Samurai Jack - The Hero's Journey

In the first episode of Samurai Jack, we are exposed to all of the elements of the hero's journey except the return and reintegration into society due to the fact that it is a television series.

When Aku attacks, Jack is taken across the water in a boat. The boat is an example of an object archetype, where it symbolizes safe passage. And the mist is an example of nature archetype where it represents mystery concerning his future. This is the departure in Jack's journey. He is naive and inexperienced, and does not want to leave. Jack's mentors teach him necessary skills that he needs to survive, all the while keeping him safe from Aku until he is ready. This is also the initiation in Jack's heroic journey. 

Throughout the whole episode, we are exposed to other archetypes as well. Color archetypes include black and red for Aku symbolizing darkness, chaos, mystery, death, and evil. The kingdom is colored gold symbolizing the sun, wealth, corn (also life dependency), and truth. And where Aku is associated with black and red, Jack is associated with white. White is a symbol for light, purity, peace, innocence, goodness, and morality. Also the producers of the show use a shift in color to show that something bad is going to happen. 

There is also shape archetype in this episode. Jack's family crest is a square that symbolizes earth, stability, and the number four. There is also a ceremony where Jack finally transforms from child to man. He receives new clothes and the sword that will defeat Aku.

The road of trials for Jack is when he returns back to his homeland. He is the only one free of Aku, therefore, he must free everyone else. The innermost cave is when Jack battles Aku who sends Jack to the future. There is no concrete return and integration into society.

Other texts with familiar elements include The Percy Jackson Series. Percy must find the lightening bolt of Zeus and free his mother. The Harry Potter Series is also has very similar elements. Harry Potter must battle Lord Voldemort to stop him from destroying the world.

This same old story is constantly being renewed  because it is the very basis of western literature that started with stories such as the Odyssey and the Iliad. We can't get enough of comics, films, and novels with this same idea because although it follows the same elements, it concerns the journey that everyone must go through. It can be related to many experiences and cultures, and it can also be presented in many different ways, which makes it appealing no matter how many times we may have encountered it.