Index: Jack | Aku | Cult of Aku | Other Characters | Storyline | Crossovers
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Anime and Manga
Da Samurai is in fact Afro Samurai.
This means that Justice and Empty Seven either serve Aku, or else are being manipulated by him, and (no surprise) the video game is Canon Discontinuity. Season 5 is actually the Berserk 2D adaptation we always wanted.
Seriously, the similarities
◊ are jarring
. A man tries to survive an endless onslaught of minions who serve an evil god-like entity .Said man wears black armor and carries all sorts of weaponry. He's wracked with guilt due to being unable to stop said entity many years ago. Heck, you could even say that the Horseman that haunts Jack could either be just a stand-in for Skull Knight or the Beast of Darkness. Even the White Wolf who helps Jack in episode 3 is the spiritual opposite of The Beast of Darkness, but instead of trying to condemn him to a Darker Path it tries to help him. And he also has a sadistic and cruel Enemy Within that regularly taunts him. Jack's sword is a zanpakuto.
Why the hell not?- The ending:Aku: "And now, foolish samurai, your journey homeward ends!"Jack: "That is correct. Expunge the inky stain of darkness, Hikari. Bankai. Tenshi no Hikari. Tsubasa no Yamigoroshi."(Giant sphere of light wipes out all Akus that ever existed)
Jack's real name is never told for protection against a Death Note.
One reason why Jack never reveals his name is because he's afraid of Aku using a Death Note against him. Aku himself actually could be a fallen God of Death; he's immaterial like them, enjoys screwing with people's lives, and seems immune to nearly every weapon. After coming to Earth, he amassed more mystical power and became the Aku we know. Jack's parents, aware of Aku's origin, tell Jack about the Gods of Death and the Death Notes and refuse to call him by his true name so that no subjects of their kingdom can let slip Jack's true name and risk their kingdom's survival. When Jack is flung to the future, he continues to keep his name hidden because he's still worried Aku has a Death Note that can kill him, and being the last hope for humanity, Jack needs to be very careful if he wants to survive.Of course, this brings up the question: If Aku was a Shinigami, why didn't he use his eyes to discover Jack's name whenever he was around him? I think there's three possible reasons: One, Aku's acclimation of magic power forced him to sacrifice some elements of his being in order to gain further powers like shapeshifting. Perhaps he had to give up his Shinigami eyes in order to get these powers. Two, he lost his Death Note when he came to Earth, so he knows Jack's name, but just doesn't have the ability to kill Jack now. Or three, the most likely if this theory is true, he just likes screwing with Jack a lot and wants to torture him with as many near-returns to the past as he can before he grows tired of it. Killing with a Death Note would be 'too easy' and would take the fun out of it, so he keeps messing with Jack in a sadistically playful way.
- This theory sounds cool, but Aku is a very different monster, rather than a Shinigami from Death Note.
Samurai Jack is a Future Imperfect retelling of Inuyasha
Aku is Naraku, and Jack is a composite of Kagome and Inuaysha. Jack's sword is therefore Tessaiga. As the tale of Inuyasha was passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition, the specific details got lost or mixed-up, and Inuyasha and Kagome eventually merged into a single character. As time further progressed, the credibility of a story involving someone going back into the past to fight demons became lost, but a story about someone traveling into the future from the past to fight robots, while not necessarily more credible, was of greater interest to a society not only becoming more technologically savvy but simultaneously increasingly suspicious of their technological dependence and somewhat pining for simpler times. Thus, a nameless warrior bestowed with the nickname "Jack" sent into the future to fight the robot hordes of Naraku (by now simply shortened to "Aku") who had also become a more exaggerated, simplified version of himself. Aku is a result of a experiment of the Incubators from Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Aku is an attempt of incubators to create a witch from dark matter in space. Seeing the result as a failure, Odin, Ra, and Vishnu, which were actually high-tech nanotech suits by the incubators, banished Aku. However Aku's pseudo-grief seed managed to find itself to Earth causing the extinction of the dinosaurs. Fast forward in time, the site where the pseudo-grief seed landed became ancient Japan and gradually created an imperfect barrier which enveloped a forest.The incubators later provided Jack's father some nanotech technology in a bid to vanquish Aku but it awakened the witch Aku which finally revealed its humanoid form. Jack's father was able to seal Aku in a tree using a sword enhanced by Incubator nanotech. Aku was later freed by a solar eclipse. Jack himself later fights Aku and nearly defeated the witch. Aku sent him to the future (using the same magic, ahem technology which enabled Homura to travel time. where Aku has enveloped the Earth in a barrier where the witch rules supreme.
