#when you think about it… Aku and jack are actually born the same day

[silvercrow72]

What if…

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

2010s Art: Music, Games, and TV

So I love all forms of art. It may not seem like it since I tend to stick mainly to movies, with the odd cartoon or video game thrown in, but that’s really because movies are more my thing due to not being massive time investments. Like, don’t get me wrong, I gamed, I watched TV, I listened to music, but it was a lot more casual than my deep dive into becoming a major cinephile.

With games and TV, it was mostly issues of money and time respectively. I have a few consoles, mostly Nintendo and Sony ones, and my wife helped me experience Xbox games, but I just don’t have the money needed to experience every good game that comes out. With TV, the time investment is the biggest roadblock, especially when all the best shows have hour-long episodes these days. With movies, I just have to spend 90 minutes to two hours on average; for TV, it’s countless hours I could be watching movies. As for music… well, I listened to a lot, I just don’t feel totally qualified to properly rank and list songs and albums.

So instead of the big decade-spanning list for movies that I’m doing, I’m going to go over some things I enjoyed from the past decade and maybe a few things I didn’t in music, TV, and video games. Here’s a little guide so you know what stuff is something I consider one of my absolute favorites in any given medium - if it’s from this decade, it will be in bold, and if it’s from a previous decade but I experienced it this decade, it will be underlined.

Television

I figured I’d get this out of the way first since it’s the medium I have the least experience with. Let me put it this way: I have seen only one season of Game of Thrones, the first one (and by all accounts I dodged a bullet by dropping that show). I also had the misfortune of jumping in to The Walking Dead right as it was gearing up for its abysmal second season, which turned me off that and led to me only watching an episode here or there. 

I had better luck watching live action shows on streaming. I managed to get through almost all of Pretty Little Liars on Netflix, which was a chore in and of itself; it’s a good show, but boy could it ever get arbitrary and frustrating. Speaking of Netflix, I think it goes without saying that Stranger Things is their best effort; from the likable cast of kids to the awesome soundtrack, even though it never really surpasses season one the show always has something cool going on in one of its plots. My other favorite from Netflix would probably be their take on A Series if Unfortunate Events, which is how you do adaptation expansion right; everything they add feels like it’s in service of fleshing out Lemony Snicket’s dismal world, as well as giving Patrick Warburton an incredible dramatic role as the Lemony narrator himself.

Amazon managed to score two hits in my book. The first is the unbelievably fun and charming Good Omens, a miniseries that somehow got me to love David Tennant and Michael Sheen more than I already did. The second was the gory joyride that is The Boys which while not the smartest or most original superhero satire is definitely the most fun.

While I didn’t watch the whole show and would not consider it one of my favorites, I do want to give props to Hannibal for introducing me to Mads Mikkelsen. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the only person aside from Hopkins worthy of playing everyone’s favorite cannibal. Another show I DO consider a favorite despite slacking on keeping up with it is Ash vs. Evil Dead; I only needed to see a single season of Bruce back with the boomstick to know this show was a masterpiece.

On the animated side I have much more to talk about. Not since the 90s have we been spoiled with so many genuinely great and varied cartoons. We got Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe… really, Cartoon Network raised the bar this decade and made up for an awful 2000s. They even finally gave Samurai Jack a conclusion, which despite the mixed results, was still a real exciting phenomenon to experience.

Of course, my favorite CN show came from Adult Swim. I am of course referring to Rick & Morty, a fun sci-fi adventure comedy that attracted the most obnoxious fanbase possible in record time. While certainly not a show you need a high IQ to understand and having an atrocious third season, it still manages to be funny and thought provoking in equal amounts. Seriously though. Fuck season 3.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is another great show that I sadly fell off the wagon of around the fifth or sixth season. It never got bad of course but it never really engaged me like the older episodes, though what I’ve heard of the last season makes me wish I’d kept up with it. It was a great show with a lot of heart and character, and I’m not sure we’ll ever see a show like it again.

Netflix did not slack in the animation department; I didn’t catch their most famous show (it’s the one about a certain Horseman) but I did catch their fantastic take on Castlevania, which as a huge fan of the series was a real treat. Where the fuck is Grant though?

My two favorite shows of the decade, however, are what I see as the pinnacle of East and West: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Gravity Falls. 

JJBA is a series I had vague passing knowledge of, only knowing its existence due to seeing Stone Ocean referenced on the Wikipedia page for air rods when I was younger and, of course, the memes that spawned from Heritage for the Future, which were inescapable back in the day. As soon as I got into the series, it became one of my biggest inspirations, teaching me you can be deep, complex, and filled with great character interactions while also being so batshit insane that every new and absurd power is incredibly easy to buy (looking forward to the rainbows that turn people into snails, animators). They managed to get through the first four parts and start up the fifth over the decade; so far my favorite part is four, mainly due to the magnificent bastard that is Yoshikage Kira (played time perfection by D.C. Douglas) and in spite of serial creep Vic Mangina playing the otherwise lovable asshole Rohan Kishibe.

Gravity Falls on the other hand is just a fun and engaging mystery show that manages to excel at being episodic and story-driven all at once. There’s only one or two “bad” episodes across two seasons, and it lasted just as long as it needed to, wrapping things up with a satisfactory ending that still gave fans a few mysteries to chew on. It also gave us Grunkle Stan, perhaps the greatest character in all of animation, the pinnacle of “jerk with a heart of gold” characters who is hilarious, badass, and complex all at once. This is my favorite western animated show…

...but then the last year of the decade threw a curveball and, if I’m being honest, is on par with Gravity Falls: Green Eggs and Ham. Netflix really wanted us to know 2D animation is back in 2019; between this show and Klaus, the future is looking bright for the medium. It’s a fun, funny roadtrip comedy that knows when to be emotional and when to be funny, and it’s all filtered through the wubbulous world of Dr. Seuss. It’s just a wonderfully delightful show.

