Several plot points to respond to your questions: 1. The son of Mariko appears in episode 1-3 as a child before Mariko, Blackthorne, Buntaro and Toranaga escaping from Osaka Castle to Izu. There are moments of him and Mariko being mother and son with good relationships… 2. The poem Mariko recites is reflecting back to Lady Ochiba. ‘Ochiba’ means ‘falling leaves’, so a ‘leafless branch’ is absolutely referring to her, as she also recognises it when she reacts on the last line. Also, Mariko is wearing a kimono with prints of leafless branches, which is not a respectful attire for the season of spring, let alone the poem. Everything she does is to throw shades to Lady Ochiba… 3. The Shinobi are not trying to kill Mariko but to kidnap her. She cannot be killed as it will look bad to Ishido, thus you see them not killing her on the spot but to snatch her away while killing all other men… 4. This goes to your complaint about the night scenes. I actually have no problem with them. In fact, this show is few of the shows out there who knows how to shoot night scenes with only candle light. It’s dark, but you can still orient what is happening. If you misunderstand that Yabushige is killing Ishido’s men rather than Toranaga’s, before he starts his first kill, he was having a conversation with that man saying that the people inside the walls are celebrating. That already indicates those people are Toranaga’s people. Then we see Yabushige opening the gates from inside to let the Shinobi to come in. It is clear that they are heading towards the people who are celebrating i.e. Toranaga’s people.
To add to your point 4. If you look at the family crest on the shoulder of the man Yabushige kills, that is Toranaga’s man. And then there’s the colors of his Kimono, those are Toranaga colours.
@@khaii13 I remember the son and both parents sharing a meal in an early episode. He did not leave the city with them because he is the hostage for their family. I think we see him again because it raises the sacrifice she was trying to make 14 years ago in the snow to a higher sacrifice. It may also show why she is not bonded her son, guilt over trying to kill him before he was born.
@@shopahauliquewithjacquelin7025 you are correct, he was already shown in the early episode. I do think him being shown here raises the stakes of what Mariko sacrificed. But I believe they had that conversation in Portuguese so that nobody else could understand them because Kiyama sent him to dissuade his mother. Like make an emotional argument, which, we know, though hard, would not work on her.
mariko's son showed up on 2 separated occasions in the past episodes: once after mariko translated for the first time (map scene), she had dinner with her son and he asked whether jb's hairs were the color of daikon, again when he begged his mother to not leave osaka before toranaga tried to sneak out of osaka by switching with his wife
😎👍❕️ #1 Y'all forgot Matiko spoke briefly with her som just prior to Torinaga's group left Osaka castle... Bintaro also chased him Away (Ep3) #2 Mariko IS Crimson Sky... or Torinaga's one-man army.. #3 Mariko is a samurai, whose life & death is at the service of their leige Lo, and giving their duty its meaning ... #KatanasAndKimonosRock
Oh, since the last episode pretty much goes back to the book with scenes that are verbatim, I don’t think you guys will be satisfied with what you are expecting for a concrete plan or a battle if they are following the book. We probably might just have a title card talking about the aftermath of the Battle of Sekigahara… To not spoil, all I can say is, if I speculate well, this last episode will be Sanada and Jarvis’ showdown in acting. It’s their characters’ final interaction and Blackthorne’s recognition of his fate (‘karma’ as quoted in the book) Remember that, this is really not Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings that relies on battles scenes. It is a high-political romantic drama that deals with human conditions…
I think Mariko’s son and his role in her life is meant to contrast Ochiba and her son. Mariko is a samurai, a translator, a highly regarded noblewoman to a very powerful lord. Ochiba only exists because she birthed an heir. If Ochiba can’t secure her son’s place, she is basically non existent.
