The renowned FX miniseries, Shōgun, has made waves since its release, thanks in part to 10 shocking twists that elevate the quality of the story. Shōgun‘s excellent cast and brilliant writing team help the show do justice to James Clavell’s iconic novel of the same name, bringing the story to life in the most satisfying way. Already, the show is being vaunted as one of the best miniseries ever, securing its place in the annals of television history.
By the time Shōgun ends, there is no shortage of plot twists and jaw-dropping moments to look back on. The show does a masterful job of disguising its intentions and subverting tropes to catch viewers off-guard. Shōgun‘s finale includes several incredibly shocking moments, but the rest of the show is littered with them as well. Ultimately, the 10 most surprising twists in Shōgun can be ranked based on shock-value and importance to the story, providing a fun way of reflecting on one of the most entertaining miniseries in years.
One major Toranaga twist in Shogun that catches viewers off-guard is when Toranaga admits to having burned Blackthorne’s ship, effectively trapping him in Japan. Toranaga’s actions are motivated by both his desire to keep the Anjin as an ally and Mariko’s request that he burn the ship, which is a key part of her deal with the church to keep Blackthorne alive. In hindsight, this plan makes a lot of sense for Toranaga, but it’s a real shock when he first reveals what he did.
Even so, this is one of the least shocking twists in the miniseries. It’s already clear by the time Toranaga burns Blackthorne’s ship that he is intent on keeping the Englishman by his side, which makes Toranaga burning the ship the most logical conclusion. The Portuguese could have burned the ship, but if they’d really meant Blackthorne harm, it would’ve been easier to have him killed than to burn his ship. Still, this is a great moment in the show that helps connect the dots, even if it’s not the most shocking plot twist.
Another big twist in Shōgun‘s perfect finale comes when Toranaga reveals Ochiba No Kata’s letter promising the heir’s neutrality in the battle against Ichido, effectively setting Toranaga up as shōgun. This moment provides Toranaga with vindication, proving that his plan has worked and the sacrifices of people like Mariko and Hiromatsu are not in vain. It also reveals a change of heart in Lady Ochiba that seemed impossible a few episodes earlier.
However, when looking back on Lady Ochiba’s flashbacks with Mariko and considering the purpose of these scenes, it’s evident that they are intended to foreshadow Ochiba’s impending change of heart. When watching Shōgun for the first time, it might seem like the flashbacks are meant to set up Mariko’s tragic death — which partly, they are — but their most important purpose is to foreshadow Ochiba’s change of heart, which makes it less shocking than some of the show’s other twists.
Mariko’s deal with the church to keep Blackthorne alive is another twist in Shōgun that comes as a shock when it’s first revealed; however, it ends up being less surprising after considering all the facts. The surprise here is less that Mariko cared for Blackthorne enough to save him, which is fairly obvious, and more that she clearly didn’t plan to be around much longer to protect him from the church. Mariko’s deal with the church is the most point-blank giveaway that she intended to die for Toranaga’s cause.
Earlier in Shōgun, it wouldn’t be a surprise that Mariko was willing to die, considering she often asks Toranaga for permission to join her family in death. However, Mariko seems to find some joy in life with Blackthorne and finally seems like she genuinely wants to keep living for a time, which makes her anticipation of death somewhat of a shock. If Mariko had decided on the spur of the moment to sacrifice herself, it might be less surprising, but her deal with the church proves that she knew she’d likely have to die.
Toranaga amply demonstrates his ruthlessness in Shōgun, and his admission that Hiromatsu’s death was allowed to happen for the advancement of his cause is a striking example of it. While speaking with Mariko, Toranga reveals that Hiromatsu’s death was meant to convince Osaka of Toranaga’s defeat and spur Yabushige and Blackthorne into action, rather than truly being a condemnation of Toranaga’s surrender as it was made out to be.
This sacrifice plainly hurt Toranaga deeply, but it proves how far he is willing to go to reach his goal. This scene also reveals Toranaga’s intention to move forward with his war, despite feigning surrender after being surrounded by his treacherous brother’s men. Toranaga seems largely resigned after his brother’s betrayal, but this conversation with Mariko reveals the extent of his determination, making it one of the better twists in Shōgun.
