How Samurai Jack Should Have Ended

Plot
While I did actually like the ending alright, I found certain issues with it. I generally consider this to be a more logical ending, while also still being very emotional. I hope you like my idea of how the series should have ended.

Transcript
"Ashi! Ashi!"

"Jack?"

"Yes Ashi! I'm with you! But you must fight, Ashi! Fight it!"

"I...I can't...I..."

Deep inside the dark abyss consuming Ashi's body and soul, the Samurai struggled to save her. He could feel the evil around him, the sadistic primal carnage that was so very much apart of that wretched Aku. But that wasn't important to him right now. Though everything that was happening should take precedence, the people outside, fighting and dying against Aku to save the Samurai, it all took a back seat to the all-consuming fear that he was going to lose Ashi. Her voice, it was so weak, so scared. The image of the fearsome warrior and her sisters that nearly, finally killed him was so far away right now.

"Ashi, you must! Ashi! Ashi! Gah! I LOVE YOU!"

Before Jack could realize what was happening, the vile darkness around him rippled and writhed as if in agony, spitting out the Samurai. He hit the ground hard, and before he could recover, the Aku-Ashi being reformed itself and pounced on him, wrapping its claws around his neck and starting to strangle the life out of him.

Quickly, the Samurai found himself fading, his eyes rolling up into his head. He closed his eyes, not wanting his final sight to be of Ashi, twisted into a dark puppet, forced to do evil after working so hard to find the goodness in herself.

But then the pressure lessened. The hands came off of his neck. He slowly opened his eyes and watched as Ashi, sweet, beautiful Ashi slowly re-assumed direct control over herself. They gave each other a sweet smile, cherishing the strength of their love for each other.

"Is he dead?" Aku asked, sliding over from where he'd been fighting, wanting to check and see if his greatest enemy had finally met his demise.

"No, and he never will be." Ashi answered, turning to face her "father".

The look on Aku's face was priceless, as was his look after his "daughter" could match him blow for blow using his own powers against him.

"Ashi, you have Aku's powers!" Jack said, ecstatic to have such a powerful ally against Aku. "I do! Sweet!" Ashi said happily, quickly stretching out her arm to grab the Katana and giving it back to Jack. Aku was quickly starting to attack, creating numerous spiked tendrils out of one of his arms and starting to attack at the pair.

"Ashi! Aku sent me here to the future with his powers, you must do the same, send us back to the past!"

With a blast of laser vision, Ashi pushed Aku back to give her and Jack some breathing room. "Okay! Sure! How do I do that!"

"What do you mean, how?! You're using his other powers naturally!"

"Yeah but, these powers are like, natural to the moment, I think. We're fighting, I'm angry, and the powers are just happening! I don't know how to tap into time travel!"

With a short sigh, the Samurai shakes his head. Of course things couldn't be that easy. "Nevermind for now, Ashi, we'll slay Aku, then return to the past." Gripping his magic sword with both hands, Jack readied himself to finally defeat his ancient foe.

"Don't worry Jack, I got this!" Ashi said triumphantly, leaping into battle against Aku.

"Wait! We have to work together..." Jack tried to stop her but ended up just watching as Ashi clashed with her father.

"FOOL! I AM AKU! THE EVIL SHAPE-SHIFTING MASTER OF DARKNESS! I HAVE USED THESE POWERS FOR MILLENNIA! YOU CANNOT HOPE TO BEST ME!"

With a thud, Ashi landed hard on the ground next to Jack. Aku was about to follow up when the Scotsman fly by Aku's head, playing his bagpipes and kicking Aku in the horns, distracting and enraging the shogun of sorrow.

"Ok. I don't got this..." Ashi grumbled as Jack helped her stand up. "What are we going to do?" "You're not on the wrong path Ashi, your powers will be a great advantage against Aku, but he needs to be distracted. We must work with our allies so that your powers and my sword can slay him." The Samurai stood tall and firm, resolute. It was time, he could feel destiny itself making a statement. It was time for the final battle. There would be no escaping, not for the Samurai, not for Aku. Fate would be decided this day.

