Episode XLVIII: Jack versus Aku is the forty-eighth episode in the fourth season of Samurai Jack. This episode features Aku challenging Jack to a fair, one-on-one combat in-order to settle things once and for all.
Plot
The episode opens with Aku in his castle and (humorously) picking up a phone and making an order for what sounds like a large pizza, but is revealed to be a huge giant bounty hunter. Aku sends him to get Jack, in which the giant arrives in a silly car and Jack easily destroys him. Moments later another giant robot arrives and extends a huge cannon that grows so long till it only shoots a pebble that bounces off Jack's sword and it falls over, blowing up. Next, an army of robots arrive but one trips and its sword goes flying as does the others, exploding all of them and the last one is struck down by the first robot's sword: Jack didn't even have to take a fighting stance. Disgusted by this, Aku decides to do something.
Jack goes to pick up his hat when Aku appears before him with Jack shouting his name, at which Aku rolls his eyes sarcastically saying how observant he is. Jack starts to attack with his sword when Aku says to put it away and recalling how their battle will go, which will end with him fluttering away and shouting that he'll be back, they won't see each other for about a week, and then they will do the same thing all over again. Jack ponders this but knows Aku has tricked him many times before, saying he won't trick him again. He swings his sword and what Aku has been saying happens, then reappears beside Jack, saying that this is what he means.
Aku proposes a duel: no armies, no bounty hunters, but no sword as well, at which Jack looks shocked. Jack agrees, but gives Aku three conditions (much to his dismay): He cannot shape-shift and only come in human form, no minions and no superhuman strength. Aku is hesitant and angry, but accepts. They go their separate ways to meet at sunrise in the Valley of the Corpses.
The next day Jack is waiting and stows his sword in a rock and waits for Aku who appears (in a comedic gladiator form). Jack stretches with Aku looking on confuse and then trying to stretch himself but fails. Aku then shouts it's time for fate to determine their destinies and Jack and Aku begin fighting with Jack winning finally after a long martial arts battle. Jack corners Aku on a ledge with a bow staff, and stating that his reign of terror is over; however, a pillar "happens to fall" near Jack and giving Aku time to escape and hide in shapeshifting form in which Jack knew he could not be trusted. Jack quickly runs to his sword, but only to find a note to tell him to turn around. He does so and sees a minion holding his sword who throws it to Aku who laughs and mocks him then attempts to break it, but only to reveal it was a fake. With a sly smile, Jack says that he knew Aku would cheat in the end, and that he hid fake swords all over the place beforehand, with all of Aku's minions getting one with Aku (in a comedic manner) trying to find the real one, which Jack reveals is under the sand. Jack gets it and slices at Aku in a explosion of dust.
The dust clears and Aku changed into a bat and flew away shouting that he will be back. Jack replys that he will be waiting for as long as it takes to destroying Aku.
Trivia
- This episode has the longest one-on-one interaction between Jack and Aku in the series.
- This episode was popular in fanbase due both to its humor and lampshading.
Gallery
