Matt Fradd

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Mark Cobuzzi@AquinasPupilMC73

December 01, 2024

Pop-Cultured Catholic #21: Revisiting God’s Transcendence of Time and the Problem of Evil, Through the Ending of “Samurai Jack”

And here is the finale to my latest trio of posts, which brings together the themes of my “Interstellar” and “The Imitation Game” posts. Now it is time to enter the world of “Samurai Jack”. It is an acclaimed fantasy adventure cartoon by Genndy Tartakovsky, the same man behind the other fantasy cartoon I posted about called "Primal".

The main premise of “Samurai Jack” involves the titular samurai getting teleported into a dystopian future, then seeking to time travel back to Feudal Japan, so he can stop a shapeshifting demonic overlord Aku from taking over the world in the first place. In the first episode, a warrior emperor has beaten back Aku, named after the Japanese word for “evil” (悪) and bearing a face possibly inspired by hannya masks in Japanese theater. Aku had sadistically laid waste to the emperor’s kingdom, being invincible to all mortal weapons. The only available weapon that can truly harm Aku is the emperor’s mystical katana blade. Channeling the wielder’s righteousness, the sword has the power to purify and cleanse away dark powers, making it kryptonite to Aku, a manifestation of evil and corruption. But Aku has returned and managed to capture the emperor before he can grab the sword, leaving the empress with no choice but salvage the sword for their son and send him off around the world, where he trains until he is ready to wield the sword against Aku. When the grown samurai prince faces Aku, he is winning and about to finish off Aku for good. As a last ditch move, Aku opens a portal in time, which yanks the prince away into the distant future. When the samurai falls out the other side, he finds himself in a world where Aku reigns supreme and various monsters are allowed to thrive. This futuristic Earth is also full of robots, sci-fi weaponry, and even aliens. Quickly earning the nickname Jack by the future inhabitants, “Now the fool seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Aku!”.

Seasons 1-4 of “Samurai Jack” became a favorite show on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2004, seamlessly blending multiple genres and tones to yield a wide variety of episodic adventures. The typical episode’s formula involves Jack hunting for a portal or artifact that can take him back in time, while Aku tries to foil Jack’s hunts, send assassins after him, and sometimes fight Jack himself. Along the way, Jack also takes time to help those who have been ravaged, enslaved, or cursed by Aku and other villains. This gains Jack many friends and allies over time. His greatest and most recurring one is a loudmouthed Scotsman warrior, armed with his own magic sword, a prosthetic machine gun leg, bagpipes, and an endless array of flowery insults. Aku fully delivers as the main villain. He is ruthless and powerful enough to commit atrocities played for serious drama, yet also goofy and hilarious, thanks in large part to a delightfully hammy vocal performance by the late Mako (Makoto Iwamatsu). Episodes range in tone from simple cool adventures to sincerely emotional tales, comedy scenarios, and even horror plots. One latter episode has Jack saving a little girl and her family, who are held captive by a demon. The haunted house’s demon is played unnervingly straight and one of the few villains with no ties to Aku. Finally, there are many stylistic uses of animation, yielding uniquely memorable fight scenes, environments, and bits of visual storytelling.

When the story resumes in Season 5, airing on Adult Swim after a thirteen-year hiatus, the tone takes a darker turn and the titular samurai is at his lowest point. Fifty years have passed since Jack’s abduction through time. As an unexpected side-effect, Jack is unable to age. But Aku has destroyed the last time portal Jack could have used. This has made him finally give in to rage, become unworthy of the sword, and lose possession of it. He is left to wander aimlessly, fighting with whatever weapons he can scrounge, haunted by visions of those he failed to save, and hoping Aku never learns that his sword is lost. Even Jack’s best friend, the Scotsman, is literally on his last legs and soon dies defiantly confronting Aku. Speaking of Aku, he is now voiced by Greg Baldwin and not doing too well himself. Aku knows Jack cannot age now, everyone he sends to kill Jack fails, and Aku has become too afraid to go after Jack himself, unaware that his sword is missing. So while Jack is on the brink of despair and contemplating seppuku, Aku is also at wits end. In a moment of comic relief, Aku even starts giving himself therapy sessions.