The Taiko on his death to keep from having a dictator spread the power between 5. They always had to work together for the whole of Japan, the Taiko knew that after his death his son would either be killed or captured and their would always be warlords fighting for control. He asked toranaga to protect his son knowing toranaga did not want the loneliest life by being the shogun, never to trust anyone. He had the heart of a farmer. His clan was going to die anyway after the taikos death. He did all this to save his people. Sacrifice a precious few to save the whole. Classic Spock sacrifice. She wanted to die at least she had a purposeful death. It was a gift to her from Toranaga. It's riviting.riveting. It's like Chess, once the pieces are in play all you can do is absorb the loss and adjust. 5th level stuff. This is a famous story. The descendants are still living. The ending is known so how it's told is what matters.
i feel like its really important to acknowledge that mariko says she wont be treated like a peasant bc thats a direct shot at ishido. also the part with marikos son is super important to the context of her death.
Also .... don't forget. Mariko says she can not get captured. Cuz if Ishido captures her he could hide her away and tell everyone else she left by herself. But now word will get out that Mariko was blown to bits. And the only one with explosives would have to be Ishido. Even Lady Ochiba would not be down with this kind of death for Mariko.
Your questions about Hiromatsu were pretty much answered in that scene, the other vassals were starting to question Toranaga and tell him what to do. As soon Hiromatsu saw this, he voiced his own decent and shifted the attention to himself. He committed seppuku and stamped it out, they saw how serious Toranaga was about his surrender and they didn't want to commit seppuku themselves. This news would also reach Ishido in Osaka. This wasn't part of any plan, but Toranaga saw what Hiromatsu was doing and accepted his sacrifice. Hiromatsu made a small mistake earlier in the episode when he told the other samurai that he though Toranaga would fight, he was probably trying to make it right
Is this the play? In episode 8 Toranaga says "Osaka must believe I have surrendered" not "Ishido or “the Council” must believe I have surrendered, referring to the collective Osaka i.e. the nobles. Now that Ishiodo has unnecessarily killed Mariko, a respected lady acting on behalf of a Lord who has ”clearly” agreed to surrender, they will either withdraw support for Ishido or even turn against him as a point of honor. This would negate Toranaga’s numerical disadvantage in the upcoming battle. Which would perversely mean Mariko dying was the better outcome for Toranga than if Ishido had actually given in and let the hostages go.
I believe the lord did not plan for his friend and vassal to kill himself. This was an unfortunate outcome due to the vassal eventually believing the lord was sincere in surrendering and then challenging him in mixed company. At that point, there was nothing the lord could do, or his ruse would have been detected. The lord was angry and sad that it led to his friend killing himself. Nor did he plan for his son to attack his 1/2 brother and die. These were both unintended consequences that the lord is using to his advantage. When the lord said his vassal knew his duty well - I took it to mean that he knew his friend would support him either way. By surrendering with him, or by performing his duty to challenge what he thought was a terrible decision (to surrender), but to never betray his lord. He has his loyalty. And he trusted that he would regardless of the direction that the lord chose.
Completely agree with this take, which many seem to be missing. Hiromatsu committed Seppuku as a form of genuine protest, in place of the other rebellious generals; he did not do it to intentionally further Toranaga's ruse. However, his act -- and the the death of T's son-- ultimately helped Toranaga's grand plan .
@@Goldenchild9304 don't think the general(s) were going to "attack" but rather to ask to commit seppuku as protest. to attack their lord, they'd be dead too. it's not like they can take over. in the official podcast, they also mentioned hiromatsu wanted to spare the other generals. i thought perhaps also because he thought his protest would have more impact on Toranaga changing his mind. whether he ever caught on it was part of toranaga's plan to sacrafice the generals or died in genuine protest, it is up to interpretation.either way tho, it all worked as a logical character choice.
The son was on enough for me to know he was a momma boy and they were really close. The dad was always yelling at him to stay away from her. So the scene wasnt out of left field completely. I wish there was more of a build up from mommas boy to angsty teen though
Ishido indicated he believed Toranaga was going to surrender as planned. He asked Mariko why she wants ro return to Edo with Torangas fam, only return back to Osaka in a couple weeks. The priest not did buy thr ruse, but it seems the court did.
