Not too long ago, in a not so distant land, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time was announced with a trailer. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, as many Cartoon Network games have come and gone. But a recent discovery has turned Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time into easily one of the most important parts of Samurai Jack as a whole.
Before going forward, it should be mentioned that this article contains spoilers, not just for Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, but for Samurai Jack the TV show as well. It has been discovered that there is a secret ending in Battle Through Time that fleshes out the ending in more detail, and in the traditional Samurai Jack art style. Unlocking it may be a bit tricky, or at least a little tedious, but any fan of the show will agree it is well worth it in the end. Here’s how to unlock Battle Through Time‘s secret ending.
Warning: Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time and TV Show spoilers ahead.
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Throughout Battle Through Time, there are many different collectibles. Some of these act as currency for Jack when he talks with the Sam’rai, and others help progress the player forward. The major exception comes from the Corrupted Emperor’s Kamon, which are hidden in out of the way spots throughout the game.
These are relics from Jack’s home, now corrupted by Aku’s taint. They are not exactly the thing to make a collect-a-thon lover’s heart beat faster, and they don’t seem to contribute to anything except bragging rights. They’re one of the elements that gave Battle Through Time somewhat lackluster reviews.
Don’t be deceived. These Kamons are the key to unlocking the true ending. The first and biggest step towards getting that ending is finding every Kamon Amulet. There are 50 of them hidden throughout the 9 stages of Battle Through Time, which comes to a bit more than 5 per stage. Players will have to use every tool at their disposal and hunt comb through locations carefully to snag them all.
The second step is to beat the game. Players must defeat Aku (the final boss) to get the complete ending. Aku’s Tower is a long and arduous final stage, with all the game’s hardest enemies gathered together. The fight against Aku himself is no joke either. Players will have to bust out Jack’s most advanced moves to make it through, but when they do, what awaits them is something special.
The secret ending starts off like the regular ending: playing a clip from the show. In it, Jack and Ashi travel back through time and defeat Aku forever in the past. However, the secret ending continues into another clip from the show. All of Jack’s teachers from when he was growing up and learning to be amazing gather at Jack’s kingdom for his wedding to Ashi. In the show, this comes to a tragic end when Ashi reveals that without Aku, she would never have existed to begin with, and fades into nothingness in Jack’s arms.
At first, as Jack sits tiredly beneath a cherry blossom tree and observes a ladybug, it seems this is the same ending. But then the camera pulls back to reveal Ashi beside him, and the two sit contented, their battle over at last. This part is in the same style as the show, lending legitimacy to the alternate finale.
Fans on YouTube and Reddit have met the ending with joy, and it’s no secret why. Samurai Jack was a long journey, and rather than seeing the one person Jack managed to bond with the most vanish, seeing them together is utterly heartwarming. For fans of the show, it felt like the true culmination of many years of strife. This is an ending that is definitely worth the trouble.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
MORE: Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time Review
Source: IGN
