History Characters / SamuraiJackAku

* PyrrhicVictory: Season 5 reveals Aku succeeded in destroying all the time portals, leaving Jack trapped in the BadFuture forever. The problem is that Jack has become TheAgeless and Aku has realized he trapped himself in a stalemate with Jack for apparently eternity. Now Aku just stays moping around in his lair and having therapy sessions with himself. [[spoiler:This gets even worse for him when he realizes that his daughter Ashi possesses his multitude of powers, which he was impressed of at first, but is later used against him to help Jack in finally desstroying his father.]]

* RealityWarper: To the point that Aku can make it ''rain'' treasure, or trap Jack in a pocket between time.

* PyrrhicVictory: Season 5 reveals Aku succeeded in destroying all the time portals, leaving Jack trapped in the BadFuture forever. The problem is that Jack has become TheAgeless and Aku has realized he trapped himself in a stalemate with Jack for apparently eternity. Now Aku just stays moping around in his lair and having therapy sessions with himself.

* RedBaron: He has several fear-inducing nicknames (apparently self-given, though other characters use them occasionally) including "Master of Masters", "Shogun of Sorrow", and "Deliverer of Darkness".
* RealityWarper: To the point that Aku can make it ''rain'' treasure, or trap Jack in a pocket between time.

* TheDevilIsALoser: Played with. There's no denying that Aku is an incredibly powerful force of evil. But when it comes to Jack he falters. His BondVillainStupidity and ChronicBackstabbingDisorder often results in Aku foiling his own plans at the last moment. Aku's treacherous nature is so predictable that even Jack prepares for it - to the point where he can outwit Aku. Also, Aku's confrontations with Jack usually end with Aku forced into a humiliating form, just to escape. At the end of Season 1, Aku tells stories to children about how he's amazing and how horrible Jack is. None of the children are convinced and Aku's stories devolve into nonsense. By Season 5, Aku has fallen into a deep depression and is seeing a therapist. Said therapist is himself, who ultimately can't help Aku at all. [[spoiler:Became completely straight by the show's GrandFinale, where he ultimately failed in getting rid of his foe Jack, who finallly put an end to the giant demon once and for all.]]

* TheDevilIsALoser: Played with. There's no denying that Aku is an incredibly powerful force of evil. But when it comes to Jack he falters. His BondVillainStupidity and ChronicBackstabbingDisorder often results in Aku foiling his own plans at the last moment. Aku's treacherous nature is so predictable that even Jack prepares for it - to the point where he can outwit Aku. Also, Aku's confrontations with Jack usually end with Aku forced into a humiliating form, just to escape. At the end of Season 1, Aku tells stories to children about how he's amazing and how horrible Jack is. None of the children are convinced and Aku's stories devolve into nonsense. By Season 5, Aku has fallen into a deep depression and is seeing a therapist. Said therapist is himself, who ultimately can't help Aku at all. [[spoiler:Became completely straight by the show's GrandFinale, where he ultimately failed in getting rid of his foe Jack, who finallly put a stop to the giant demon once and for all.]]

* TheDevilIsALoser: Played with. There's no denying that Aku is an incredibly powerful force of evil. But when it comes to Jack he falters. His BondVillainStupidity and ChronicBackstabbingDisorder often results in Aku foiling his own plans at the last moment. Aku's treacherous nature is so predictable that even Jack prepares for it - to the point where he can outwit Aku. Also, Aku's confrontations with Jack usually end with Aku forced into a humiliating form, just to escape. At the end of Season 1, Aku tells stories to children about how he's amazing and how horrible Jack is. None of the children are convinced and Aku's stories devolve into nonsense. By Season 5 Aku has fallen into a deep depression and is seeing a therapist. Said therapist is himself, who ultimately can't help Aku at all.

** Once, he disguised himself as a beautiful woman to trick Jack into leading him to a magical jewel with time travel capabilities. During that time, he forgoes multiple opportunities to kill Jack, whose guard was lowered down significantly.

* IronicEcho: At the moment he sent Jack to the future via tie portals in the very first episode, he declares that Jack "will not be so fortunate" once the samurai saw the demonic entity again. [[spoiler:''Several'' episodes later, in the show's GrandFinale, Jack has finally managed to go back to the past (with the help of Ashi) and '''eventually''' eliminate the show's SatanicArchetype for good. With that case, it's now '''''AKU''''' who's the less fortunate one.]]

* IronicEcho: At the moment he sent Jack to the future via tie portals in the very first episode, he declares that Jack "will not be so fortunate" once the samurai saw the demonic entity again. [[spoiler:''Several'' episodes later, in the show's GrandFinale, Jack has finally managed to go back to the past (with the help of Ashi) and '''eventually''' eliminate Aku for good. In this case, it's '''''AKU''''' who was the less fortunate one.]]

* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler:He gave the Cult of Aku some of his essence, and once the High Priestess drank it, she then gives birth to the Daughters of Aku, to which one of them Ashi. Said daughter not only became [[SoleSurvivor the longest lasting survivor among her sisters]], but was also the one who helped Jack into finally putting an end to her father.]]

* AsianRudeness: Being a Japanese-themed demonic being who was originally voiced by Creator/{{Mako}} just oozes this trope very much.