44:32 Samurai were not just warriors; they adhered to a complex code of ethics known as 'Bushido', which emphasized honor, loyalty, and righteousness. One of the central aspects of this code was the importance of '大義名分' or a righteous cause. This meant that for a samurai, actions were not merely driven by orders or personal gain, but had to be justified by a greater moral or ethical reason. They believed that every decision and action must be rooted in justice and serve a noble purpose. If Mariko, who is from a long-lasting samurai family has committed no fault or act against righteousness, were to be killed using cowardly means by employing ninjas, it would be a great disgrace for the samurai society, which values justification and loyalty above all else. This could jeopardize Ishido's position and possibly lead to influential lords rebelling against him. Furthermore, if Mario, his loyal vassal was killed, it would give Toranaga a legitimate reason to declare war honorably. Many people think of samurai merely as a group of warriors wielding swords and bows, but in reality, they were engaged in a highly sophisticated political game rooted in the spirit of Bushido.
the shinobi were there to capture mariko , then Ishido can release a press note saying she has taken residence in His area for "safety" she doesn't die so no disgrace, and everyone knows they cant leave. if you think about Honour like our Law it makes a bit of sense. Everyone Knows Ishido has hostages, but Mariko is generating proof, if Ishido cant stop her from leaving he looses all his hostages, but if such a Noble high ranking Woman is killed trying to leave then that is direct proof of Ishido violating the laws of as host (its his city his fault) . it would bring a huge disgrace. he needs the coalition of the lords, he has the capital and the heir he doesnt have all the armies. oh and Toranaga doesnt want to be Shogun never wanted it he just loves Japan and the people ;)
I’m sure a whole lot of y’all Crimson Cried. Welcome to the Crimson Herring. Despite my criticism in previous episodes about how Mariko the wife continued to handle her domestic affairs, especially after how the truth of as to why she was kept alive has laready been revealed; I do have all the respect in the world for Mariko, the Retainer. She fulfilled her duty and managed to say out loud what every Lord in Osaka was feeling but were too afraid to say. And she was committed to everything to the end. (Minor Tangent: I am happy the gate scene was not a "girl-power mopping the floor with all those men" moment) Now all of Osaka's Lords are soured against Ishido; and Ochiba might have to put the engagement on hold in order to Mourn Mariko. Her mission is a success. Speaking of which, it’s so heartwarming and heart breaking that “Leave us” scene between Mariko and Ochiba. I'm Happy Ruri-hime did not just outright hate Mariko for being her father's daughter; but their exchange was so heartbreaking as they both knew each other so well and what the other was doing and them pleading with each other to make the step to end the hostilities, and saying their goodbyes like that... it was made clear: Ochoba was willing to do anything to continue on living, while Mariko was samurai through and through and was trying to convince her that the duty is what is most important. The fact that Ochiba-Sam’s had to turn away to hide her tears and she can’t maintain her mask )9 fold fence) was just Gold. i think I'm sweating through my eyes. And Blackthorne finally doing the right thing and deciding to Second Mariko, instead of just dismissing all of Japan's customs and cultures as BS , that was the best gift he could have ever given her. So much so that despite my misgivings about Mariko the wife; their last night of intimacy was completely EARNED; despite all your valid concerns which I mostly agree with.🥹🥹🥹 And thankfully, Ishido stepped in, because Blackthorne was already shown as not capable of properly wielding that sword. Yabushige's betrayal was to Kidnap Mariko AND not lay a hand on any of the VIPs (it was shown on screen that Shizu and Kiri was not killed when the shinobi identified them in their sleep). They need to make it look like some bandits or assassins got to her while she was sneaking off in the evening despite getting her permits: that was why the shinobi did not kill her right away, but rather were trying to take her away. Mariko became aware of this right away and chose where to meet her end: she did not go to the gate where she would get captured as Yabushige intended. Having grown up there with Ochiba, she knew what would happen when she chose to hole up in the store house.
@@OystersClamsCockles first stage of grieving is Denial. Then comes anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. A door blew up behind her back. Her spine is toast. Her head is concussed. The splinters from the door would penetrate at multiple points. More than 50% of her skin instantly burned. Plus the sudden acceleration would make her bang against the floor or the first thing she comes into contact with with the force of a car crash. And even if the force of the explosion is somehow not enough to kill her right away, there are no rapid intravenous transfusions in the 1600s. And this is not a show where miraculous elixirs exist.