Ashi was in awe. Jack couldn't see it, but there was a faint glow about him, looking every bit the messiah that the people thought of him as. Every bit the hero she had come to know. Even half-naked, clothes torn, body scratched from fighting the possessed Ashi, he had a regal aura of power, dignity, and honor. Ashi would follow him no matter what.

"Flora!" The Samurai called out to the woman he assumed to be the leader of the Scotsman's daughters. Despite how quickly he had been introduced to them, the Samurai remembered all of their names. "Get your father to coordinate with the Spartans to attack Aku from above! Then you and your sisters attack Aku from below! Me and Ashi will strike when the moment is right!" Flora nodded, quickly accepting Jack's orders. She quickly slammed the broken claymore of her father against her shield, using its remnant Celtic Magic to make a reverberating sound that alerted her father. He quickly flew down and got the directions from Flora before flying back up. Flora lead her sisters in mounting their deers and charging at Aku's feet where they slashed and tore at him. Meanwhile the Scotsman used the magic of his bagpipes to create magical platforms around Aku's head for the Spartans to charge and attack his face. Aku howled in pain and rage, swiping his clawed arms and stomping his feet. He hit and killed many in his attacks, but he was left open.

Without a word Ashi shape-shifted to a flying form, grabbing Jack with her talons and carrying him up, towards the center of Aku.

"Throw me! Now Ashi!"

Ashi spun, and launched her beloved at Aku. With a mighty roar, he slashed his sword, cutting straight through him. The burning tears left by the sword rippled up and down, cleaving Aku in half. He fell down, with Jack slicing as he fell down on top of him, shredding one of the halves until it was gone. Just before he hit the ground, Ashi caught him and helped him land. The other half of Aku shifted and reformed itself, now down to a human sized. He howled in agony. In one blow that magic sword had reduced him so much. Aku thought it wise to beat a hasty retreat, and was about to do so when hundreds of spears rained down on him from above, the Spartans giving him a parting gift. Aku looked around, those brutish Scottish women were surrounding him. He looked forward. The Samurai, and the traitorous daughter.

"There is no escape this time Aku." The Samurai said firmly, slowly walking forward. He had both hands on his sword, which was now rippling with divine power. Aku could almost see those accursed gods behind him. A deep primal part of Aku remembered an ancient past, his predecessor form when he was more chaotic and cosmic in scale, rather than a humanoid tyrant. He remembered the piece that was him being torn off of the whole, unnoticed as it fell to the Earth. The piece that was Aku was so much less than the original, but at least he survived. Even if his next incarnation was yet lesser, it would survive. Aku willed a piece of himself to take form, turn into a seed. He pulled one of the Spartan spears out, using the movement to distract from his heel shifting into the ground and planting the seed into the ground.

Aku stood up. Black blood leaked from him. He stood tall, anger and hate written on his caricature of a face. "You may defeat me this day Samurai. But you can never return to the past. Once I die, my bitch of a daughter will lose my powers, and you will be stuck in this world forever. You will never see your homeland. You will never see your parents or your friends again. And evil will always exist. My actions these past millenia have laid the seeds for many coming evils. And even if your unearned eternal youth doesn't fade, you will eventually die!"

The Samurai stopped for a moment, considering the demon's words. It would not save Aku's life, but he had a point. His friends, who taught him how to be a warrior. His family, who had given him so much love and care. He would never see them again. He couldn't save them from Aku's evil in the past. He felt an immense pain in his heart, knowing that his parents died ages ago, thinking their son had failed. It was tragic, but if anything, these past 50 years had taught him that life wasn't kind. The Universe offered little comfort. But...the Samurai had new friends now. And a new family, maybe, if Ashi wanted to stay with him. It wouldn't be the same, but it would be enough.

