Episode XXII: Jack vs. the Five Hunters

"Episode XXII: Jack vs. the Five Hunters" is the twenty-second episode in the second season of Samurai Jack. In it, Jack must outrun the Imakandi, a race of Hunters sent after him by Aku.

Plot
The episode begins on an alien planet where a small hunting party of Imakandi are hunting a herd of alien creatures. They isolate one and quickly subdue it using a combination of hunting tools, teamwork, and their own skills.

Aku takes note of the hunting prowess of the Imakandi and shows them an image of Jack. Aku tells them that he has been running free on his planet for too long and asks the Imakandi to capture him. Aku offers them endless treasure should they succeed. However, the Imakandi tell Aku that they want no treasure; the hunt itself is reward enough.

Before a fire that night, the Imakandi perform a ritual to tap into a mystic power, sending them to Earth. There, they encounter Jack in a city sewer.

The Imakandi take Jack by surprise and easily capture him. Dismayed at how easy it was to capture Jack, the Imakandi deem him unworthy prey and decide to give Aku his prize right away. Upon hearing this Jack wakes up and cuts his bonds, and declaring that "I will not be delivered to Aku like some animal!"

Jack flees through the sewers, across the city and into the upper levels of a skyscraper, the Imakandi staying with him every step of the way. The chase comes to a climax when the Imakandi corner Jack on a pole high up above the city. One Imakandi fires an arrow at Jack, who catches it, only to reveal that the arrow is a snake of some sort. It bites Jack and the Imakandi keep him from falling to his death.

Aku appears before the Imakandi to congratulate them on their success. The Imakandi acknowledge that Jack has led them on a most fantastic chase. They are so impressed in fact, that they refuse to hand him to Aku, believing that such a creature deserves to run free. Furious, Aku tries to take Jack himself, but the Imakandi quickly escape, taking Jack with them.

Jack wakes up later, right back where the Imakandi had found him. He quickly sits up looking around for the hunters, but only finds a small torch with a blue flame. As he examines it, the flame takes the form of an Imakandi. It tells Jack that although Jack was their prey, they will let him go because of how long he was able to elude them, and as such deserves to be free. The flame goes out and Jack continues his journey.

Credits

 * Written by
 * Genndy Tartakovsky


 * Directed by
 * Robert Alvarez
 * Genndy Tartakovsky


 * Storyboards by
 * Genndy Tartakovsky
 * Michael Manley


 * Voices
 * Phil LaMarr as Samurai Jack
 * Makoto Iwamatsu as Aku
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Lionor / Alien #1


 * Casting by
 * Collette Sunderman

Trivia

 * This episode is sometimes erroneously referred to as "Jack and the Hunters" in fan circles.
 * Despite this, the actual title appears to be inaccurate, as only four Imakandi (including Lionor) are ever shown hunting at a time.