Look at Mariko’s outfit during the “I am not some peasant” scene of this episode 👀 RED ROSES = BLOOD CRIMSON WHITE GARMENT = A BRIGHT SKY Everything that Mariko accomplished in Episode 9 is exactly what “Crimson Sky” was meant to accomplish when it was initially described in Episode 6: “A single, violent rush on Osaka castle that eliminates the council and forms a new government.” I think that Mariko-sama is that “single, violent rush on Osaka castle,” indicating that SHE is the true initiation of “Crimson Sky”… and has been all along. Toranaga’s plan to put “Crimson Sky” into effect depended on Mariko unleashing a quick and lethal attack on Ishido’s authority right in the heart of his stronghold, but to get her (his most powerful Chess piece) into position, he needed Ishido to feel safe (to feel like he had won), and the only way to do that was for Toranaga to completely convince everyone that he had given up fighting (which the death of his son and his closest friend allowed him to do very successfully). This also explains why Toranaga seemed to always keep Mariko-sama by his side, serving a dual purpose (as both a translator and his deadliest weapon hidden in plain sight), why he was upset that Buntaro hit her, why he wanted her to make a final decision about her intentions with Blackthorne, and why he refused to let her end her life too soon (until his plan was ready to be unleashed). “Crimson Sky” is almost like a Shogun version of “R+L=J,” or like Dumbledore hiding Voldemort’s final horcrux in plain sight… carefully preparing it to be sacrificed.
I think she’s the flower that fell from the branch leaving it bare. Ochiba picked up on this right away, that it meant she intended to die. She knows the significance of her sisters words. Another thought is that lord Toranaga has a hidden army from the earthquake that I bet they reveal. Only because he made such a pouty face about how his army was decimated in the earthquake, seemed like a tell. I really liked this discussion, thank you.
Totally agree with you guys on the confusion!!! Overall loving this show so much. The Mariko sacrifice left me so lost! How would that have saved everyone?
The change of having Blackthorne proposing to be Mariko’s second is the most romantic gesture among all the renditions of the story, because going back to Mariko’s sacrificing herself at the end becomes a gratitude given back to Blackthorne… As the official podcast mentions, ladies who are going to take their lives will not have a second as the act is not ‘seppuku’. If they have a second, that is more for volunteering to show support. So changing to a moment when Mariko realises that she actually will not have a second, meaning she will go to hell, cutting back to Blackthorne contemplating on what he sees, then steps up to propose for being her second, not only this is finally his showing of affection towards her not by begging her to live but putting her to rest, also accepting what she truly wants is the ultimate gift he can give her… Thus, when they were cornered in the storage room, and Mariko looks at a Blackthorne who is using his whole strength to recuse her and others (again, several cut-backs between Mariko’s expression and her POV on Blackthorne’s back), she knows that she has to repay that gift by killing herself to save him, because she knows, if she doesn’t do it, her lover will die, and that’s not what he wants…
@@OystersClamsCockles Blackthorne ALWAYS seems to have Mariko's back. So now it's time for her to return the favor. :- ) Plus, Mariko can't let herself be captured. She must be a christ-like martyr in order to turn the nobles against Ishido.
@@OystersClamsCocklesYabushige was lying through his teeth to try to somehow sell to Kiri and Shizu that he was still a Toranaga man (playing both sides to the end). He is a samurai and he is aware of the proficiency of these shinobi. He knew that the blast would just open the door and maybe leave them concussed and disoriented so that Mariko can finally be captured. It also gives him an excuse to not help Blackthorne bar the door. BUT all that goes out the window when Mariko stands in front of the door to die. You are right, if the charge was strong enough, her doing that would not help anyone else in that room survive. But it was only enough to destroy the door and harm the people who stands in front of it as it blew up.
