Samurai Jack and finding our own ways back

Nolan Hovell

“Samurai Jack,” for some, brings waves of nostalgia crashing down on them. Others will say, “Is that the one cartoon with the weird demon thing and the ninja guy?” That is a real quote from my friend Johnny.

The demon is Aku and the ‘ninja’ is Jack and from 2001 to 2004 “Samurai Jack” blessed our television screens with four seasons airing on Cartoon Network. .

Now, Jack is back for a fifth and final season with Phil Lamar voicing Jack and creator Genndy Tartakovsky back at the helm. This last season offers a wonderful and rare opportunity for closure for some dedicated fans. The fact that the show was rebooted after over a decade is nothing short of incredible in terms of television production.

Unlike many television shows that show a linear progression of narrative, the new season of “Samurai Jack” will show the passage of time that has taken place. 50 years have gone by and Jack is desperate to return to the past.

For those unfamiliar, the evil demon Aku banished Jack into the future where he rules in chaotic tyranny. The original seasons follow Jack as Aku’s forces attempt to stop him from defeating Aku and returning to the past.

The white robe and humble man-bun Jack sported in earlier episodes has been replaced with thick black armor, a spiked helmet and a long black beard. He also uses firearms and explosives instead of solely relying on his sword. In a way, he has become more like Aku.

The trailer hinted at themes of purpose and ‘finding a way back’. The existential themes of this show are one’s we as college students can relate to. The past is not so far behind that we can’t see it and the future is nearing, but for what cause?

That is what we are learning and going to school to find out. This passage of time has us asking “what has Jack been doing all this time?” and similarly, “what have I been doing all this time?”

The new season began March 11 and if you haven’t gotten an opportunity to check it out, new episodes air on Wednesdays at 11:00pm on Toonami on Adult Swim.

So, even when things seem to be standing still we know the world is still turning so don’t stress if you’re not reaching your goal weight at the gym just yet. Sometimes the things we start don’t always come to a satisfying end. Sometimes it takes years to get something right and those times are like our own reboots of “Samurai Jack.”