WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Shogun episode 8.
Shōgun episode 8 ends with the reveal of what is behind Lord Toranaga’s surrender following the gruesome and emotional death of Toda Hiromatsu. While some of Toranaga’s allies, including Yabushige, believed that their lord was going to eventually give up his decision to surrender, this did not happen. During the meeting in which Toranaga’s daimyos and samurais were supposed to confirm their surrender too, Hiromatsu opposed his lord and committed seppuku. Toda Hiromatsu’s shocking death was very tragic, yet it was secretly part of a plan he and Lord Toranaga came up with.
With only two episodes left before Shōgun’s finale, the pieces are all where they were supposed to be before the war against Ishido. John Blackthorne is back at his ship and has Yabushige at his side, whereas Lady Mariko is about to receive a very important mission from Toranaga. The storylines of all Shōgun characters are coming full circle ahead of the finale, although a lot of characters are still oblivious to Lord Toranaga’s true plan. The deaths of his son and closest advisor have bought Yoshii just the time he needed.
At first, it seemed like Toda Hiromatsu had committed seppuku because he refused to follow Lord Toranaga into defeat now that the Lord of Kanto was about to surrender. Hiromatsu, arguing in favor of other daimyos who refused to join Toranaga in his surrender, stated that they should not submit themselves to Ishido. There was a heated argument between Hiromatsu and Toranaga, who had been friends since the latter was a child. Hiromatsu has been by Toranaga’s side since in every battle, which is why their disagreement was so intense.
By refusing to follow a direct order from his lord, Toda Hiromatsu would have no choice but to commit seppuku. Toda Buntaro, Hiromatsu’s son, participated in the seppuku ritual and even asked to join his father in death. However, no one in the room knew the true reason behind Hiromatsu’s seppuku. Lord Toranaga’s best friend was not in a disagreement with his lord, and it was all part of an act to make Ishido believe that Toranaga was willing to surrender no matter what. Hiromatsu’s sacrifice meant that no one would question the truthfulness of Lord Toranaga’s surrender.
Shōgun episode 8 confirms that Lord Toranaga never truly intended to surrender and that it has all been part of a complex ploy to lower Ishido’s guard. Toranaga wants to protect the Heir and avoid a war that would break Japan into pieces, but the only way to do so is by defeating Ishido with the least amount of bloodshed possible. Refusing to surrender in Ajiro would have led to an immediate war between Toranaga’s forces and those loyal to the council. This is why Toranaga has been playing the long game and might have even anticipated his brother’s betrayal.
However, for Toranaga’s plan to work, Ishido would have to believe that his enemy was going to peacefully surrender. The Lord of Kanto is known for his complex strategies and elaborated ploys, which is why his defeat needed to look as convincing as possible. Toranaga spent most of the trip between Ajiro and Edo showing signs of illness and even missed his son’s funeral. Toda Hiromatsu’s seppuku was the most drastic part of the plan and sent a clear message that Lord Toranaga would surrender. This gives Yoshii the freedom to secretly counterattack.
Lord Toranaga’s actual battle plan remains unknown, but there are some hints regarding what his next moves will be. Yoshii’s strategy involves Lady Mariko, who has been summoned by her lord and was told the truth about Hiromatsu’s sacrifice. Assuming Mariko is the only other person in the realm who knows about Toranaga’s secret plan, her role in what is to come must be very significant. Toranaga will give Lady Mariko a very important mission on which the fate of Japan might lie. Mariko appears to be ready to do whatever it takes to help Toranaga win the war.
Shōgun‘s John Blackthorne has been trying to reunite with his crew since the beginning of the show when most of the men aboard the foreign ship were made prisoners. All of Blackthrone’s attempts at reuniting with his men had failed, even after he became Lord Toranaga’s hatamoto. Following Toranaga’s apparent surrender, the Anjin was finally given the chance to see his crew again. However, it took only a brief interaction with one of them for Blackthorne to realize that they did not want to reunite with their captain. Blackthorne’s men blame him for what happened.
Blackthorne was accused of knowing exactly what they were sailing toward and still choosing to go to Japan. John could have stopped the mission as soon as their original captain committed suicide but chose to continue, which is why his men blame him for everything that happened since their arrival in Japan. After a fight with one of his crew members, Blackthorne wentaway without even talking to the rest of them. This led the Anjin, now a captain without a crew, to go to Yabushige in search of a new banner for him to sail under.
Blackthorne offered his services to Yabushige, hoping the Lord of Izo would allow him to sail under his banner. While Yabushige would have liked to have a foreign ship with guns and a trained pilot under his command, he believed that Toranaga could still win the war and refused to betray his master. However, once Hiromatsu committed seppuku, Yabushige concluded that Toranaga was not lying about his surrender. This was all part of Toranaga’s larger plan, though, as he wanted Yabushige to eventually accept the Anjin’s offer.
Yabushige would not leave Edo aboard John Blackthorne’s ship unless he was sure that Toranaga was going to surrender. Toranaga wanted Yabushige to move the ship and the weapons, but it had to appear like it was all Yabushige’s decision and not a war move by Toranaga. At the end of Shōgun episode 8, when Yabushige and Blackthorne were already aboard the Englishman’s ship, Lady Mariko arrived with a message from Toranaga. Whatever Toranaga’s battle plan is, it involves John Blackthorne and his ship.
Daiyoin, once known as Lady Iyo, was the wife of the Taikō. Neither she nor any of his concerts were able to give the Taikō an heir until Ochiba. Lady Iyo is the one who brought Ruri into the court and made her into Ochiba-no-kata. The Taikō’s wife saw Ochiba’s son as her own child but also served as a twisted mother figure to Ochiba. It’s unclear how Ochiba felt about Daiyoin during the latter’s final moments. That said, the Heir’s mother knows she has been used her whole life, which is why she won’t back down from the fight.
Shōgun episode 8’s final moments see Lord Toranaga finally mourning the death of his son, which was only able to do after pretending to be a defeated old man on the verge of death. Toranaga pretended to be sick and missed his son’s funeral to add to the perception he was going to surrender as soon as they arrived in Osaka. Nagakado’s death bought Toranaga some time, though, allowing him to make his act even more convincing during his time in Edo. Between Nagakado’s accidental death and Toranaga’s sacrifice, Toranaga cannot afford to be defeated after so many losses.
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