watching it again, I felt that mitsuba and hijikata didn't need to meet at the end because they both understand each other very well, no words need to be conveyed anymore. it was okita who needs closure :'(
if I remember there was a word with double meaning at the last moment, if I'm not mistaken Tsurai ( 辛い ) it could mean spicy or painful. correct me if i'm wrong 😁
Although Sorachi has never confirmed, we knew that he respected and always mean to connect the plot with the real history. You might notice that in the movie or any fake 2 years after story in the main plot, Sougo always mean to be fake dead. In an interview (if I'm correct), Sorachi said that he believed in Karma. Though a character has changed and become ally, he/she still need to die no matter what, except for Mitsuba. I think her death is just because Sorachi want her to be substitute for Sougo in real history (where Sougo must die from disease), or at that moment he cant connect her to the final arc.