"Be that as it may Aku, your evil ends now." In a flash of movement, the Samurai darted forward, stabbing his sword into Aku's chest. Though pain crossed the demon's face as he was absorbed into the sword, the Samurai also noticed a sadistic look of triumph. Once fully absorbed, he stepped back and stabbed his sword into the ground, channeling all of his spirit through it to slay the demon. Blackness crept into the ground and out everywhere, consuming the mountain fortress. Cracked appeared and explosions started to ripping through the Earth. Pulling his sword out of the ground he called out, "Quickly! We must leave!" "ON IT LADDIE!" Called the Scottsman, quickly playing his pipes and providing a path for his daughters to escape on, channeling the path to pick up the Spartans and anyone else who was still alive. Though Aku's raining spear attack had killed many, some had survived. Rothchild was pulled out of his ship's wreckage by one of the Scottsman's daughters. Several of the Ravers were saved by the Spartans. As they fled from the destruction of Aku's death, people saved people, who saved more. No one who was still alive was left behind. Even though most were strangers to each other, they were united in their hearts, by the Samurai, and by their deeds this day.

Ashi meanwhile grabbed Jack and used her powers to carry him out. As she flew she saw how the others were helping each other even as they fled for their lives. Yet another confirmation of how Jack has inspired the people he's met to be better.

Everyone got out of the blast radius just in time, the mountain fortress exploding into a huge column of flame.

They all stood and stared at the mountain rubble.

It was over. They won. The Darkness had been vanquished.

It started with a chuckle. One of the ravers laughed nervously, scarcely believing it. And it spread. More laughed, some started cheering, some cried. Within minutes the area was a cacophony of noises as people let go in their own way. Many had lost loved ones to Aku, and they cried tears at finally finding their peace. The Spartans and the Scottish Daughter cheered at having survived and won such a glorious battle. On the horizon more people were coming, some had wanted to help the Samurai, but were not as quick as the others. These people personally apologized to the Samurai for not having been able to help at his most desperate moment. Many had come to see how fate would decree, and cheered and praised the warriors who had saved their futures.

Meanwhile the Samurai stood there, stunned. It was over, his journey was complete. The future, if not the past, had been saved. He felt his body waver. 50 years of battle and pain and anguish hit him all over again. Ashi grabbed his arm, keeping him from falling, grabbed his hand, keeping him from letting go of his sword.

"Jack?"

The Samurai slowly looked at her, as if for the first time. "It's finally over." He whispered, before pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. He trembled, though only Ashi knew that. She regretted that she knew so little. She could barely grasped the many emotions flowing through Jack right now, all she could do was hold him and support him. "Ahem." Their embrace was broken up by a noise. The Scotsman was smirking at them, the now immense crowd was quiet, looking at their hero and the strange woman he embraced.

"If yer quite finished laddie, I do believe it's time."

"Uh, time for what?" The Samurai asked, warily.

"It's time, FOR THE VICTORY PARTY!"

Everyone started cheering and setting in motion to celebrate. Word quickly spread and people brought literal mountains of food and drink. Everyone began to celebrate the victory, and the Samurai was the guest of honor. Many people would come to the Samurai, thanking him profusely. Many of them told him of how he had personally helped them or their village. Over and over the Samurai was reminded of his many deeds. Some of them he'd forgotten. He'd saved so many, that they had all become a blur in his mind. But now he saw. He saw that his struggles had not been in vain. He had given countless people hope, and courage, and strength. It was hours before the people stopped showing up to thank him, by which time the Samurai was shedding tears of joy and relief.

Unseen by Jack during the hours of people thanking him, Ashi had had a moment of wooziness, where she felt all that was Aku within her fade away. She no longer had his powers. She felt intense regret that she hadn't been able to figure out the time-traveling powers in time. She watched her beloved Jack from nearby, enjoying the cheer of the party, though she stayed focused on Jack and how he was dealing with his emotions. It hurt her heart to realize that Jack's depression had came from thinking his deeds had been useless.

"So laddie." The ghost of the Scotsman floated by Jack, drinking a mug of spectral ale. "Ya did it. Whatcha plannin' on doin' now?"