As Season 5 unfolds, Jack soon meets a new enemy that will change the course of his battle, Ashi, one of the “Daughters of Aku”. During Jack’s journey, one woman has founded an all-female cult dedicated to worshiping Aku. The one time Aku visits her cult, he leaves behind a cup of his essence and the High Priestess drinks it. She later gives birth to seven daughters, one of whom is named Ashi. Their mother indoctrinates and hellishly trains them for the purpose of killing Samurai Jack, as a dark mirror of Jack’s childhood training to destroy Aku. Once their mother deems them ready, the seven assassins are sent out on their hunt. Over the course of many skirmishes, Jack is nearly killed by the Daughters of Aku multiple times and struggles with having to now kill flesh-and-blood human beings. But the tide slowly shifts and Jack whittles the assassins down, leaving Ashi as the only one left.

When Jack safely subdues Ashi and tries to help her, they eventually go from being worst enemies to best partners. Jack is bewildered to see Ashi so brainwashed that she believes Aku is the universe’s benevolent creator and ruler, while the samurai is the evil one. Ashi rejects all of Jack’s attempts to teach her the truth and continues trying to kill him while shackled, even as the two are trapped in the gut of a colossal beast and Jack still keeps her alive. Ashi finally realizes the truth, after they escape the “belly of the whale” and she sees him gently handling a ladybug, while her mother would callously squish such "distractions". From there, Ashi comes to learn more about Jack, then repays the favor by helping him to overcome his inner demons and finally reclaim his sword. In the process, she even defies and slays her fanatical mother. Over the course of other adventures, Jack and Ashi’s camaraderie evolves, slowly budding into a romantic relationship.

Jack and Ashi’s relationship reaches its climax, when Aku receives outdated news of Jack losing his sword, then rushes out to confront him. When Aku encounters Ashi with Jack, he senses his own essence lying dormant inside her and takes advantage. Aku is able to awaken his powers in Ashi, possess her body, and turn her on Jack. With seemingly no way to free Ashi without killing her, Jack relapses back into despair and surrenders. Aku gloatingly broadcasts Jack’s capture and plans to have Ashi execute him as the world watches. Thankfully, all of the friends Jack has made in the earlier seasons come to Jack’s aid, including the Scotsman in ghost form. While Jack’s allies distract Aku, the samurai tries once more to free Ashi. When Ashi hears Jack utter that he loves her and she focuses on that, only then does Aku’s control over her weaken. As cliche as it is for the “power of love” to be a villain’s kryptonite, I can buy it here, finding it consistent with Jack’s sword harming Aku with “righteousness… the strength and power of the human spirit”. To their surprise, Ashi not only frees herself from Aku’s control, but also discovers she can wield Aku’s powers… including his ability to create time portals.

Using her powers as a literal Daughter of Aku, Ashi is able to take both Jack and herself back in time to finally stop Aku in past… but at a tragic cost. Jack and Ashi emerge from the time portal, mere moments after Aku originally flung Jack into the future. The samurai wastes no time finishing off the surprised and terrified Aku. Once and for all, Aku is destroyed, and Ashi feels his power leaving her. For a while, it looks like a clear happy ending, with Jack’s family and homeland saved, the dystopian future averted, plus Jack and Ashi preparing to wed. Unfortunately, Aku has the last laugh, for it appears the world of “Samurai Jack” operates on “Back to the Future” rules of time travel. During the wedding procession, Ashi suddenly collapses. When Jack rushes over and begs to know what’s wrong, Ashi can only reply, “Without Aku… I would have never… existed”. Ashi then fades away before Jack’s eyes, as the rest of the crowd shares his heartbreak. The show ends on a bittersweet note, with Jack sitting amongst the cherry blossoms and eying a ladybug that lands on him. The insect flutters away, reminding him of his fond memories with Ashi and her sacrifice.