@@OystersClamsCockles absorbing the blast was not her goal. in fact, killing everyone inside that storage room was not the shinobi's goal. they were only going to blast the door open. keep in mind that: - ishido had to make sure mariko didn't die or all the shame would fall onto him, hence the shinobi didn't try to cut her throat but had 2 of them yanking her from her room while killing other men. if the intention was to kill everyone, including mariko, in the storage room, ishido's effort to stop mariko's seppuku earlier that day would've been for nothing. - yabushige was working with ishido to let the shinobi in, but even he knew they couldn't let mariko die. he didn't expect them to all hole up in that storage room. in fact, he at first tried to get them to the gate. even when everyone already went inside that room, the shmuck was still trying to run away to the OTHER direction, jb had to yell his name while holding the door for him. he tried again to get them to open the door with threat that "an explosion will kill us all", but as soon as mariko put herself in front of that door, yabushige immediately, frantically tried to get mariko away from it. mariko, probably knew then the value of her life (proven when ishido gave them the permit to exit osaka, proven again when the shinobi tried to kidnap instead of kill her), decided to sacrifice to save everyone from not the blast (not directly anyway) but the war that was to come.
I also think it is very romantic that what jb offered mariko in the end was an unconditional love where he might not have agreed, or even fully understood her faith and her culture, but still he chose to accept them and accept what she wanted, going as far as damning himself to hell to help her achieve it. because only he understood that she wanted the freedom to make her own choice (their conversation in the the hot spring when they had their imagined date). that is in stark contrast to buntaro's love that caged her
I think the comparison to earlier seasons of game of thrones might give you expectations that hinder your enjoyment of the show. while shogun does share some very specific traits with GOT, the people working on shogun said that it is more apt to compare the show to succession or house of cards, where the real dangers are in the machinations and conversations, not big battle set pieces.
One season? No further development of Blackthorne in “the Japans” and his war against the Portuguese? So much missed potential considering how amazing this first season is.
@@OystersClamsCockles for sure. It would be cool if they expanded past the book for more seasons, but sometimes that doesn’t work…as you guys know all too well.
Mariko's son was in the first 2 episodes....they were having dinner, laughing and having a great time till Buntaro comes in and sucks all the joy out of the room. he's been a part of the story
Here's the thing. Mr. T is the great improviser. All his "plans" are really basic ideas. Like I need to escape. Or I need to convince Ishido I surrender. And I need to infiltrate and turn the Lords against Ishido. Then he sends off his falcons. Never knowing exactly how they will accomplish their missions. But he can feel confident these falcons will rely on their instincts once released.
True enough. Yabushige and Blackthorne are there to sow division. If Ishido outright accepts them, it would create a rift between him and the Christian reagents. An obvious enough ploy that Ishido easily brushed aside. But Mariko, being from an ancient line of samurai who is low key admired for her father (whom they had to publicly hate as a traitor but whom they secretly revere for being the only one to stand up to and kill the ruthless Kuroda)knew her duty well; just like Hiromatsu Toda. Whereas Hiromatsu’s death is meant to sell a Toranaga defeat; Mariko’s death is meant to solidify the Hatred of all the Lords in Osaka against Ishido. Sugiyama’s men would have a grudge since the late former reagent was killed by Ishido. Everybody hates the fact that they are all hostages; but nobody is willing to speak up. But if Ishido gets unmasked as this unrefined and brutal peasant who is drunk with power, acting as if he is samurai, then all hell brakes loose and allegiances would easily turn. Then there is Ochiba who fears for her life and threw her lot in with Ishido, who she thought was the winning horse at the time; it seems she still deeply cared for Mariko. If she flips last moment, then the heir’s samurai and every lord loyal to the heir in Osaka would also flip.
@@khaii13 Agreed. Mariko was sent to Osaka to especially turn Lady Oshiba. Toranaga also knows. Blackthorne is a survivor. And some how the Anjin ALWAYS ends up saving Mr. T's ass.
In fairness, Mariko's son showed up in a couple of scenes. one when they were chatting about meeting the Barbarian, and the other right before Mariko and Buntaro escaped from Osaka.