"I don't know my friend. So much of my life has been consumed by Aku, I've scarcely given it thought but..." Jack looked over at Ashi, who smiled and blushed when she saw his gaze was directed at her. "I think at the least, my future now will involve her." "Eh, a bit scrawny, but I think she suits ya Jack. I'm a bit sad that ya didn't go for one of my bonnie daughters, but they seem to have found matches of their own." With a hearty laugh, he looked over at where his daughters were partying with the Spartans, who seemed very interested in the valiant warriors. Jack himself smiled at the sight of love blossoming. "I think...I think with things as they are, I can move on."

"What?" The Samurai turned sharply to his friend, realizing that he was starting to fade. "No, wait! My friend we've just been reunited! It's been years, surely you have stories to tell! Or, no, drinking! We haven't drank together in forever! You can't go on already!" "HAHA!" The Scotsman laughed heartily, wiping a spectral tear off his cheek. "I wish we could hang out more too, my friend. But I've got nothing left holding me to this world. My greatest enemy is vanquished, my daughters are happy and safe. My best friend has found love and has a future. I can't stay any longer, not without risking becoming something Dark. Men aren't meant to linger past their time. I admit I was a bit envious when I realized you haven't aged a day, but I can honestly say I hope it doesn't stick. You've earned an extra half-century, aye, but now you've earned a life of peace. Enjoy it laddie. I'll be waitin' for ya on the other side." The Samurai stood sharply, knocking his seat back and many turned to witness the great warrior pass on. It was quiet for a moment. Slowly, the Samurai would reach for his cup of sake and raise it, turning to everyone else.

"To...to the Scotsman. He gave his life, and more, to save us all. His spirit now rests among the greatest of heroes."

"TO THE SCOTSMAN!" Roared out many voices. Few had known him or his clan personally, but the Scotsman had at one time been the most wanted on Aku's list. Though overshadowed by Jack, he had stories of his own. He was honored by many for his sacrifice. Some time later, Ashi discreetly pulled Jack away from the party, into a spot away from the view of others. With tender smiles, they embraced each other. But Jack could sense some apprehension in Ashi. "What's wrong?" He asked, looking at her with concern. Ashi avoided his gaze for a moment as she tried to find the words to express herself. "What happens now Jack?" She looked at him with eyes wide, filled with hope that he would know what to do.

The Samurai felt a blush creeping into his cheeks. Jack knew many languages because of his training in his youth, and right now literally every variation of the word "cute" was flying through his mind, with all their subtly different connotations. It stunned him to think that someone so pure and beautiful was in love with him, and he with her. He understood why she was worried. Her entire life had been devoted to fighting, first against Jack, and then briefly against Aku. In a way, war was all she knew. Jack was well aware of how for some people, the war never ended. The transition back to normalcy could be difficult for some. But would it even be possible for someone who had never known normalcy in the first place? Jack knew of family, and love, of life in peace. Ashi didn't. But she trusted him to guide her. He would not lead her astray.

"Jack?" Ashi looked worried. Jack had been silent for almost a minute as he seemed to think deeply. His eyes blinked, suddenly seeing her again, and a soft smile slowly dawned. "Ashi, I said it before, but I'll say it again. I love you." Ashi's face immediately turned red, but she kept herself from flailing in adorable panic as Jack had more to say. "I have spent many years thinking of my past, longing to return to it, but for the first time, I dream of the future, and I wish for you to be in that future with me. Ashi, will you marry me?"

Steam almost started to come out of Ashi's ears as she suppressed the urge to scream in delight. During her travels searching for Jack, she'd learned a little bit about what normal life was like, including the concept of marriage, of being husband and wife. And she knew that in that moment, she wanted nothing more in life than to be with her Samurai. She nodded frantically as she clasped her hands over her mouth, trying and failing at not squealing as tears of joy fell down her cheeks. She jumped onto Jack, throwing her arms around him as she said, "Yes! Yes I will!"