And on the subject of JoJo, I had a kind of love-hate relationship with anime this decade. The attitudes of anime fans turned me off from anime for a long while. Sure, I checked out stuff like Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online, but neither series really clicked with me. The main anime I loved this decade were ones that started in the 2000s and ended in the 2010s, like Dragon Ball Z Kai and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I suppose I did enjoy My Hero Academia, which is a really fun show with an awesome and varied cast and great voice acting. Love Froppy, best girl for sure.

One of the most unfortunate things about this decade was how many great shows got screwed over by their networks. Sym-Bionic Titan, Thundercats, and The Legend of Korra were all great shows in their own right but were treated like shit by their respective networks. It really makes me upset that stuff like that not only happened, but continues to happen to this day.

But let’s not end on a bad note; let’s talk about the astounding returns old shows got. Invader Zim got a movie as did Hey Arnold, with the latter in particular finally wrapping up the dangling plot threads, but those are actual TV movies so they don’t really fit here; what DOES fit is Static Cling, the triumphant return of Rocko’s Modern Life. A forty minute special, it follows Rocko and his friends as they navigate the modern age, trying to bring back Rocko’s favorite cartoon. Rachel Bighead’s arc in this in particular is pretty groundbreaking and awesome. 

Also awesome was the first few episodes of Samurai Jack’s return, though it did end up petering out halfway through the season and ended on an anticlimactic note. Still, Tom Kenny’s Scaramouche, the sheer amount of continuity, and the awesome final curbstomp battle against Aku are worth giving this a watch. And if nothing else, stuff like this gives me hope for future revivals. What will we see next? Gargoyles comeback? Batman Beyond continuation? KENNY AND THE CHIMP REVIVAL?! Chimpers rise up!

Music

Much like everyone, I listened to a lot of music this decade. There was a lot of shit, and I definitely used to be one of those “wow no one makes good music anymore” morons, but I grew out of that and learned to look in the right places.

Let’s start with the albums I loved the most. Continuing her meteoric rise from the 2000s, Lady Gaga drooped her magnum opus, Born This Way, an album that successfully showcases her skills as she takes on numerous pop styles. No two songs sound the same, and with a couple of exceptions every song slaps. While we’re on the subject of pop stars, Gaga’s contemporary and lesser Katy Perry managed to hit a home run with the fun bit of pop fluff that was Teenage Dream.

Weird Al was sorely missed for most of the decade, but what albums he did drop featured some of his best work. While Alpocalypse doesn’t hold up quite so well, it’s still solid, but even then it is blown out of the water by Mandatory Fun, an album that just refuses to stop being funny from start to finish. And that’s not the only funny albums this decade; aside from artists I’ll get more into later, George Miller AKA Filthy Frank released Pink Season as one of his last great acts as his character of Pink Guy. The album is as raunchy and filthy as you’d expect. And then for unintentional comedy, Corey Feldman dropped Angelic 2 The Core, an album so musically inept that it ends up becoming endearing; it’s The Room of music.

As I gamed a lot this decade I got to experience a lot of great video game soundtracks, but the two I found to be the absolute best were Undertale and Metal Gear Rising’s. I couldn’t tell you which soundtrack is better, and I’ve actually made a playlist on my iPod containing my favorite tracks from both games. Pokemon had solid soundtracks all decade, but they definitely were better in single tracks such as Ultra Necrozma’s theme from USUM and Zinnia’s theme from ORAS.

And speaking of individual songs, there were a lot I really loved. The disco revival in the easel ide half of the decade lead to gems like “Get Lucky,” “Uptown Funk,” and… uh, “Blurred Lines.” The controversy to that one might be overblown, but it sure isn’t anything I really want to revisit.

Corey Feldman may be the king of unintentional comedy, but this decade was seriously ripe with so bad it’s good music. The crown jewel is without a doubt the giddy, goofy “Friday,” but I think the equally stupid but also endlessly more relatable Ark Music production “Chinese Food” is worth some ironic enjoyment as well. 

Meme songs in general were pretty enjoyable, though it came at a price. Remember when everyone tried to be funny by ripping off “Gangnam Style?” Remember when people took that Ylvis song at face value? Irony and satire were lost on the masses. I think the best mene song of the decade, though, is “Crab Rave,” a bouncy instrumental dance track with a fun music video and an absurd yet hilarious meme tacked to it. And then we have “The Internet is for Music,” a gargantuan 30 minute mashup featuring every YTMND, 4chan, Newgrounds, and YouTube meme you could think of (at the time of its release anyway),

Then we get into artists. Comedy music was great this decade, with Steel Panther and The Lonely Island putting out great work all decade, but by far my favorite funny band is Ninja Sex Party. Dan “Danny Sexbang” Avidan and Brian “Ninja Brian” Wecht are pretty much my favorite entertainers at this point, with them easily being able to go from doing goofy yet epic songs where they fuck or party to doing serious and awesome cover albums where Dan flexes his impressive vocals. A big plus is how all of their albums are easily some of my favorites ever, with not a single bad CD, and that’s not even getting into their side project Starbomb. These guys are a treasure.

Then we have Ghost, a Swedish metal band who play up the Satanic panic for all it’s worth. These guys captured my interest when I heard the beautiful “Cirice” on the radio, and despite that song rocking the fuck out, Imagine my surprise when it ended up being only middle of the road awesome for this band! With killer original songs like “Rats,” “Mary in the Cross,” and “Square Hammer” to a awesome covers like “Missionary Man” and “I’m a Marionette,” it’s almost enough to get a guy to hail Satan. I think they appeal to me mainly because they have a style very in line with the 80s, most evident on tracks like “Rats.” 