When I first saw the ending, I found it a resonant and thought-provoking note to close on, which left me pondering for the next day. I remember calling it, when I predicted the show having one of two possible endings. I figured that one possible ending would be him going back in time to avert the future with Aku’s takeover, at the cost of Jack’s friends in the original future all no longer existing. The other possible ending I imagined would have Jack ultimately deciding not to return to the past, instead focusing on destroying Aku in the present, so the current timeline’s people can now experience a future without Aku. Surprisingly, I looked up that before the show’s revival, the creators toyed with the latter idea in a series of (now non-canon) comic books titled “Tales of the Wandering Warrior”. There, Jack resolves to do that.

The show’s ending made me imagine the Problem of Evil in another way, when I first combined it with my observations of “Interstellar”. In my “Interstellar” post, I focus on the scene with Matthew McConaughey’s character floating in the tesseract, which allows him to view his daughter’s bedroom at infinite points in time and send messages to her past self as the “ghost”. I have wondered if that scene is a taste of what it would be like to see everything through the eyes of God, who transcends time. There, the past, present, and future are all perceptible at once. With that in mind, is it possible that every time God chooses to act through divine intervention, it is the equivalent to Samurai Jack altering the timeline by going back to slay Aku in the past? That is, in the sense that God knows/sees every potential “Ashi”, whose very existence will be prevented by his intervention? While undoing Aku’s future reign no doubt saved countless lives and allowed countless new people to be born, the ending of “Samurai Jack” points out that there are also good people, whose existence was only possible because Aku’s reign happened in the first place. Those invested in Ashi’s character still found it an emotional gut-punch, when she fades away. Jack ends up with the power to transcend time, but does not feel the cost of meddling with it until he has already intervened. Would this give God similar reservations about directly intervening in his creation, versus leaving it to its own agency?

Things also got deeper, when I added my observations of “The Imitation Game”. There, Benedict Cumberbatch’s fictionalized portrayal of Alan Turing is eventually faced with ethical decisions, where he might need to allow certain attacks by the Nazis to come to pass, in order ensure greater victory in the long term. Speaking of Benedict Cumberbatch’s roles, I forgot to mention that even my very first “Pop-Cultured Catholic” post on the Avengers films references a scene in Infinity War, where his portrayal of Dr. Strange chooses to let the villain have his way in the short term, since it is the only way to enable the villain’s defeat in the long term. That is, after he examines 14 million possible futures… which is still nothing compared to being omniscient. Also in my post on “The Imitation Game”, I make a callback to George R.R. Martin‘s quote, that the battle between good and evil is chiefly fought within the human heart and not something to be decisively finished by a mere external fight. I used that to suggest God cannot instantly end the war between good and evil to the fullest he would want, merely by smiting evil forces, and he might still have to make similar decisions as Turing even with his omnipotence. With the themes of “Samurai Jack”, one is reminded of the fact that there are even people, whose very existence is only made possible by evil being allowed to have its way in the short term. For example, think about a refugee meeting someone in a foreign country, starting a family with them, and having one of their children accomplish wonders. This is yet another layer to the 4D Chess games that God is playing, every time he chooses when to intervene and how to answer every prayer.

While I do not claim to have definitively solved the Problem of Evil, my G.R.R. Martin post, these three latest posts, and the brief callback to my Avengers post might collectively be my best exploration into that conundrum’s possible answers. With the end of “Samurai Jack” marking its conclusion, I will be linking some clips from that show and its finale episode…

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Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.@frgregorypineop

April 01, 2025

The Practice of the Presence of God - Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.

There are various different prayer practices that people have used in the tradition as a way of remaining in the presence of God--the practice of the presence of God (or recollection) is just one. In this video, I explain a little how it helps us to connect the dots between earthly life and heavenly realities.

00:19:43

Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.@frgregorypineop

March 19, 2025

Life on the Struggle Bus - Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.

