Samurai Jack Season 5 Episode 1 Adult Swim: Recap and Review XCII

Tonight, after a decade, Samurai Jack returns to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim Toonami -- this time it's on Adult Swim.

It's hard to believe that the original Samurai Jack was before smartphones, and some of the kids who are watching now weren't born when the original was on.

Although there was supposed to be a Samurai Jack movie, which would explain how the Samurai Jack story ends, that never materialized, and this series was developed instead -- albeit after a long hiatus.

This season of Samurai Jack departs from the original, in that it's darker and more deep. The numbering for this season starts at XCII. The episodes aren't discrete -- they are part of one epic storyline. There is supposed to be a final resolution to Jack's time-travel conundrum, although we'll only find that out toward the end.

So what happened in tonight's premiere? Here's our recap:

Samurai Jack Season 5 Episode 1 Recap

This premiere episode begins with an explosion after which Aku's spider robots chase after an innocent alien mother and child. Jack appears, now with a beard and a more dark expression.

He destroys the spider robots, saving the aliens. We learn that this episode starts fifteen years after the last one ended, but that Jack hasn't aged because of the effects of time travel.

Samurai Jack crosses the dystopian world on his motorbike as explosions occur in the distance. He takes a drink of water, as he remembers his father.

In his vision, his father asks for his help, and he family wonders why he has forsaken them.

As he is daydreaming, a horde of zombies pass and he has nightmares of his enemy on a horse in the dark. Back at camp, Jack cooks a rat, as the visions of his father burning in a flame continue.

Aku still imposes tyrannical rule on his subjects. In his layer, seven daughters are placed onto Aku's pedestal to do his bidding.

The babies -- who are now young girls, the daughters of Aku -- begin training to fight. We find out that once the daughters succeed, Aku will return and "honor" them with his presence.

Samurai Jack enters a village, which has been leveled. He encounters Scaramouch the Merciless, Aku's "most favorite" assassin. Jack has no sword, so he attacks Scaramouch with his fists. He conjures up a rock monster, which Jack must fight.

We finally hear Jack talk: children approach him in his vision, and he says "please, no.

You must understand." He once again sees the vision of the horse. Jack is able to get Scaramouch's sword during the fight, and he slices him apaprt.

Back in Aku's layer, the daughters of Aku are honing their fighting skills. The episode ends with Aku's daughters being sent out to kill Samurai Jack.

Samurai Jack Season 5 Episode 1 Review

The new season of Samurai Jack feels very different from the way it used to.

Although some of that can be attributed to the fact that original was a decade ago, there is also a noticeable difference in the tone of the show.

Jack never said much, but now he seems more emotional and more weighed down by his past.

The changes make it fit in well with Adult Swim. It's also much more interesting for the entire series to be one cohesive story. At the end of each episode, you are hungering for more.

Still, Samurai Jack retains what made it special in the first place: the art -- especially during the fight scenes. There's no doubt this season is going to be an award winner.

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