After a moment of hugging and laughing they pulled slightly apart, gazing into each other's eyes. Slowly they drew closer, slowly closing their eyes as their lips came closer together. "NOBLE SAMURAI!"

An incredible flash of light pierced the sky as a trio of immense voices called out. Everyone's eyes turned skyward as three literal Gods appeared above, shining with divine light. They rode upon fantastical beasts, and they were immense in size. The Samurai quickly stepped forward, looking up at the Gods who had helped him reclaim his sword only a short time ago. "I am here!" The Samurai called out. He wondered why they were here now. To congratulate him on his success? To send him against the next ultimate evil?

"YOU HAVE DONE WELL SAMURAI!" Said Odin. "YOU HAVE VANQUISHED THE ULTIMATE EVIL IN THIS TIMELINE!"

"Th-this timeline?"

"YES" Declared Ra, "YOU HAVE SPENT MANY YEARS SEEKING A WAY TO THE PAST! NOT REALIZING THAT DESTINY ITSELF PREVENTED YOUR SUCCESS!"

"Destiny? What? Why?" The Samurai asked, confused. Something other than Aku was keeping him from returning to the past?

"TIME IS DELICATE, IT SPLINTERS EASILY!" Said Rama, "EACH ACT OF TIME TRAVEL CREATES A NEW TIMELINE, LEAVING BEHIND AN OLD ONE!"

"Wait, do you mean...that if I had succeeded in returning to the past...this timeline, and Aku with it, would have continued?"

"YES! AND THE ULTIMATE EVIL WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO CONSUME THIS UNIVERSE UNTIL THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE."

"IT WAS AND STILL IS YOUR DESTINY TO DEFEAT THAT EVIL. NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN DEFEATED, WE WILL RETURN YOU TO THE PAST, THAT YOU MAY DEFEAT THE EVIL AGAIN, AND CREATE A TIMELINE WHERE ITS EVIL NEVER REIGNED AT ALL!"

Jack's eyes widened. The past! He was going to go back! "Ashi!" He was about to turn to his beloved excitedly when the Gods stopped him.

"NO! ONLY YOU WILL RETURN TO THE PAST SAMURAI! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO DOES NOT BELONG IN THIS TIME. THE GIRL IS OF THIS TIME AND CANNOT GO WITH YOU!"

"No...but we just...I..." Jack turned and met Ashi's eyes. She seemed stunned, in shock. Many in the crowd started to grumble. After all Jack had done, surely he deserved to have his cake and eat it too.

"SILENCE MORTALS! YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE LAWS BY WHICH WE ARE BOUND! DO YOU NOT THINK WE COULD HAVE VANQUISHED AKU EASILY? DO YOU NOT THINK WE WANTED TO?! WHEN THAT SEED OF EVIL LANDED ON THIS EARTH, DESPITE ITS COSMIC ORIGIN, IT BECAME A MONSTER OF THE MORTAL REALM AND BEYOND OUR REACH TO DESTROY! AND HERE AGAIN, WE ARE BOUND BY THE LAWS COSMIC! THE SAMURAI AND THE SAMURAI ALONE MUST NOW TRAVEL TO THE PAST!"

The Samurai slumped. Why? Why is it that whenever he begins to find happiness, it is stolen from him. He was brought out of it though when Ashi embraced him.

"Go, my Jack. Go and save your people, save the past and make a world that will never know Aku's evil."

The Samurai put his arms around Ashi as he whispered, "But what about you? We...we only just..."

"I will follow you."

"What!?"

"I don't know how, and I don't know how long it will take me, but I'll find a way to follow you. I'll find some hidden time portal, or figure out some magic or ritual to make it happen, but I'll follow you to the past. I'll meet your family and see your home in its prime." She squeezed him tightly to assure him. Slowly the pulled apart and Jack looked deep into her eyes. "You swear it Ashi? You swear you will follow me?"

"I swear it, Samurai Jack. I will follow you no matter what it takes."