These past two months have been a bit brutal : ) Sleep, in which I typically indulge sparingly (not by choice), has been practically impossible. At a certain point, it's like: "What's going on?" This video narrates my attempt to make sense of a stressful time. . . . Where is the Lord in the midst of anxiety?

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Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

March 19, 2025

Jesus, Our Refuge

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Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

April 16, 2024

Simple NEW Lofi Song

Working on an entire album of lofi music. Here's one of those songs. Album should drop next week. THEN, a couple of weeks after that we hope to have our 24/7 stream up and running.

Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

December 01, 2022

Day 5 of Advent

THE ERROR OF ARIUS ABOUT THE INCARNATION

In their eagerness to proclaim the unity of God and man in Christ, some heretics went to the opposite extreme and taught that not only was there one person, but also a single nature, in God and man. This error took its rise from Arius. To defend his position that those scriptural passages where Christ is represented as being inferior to the Father, must refer to the Son of God Himself, regarded in His assuming nature, Arius taught that in Christ there is no other soul than the Word of God who, he maintained, took the place of the soul in Christ’s body. Thus when Christ says, in John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I,” or when He is introduced as praying or as being sad, such matters are to be referred to the very nature of the Son of God. If this were so, the union of God’s Son with man would be effected not only in the person, but also in the nature. For, as we know, the unity of human nature arises from the union of soul and body.

The...

Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

November 27, 2022

Day 1 of Advent

RESTORATION OF MAN BY GOD THROUGH THE INCARNATION

We indicated above that the reparation of human nature could not be effected either by Adam or by any other purely human being. For no individual man ever occupied a position of pre-eminence over the whole of nature; nor can any mere man be the cause of grace. The same reasoning shows that not even an angel could be the author of man’s restoration. An angel cannot be the cause of grace, just as he cannot be man’s recompense with regard to the ultimate perfection of beatitude, to which man was to be recalled. In this matter of beatitude angels and men are on a footing of equality. Nothing remains, therefore, but that such restoration could be effected by God alone.

But if God had decided to restore man solely by an act of His will and power, the order of divine justice would not have been observed. justice demands satisfaction for sin. But God cannot render satisfaction, just as He cannot merit. Such a service pertains to one who ...

Amy Grey@asgrey22

2 hours ago

Hello, all! New here and wanted to introduce myself. I'm Amy Grey, a wife (10 years in) and mom of four kids in the midwest USA. I converted from an Anabaptist (Mennonite) background when I was 13 years old. It's hard to describe how much I love theology and philosophy. A little intense for most! Happy to be here. Any other Mennonite to Catholic converts? There's not too many of us out there!

Ania@Ankaa

5 hours ago

I tell you, there is something different about current teenagers. On one hand we see all these confused blue haired non-gendered angry promiscous youth.
On the other hand there are very traditional and Godly teens.
Recently, after some months of my teen daughter meeting this boy, he called my husband to ask him for permission to officially ask my daughter to be his girlfriend.
Then my other daughter started to meet with this boy who after a few weeks told her than they should meet with their spiritual leader, pastor (he is Lutheran) and our priest to ask them for advise how to have a Christ centered relationship.
They are 16-18 years old.
My mind is blown.

I come from supposedly very Catholic country - Poland. Unfortunately communism made it very secular and even Catholics don't ever talk about God and Godly life, not in public, not among themselves.

I am very hopeful that something is changing.

Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

March 31, 2025

Meme Monday!

Go! Go! Go!

105

Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

March 27, 2025

Big Chesterton Cigars Event! (Fri 25 April - Sun 27 April)

Join us for an unforgettable weekend of cigars, conversation, music, and meaningful reflection at Chesterton’s Cigars, April 25–27 in Steubenville, OH. From live bands and inspiring lectures to a guided cigar tasting, this event will be a celebration of friendship, faith, and relaxation. I’ll be there, along with Dr. Scott Hahn and other special guests. Whether you come for the theology, the tobacco, or the camaraderie, there’ll be something for everyone. Come raise a glass—and a cigar—with us.

