Spoilers
This was certainly a shocking twist.
After all this time, we finally learn Ashi’s (Tara Strong) full parentage, the nature of the ties between Aku (Greg Baldwin) and the Cult/Daughters of Aku, and we finally receive a hint of what happened to The Guardian (Kevin Michael Richardson) from season 3, episode 6, “Jack and the Travelling Creatures” and his time portal.
We pick up from the very end of the last episode where Samurai Jack (Phil LaMarr) and Ashi essentially confessed their feelings and shared a passionate kiss. (No Dean Martin anywhere in this episode however.) Ashi acquires new clothes (that appear to be at least partially inspired by the uniforms from Star Trek) and Jack reminisces about his life before the return of Aku.
Meanwhile, Scaramouche (Tom Kenny) has finally made it back to Aku! Scaramouche informs Aku of the former’s outdated intel that Jack has lost his sword, which pleases Aku. Aku repairs Scaramouche and the two break out into dance, in such funny, flamboyant, fashion!
Jack and Ashi come across a junkyard, but not just any junkyard. This is the yard that was made home by The Guardian, who watched over a time portal, preventing Jack from going through last time because he was not yet ready. The Guardian’s broken sunglasses are there, though his ultimate fate is left ambiguous.
Aku arrives with Scaramouche, and just as they mock Jack for having no sword, Jack reveals it, and Aku promptly destroys Scaramouche. Before the fight however, Aku notices Ashi, and here it is revealed… Ashi is, in actuality, Aku’s daughter! Not just because of the cult. Ashi is biologically Aku’s daughter!
As it turns out, The High Priestess (Grey DeLisle) was not completely insane. Aku had actually visited them, he had just forgotten about it until now. As a reward for their statue, Aku granted the cult some of his essence. The High Priestess drank the essence, and that is how she gave birth to Ashi and her sisters.
If that was not enough, because of Ashi’s status as essentially an extension of Aku’s power, Aku is able to control her! Aku forces Ashi to fight against Jack for his amusement! Eventually, Aku’s own darkness encompases Ashi in the form of a new outfit, forcing her to fight Jack! (Did anyone else think of Inque [Shannon Kenny, no relation to Tom Kenny] from Batman Beyond when they saw the suit?) Seeing these two try desperately and fail to not fight each other is heart-wrenching! I felt the same way for Jack here that I did for Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) during his fight scenes in Logan!
If the ending of this episode holds true, and all the episodes’ endings have held up their endings with great follow-ups at this point, then we’re in for a wild ride next time. I am sweating with anticipation! The series finale cannot come soon enough!
Image from samuraijack.wiki.com