While I’d hesitate to call him one of my favorite musicians yet (he is really good so far though), one of my favorite people in entertainment is Lil Nas X. From his short but sweet songs that crush genre boundaries to his hilarious Twitter feed, this guy is going places and I can’t wait to see what those places are.

And finally, the guy I think may be one of the greatest creative geniuses alive and who has nearly singlehandedly shaped Internet culture with everything he does… Neil Cicierega. While it’s not like I only discovered him in the 2010s - the guy has been an omnipresent force in my life since Potter Pupper Pals debuted - he definitely became the guy I would unflinchingly call the greatest artist of our time over that period.   Whether he’s releasing the songs under his own name or as Lemon Demon, you can always be sure that the songs are going to burrow into your brain. His Lemon Demon album Spirit Phone, which features songs about urban legends and the horrors of capitalism, is easily my pick for album of the decade. And then under his own name he released three mashup mixtapes: Mouth Sounds, Mouth Silence, and Mouth Moods. All three are stellar albums, but only Mouth Moods has “Wow Wow,” the bouncing track about homoerotic bee-loving Will Smith and outtakes so good they deserve to be on the next album.

Video Games 

Having a PC this decade was great because it let me experience a lot of games I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, like Half-Life, BioShock, Earthnound, Mother 3, and Final Fantasy VI and VII. All of these and more are among my favorite games of all time now, but we’re here to talk about the stuff from this decade I consider great.

It’s hard to talk about this decade in gaming without mentioning Skyrim. Yes, it has flaws and the main storyline is a bit undercooked, but there’s so much fun to be had dicking about in the wilderness it’s hard to be too mad. And if you have mods, there are endless opportunities to expand the game. The same is true for the other game I have sunk countless hours into, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. Not only is there a thriving modding community, but it has been supported and encouraged by the creators and some mods have even made the leap into becoming fully canon! It’s always a blast to revisit and see how far I can break the game with item combos.

Surprisingly, Batman managed to get not one, not two, but THREE awesome licensed games this decade! Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and the unfairly maligned Arkham Origins all kick as much ass as the Dark Knight himself. The former two reunite Mark Hamill and Kevin McConroy as Joker and Batman while the latter features numerous stellar boss battles. The combat in these games is so graceful and fluid, you WILL feel like Batman at some point, be it after flawlessly clobbering two dozen mooks or silently eliminating a room of thugs before they even realize you’re there.

Pokémon had a bit of a rocky decade; it started out strong with the fifth generation, the best games in the series with a great story, region, and sidequests and then just went downhill from there. Not incredibly so, of course - the games were always fun at least - but gens VI through VIII were not the most graceful steps into 3D. Still, every gen managed to produce some of my all-time favorite Pokémon. Gen V had Volcarona, Chandelure,  and Meloetta; Gen VI gave us Hoopa, Klefki, the Fairy type in general, and a gorgeous mega evolution for my favorite Pokémon, Absol; Gen VII had the Ultra Beasts and Ultra Necrozma, some of the coolest concepts in the series, as well as Pyukumuku; and Gen VIII gave us Cinderace, Dracovish, Dracozolt, Polteageist, Hatterene, Snom, and Zacian. And those are just samplings mind you, these gens are full of hits.

Bringing back old franchises yielded amazing results. Look no further than the triumphant return of Doom in 2016, which had you ripping and tearing through the forces of Hell with guns, chainsaws, and your bear fucking hands. This game is HARDCORE. Less bloody and gory but no less awesome was the return of not just Crash Bandicoot, but Spyro as well in remakes that are easily the definitive ways to experience the games. And don’t even get me started on the remastered DuckTales!

Platinum games did not fuck around this decade, delivering Bayonetta 2 and Metal Gear Rising. The former is a balls-to-the-wall sequel to the amazing original Bayonetta that, while lacking in bosses quite as impressive as the first game’s, is more polished and has a fun story and a better haircut for Bayonetta; the latter is an action game so insane it makes the rest of the Metal Gear franchise look tame in comparison. The latter in particular is in my top ten games ever, with every boss battle feeling epic, all the music kicking ass, and Raiden truly coming into his own as a badass.

Speaking of Metal Gear, the divisive The Phantom Pain easily earns its place here. While much fuss has been made about the game being “unfinished,” it still has a complete and satisfying ending even if it doesn’t totally wrap up the dangling plot threads the young Liquid Snake leaves behind. The overarching themes as well as Venom and his relationship with characters like Kaz, Paz, and ESPECIALLY Quiet make this game, with his and Quiet’s being particularly beautiful and tragic. The Paz quest, Quiet’s exit, and the mission where Snake has to put down his men after they get infested with parasites are all some of the most heartbreaking moments in the franchise. But it’s not all tears; there’s plenty of fun to be had harassing Russians in Afghanistan while blaring 80s synth pop from your Walkman. Oh yeah, and fuck Huey.

The Ace Attorney series also thrived, with both Spirit of Justice and Dual Destinies transitioning the series into 3D a lot more graceful than some other franchises while still maintaining the with and charm the series is known for. And if that wasn’t enough for my point-and-cluck adventure needs, Telltale had me covered with The Wolf Among Us and the first season of The Walking Dead. The stories and characters of those games are so good, it’s enough to make you sad they never got a timely sequel or sequels that weren’t shit respectively.

This decade is when I really got into fighting game, though I’m not particularly good. I supported Skullgirls (and am even in the credits!), and got into Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle (and I also got into its spiritual predecessor, Heritage for the Future). But by and large my favorite fighting game of the decade and the one I’m actually pretty good at is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the most ridiculously ambitious crossover in video game history. The fact that the game is STILL getting more characters added is a testament of how insanely great the game is because instead of being mad that there’s so much DLC, people are going rabid waiting for news of more. It’s such an awesome, complete game out the door that the DLC feels earned rather than half a game being held hostage. Other devs, take note!