Jack will be able to go back in time and defeat Aku. The incubators will then continue to research on how to combat entropy and they will find a much safer and more reliable way shortly: through the magical girl system
The Omen was a hallucination caused by the witch Ophelia.
Jack is under the influence of a witch kiss for most parts of Season 5, particularly by Ophelia, the witch with an "abandonment" nature. In connection to the above theory, in the future where Aku is law the incubators is already implementing the magical girl system.- The witch of wǔdàn. Her nature is abandonment. A witch who eternally wanders with hollow footsteps within the fog. She can no longer remember what the horse that always accompanies her was. – Ophelia's description
The Omen is the Ophelia presents herself to the Jack. Both the witch are some sort of horse-riding warrior and the Omen is just the Spear Counterpart of the witch. The witch preyed on Jack's feeling of abandonment and despair of "losing his purpose" and the raging Jack hallucination is a either a familiar or Ophelia herself. Ophelia managed to convince Jack to commit seppuku which was averted by Ashi who defeated the witch and successfully managed Jack to snap out of it.
Jack's sword is a nexus of Spiral Power.
Even gods needed to use something within the human spirit as raw materials. By extension, Aku is related to the Anti-Spirals. Then there's Robo-Samurai...- Why does using spiral energy lead to Aku being associated with the Anti-Spirals? Although I can certainly see generating enough spiral energy to destroy him attracting their attention...
Literature
Aku is Nyarlathotep.
Aku was created from a part of some kind of Eldritch Abomination that was defeated by various deities. Nyarlathotep is the soul of Azathoth, the blind idiot god. It's hinted that Azathoth wasn't always mindless as he is now, but his current state is the result of being defeated by the Elder Gods. Aku is a shapeshifter. Nyarly has a thousand different forms. Aku takes over the world in the future. Nyarly seems to be plotting his way to world domination and the destruction of mankind. Both are immortal godlike beings, virtually immune to conventional weaponry. However, while the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods are immortal, it would still be possible to destroy Nyarlathotep's physical avatar with a powerful enough weapon. Jack's sword, being blessed by the Elder Gods is a weapon capable of doing this. Aku took over/made the Instrumentality.
The dogs in the first episode are Underpeople, and many places Jack visits are taken from different eras. This series takes place in the same universe as The Dark Tower.
- Jack will team up with Roland; which would make for some interesting chemistry with the whole gun/sword contrasts.
- Aku has a deep fear of the Crimson King.
- Roland's guns are capable of harming Aku just like Jack's sword.
The Lava Monster's true identity was Beowulf.
While he's definitely Scandinavian and/or Viking in character, the Lava Monster's speech patterns and written script are much more distinctly/stereotypically Anglo-Saxon than just any Norse. Aku's attack on his homeland probably took place sometime after Beowulf became the King of the Geats following his slaying of Grendel and Grendel's mother and before when he would have fought the dragon in the original timeline. It's fitting that one of the only human matches for Beowulf, one of the first great literary heroes, would be none other than Jack. Live-Action TV
The Scotsman's Wife is a descendant of Amy Pond.
It explains so much. Jack is an Immortal.