Friday, April 25th, 2025

6:00 PM – Evening Opening Prayer
Fr. Damian Ference will begin the evening with an opening prayer.

6:15 PM – Kickoff Speech by John Walker
John Walker will officially open the event with a speech, reflecting on the spirit of Chesterton’s and the significance of this cigar launch.

6:45 PM - 8:00 PM – Mingling & Cigars
Enjoy an evening of conversation, cigars, and great company as we kick off the weekend.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM – Jazz Night
A performance by Chesterton’s “House” Jazz Band that performs here on a weekly basis for our popular Jazz Nights. Comprised of all local musicians

10:00 PM - 11:00 PM – Live Music by Emma & David Kruise
A live performance from Emma and David Kruise

11:00 PM - 1:00 AM – open mic/mingling until close

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

8:00 AM – Mass at St. Peter’s
425 N 4th St, Steubenville, OH

9:00 AM – Breakfast, Coffee & Cigars
Featuring the Chesterton Cigar and Coffee from Leonardo’s Coffee House in Steubenville

11:30 AM – Pipe Tobacco & Tin Fish Luncheon
Tins and tins! Enjoy conversation over a pipe and some tinned fish w/ accoutrements

12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - lectures and discussion
Lectures and readings from special guests of Chesterton’s including Joe Grabowski, VP of Evangelization and Mission at the Chesterton Society, John Walker

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - break

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM – Dinner
Dine at one of Steubenville’s local favorites before the evening’s festivities.

7:00 PM – Evening Prayer and kick-off

7:15 PM - Special guest appearance

7:30 PM – Panel & Tasting Event
A slot dedicated to the story of Chesterton’s founding, the inspiration behind the Pints with Aquinas and Chesterton’s Cigar, and a guided cigar tasting.

Sunday, April 27th, 2025

10:00 AM – Mass at St. Peter’s
Close the weekend with Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM – Brunch & Farewell Gathering
A grand finale to the weekend—join us for raw oysters, Bloody Marys, and other delectable brunch offerings to wrap up the weekend.

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Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

March 29, 2025

The Queen and The Witch (A Fairy Tale)

I read fairy tales to my kids all the time, so I figured I’d try writing one myself. I’m a bit embarrassed to share it—I really want it to be good (or at least decent), but I’m not sure it is.

Here’s what I do know: if I don’t post it now, it’ll probably sit in my drafts until I forget it even exists. But if I share it publicly, I’ll have to own it—and that makes it way more likely I’ll keep editing until I’m happy with it, maybe even write more.

So if you’re up for it, I’d love your feedback. Critiques, suggestions, or just letting me know what you liked—it all helps. Thanks for reading.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there lived a boy named Peter. Though the world called him a prince, he cared more for mud puddles and beetles than for gold or grandeur. Each day, he wandered the royal gardens, collecting feathers, following ant trails, and speaking with birds in a language that only he and they knew.

One morning, his mother—the Queen—kissed his brow and knelt to look him in the eyes. She wore her cloak of sapphire and silver, and her voice was steady but kind. “I must go away for three days, my love,” she said. “There are matters in the outer provinces that need my attention. While I’m gone, stay within the garden walls. Speak only with the wind, the birds, and those who belong here. Everything you need is here at home. And above all, do not wander into the dark wood.”

Then she rose, mounted her horse, and rode out through the castle gates, her cloak trailing like a ribbon of blue light.

That first morning, after the Queen had left, Peter found himself near the edge of the royal gardens. The trees of the dark woods stood just beyond the wall, tall and still, their trunks fading into shadow.

He knew he shouldn’t. He could almost hear his mother’s voice: Stay within the garden walls, my love... But the air felt different—cooler, quieter. And then, on the breeze, he heard it: a female voice, low and lilting, like a lullaby she was singing to herself, not meant for anyone to hear.

“Give me your eyes, and I’ll show you the stars.
Give me your heart, and I’ll sing you to sleep.
Give me your name, and you’ll never be hungry again.”