A lot of franchises put their best foot forward for sequels. God of War III was an awesomely bloody finale to the original journey of Kratos, with more epic bosses than ever; now he’s off fighting Norse gods, and I hear that game is even better! Portal 2 is just an absolute blast, and easily surpasses the first game on the merit of having Cave Johnson alone; the fact we get Wheatley and the malfunctioning personality cores honestly feels like overkill. Then we have BioShock… 2. While it’s certainly not as good as the first game, I think it was a lot of fun, and it got way too much flak.

 I think it definitely aged better than Infinite which, while still a good game in its own right (it’s hard to hate a game with a character as endearing as Elizabeth), definitely was not warranting the levels of acclaim it got with such a muddled narrative. “Overrated” and “overhyped” are not words I keep in my vocabulary and I certainly would not describe Infinite as such, but I do feel like people got swept up in the gorgeous visuals and the story bits and characters that are effective and so weren’t nearly as critical of its flaws. It’s still a good, fun game with an interesting world, but it pales in comparison to the other two BioShocks. I feel like The Last of Us is in a similar boat. That being said, I couldn’t tell you why; it has a great story, good characters, plenty of replayability, and fascinating enemy design. But despite all that, I appreciate this game more than love it. It’s the Citizen Kane of video game sin that regard at least.

I’d be remiss to not mention the big indie successes of the decade. Shovel Knight is easily one is the greatest platform era ever made, taking everything great about the platformers on the NES and SNES, removing the bullshit, and delivering numerous bonus campaigns with unique playstyles. Then there was Abobo’s Big Adventure, a marvelous mashup of all sorts of games starring the beloved Double Dragon mook as he goes on a bloody quest to save his son. It’s a blast and there is tons of variety but some sections are definitely as hair-pullingly difficult as the games that inspired them. And then there is Doki Doki Literature Club, the free visual novel that brutally subverts your expectations. Sadly, I do feel the game loses some impact on subsequent playthroughs, but it’s still a great, effective story that skillfully utilizes meta elements.

Still, the greatest indie success of them all is Toby Fox’s masterpiece, Undertale. Charming, funny, emotional, and populated by a cast of some of the most fun and lovable characters ever conceived, this game was an instant smash and is still talked about to this day. Sure, things like Sans have been memed to death, but it’s hard to not just love and cherish the beautiful world Toby Fox managed to create. This game may not be the greatest game of all time, but for what it is I wouldn’t hesitate to name it the game of the decade.

There was a lot of great art in the 2010s, and while I couldn’t get around to all of it, I’m so happy with what I got to experience. Here’s hoping that the 2020s can be just as amazing!

[raeloganthesonic06fangirl]

[Game Asks] 32. Did you ever play a game based on your favorite show/cartoon/movie/comic?

Yes, actually. Many. XDI grew up with the Sega Genesis, so my bother had games like Spiderman, Batman Returns, Lion King... With varying levels of quality.I also have fond memories of some Disney Afternoon NES games, like Chip 'N Dale, as well as I remember playing Addams Family and Ninja Turtles. I was born in 1990, but my earliest gaming experiences began some time around 1992. So the entire extent of my gaming experiences can't be accurately measured because some games have left my mind, and some stuck far more than they should have.As a rule, I tend to avoid licensed games, because they usual don't translate the source material too well, they feel flat, or they tend to be a rehash of what we've already read or watched.But, if I'm to be honest, I wanna say that my favorite games based on a preexisting non-game property we're probably:* The Batman Arkham games, with the one I personally own is Arkham City GOTY edition. It does a lot of things right, and doesn't feel like something we've already seen.* A lot of the Disney games on NES and Genesis were great, with a special shout out to how gorgeous Lion King was (which is also my favorite movie, so I'm critical about its representation), and with me getting to replay the Disney Afternoon NES games in Capcom's recent collection, those are some solid fun titles.* "Code Lyoko: Get Ready to Virtualize" on the DS was a pleasant surprise of a game. I originally got it because it was a cheap game at a local shop, and I loved the cartoon when it ran on Cartoon Network back in the day, so I figured at worst, it'd be shovelware. It surprised me, it was actually a good adaptation that took advantage of the medium by splitting the gameplay into two styles for the two different worlds (Real World and Lyoko). It featured clips and music from the series, and let you pretty much play through the first two or three seasons. Normally, I'd not be too keen on the presentation, but it WORKS with a franchise like "Code Lyoko".* I guess technically, Kingdom Hearts runs a fine line on the idea, but yes, from what I've been able to play (I only have the tech and access to CoM and DDD), I loved it, and it's nice to see iconic worlds.* There was an old Rugrats game my brother had on the original Playstation that we played the heck out of when we were kids. I don't remember the exact name, but it put you through worlds based on iconic early episodes (like the mirror world episode and the one at the mini golf place), and the prize for 100% completion was that you'd get to play as Reptar. It was amazing back then, I have fond memories of it and it's a good example of a good licensed game* Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury. Maybe it's nostalgia, but a handheld game based on my favorite Saga of one of my favorite Anime series? Yessss* Samurai Jack on Game Boy Advance is frustrating and the ending is such a cop out (Also, I had a glitch happen and Aku couldn't kill me), but the art is accurate and it technically takes place outside of the episodes, so... It's okay. * Hamtaro: Ham Ham Games. Is there even a bad Hamtaro game? I can't think of a single bad Hamtaro game ever. All the Hamtaro games, let's just say they're all worth playing. * I would include games like Budokai Tenkaichi or Clash of Ninja, but they're kinda the same idea and the main gameplay is essentially beat-em-ups, and it's not so much the roster as it's the gameplay that you can really grade them on... But darn, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like to play me some good old Shonen based fighting games. XD

[teacupballerina]

in which i attempt to explain the ending of samurai jack

if anyone feels bad about “o my fave died” or “that makes no sense” or whatever, maybe this will help u.