Easily explains the not-aging and cartoon-style apparent rapid healing rate. Aku's future has given him plenty of opportunities for his first death. Heck, he probably could have died hitting the ground on arrival. Also, katana! Mythology
The Eldritch Abomination that Aku was a piece of was Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
Because that would probably make the battle even more epic. Aku is the spawn of Erebus.
In the backstory, Aku emerges from a great darkness. The previous rulers were the Titans. Erebus in Greek mythology was the primordial darkness. It makes perfect sense. Of course, this means that it is likely false... The Scotsman's sword is Excalibur.
It sort of makes sense, as the Scotsman is from Britain and wields a magical sword, and he is quite worthy of using it. Video Games
The Wolf is Amaterasu.
It's a white wolf who is unnaturally helpful to a strange human. Said human is on a quest to destroy the incarnation of a cosmos-threatening evil. That sure sounds a lot like Ammy's own quest, doesn't it?- Imagine The Reveal when, out of all the allies willing to help Jack one last time, the white wolf steps forth to reveal its divine markings. ...And Issun!
Web Original
Aku is distantly related to Mr. Popo.
Blacker than the blackest black, times infinity? Check. Dead, lifeless eyes? Check. Immense power, including shapeshifting? Check. Hilarious? Check. Horrifying? Check. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a relative! Western Animation
Aku is the ancestor of the Uno family from Codename: Kids Next Door.
To see that his bloodline continued, Aku had a child with a mortal woman. This bloodline eventually produced Grandfather, who had his sons, Benedict (who also inherited dark powers) and Monty (who's soul was too good to gain the same dark powers). This means that when he gets older (knowing KND, probably 13) Nigel will have the same abilities. The astronaut with the purple helmet from "Jack in Space" (S1-Ep5) is Dexter!
Short, glasses, Russian accent, smart, purple helmet->purple gloves. Didn't anyone else get that vibe? And I think there was another guy there (green helmet, I think) who might have been his friend Douglas.- This Troper personally thinks the scientist from "Jack and The Ultra-Robots" is the adult Dexter. The scientist, whose name is Exdor (say it out loud), is short, wears green goggles similar to Dexter, and creates a power arm that looks very similar to Dexter's other creations.
Aku is Chase Young and Him.
After Aku sends Jack into the future, Aku starts gleefully taking over the world but for what ever reason will take on a different form and start calling himself Chase Young. Why? Who knows, maybe he get's bored so take a a new form or maybe he becomes someone different depending on who he is fighting, the Japanese get Japanese monster (This Troper knows very little of Japanese mythology), Xiaolin Monks get Chase Young, Christians get Him. Regardless, what I am trying to say is that many shows (preferably just Cartoon Network ones) are all linked by one supernatural monster. Aku/Chase/Him. Samurai Jack is a graphic novel written by Buttercup and drawn by Bubbles after they grow up.
It would explain the previous reference to Townsville and the Talking dogs in the beginning, Jack's similarity to Professor Utonium, and why Aku seems like Chemical X personified. And if Bubbles was drawing, it would explain why every enemy Jack cut was a robot, and makes a lot of sense with the silent episodes as when the two had creative differences. Aku is active during The Powerpuff Girls' time, and is the ruler of Monster Island
So we know from that there's an actual place called Monster Island. Said island is, in fact, the PPG's version of Japan, still ruled by Aku, who has somehow been constrained to its borders since he conquered it in Jack's time. So, for the time being, he makes do creating monsters and sending them to do battle in the outside world, waiting for the moment for the stars to be right or something along those lines. Eventually, as we can see from the ruins of Townsville in Jack's first episode, it does. Aku is made of Chemical X.
Continuing from the above, Mojo Jojo is Aku reincarnated.
The Chemical X that mutated Mojo came from a sample of an already slain Aku. Both have a black and green color scheme as well as a Japanese accent.Also, Jack is one of Professor Utonium's ancestors.
During Season 5, we'll see a Powerpuff corpse.