** [[spoiler:This becomes his undoing in the series finale. After placing Ashi under his thrall and forcing Jack to surrender himself and the sword, Aku, [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim rather than just killing Jack on the spot]], decides to take him back to his lair so that he could broadcast Jack's PublicExecution before the entire world, which ends up prompting the Scotsman and Jack's other allies to mount a rescue attempt. Then, Aku ends up wasting time trying to think of inventive ways to kill his foe before finally settling on having Ashi play the role of Jack's executioner, right before the Scotsman's army attacks Aku's tower, allowing Jack to regain the sword, Ashi to break free from her father's control, and both of them heading back into the past to destroy Aku for good.]]

* AssholeVictim: Exaggerated; while he is far from being your certain average asshole, he still reacts horrorfully whenever he pretends to be defeated.

* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: Aku is the supreme emperor of Earth and many other worlds, and it's not hard to guess how much of a badass he had to be to get there. In fact, come the Season 3 Episode "Jack and the Zombies" and, without the sword to give him an advantage, Jack is pretty much ''put on the ropes'' by Aku as the latter matches him blow-for-blow in swordplay and outmaneuvers him with his shapeshifting - heck, if wasn't for Aku not knowing Jack couldn't be hurt with his own sword[[note]] since the sword can't be used by evildoers to harm the innocent[[/note]], Aku would have ''killed Jack then and there.''

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He's never seen or mentioned after his first appearance, though it can be assumed that Aku's depression grew so strong that the Therapist lost his ability to aid Aku. Or, y'know, Aku just reintegrated him into his body.

* BadBoss: Aku plays with this trope. One good example being with [[spoiler:Scaramouche]] in season 5. Aku treated him like a friend rather then an employee, but once [[spoiler:Scaramouche]] made a mistake, Aku blew [[spoiler:Scaramouche]] up before he could say a single word, never giving him a second thought.

* GutturalGrowler: Shines through quite a bit in Season 5 with his new voice actor, replacing the dearly departed {{Creator/Mako}}.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Aku is the supreme emperor of Earth and many other worlds, and it's not hard to guess how much of a badass he had to be to get there. In fact, come the Season 3 Episode "Jack and the Zombies" and, without the sword to give him an advantage, Jack is pretty much ''put on the ropes'' by Aku as the latter matches him blow-for-blow in swordplay and outmaneuvers him with his shapeshifting - heck, if wasn't for Aku not knowing Jack couldn't be hurt with his own sword[[note]] since the sword can't be used by evildoers to harm the innocent[[/note]], Aku would have ''killed Jack then and there.''

* FatalFlaw: His nonchalant attitude, where he even [[spoiler:lets his own essence be inherited to his literal daughters towards the High Priestess, which is what also lead to his ultimate downfall]].

* FatalFlaw: His nonchalant attitude, where he even [[spoiler:lets his own essence be inherited to his literal daughters towards the High Priestess, which what also eventually leads to his downfall]].

* FangsAreEvil: His have the distinct Oriental pattern in which the canines curve outward.

* {{Gonk}}: For someone who's meant to be a personification of evil within the show, he '''surely''' does defineh ugliness that heavily even through his own facial features, which includes his scarily big sharp teeth.

* {{Gonk}}: For someone who's meant to be a personification of evil within the show, he '''surely''' defines ugliness that heavily even through his own facial features, which includes his scarily big sharp teeth.

* TooPowerfulToLive: It was so powerful that the TopGod{{s}} of ''three separate pantheons'' had to fight it personally!

* PracticallyJoker: He's a horrific {{sadist}}, a [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] {{sociopath}}, and a [[AxCrazy homicidal maniac]] who enjoys killing and torturing people ForTheEvulz; and he especially enjoys tormenting his ArchEnemy (TheHero, who is his absolute [[{{Foil}} antithesis]]). While Aku is [[LaughablyEvil funny, bombastic]] and FauxAffablyEvil, his ArchEnemy is a serious, [[HurtingHero devastated]], honorable man with [[HairTriggerTemper serious anger problems]]. Aku is practically ComicBook/TheJoker in the form of an EldritchAbomination.

* KickTheSonOfABitch:
** In Demongo's debut episode, Aku [[spoiler:(temporarily)]] murders him when the former returns to his lair, having not only lost to Jack but also deprived of his vast collection of souls. Considering the fact that Demongo spent eons ripping out the souls of fallen warriors and [[AndIMustScream forcing them to kill others on his behalf]], he had his death coming.
** [[spoiler:In "Episode C", Aku kills Scaramouche as [[YouHaveFailedMe punishment for giving him outdated information about Jack's (no longer) missing sword]]. While this was a cruel action, [[AssholeVictim Scaramouche]] was still one of Aku's henchmen who had committed mass murder of innocent people.]]

* MakeMeWannaShout: Aku can use loud screams powerful enough to damage the landscape as a form of attack.

* SuperpowerLottery: Aku uses a large variety of [[BlackMagic magical abilities]], which sometimes [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands seem to just come out of nowhere]]. They include, but are not limited to: {{immortality}}, {{shapeshifting}}, [[PlayingWithFire heat]] [[EyeBeams vision]], [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]], {{super strength}}, {{super speed}}, {{flight}}, {{teleportation}}, and even creating [[TimeTravel time portals]].

** Being the LargeHam that he is, he decides to broadcast Jack's execution, which ends up motivating every single ally Jack has made over the course of the series to come to the samurai's rescue. And this is where Aku really grabs the IdiotBall because instead of finishing Jack off right there, he goes out to engage his rescuers and leaves the task of finishing Jack off to Ashi which ends up leading to the next entry.