SO….there are a few things that I want to say, in general. I’m sorry if this is written weird, I’ve been up since 645 a.m. and work was tiring as fuck and everything happens so much. It’s also 1 a.m. now.

under a cut because SPOILERS

First, let’s just get this out there, since it’s the most important:

Genndy himself mentioned and confirmed ALTERNATE TIMELINES in the Q&A.

Of course the ending was  “Jack goes back and kills Aku but Ashi can’t exist if Aku doesn’t so she fades away”. BUT, there is still a paradox: Jack remembers Ashi, and the timeline he just spent the last 50 years in. It was not erased.

Jack, by going back to the past and destroying Aku, created a new timeline that will proceed normally, without the influence of Aku.

However, in the timeline that Jack created, Ashi cannot exist, because Aku does not exist.

She’s essentially killed, but she DID exist, because Jack couldn’t have made it back to the past without her. Yet in the timeline Jack created, she’d never be born. Ashi ended up in the one timeline where she cannot exist. B U M M E R sucks 2 be ashi lmao

ANYWAY. FOR MY FELLOW DAUGHTERS OF AKU:

There’s something very nice about this ending.

Aku was not killed before Ashi took Jack back to the past, and Jack took the sword with him.

Aku now exists in a timeline where he can continue living as he did before Jack arrived in the future, without having to worry about Jack coming after him anymore.

Jack’s story ends happily; he’s made it back to the past, defeated Aku, and can live the life he was supposed to live.

Aku’s story also ends happily; he can continue living in his world, free from the menace of the foolish samurai.

Coming back to the Q&A: This is what Genndy meant when he said “Is it Jack’s ending, or Aku’s ending? I think that’s an interesting way of looking at it.”

Season 5 was Jack’s ending, obviously, because he’s the protagonist.

Which means Season 5 is not Aku’s ending.

Which means Aku’s story continues.

aku spinoff when

PART TWO:

Malph’s.

PART THREE ABANDON ALL FUCKS TO GIVE YE WHO ENTER HERE:

Season 5 gives us a very interesting argument for Akudemption, which is Ashi.

Ashi destroys the idea that Aku is physically, literally made of pure evil.

Ashi was conceived from the essence of Aku, and a woman who is even more evil than Aku.

Ashi was not raised with any kind of love or compassion; quite the opposite. She and her sisters endured serious physical, mental, and emotional abuse, probably from the day they were born. They poured their existence, their hearts and souls, into what they were told was their cause. They had no control over their destiny, because they didn’t think any alternative existed.

Yet, they aren’t really “evil” at all; just misguided.

At first Ashi is confused and disgusted by affection, because she doesn’t understand it. However, once she meets someone with the patience and power to deal with her long enough to get through to her, she begins to understand. She has to come to the conclusion herself, but she couldn’t have done that without Jack.

Finally we have the scene from episode 5. The first time Ashi’s “Aku” comes out.

It’s not just that she had been used as a child in a similar way…. The Aku part of her was enraged enough to activate; you can actually see Aku in her face. Remember that not even Aku tortures children, and is actually very patient and careful with them--which is what proves the High Priestess to be more evil than Aku. And if Ashi and her sisters are literally just clones of their mother imbued with Aku’s essence, any humanity or capacity for kindness and love...definitely didn’t come from mom.

I also think this is significant because Ashi becomes extremely protective of the person who “saves” her and shows her the light, despite spending her life training to kill him. She abandons what was previously her sole purpose to embrace the exact opposite, because of one person who took the time to help her. Really makes you wonder if her dad is the same way. Teehee.

That’s all I got for now. 

tl;dr everything worked out alright.

[orenashii]

Woo! Back with another chapter! We’re about to get to some fun stuff, I tell you what.

Enjoy!

I Exist

Chapter VII

Jack entered the tavern with a deep sigh, exhausted from an entire day of walking.

His travels had taken him far, making friends with many people along popular trade routes. The weeks had stretched into months, yet Jack felt no closer to the answers he sought.

He had visited a number of his former teachers, seeking their wisdom. He visited the Shaolin, who assisted him in meditation techniques to ease his suffering. He visited the Mongol warrior, who reassured him that beings that have passed still exist in a different realm, even if it cannot be found. The warrior believed she was safe.

In the meantime, he had written letters to Kali. Two of them, actually. One was short, written days after he first left the mountain of the gods. He had asked her if she had ever picked up anything from her travels, or from her studies, about souls going missing. He told her he enjoyed her first story. He stayed in an inn that night, that bore the insignia of her family's name. He sent it off the following morning as he departed.

The second letter was much longer. He remembered that she was still his scribe and should do well to tell her his stories. Jack told her three tales: all the legend of the Scotsman. He wrote how they'd met on a seemingly never-ending bridge and how they'd later came together to eliminate their respective bounty hunters. He wrote of his kidnapped wife and his surprise at the ease with which she fought her captors. And he wrote of his embarrassing amnesia and how he knew he had a true friend who helped him rediscover his lost memories.

It was nice, writing that letter. Remembering his dear friend.

That had been weeks ago. He still had not yet heard from her. Perhaps her letters were being sent back to his home. He did not stay in any one place for too long. He now found himself on the outskirts of the Roman empire, in pursuit of one of his earlier teachers. Jack looked down at his shoes. They had become quite worn. He would have to seek new ones soon.