I believe in that early episode, Buntaro slaps or at least yells at the son as he enters the room. Cuz the mother and son are having a laugh. Which apparently isn't very warriorily. Still, the son clearly isn't very memorable. And now far too much like Buntaro. So I too wouldn't have missed him if all his scenes ended up on the editing room floor.
Side note: Kiyama was pretty much saying to Blackthorne that the Portuguese and the church are these “pirate merchants”. Pretty much insinuating that he is aware of what was going on behind the scenes because he is a “student of trade”.
When Yabushige meets with his aid awaiting orders from Ishido, if I remember correctly, he puts out a hand expecting a written order at first. He then learns there will be no written evidence for a ninja black op!
24:00 Given that you all are completely unfamiliar with the philosophy and ethics of samurai, and the culture and values of Japan at the time, it's understandable that this drama might be difficult for you to grasp. However, since you are expressing your thoughts and broadcasting them, it would be better to pay close attention to what is shown on screen. Mariko’s son has already appeared twice😅 For Japanese women of that era, their 'sense of self-worth' depended on their relationships with others, that is, the roles imposed on them. For Mariko, despite she continue to live under the stigma of being a traitor’s daughter, she is desperately trying to live loyally for her lord. But she finds herself in a tragic situation, unable to find happiness either as a wife or as a mother. This was a critical scene that highlighted her plight. That's why Anjin's words, 'Live for me,' resonated so deeply with her.
Yabushiga is the only one known to be able to contact the Shinobi. Ichido would have deniability as that’s not his man. Bottom line it was to prevent Muriko from leaving. They wanted to kidnap her and not kill her.
Even with its faults…there is still so much you can talk about regarding this show. Now thats what makes a good show!! Excellent acting, cinematography, costumes, dialogue!!
You might find out that there is an ambiguity on what Toranaga is expressing. Never take face value to his words as he tries to speak them to specific people for his own good. Twisting narratives is what he’s good at, and as Japanese are bound by rituals, what Toranaga is doing is to use those boundaries to take advantage for people to side for him. Ishido is not a very bright person to understand that he is slowly tangled within a web that he might not be able to get out as Toranaga has the patience to wait and attack at his opponent’s weaknesses once it’s exposed. But to do so, a lot of sacrifices are needed. Then it comes to the theme of whether you believe in a certain belief of honour and be loyal because of your class, or you are loyal to your heart and believe in something that is beyond social norms…
The ninjas were obviously sent by Toranaga as false flag. Yabu thought it's Ishido that's why Toranaga needed a traitor to be on the inside, because he had to do this part in the plan. Every person was essential - Mariko, Yabu, Anjin Mariko being left to leave wasn't in the cards because Toranaga needs a violent upheaval, not Ishido slowly losing influence. Also, I'm convinced Toranaga will take power from Taiko's heir by pronouncing him not a legitimate son - Ochiba probably really didn't conceive by Taiko anyway and since she was in Toranaga's court for a while he could have found out via spies listening in on conversations.
I agree they missed the part when a Edo General reached for his sword, Hiromatsu noticed this so had to intervene to prevent a possible revolt. These two aren’t chess players they don’t understand that sometimes to win or lure the opposition into a trap you would sacrifice your Queen or bishops etc
@@Goldenchild9304 not only that, they didn't even notice the eye communication behind the two old friends. Imagine conveying, 'Are you absolutely sure!' using I contact - these two obviously did not see it.
You guys are already catching on very well with the romance of Marithorne, but just want to state out for the people who still think that Blackthorne has no character development in the last several episodes: If you want to see Blackthorne’s development, the way that he starts to learn how to observe and listen his surroundings is more and more evident. He doesn’t need to master the language of Japanese, but the way he listens, senses, and knowing when to hold his tongue, when he needs to step up for the right cause is clear. In this version, he’s a supporter with immense tenderness and compassion because he found someone he loves, and without her, he also doesn’t have a purpose to live… From episode 4 onwards, he only has Mariko in his mind, yet he’s also very patient to her, thus when he offers to be her second, he finally knows that he has to let her go, but not letting her being alone and afraid, not being damned, and gives what she wants, so he can truly love her with his unconditional love… If you ask me, this is what a man is…
You gotta bow with a straight back and neck only moving the hips keeping the arms straight also and blackthorn was bowing with his head and back more than his hips and too far forwards so to the samurai his bows looks foolish af
I have to say, as good as this show is... there simply is no payoff for 9 episodes of posturing, planning, and scheming, and it's super frustrating. Especially with only having one season, the lack of action has been a sizeable letdown.
