The Lava Monster is a monster made out of lava and stone, which made its first appearance in Episode X: Jack and the Lava Monster.
Appearance
The Lava Monster is a giant made up of the stone and magma he was imprisoned in. He had spikes that protruded from his shoulders and was easily three times Jack's height. When he was human, he was blonde, tall, and had a muscular build.
Personality
The Lava Monster is similar in personality to Jack. He is a strong warrior who fights for the ones he loves, but takes more pride in his actions. He nonetheless possesses a great sense of honor, refusing to strike an unarmed Jack down when he refused to fight back.
Origin
Centuries ago, possibly even around Jack's time, the Lava Monster was a human warrior and leader of a Norwegian kingdom. He lived a peaceful life with his loved ones until one day when Aku appeared. Try as they might, the warrior and his forces were crushed almost instantly by Aku with only the warrior left to destroy Aku. However; he soon found out that his weapons, which were ordinary, did not even harm Aku who merely laughed at the Warrior's attempt to destroy him before instantly defeating him. Even so; the Warrior unsheathed his sword, his only weapon left, ready to battle Aku for the last time but Aku had different plans for him. To punish the warrior and make him an example of the price of defying him, Aku imprisoned the Warrior within a unbreakable crystal, which made the Warrior immortal thus denying him a warrior's death, made the Warrior watch helplessly as Aku gleefully destroyed what was left of his beloved kingdom, and was then sealed in the core of a mountain, making him unable to pass on and join his people in Valhalla, the hall of slain heroes and resting place of all great warriors. After countless years of being stuck in the mountain, the warrior eventually learned how to manipulate and mold the earth around him to create a molten rock body-like shell he could use to move and escape his tomb. He then created a perilous cavern and drew heroes to him, hoping that one would be mighty enough to pass through the cavern safely and free him from Aku's curse.
Synopsis
While traveling through a field one day, Samurai Jack began to hear a voice calling out to him. The voice soon led him into a treacherous cavern full of booby traps and the bones of many before him. After successfully reaching the end, the Lava Monster revealed himself and battled Jack. However, seeing the monster's eagerness to fight, Jack refused and sheathed his sword. The monster begged Jack to continue fighting, then told Jack of his past and his desire to pass on to Valhalla, the only way to reach it being to fall in true combat with another warrior. Jack decided to resume fighting the Lava Monster to try and free him. After a fierce battle, Jack defeated him and freed the warrior of his shell, but the warrior began to rapidly age. The warrior thanked Jack, and when he passed on, a pair of Valkyries descended in a beam of light to carry the Warrior to Valhalla. Before he left the cavern, Jack drew on the warrior's obelisk a picture of the Warrior and the word FREE in stylized runic. When Jack resumed his journey, the warrior could be seen looking down at him from the heavens in the company of the gods of Asgard, with Odin among them.
Jack's drawing of the Warrior
Powers and Abilities
- Master Swordsman: Although not in the same caliber as Jack, the Lava Monster was proficient in the use of swords. His skills were great enough that he could last against Jack for a long period of time.
- Master Combatant: While the sword was obviously his weapon of choice, the Lava Monster still demonstrated the ability to use other weapons, as he had formed a mace from his arm. In his recital of the story of his past, he was also shown to wield weapons such as a spear and a bow. This could possibly mean he has, at the very least, a good understanding of other weapons and tactics.
- Earth Manipulation: Due to his imprisonment in the mountain core, the Lava Monster gained a link to his prison, letting him control it and mold it to his liking. He used this power to create a body rock and the cavern in which he lived and waited for a hero to come and best him. He could also mold his arms into weapons and form a crystal sword out of stone.
- Magma Manipulation: Should the Lava Monster become enraged enough, he is able to create powerful magma eruptions.