He took a seat at the corner of the bar, not bothering to remove his hat, away from the other patrons so that he could drink in peace. After a brief exchange, his server brought him a small teapot. Jack inhaled the steam of his drink, soothed by the scent.

He heard a woman's laughter ring out like a bell. He looked up and spotted a woman, one of the barmaids, with a hand over her chest and the other on the shoulder of the man making her laugh. He was tall, shoulder length red hair pulled back into a ponytail. The man brought a hand up to the maid's face, brushing back a tendril of her hair.

Jack narrowed his eyes beneath his straw hat. The man's hand continued downward, not touching her, but reached over the bar, plucking a small pouch at her waist. The woman was so enthralled by whatever was being said that she did not notice.

The man bid his farewell to the maid and turned towards the door, slowly walking past Jack.

"Your sleight of hand did not go unnoticed."

The man stopped. Jack's eyes followed him but he did not turn to confront him. A low laugh shook his shoulders.

"She warned me you were an immovable puritan."

Jack's eyebrows lifted. He felt as if he had been struck. Not by his words, but by his voice. His accent. It was slight, but it was there.

The man placed the pouch on the edge of the bar. "Miss? I believe you dropped this."

The barmaid spun around and gasped. "Oh my!" She grabbed the pouch and attached it to her waist. "Thank you so much!"

The man turned to Jack, fully facing him. He was lean, but with a broad chest on a small waist, wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt and a leather vest. He wore a simple rounded grey cap, possibly made of wool. Pale green eyes stared at him beneath thick, reddish-brown eyebrows.

Jack could not help but ask. "Are you Scottish?"

"Aye, I am," the man said. "Why? You've got something against the Scots?"

"No, no," Jack said hurriedly. "I just... once had a dear friend who hailed from that land as well."

"Well, la-dee-dah, the world's most famous loner has a friend."

Jack shook his head with a small smile. Was it in a Scot's nature to be insulting? Then a thought occurred to him.

"Famous? You know of me?"

"Are you serious? Stories of the Bushido Prince who traveled to some... futuristic wasteland fighting metal monsters then came back to destroy Aku? Those stories have been spreading ever since your bride disappeared."

Jack winced. The man did not even flinch.

"And now that you've got Kali, those stories are only going to spread further. Soon you'll be lucky if you can take a piss anywhere without someone recognizing you."

Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "You know Kali?"

"She didn't tell you about me? Of course not, she likes to keep things a bit of a mystery. Which works well for me since I'm a bit of a mystery."

The man bowed theatrically with a grin. "I am the courier. And you may call me that."

"What?"

The man spoke slower. "I am the courier."

"And your name is 'That'?"

"What? No! I am The Courier. That's what you'll call me."

Jack still looked confused.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder how you were allegedly able to survive for so long by yourself when you can't even understand a simple title. Maybe all these stories of yours were weaved up in that empty head of yours."

Jack sighed, knowing the insults were not to stop there. The nostalgic feeling had lost its charm.

"Are you a loon? Are you lost? Does your mother know you're here? Do you need help crossing the street?" Jack raised his hand in surrender.

"I apologize. My long days of travel have left me rather disoriented."

"I should say so. Your eyes look like they're about to roll out of your skull, they do. Not to mention your tattered robes and tiny whiskers make you look like a nutty bum."

Jack ignored the supplementary insults. "You wish for me to refer to you as 'The Courier'."

"Aye."

"If that is what you prefer. May I ask why you do not reveal your true name?"

"Could ask you the same question," he huffed. "But like I said, I'm a bit of a mystery."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Is it because you are a thief?"

"Bah!" The Courier exclaimed. "Former thief. Changed my ways, I have."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "As of... one minute ago?"

The Courier shrugged with a smirk. "I think I'm changing my mind about you. Anyway." The Courier dramatically waved his hand in the air before digging through a pouch on his broad shoulder. He took out a scroll and held it in front of the Samurai. "Here's your letter. Kali was a might pleased that you liked her work. Said she'd like to meet up again, if you would, something about hearing the stories in person being easier to translate."

Jack took the letter with a frown. "Did you read the letter?"

The Courier held a hand over his heart in feigned outrage. "First you call me a thief and now you accuse me of being a spy?" He muttered to himself. He rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, former spy. But, no, I didn't read your letter! She told me. She went on and on about your stories and whatnot. Think she's taken a liking to you."

"I beg your pardon?"

"She says it's like a storyteller's dream, some kind of babble, to be relayed such fantasies."

"You sound displeased."

"What?"

"You believe Kali has taken a... liking? To me. You do not sound happy with that."

The Courier squawked. "So you think I?" He laughed heartily. "No, no, no. It would be a fool's errand. Never work between us. For you see," he paused, looking directly into the samurai's eyes. "She killed my father."

Jack gaped at the man's words. The Courier stared back at him in silence for a few long moments before leaning back with a cackle.

"It was just a joke, lad! Should have seen the look on your face!"

Jack sputtered, unsure of what to say. "But... you seemed so... serious."

"That's the art of the joke, pal."

The Courier clapped his hands together as if wiping away dust from his palms. "Well, my work here is done. Haven't been in this area in spell and I'm itching to check out the sites. Want to visit the Quivering Hills before nightfall."

"The what?" Jack thought about it for a second before realization dawned on him. "You were going to take that young woman's money to visit a brothel?"

He grinned. "Makes your pure heart weep, don't it? I'll be seeing you around." The Courier tipped his hat and strode out of the tavern. Jack sighed heavily. That man was certainly... quite the character.

"Visit the Divine Nymph, born of my feet, at the sacred river Ganges. She can provide the tools necessary to liberate your soul from this darkness."

"Vishnu," Iset said, her features lit with a genuine smile. "I thank you."

"It is my pleasure. This girl, this woman, deserves her peace."

