"Episode XLII: Samurai versus Samurai" is the forty-second episode in the fourth season of Samurai Jack. This episode features Jack meeting a Samurai wanna-be, who challenges him to a fight, only to be taught a lesson.
Plot
It is a rainy day. Jack is in a tavern having some herbal tea. Suddenly, a radio with legs and an arm walks in. It turns on, playing loud hip-hop music. Next, a man with bright clothes with lights on them walks in. He removes them and addresses himself as Da Samurai. He brags about how he is the number 1 samurai and how tough he is. He walks to the counter. The bartender is too intimidated, so Da Samurai makes his own drink. He drinks, but then finds out it tastes terrible and starts to threaten the man, until he sees a pretty woman. He walks up and starts flirting with her. She calls two robot guards to get rid of him. He gets angry and easily destroys both robots. He tells the bartender to give him a real drink when bounty hunters show up.
They look like they are made of wood and walk over to Jack. He stares at them cautiously. One of them has a T.V. on its chest with Aku, who tells the robots to destroy him. Jack jumps and easily slices the robots to pieces. Da Samurai sees this and realizes who he is. He begins to say how Jack is nowhere near his skills. But Jack ignores him. Da Samurai challenges Jack to a battle, claiming there can only be one samurai. He accepts, but they must battle outside in the rain.
Jack cuts two bamboo sticks for weapons. Da Samurai refuses to use them until Jack states he hasn't earned the right to face his blade. He picks one up and urges Jack to battle. (He who runs with aggression, walks without dignity). Da Samurai is fed up and starts running toward Jack, who remains motionless. He reaches Jack, but Jack throws him to the ground. He prepares to get up, but is stopped by Jack. (You can never defeat another, if you know not how to defeat yourself). Da Samurai gets up and tries to hit him, but Jack dodges all of his moves. He then knocks Da Samurai's sunglasses off and breaks them, enraging Da Samurai. (He who wears a mask cannot see what lies beyond himself). He grabs his stick and tries to hit Jack again, but he blocks them, hits Da Samurai on the head twice, and removes his clothes. (The shell of an oyster only hides the pearl inside). Da Samurai, now in his underwear, jumps and tries to hit Jack on the head, but is blocked again. Jack dodges another strike, and hits Da Samurai in the side, revealing his muscles to be fake and Da Samurai to be a fat man. Da Samurai says he is through with these sticks and prepares to fight Jack with his katana. Jack silences him and starts to hide.
Out of nowhere a whole army of killer robots appears. Jack prepares to fight, while Da Samurai tries to run back to the tavern. The robots, however, restrain him. Jack destroys all the robots with just his bamboo stick. It seems all is over, but the remains start to rebuild themselves. Jack frees Da Samurai who is impressed by Jack's actions. He sees the rebuilt robots try to fire a laser at Jack, but Da Samurai pushes him out of the way and takes the blast. He recovers to see Jack destroying the robots again. Jack walks over and states that he has taken the first step, toward the true path, to the way of the samurai. He then walks away. Da Samurai starts running after him, eagerly asking what else he has to do to become a samurai.
Trivia
- Comcast mistitled and misdiscribed this episode for the following episode around the time of its premiere, and still does to this day.