Ak is the master woodsman of the world and a character in the Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
Background[]
Ak the Master Woodsman is in charge of all the world's forests and maker of the immortals' laws; yet, he is the only one allowed to go among mortals. He will do anything to help Santa Claus in accomplishing his goal to make children happy. Whether it's defeating the Awgwas or saving Santa from death, Ak and his fellow immortals will always stick by the toymaker's side whenever he is in need.
Ak appears as a slender immortal man with a long, grizzled, white beard which he strokes whenever he's thinking. He wears a green robe, brown shoes, a tan belt with a tree belt buckle, and a tree hat on his head. He also wields an enchanted silver axe since he is a woodsman.
Appearance[]
In the movie, Ak is first seen waving goodbye to Santa Claus as he sets out on Christmas Eve before Herb begins the story.
In the story, Ak is seen drinking nectar from his chalice to tell whether it'll be a good year or a bad year then tells the Immortals about his adventures.
He finds Santa as an orphaned baby boy and tells Shiegra to take care as well as allows Herb to help, not to mention that he decrees the boy under his full protection. When Ak finds out about Necile taking the baby, he becomes furious, but allows the Wood Nymph to keep the child anyway.
When Claus grows up to manhood, Ak takes him to the human world to meet other humans (but they have to be invisible to all they meet). Claus, who doesn't like the other mortals being mistreated, especially the children, tells Ak that he will make them happy on their way back to Burzee.
When it's time for Claus to find a home of his own, the Immortals vow to help him whenever he is in need as they each give him a helper. Ak gives the kind man his assistant Kilter.
Once Claus, Herb, and the little helpers come to the Laughing Valley of Hohaho, Ak sends his other assistant, Nelko, to give Claus an axe for chopping wood.
The Master Woodsman even watches Claus making and delivering toys. Once the Awgwas have gone too far and Claus informs Ak, the Master Woodsman says that he will do what he can. Ak tries to reason with the Awgwas about Claus, but they refuse to change their ways, let alone leave the toymaker in peace. So Ak and the Immortals decide to fight for their mortal friend. During the battle between good and evil, Ak chops the king of the Awgwas in two with his magic silver axe.
After the battle, the Master Woodsman tells Claus that he can continue his toymaking without any more disturbances. Ak has even talked with the Prince of the Knooks about Claus using the reindeer to pull his sleigh at night, so the Prince allows to let it happen again before Will can cut off the deal.
Ak and his friends wave goodbye as they watch Santa set out on Christmas Eve. But after fifteen mortal years of delivering toys, the Immortals fear that Santa will die and that the children will become miserable again. So Ak calls upon all the Immortals for a council, including his brothers, Kern and Bo.
After explaining about the toymaker, the Immortals all take a vote agreeing that Santa should become one of them. Just as The Spirit of Death is about to take Santa, the Immortals show up just in time to prevent it from happening and Ak bestows the Mantle of Immortality upon Santa.
The next day, Santa thanks Ak and the other Immortals for making him one of them as he promises to work harder than ever before. In the end, Ak and the other Immortals welcome Santa back from his toy delivery.
Video Game[]
Ak appears in the video game as a playable character. His abilities are to fly, turn invisible, and chop with his axe. Along with Kilter and Necile, only he can stop the Awgwas.
Trivia[]
- It doesn't say in the book about the three masters being brothers, but it does in the movie.
- In the 1985 Rankin/Bass special, it began with Ak welcoming the Immortals to the council and in the 2000 Universal movie, Ak told the whole story.