" Episode XIII: Aku's Fairy Tales ," the season one finale of Samurai Jack , is a standout episode that explores the power of storytelling and propaganda. In a departure from the show's typical format, Jack does not physically appear in this episode; instead, the narrative focuses on his growing legend and Aku's desperate attempts to dismantle it.

The child Phil, who performs the "best Jack impression," is a reference to Jack’s actual voice actor, Phil LaMarr , who voiced both characters for this episode. Themes of Resistance and Hope

The episode centers on Aku’s frustration with his "zero-percent approval rating" among children, who have come to idolize Jack as a folk hero. To combat this, Aku gathers the children and attempts to win them over with his own skewed versions of classic fairy tales, portraying himself as the hero and Jack as a villainous "mean old samurai".

In a retelling of The Three Little Pigs , Jack hacks through a door and exclaims "Here's Jackie!", a clear nod to Jack Nicholson's iconic line from Stanley Kubrick’s film.

One of the children is dressed like a member of G-Force from Battle of the Planets .