Navigating the spirit world was, for lack of a better term, odd. When Iset had first summoned her, she floated among the stars. It was a matter of instant transmission to visit the three Gods in charge of Jack's destiny. And the atmosphere had been similar if it were not for a slightly different color scheme.

But now they were walking. Where to, she did not fully understand. "Where we are going is a unique place, one of the many edges between the mortal world and the spirit world." Iset had said. It was so strange, following her. They would walk in specific directions with nothing discernible in sight. Then, suddenly, Iset would turn and walk in a different direction, leaving Ashi baffled. It was if she was walking through a maze but the walls were invisible.

Time was also virtually impossible to determine. There were no clocks, no days or nights, and her feet never grew weary from their walking. The only indications she had of time passing was her conversations with Iset, who proved to be quite a delightful companion.

Over the course of... however long they'd been traveling, she was beginning to feel a closeness to the goddess. Iset told her stories of the conception of her son and how she'd hidden him away, only to be visited by the spirit of his father, and taught him the ways of the warrior. How he would one day avenge the death of his father and set his mother free from the jealous hatred of her brother and rule the land as a great and merciful king.

"I was raised like that, too, you know," Ashi commented. "Hidden away, thinking that the world was being ravished by a single man. Only, it all turned out to be terribly wrong."

Slowly but surely, Ashi began to open up about her own past, apologizing sheepishly when she felt her stories ran too long, for the goddess was already familiar with her life. But Iset never stopped her; she never grew bored. She listened patiently and offered wisdom and advice, something that Ashi was largely unused to.

"Therein lies the beauty of your story. That you could be so open-minded."

Ashi shrugged. "I suppose. But everything leading up to that was so... painful." Ashi turned her head towards Iset. "I would have much rather had a mother like you growing up."

"Well, I am worshipped as the ideal wife and mother," Iset laughed. She turned to her companion with a warm smile. "But in all seriousness, I weep for your upbringing. Yet, I feel pride. The fact that you grew up in such harsh conditions, yet turned out so sweet and thoughtful is a testament to your own strength."

The two smiled at each other. Iset reached out and placed an affectionate hand on Ashi's shoulder. Ashi bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you."

"Thank you, darling."

The darkness of the cosmos curved at new horizon. They approached its edges and could eventually make out the silhouette of a man who stood near a boat. Iset greeted him, charmingly as always, and the two set sail. Ashi gasped as her surroundings shifted.

The river was truly a stunning sight. Lanterns glowed like fireflies, floating lazily in the gentle waters. The skies were darkened, vibrant blues and greens streaked through it in a way that so reminded her of earth's skies but were still so different. But what was most striking of all were the attendants. They were human. They were praying, some with folded hands, some with arms stretched upward, some silent, some lips moved in murmurs.

"Iset," Ashi whispered in a daze. "Are we...?"

"Hm," Iset replied with a soft laugh. "As I mentioned, we are visiting one of the many edges where the mortal world and the spirit world connect. Though we can see mortals, we cannot interact with them."

They continued their path up the river, the humans they saw lessened, until only one being was in eyeshot. The being was seated on a lotus throne that had scales like a fish. Her skin was a radiant blue, like the waters, like Vishnu's, shining like a beacon amongst the soft glow of the lanterns. Her ears hung heavy from her head, the holes in the lobes weighed down by large ornamental earrings. She outstretched four arms in welcome.

"Iset, protector of the dead. It is so lovely to meet you."

Iset offered a dazzling smile. "Likewise. May I introduce my companion, Ashi. We seek your help."

"I shall provide." The being removed herself from her throne. Her delicately jeweled headband jingled as she approached.

"I am Jahnavi, the melodious, the fortunate. You have traveled far to see me, yes?" Melodious, indeed. Her voice had a sing-song quality to it as if she were reciting poetry.

Ashi bowed before her. "Yes. Thank you for having us."

Jahnavi looked to Ashi with a smile. "Your story has become quite popular amongst the gods as of late. What a fabulous journey you have embarked on. It is an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"I assume Vishnu has made you aware of what we seek?" Iset asked.

"Yes." Her delightful smile suddenly downturned. "But I am afraid I have some bad news."

"Oh, dear," Iset said. "I do hope we have not inconvenienced you."

"Not at all! It is just... I am the embodiment of this river. Humans visit here, from all around the world, seeking purity in their hearts. Cleansing their bodies of sin. But you, Ashi, you are not here to wash away iniquities of the heart, but to wash away that of your soul. A task such as this must be dealt with quite differently."

"I understand. Iset has made me aware that my... mission is not so simple. I am willing to do whatever is necessary."

Iset smiled down at her with pride.

Jahnavi moved a graceful hand up and back down, now holding a chalice of glistening, clear water. "This is the water of the Casual Ocean. It's purifying powers are potent. Yet, because the evil is so, if I may, embedded in your soul, after all, it is how you came to be, it can only act as a catalyst."

"A catalyst for what?" Ashi replied.

"The waters can separate the evil from the good. But it will not destroy the evil. That is something you must do on your own."

"I can do it."

Iset smiled in approval. "I agree."

"I am afraid there is more to this than you may comprehend," Jahnavi said. "This will not be an easy task, that is to be certain, but there are dire consequences if you do not succeed."

"I almost hesitate to ask," said Iset.

"If you consume this water, if you challenge the evil that taints your soul and you are defeated... you will be lost."

Ashi had a sinking feeling, remembering her possession, how she had drowned in darkness. "Lost?"

"Only one, only light or darkness can prevail. Neither I nor Iset can assist you. If the evil does consume you, my dear, we would have no choice but to," Jahnavi sighed with a worried expression. "Destroy your soul."

Ashi looked to Iset warily. Iset clenched her teeth together, hoping her own concerned look did not show through. She'd had a feeling that something like this could be a possibility. She lamented that her own thoughts were proven true.

