Many thought it would never happen, but here we are with the fifth and final season of Samurai Jack that will finally end the story that began back in 2001. Fifty years have passed since we last saw Jack on his quest to vanquish Aku and return to his proper place in time, and those years have not been kind to Jack. A side effect of time travel means he can no longer age, but that doesn’t stop him from growing a mangy beard and dwelling on those he has failed to save from Aku’s wrath. The season premiere deftly establishes this new status quo with a pulse-pounding episode that feels like an action-packed horror movie.

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Samurai Jack: Season 5 Images 9 IMAGES

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Having moved to Adult Swim, the show has liberty to be darker and more violent, which is fitting because the people who watched as it aired are all grown up now. The premiere leans into the macabre as we see that even though Jack continues to fight, he’s tortured by the thoughts of those who have suffered under the rule of Aku. There's also an imposing, shadowy figure who appears in these nightmares, sparking an intriguing mystery -- Jack wasn't even frightened of Aku, so what makes this guy so scary?Jack is no longer an optimistic samurai with pristine white robes but a world-weary warrior with a permanent scowl wearing armor that’s seen better days. That he now carries a pistol says volumes about how far he’s fallen from the man he used to be.Still, the show maintains its penchant for finding humor in unexpected places. Things are grim, sure, but it’s not hard to find yourself amused by the quirky new assassin or simply wowed by one of Jack’s explosive combat takedowns.Genndy Tartakovsky’s signature style, the selling point of the show for many, is on full display. Extended action scenes develop an intense rhythm as weapons clash and robotic husks are crushed, impaled and slashed. The music accentuates everything from the ghastly horrors of Jack’s mind to the wonderfully bizarre tactics of the episode’s final encounter. The show looks absolutely gorgeous, every frame an exquisite piece of art. Seriously, you could pause it nearly anywhere and you’d be looking at a masterpiece.As Jack travels the landscape continuing his quest, we’re shown a surprisingly in-depth look at the daughters of Aku who are raised from birth with the sole mission of killing Jack. And I mean that literally, we’re there for the births. It’s an unsettling and uncomfortable scene, as are the ones that follow showing their brutal and unloving upbringing -- yet another element that wouldn’t have made it into the original, more kid-friendly show. While we don’t see Aku in the flesh (er… magic dark matter?), these hitwomen make for imposing new villains carrying out his will, simply because we’re so used to seeing Jack effortlessly slice-and-dice robots and these are flesh-and-blood people with focused fury aimed right at our favorite samurai.