Peter stopped. The voice was soft, but close.

“Who’s there?” he whispered. No one answered. Only the leaves stirred.

His feet moved before he realized—one step, then another, as if the trees were pulling him forward. The garden wall faded behind him. The light dimmed. Shadows thickened. And then, between two trunks, he saw her. Cloaked in sapphire and silver, her face just visible in the dappled gloom. It was her—it had to be. His mother.

“Mother?” he called, relief blooming in his chest. He ran toward her.

She turned and smiled. Her voice was soft and sweet, but it clung to him, sticky and strange.

“Dearest,” she said, bending low, “give me your eyes, and I’ll show you the stars. The world is so dark, and you deserve to see its wonders as I do.”

For a moment, Peter wanted to believe her. But something in her face didn’t sit right, like a song played with one wrong note. Her shadow stretched the wrong way, and her breath smelled of rust.

He froze. The warmth draining from his body.

“You are not my Mother,” he said slowly. “And my Father is the King”

Her face began to blur, like the surface of a pond just after something moved through it. The blue of her cloak faded to dull gray, and her eyes lost their shine, darkening to something flat and cold. Then, without a word, she turned and slipped away into the wind, as if she had never been there at all.

The next morning, Peter sat beneath the old maple tree at the center of the garden, staring at the grass, twisting a fallen leaf between his fingers. “Did I dream it?” he asked aloud. “Did I imagine the woods? The Woman? The song?” The garden made no reply. Maybe he had fallen asleep by the wall. Maybe it had all been a strange sort of dream. He was just starting to believe that—when he heard it again. The same strange tune, drifting from the trees.

“Give me your eyes, and I’ll show you the stars.
Give me your heart, and I’ll sing you to sleep.
Give me your name, and you’ll never be hungry again.”

Before he realized it, Peter had stepped beyond the garden wall, drawn deep into the dark wood—as though his feet belonged to someone else, as though another will entirely guided his steps—until he found himself standing beneath the crooked elm, where she waited. Her silver robe hung limp and wet, her hair tangled with leaf and moss. Her hands were folded, and her voice, when she spoke, was barely more than a breath.

“Poor boy,” she murmured, not looking at him. “Give me your heart, and I’ll sing you to sleep.”

Peter felt drowsiness wash over him, tempting him to surrender—but then he shook himself awake, eyes clearing.

“You are not my mother,” he said firmly, “and my Father is the King.”

The witch's gentle expression twisted into a disappointed frown, and without another word, she faded into the shadows, leaving only silence behind.

On the third day, the witch returned, her enchanting song luring Peter back into the dark forest.

“Give me your eyes, and I’ll show you the stars.
Give me your heart, and I’ll sing you to sleep.
Give me your name, and you’ll never be hungry again.”

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Matt Fradd@Matt_Fradd

March 18, 2025

What the Heck Is Antisemitism, Anyway?

(A Socratic Dialogue)

I recently posted this quotation from Pope Paul VI to Youtube:

“Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.”

And, oh man, was the feedback fun. Within minutes, I was accused of everything from cozying up to The Daily Wire to desperately chasing subscribers to—and maybe I shouldn’t be surprised—being under the influence of Jewish money.

But one question kept coming up: What is antisemitism? One commenter put it this way:

“How about having a clear definition of what the word means? Is that too much to ask? Because quite frankly, every time I look it up, it's never really clear. Words have meaning. Or at least they should. If the M word for taking a life was used, and someone is accused of it, everyone knows what it means. But imagine it's not clear what it means. And someone out of nowhere accused someone of it, but the definition keeps changing or is not clear—what then?”

Fair enough. So, to help clarify, I’ve written a Socratic dialogue exploring what I antisemitism is—and what it isn’t.

One quick note before you read on—I assure you, I’m writing this in good faith. I know this topic is deeply important to many people, including my fellow Catholics. This article is simply my attempt to articulate what seems obvious to me, not a middle finger at those who disagree.

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