Buntaro’s return in Shōgun episode 5 after his presumed death at the hands of Kiyama’s men is a truly shocking twist. He seems to sacrifice himself by staying behind to stall Kiyama’s men, and after the less-than-sympathetic portrait painted of his character to that point, it was easy to assume he died there. Further, Buntaro’s death seemed to open the door for a romance between Mariko and Blackthorne, making the audience even more inclined to believe he was dead.
However, Shōgun masterfully plays on its audience’s emotions, setting up what seems to be a happy thread for two of the main characters, only to bring Buntaro back into the mix and ruin any chances of them having a real relationship. Buntaro also didn’t seem to have any means of escape when he stayed behind to fight, making it even more surprising that he survived. However, as shocking as this twist is, there are several even more masterfully constructed surprises in Shōgun.
Perhaps the most cold-blooded betrayal in Shōgun comes in episode 7, when Toranaga’s brother, Saeki Nobutatsu, betrays him to the Council, accepting the vacant regent position in exchange for his brother’s capture. This scene plays out over a crowded dinner, which begins with Saeki telling stories about him and Toranaga’s childhood, making it a real shock when he reveals that he’s already accepted an offer from the Council of Regents.
Saeki’s move seems to put Toranaga in an unwinnable position, so it’s genuinely hard to believe when it happens. Still, while this moment is easily one of the best twists in Shōgun, there are enough clues in the way Saeki is portrayed to realize that he’s up to something, which makes it a bit easier to digest when it happens.
Likely the most iconic moment in Shōgun comes in the final episode when Toranaga reveals his plans to Yabushige just before the latter’s death. In this shocking turn of events, Lord Toranaga tells Yabushige that Crimson Sky has already been completed, and that Lady Mariko’s actions in Osaka convinced Lady Ochiba to turn on Ichido and withhold the heir’s army from the battle with Toranaga. At this point in the show, everything feels so close to coming together, so it’s incredibly satisfying when Toranaga finally explains his actions.
The real shock here, however, is that Toranaga has clearly planned to make himself shōgun from the very start, despite constantly denying his desire for the position. Yabushige sums up the audience’s shock when he says, “You’re no better than us, in your secret heart,” as it becomes clear at this moment that Toranaga is more ambitious and cunning than anyone dared believe. The only reason this twist doesn’t rank higher is that Shōgun carefully foreshadows Toranaga’s intentions, so it’s possible to figure things out before this scene.
The most heartbreaking twist in Shōgun comes when Lady Mariko steps in front of the door to her room just before it explodes, sacrificing her life to spark rebellion against Ichido’s rule. Her sacrifice ultimately becomes the deciding factor in the war, as it convinces Lady Ochiba to hold the heir’s banners back from Ichido’s side at the ensuing battle. Mariko’s sacrifice is seemingly set up earlier in this episode, as she threatens to commit seppuku if Ichido refuses to allow her to serve her lord.
When Ichido relents, it seems like Mariko will live through the conflict, which makes it a terrible shock when she steps in front of the exploding door. Mariko is a fan-favorite, so after her near-death was prevented by Ichido’s arrival, it seemed like she would be protected by plot armor, making this twist even more surprising. However, Mariko’s death is foreshadowed from early on in Shōgun, so there are more shocking moments in the miniseries.
Yoshii Nagakado, Lord Toranaga’s son, does a lot of brash things in Shōgun, but his attack on Jozen and Ichido’s other emissaries is shocking, even for him. Something is clearly bothering Nagakado when he appears for the canon demonstration, but nobody would have guessed that he was about to fire chain-shots from the canons into a crowd of the Regents’ men. This occurs before the conflict has reached an all-out war, making it a serious provocation.
Further, this shocking twist manages to have massive implications without needing extensive foreshadowing, so it’s one of the biggest surprises in the show. Other moments in Shōgun might be more important in a surprising way, but only one scene in the miniseries is more purely shocking than Nagakado firing canon shots into a crowd of high-ranking enemies.