"If that is the action we must take, make no mistake that we will carry it out. But this would mean, of course, that you will never live again." Jahnavi adjusted her grip on the chalice, hesitant to offer it forward.

"Ashi," Iset whispered. "This is your choice."

Ashi looked between the two goddesses nervously. Her instinct told her that she should do it, but her nervousness draped over her like an added layer of clothing. She had experienced trials and tribulations all of her life. She had always conquered them. But this, this had such a layer of permanence that had her second-guessing her own strength. If she failed, she would never live again. She would truly cease to exist.

Was it worth it? Was it worth risking her own soul just to live again?

She thought about Aku, who had exploited her soul once before. She could be freed from that misery once and for all. She thought about Odin and her defiance. She could prove them all wrong.

She thought about Jack and the promise she had made to him. She thought about Iset, who had already gone to great lengths to help her. She clenched her jaw as her focus sharpened. She would not let them down. She would not let herself down.

"I will accept this challenge. I am ready."

Iset surprised her by embracing her in a warm hug. Ashi returned it gratefully. "I have the utmost faith in you. I hope these words will give you strength in this trying time." Iset turned to Jahnavi. "Let the test begin. If I have learned anything in my travels with this young woman it is that she is quite adept at finding her own way."

"Thank you," Ashi replied with a genuine smile. She felt newfound confidence surge within her.

"Very well. Let us begin." Jahnavi held the goblet before Ashi.

She took the heavy cup into her hands and inhaled deeply.

Jack, I hope this letter finds you well. And I do apologize in advance if my courier has done anything to offend you. Some are lucky enough to drink from the fountain of knowledge, but I am afraid he has only gargled. (Let it be known that he has just fetched me a scroll to write a new letter. He was not pleased.)

Jack smiled at that.

But do know that he is one of my most trusted allies. And he's very good at his job. (He looks appeased now.)

I thank you for telling me your stories of the Scotsman. I should hope we see each other again so that I may ask questions. He certainly sounds like quite the character. And what timing! To hear such stories of a loyal, if not brash, Scot, only to meet one again in The Courier! Fate has a funny way of showing itself.

I am so sorry that your discussion with the gods did not bring you any closure. Although, I did find it interesting that her soul could not be found. I imagine there could be many explanations for that. Do you think she could be under protection of some kind?

Jack read her words thoughtfully, noting that Vishnu had said the very same thing.

There is another possibility. I've heard myths that even the darkest souls can be purged of sin. A trial occurs, measuring the iniquities of the damned and are sentenced, a finite amount of time, until they are purified and released, either to be born again or exist in the spirit world in peace.

I do not want to alarm you with my words but if these stories are true, it could be an answer to your question. Do you think, perhaps...

Jack's brows furrowed, worry tightened itself in his heart as he read the end of the sentence.

...that her soul is in Hell?

Author’s Note

Hooray! Another chapter in the books! I liken this chapter to a reverse Sour Patch kid. Light and sweet and funny at first then BOOM sad and sour. And the next chapter’s gonna be even worse. But don’t worry. It’s good. Everything will be okay. Eventually.

Also, the Courier is friggin fun to write. You’ll see him again.

Thank you for reading! Feedback is always loved and appreciated.

[ladyanaconda]

“Of all the things I have done in my centuries of ruling, she’s the only good thing that ever came from Aku.” 

-Aku on Akuma.

Here I bring you a formal reference of Akuma, the firstborn daughter of Aku (taking Ashi and her sisters into account). Contrary to popular expectation, this girl is actually Aku’s adoration, pride and joy. Born from a human mother who had made a deal with Aku, agreeing to give him her firstborn child in exchange for him helping her win over the man she wanted, but when Akuma was born the husband thought his wife had cheated on him due to Akuma’s red hair and green marks and killed her in a fit of rage, then abandoned the few-hours old Akuma in the desert, where Aku claimed his child. Since Aku had possessed the man she married, this was how he was the one who conceived Akuma and not the human male.

Unlike the Daughters of Aku, Akuma was pampered and overprotected by her father (who didn’t know he had other daughters), who kept her always isolated in his fortress for most of her infancy, in part because he feared for her safety. Also, unlike her eventual half-sisters, Akuma manifested her father’s powers since she was born, though the only powers she showed were his shapeshifting abilities, laser beams among other things, but her most characteristic ability was to turn her flaming ponytail(which is made of fire like her father’s eyebrows) into a claw made of fire. I inspired on Midna from Twilight Princess for this trait.

However, due to being half-human, she can die (a trait she shares with the Daughters of Aku), this is the reason Aku kept her secluded from the chaotic  dystopia he called his kingdom. Also, he didn’t want her running into the samurai jack and getting hurt.

As for her personality, Akuma is pretty much a femenine version of her father, minus the obsession with killing Samurai Jack, and though she is cruel, she doesn’t go to the same lengths her father goes to torture people. She prefers psychological torture over literally obliterating the person on spot or sending them to work to mines. Despite this, she is unquestionably loyal to her father, and would die for him if it were necessary, though Aku does everything in his power to prevent it from coming to that. 

Apart from magical abilities, Akuma is a very skilled martial artist, to this day only few people can best her in a hand-to-hand combat, the Samurai in that group. During her young adulthood, Aku has made her into one of his generals and most-skilled warriors, and she never failed him, even if she did the only punishment he would give her consists of confiscating her cellphone for a determined amount of time. However, she has always wondered about her mother after accidentally finding out it takes ‘two’ to produce a kid, and Aku is afraid to tell her the circumstances of her birth, thinking she would think he just saw her as a tool.

The only other thing Aku fears, even more than being destroyed by the Samurai’s blade, is losing his beloved daughter.