands. Motivated to free the warrior, Jack agrees and unsheathes his sword and prepares to battle. This excites the Lava Monster, as his chance to finally enter Valhalla had come.

They begin to clash, until it looks like Jack has been bested. The Lava Monster tells him to rise and that he can not let up, as he must be defeated honorably. Jack catches a second wind and continues to fight. The Lava Monster tries to hit Jack, but he dodges the warrior's onslaught of attacks and evades him quickly enough that the warrior has no time to react and defend himself, allowing Jack to pierce his sword through the monster's torso and into the crystal underneath, compromised by the one and only weapon with the power to overcome Aku's spell and actually break it. The Lava Monster's rock body starts to break down, and with a relieved voice, he states that after all the his freedom has arrived after so long. Spiting Aku, he shouts that his curse is broken. He screams in victory as he is released. He expresses his joy that at last his flesh is restored and the curse is lifted... but at a cost. Having been locked away in the crystal for millennia, the curse kept him displaced from the natural effects of time would have taken on his body. No longer imprisoned, the dark magic which prevented him from aging is removed and his vitality rapidly fades away until he becomes an old man. Barely able to move, his hand rattles until he drops his sword and collapses, on the verge of dying. Jack runs over and tries to apologize, but the warrior tells him not to worry and asks Jack to hand him his sword. Jack honors his wish while sheathing his own sword, and gives the warrior a respectful bow. The warrior quietly says, "Thank you," and then passes away.

The sky lights up and two Valkyries clad in golden armor on horses arrive to take the warrior to Valhalla. Jack is initially saddened, until he sees the warrior awake from death to commence an afterlife of eternal paradise and give him a smile before going up to the heavens. As a testament to his life, Jack ensures the warrior's final fate is recorded by carving the image of the warrior in a triumphant pose above the word, "FREE," on the monolith of the warrior's past, so that anyone who discovers it one day will know he received his salvation at last.

His work done, Jack continues on his journey. As he is leaving the mountain, the warrior, now revitalized and glorified, is seen looking down on Samurai Jack from Valhalla with a proud smile, along with the Deities of Asgard.

Credits

 * Written by
 * Michael Manley


 * Directed by
 * Robert Alvarez
 * Genndy Tartakovsky


 * Storyboards by
 * Michael Manley
 * Chris Reccardi


 * Voices
 * Phil LaMarr as Samurai Jack
 * Richard McGonagle as Lava Monster / Viking


 * Casting by
 * Collette Sunderman