What have you been watching? Marikos son appears in episode 1 & 2 AND Blackthorne and her are talking about their kids, before getting ambushed in the woods. :D
evidence of the Hiromatsu death in the last episode working is what was not said in this one. no one's questioning Toranaga's surrender, not even Ochiba. the court is proceeding to wait for his arrival. Seki is already there in the council. and no one's preparing for war or defending against one. Alvito vocalized it for the audience as a sign that this news of the event has reached the court. that was all's needed.
The whole plan was for Mariko to die while being held captive, its gonna force Ishido to release all the other prisoners, whose families would now most likely turn on Ishido and join Toranaga... Remember they established he's got a member of all the powerful families held hostage...
Mariko’s son appears on episode 2 having a lovely conversation with his mother until his father Buntaro appears and starts abusing them verbally. The mother-son connection is evident in that moment.
damn boys, original OCC head here. non-book reader. first time in all these years of fire recaps I feel you are truly off with your analysis about an episode of tv. I think your confusion actually mirrors Blackthorne's confusion (i.e why decisions are made/rules/customs) But there's tons of subtext to be mined in this episode that will connect everything (i.e Mariko getting the death she wanted, a death that had purpose, just like Uchiro's) It's about what's not said, just as much as what is said. Gang gang.
Buntaro and Mariko's son has been shown before, he pulls him off her and comments "you are not a suckling" and leaves him there with Hiromatsu and Lord T's wives and Marilo hasnt seen him since.
If I'm being honest... kind of a snoozer episode for me. Until that last scene, there was no way Mariko was going to kill herself or be killed by the guards, that wouldn't make any sense. Yabushige continues to flip flop both sides like a pancake and it's just getting old at this point. Having No Toronaga in the episode at all loses points off the bat. Lady Ochiba is not an intimidating villain, and everything Ishido does (taking prisoners, killing the one regent who fleers etc.) is offscreen except for the assassins at the end. This episode just seemed off i dont know...
We saw no reaction conversations for Joysen Nakanado deaths either. Those conversations are unimportant to the story and all that information is implied instead of explicitly shown. Ochiba means falling leaves. Mariko son in two episodes earlier. Ishido is not trying to kill Mariko he is trying to kidnap her and say she left on her own. Their whole culture is about optics. Ishido’s allies are being held hostage Mariko proves it and anyone who has tried to leave has died. What will the other regents take these revelations. Mariko has no actual power she is revered. Hiramotsu is old and not considered a big vassal (remember Mariko thought it was an insult to marry into that family) he really is just a good friend
I don't understand why you think Blackthorne and Mariko have slept together before this episode? The first woman he sleeps with is a courtesan. Mariko and Fuji comment on in the next morning in their conversation. It wasn't Mariko he slept with.
Thanks OCC for the great content and commentary. I really enjoy you and look forward to your Pods. On behalf of the “Clam Fam”, big thanks. I’m looking at comments from other listeners I think we have similar takes. Mariko’s son did appear in prior episodes and it appeared to be one of the areas of contention between her and Buntaro. Buntato yells at her for privately talking/joking with her son in one scene implying that she was making him girlish or weak. I think her son remained in Osaka when Mariko had to leave with Lord T during that early episode and he’s been there without his parents this whole time. I think Mariko views her sacrifice as something that will avenge the reputation of her family and spare her son and future generations the shame. She’s literally saving the honor of her family line, a line of samurai that goes back 1,000 years. It’s why her father and Lord T made sure she did not die so she could fulfill her sacred mission on behalf of her family.
In chess, you often dangle your rook or queen as tantalizing bait in order to trap your opponent in check. My take - Toronaga will won the war without ever fighting a battle.