A long silent minute passed. Jack slowly nodded once. "Okay. Then I'll do it." He turned to the Gods, grasping the sword on his hip. "I am ready, send me to the moment after Aku flung me into the future."

A sharp lights shot out of the eyes of the Gods, all three of them aimed at Jack. In a flash, the Samurai was gone. And so were the Gods. For some reason, without the hero there, no one present felt much like celebrating anymore, and slowly they started to leave, to return to their homes and start to build their new futures. Ashi would remain at that spot for two days though, before she finally left, setting out to keep her promise.

In the past, Aku laid on the ground, nearly dead. The Samurai was about to slay him, when the evil incarnate pulled a nasty trick and flung him into the future. He stood, solemnly promising to meet him in the future. In a flash of light, however, the Samurai was back. Already?! How?! Before Aku could do much, Jack started his attack. He was still rested from the celebration, while Aku was still weak. The Samurai made short work of the demon, vanquishing him, and then fleeing yet again from the same mountain as it destroyed itself. Idly the Samurai wondered why Aku's death caused that.

Soon after that, he returned to his village and freed his people. Yet another celebration began, one in which the many people who trained Jack in his youth arrived to lay on the praise, and claim that their training was the most helpful. The Samurai's father was once again Emperor, and the people rejoiced. A week after the end of Aku, the Samurai finally found the courage to tell his parents the truth, and the whole story. They listened intently as their son told them of his journey, of his struggle to return to the past, of his fifty years of loneliness, and of Ashi, and her promise to follow him. In all honesty, the Samurai was starting to lose hope. If Ashi had succeeded in her lifetime, shouldn't she have been able to come to Jack right away? His parents did their best to console him, but as more time passed, the Samurai fell into a deep depression.

Two months after returning to the past, the Samurai took a horse one early morning and rode out to a hill overlooking the village. He sat down, leaning against the tree as he fell deep into his thoughts. Many possibilities crossed his mind, and that he would never know the truth tore him up inside. Did she spend the rest of her life trying and failing to follow him? Did he make her waste her life on an impossibility when she could have just moved on and found someone else? Did she give up on him and move on? Did something else he couldn't imagine happen? He sat there for an hour, lost in thought, when a ladybug landed on his hand, pulling him out of his thoughts. He turned his hand and looked at the tiny insect, and remembered the last ladybug, the innocent enjoyment of a simple, beautiful life. He recalled how Ashi had really started to change after that moment, slowly starting to open herself up and listen to him. When she finally started to hope. After a moment, Jack stood, and held out his hand, letting the bug fly off. He smiled sadly as he watched it fly away and the sun started to rise over his home. He could wait. He waited fifty years for her to save him from his darkness, he could wait as long as he needed for her to return to him. He just had to have hope.

"I'm sorry I'm late Jack..." A voice, familiar yet different came from behind him.

Eyes wide, Jack spun around and ran around the tree, looking at his beloved Ashi. She was so much different though. Jack could tell she was older. Her hair was longer, her eyes didn't look as innocent, and there were changes in her build.

"Ashi! How...how long did you...?"

With a sad smile, Ashi stepped forward as she said, "20 years. I'm 42 now. It was hard, but I finally developed a way to travel through time. I had to master a large variety of magics and technologies to make it work, and I don't think I'll ever be able to pull it off again. I did my best my best to calibrate everything right, but because of inaccurate records, I was only able to shoot roughly for the right time. I actually overshot by about three months, but I also landed in a far away land. It's taken me these past five months to make my way here, to you." "Ashi...you kept your promise..." Tears started to fall down his cheeks as he put his arms around her.

"Jack...do you still want me? I...I'm so much older now, I'm...I'm not as pretty as I once w-" Ashi's worries were silenced as Jack kissed his beloved. He held her for a long moment before they came apart. "I see..I was so worried...I was being silly." She blushed like a schoolgirl as she looked up at him. "So, should we go meet your parents?"

"Yes. But before we do, you should probably know my real name, it's not actually Jack." "It's not? What is it then?" Ashi asked excitedly.

"My real name is..."

The End.