A skeleton that clearly belongs to Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup, used as a bit of a Shout-Out, Nightmare Fuel, and giving Aku even more rep as a Hero Killer.It could also work if the skeleton shown has some other calling card of a CN action show. The ruined frame of Megas, an Omnitrix on the wrist, maybe even Octus or Titan. Or even the shattered forms of the Crystal Gems.
- Since Townsville's remains were there in Episode II, it wouldn't be likely for a Powerpuff skeleton to show up, since it's been 50 years after that.
- Who knows if Chemical X decomposes fast. Also a museum of defeated heroes (with preserved bones) might be something Aku'd enjoy.
The Daughters of Aku were created from the DNA of Butch the Rowdy Ruff Boy.
The beatdown Ashi gave that army was PPG-like, and a RRB in the Pit of Hate is possible. Samurai Jack is Professor Plutonium.
This theory has been collapsed into a footnote due to its long length. Also, beware of major spoilers regarding the Samurai Jack series finale! One of the new season's episodes will be a crossover with Korgoth of Barbaria.
It's another project that Genndy Tartakovsky worked on, it was intended to become a full show on [adult swim] (though that sadly never happened), and Toonami even aired it as a Daylight Savings Time treat. With Samurai Jack now premiering on [adult swim] hours, why not? Jack, or possibly a humorous Captain Ersatz of him, will eventually appear in Rick and Morty.
And the characters will promptly indulge much Lampshade Hanging regarding the April Fool's Day joke that cost Samurai Jack a night of programming. Jokes could include Rick telling Jack he's so 2004, some kind of event with an audience with Jack arguing he is what the crowd came to see or Rick interrupting his quest to ask about Szechuan sauce. And considering the Jack team are no strangers to Parody Assistance, they could even get in on the joke personally. This series takes place in the same universe as Wander over Yonder.
- Wander will try to "wanderize" Aku the same way "Tumbleweed" did to Major Threat.
- Aku will be Lord Hater's idol and send Hater after Jack.
- Aku will want Wander's hat.
Aku's essence was reincarnated into three chaotic personalities.
After the final battle, Aku's essence survived and became reincarnated into the Warner Brothers Yakko, Wakko, & Their Sister Dot, and they vaguely remember their life as Aku. This would explain the overall mischief they may cause, and their black color of course. Although they may not be as evil as the original Aku, that "evil" trait does still linger on as shown in some Animaniacs episodes such as "Broadcast Nuisance" where they torment a news anchor.The Warners being reincarnations of Aku would also explain most of their abilities such as traveling freely as they please and being nearly indestructible. Also gives a valid explanation to how they were able to take on Satan in the short "Hot Bothered, and Be-Deviled". Not just Satan, but look at how they take on nearly all of their foes. They are a force to be reckoned with. Some characters such as Thaddeus Plotz are aware of their true, evil origins and made different takes on the Warner's origins throughout the series such as the "Newsreel of the Stars" and the "65th Anniversary Special" to cover up the truth.
Samurai Jack is Tohru's ancestor.
It would seem to explain how Tohru's bravery seems to run in his blood.- Also, the Oni and Shadowkhan are (approximately) contemporaries of Jack and Aku.
The Dominator is Eric Cartman as an adult.
The Dominator, one of the villains of Season 5, greatly resembles
Eric Cartman
in both appearance and personality. Both are sadistic, sociopathic fat bastards who have committed a Moral Event Horizon act over petty reasons or none at all. However both are also dirty cowards who are easily defeated by a female. The Dominator even has a Southern accent similar to Cartman's own accent, and most of the Dominator's victims appear to be aliens, which may match Cartman's racism. This all begs this question...What would Eric Cartman be like if he was an adult? While the episode "My Future Self And Me" show alternate versions of Cartman as an adult, a multi-billionaire and mechanic, if Cartman exists in the the Crapsack World created by Aku for evil to flourish, Cartman would receive no comeuppance for his actions and progressively get worse to the point where he becomes a Complete Monster AKA The Dominator.
