Isn’t it incredible that there are only four episodes remaining of Shogun? Episode 6, which revealed the execution of the Crimson Sky, was published not long ago, and now FX has released the teaser for the next episode, Episode 7, titled A Stick of Time. The show appears to be moving at a rapid pace.
Since we get the standard 24-second sneak peek, I figured I’d analyze it and share my thoughts on what might happen next, along with any hypotheses or predictions I have. Alright, then, let’s begin. Presented below is an explanation of the Shogun 7th episode trailer. You should be aware that this contains spoilers.
Also, the book will be referenced, so if you choose to enter the episode in the dark, that’s fine.
Shogun Episode 7 Trailer Breakdown
So, the following episode’s teaser began with Lord Yoshi Torinaga meeting with an unknown person in the woods, with his troops seemingly close behind. I’d have to guess that, given the way the last episode ended, Torinaga sama’s half brother Zataki could be standing before him, but it’s hard to tell for sure.
The named person with whom Torinaga planned to team up in order to execute Crimson Sky. As a sign of respect, they stood apart from one another and lowered their heads slightly. One sentence in the episode synopsis reads, “Toronaga is forced to carve out a new deal with a long-lost family member,” which leads me to believe that this individual is some kind of Yoshitoronaga related.
Zataki, Toronaga’s half-brother, did publicly express his allegiance to Ishido and his opposition to Toronaga. Since Torunaga will likely have to convince his half-brother to change alliances and make a number of promises to earn his devotion, the encounter between the two of them is likely to be somewhat formal.
In my opinion, that is the most likely outcome; the two brothers will likely join forces in order to strengthen the Eastern Army’s siege of Osaka. The shot is superbly composed; the mist enveloping the forest gives off the foreboding vibe the director was going for, and the stark contrast between Torinaga and Zataki’s opposing viewpoints serves to emphasize the brothers’ polarization as they prepare to fight side by side in the impending conflict.
As a result, the illustration was accurate. John Blackthorn addressed Mariko after this opening shot with the question, “What happens if he surrenders?” I shall sentence Toranaga sama to death, Mariko said in response. It baffles me why John Blackthorn would say something like this.
It seems to me that Toronaga may have been offered a choice between going to war or surrendering. Perhaps John Blackthorne simply does not know the consequences of Toronaga’s capitulation. Either way, it’s clear that this is the show’s most high-stakes episode yet, and maybe Blackthorne is losing it due to the constant barrage of deaths and the terror of warfare.
We also need to keep in mind that Blackthorne is completely unprepared for this. He may be apprehensive of what lies ahead because he isn’t a mighty warrior like many of his opponents and has never truly fought in any major conflicts. When Todd Abuntaru, Torinaga, and Mariko were having a conversation, Buntaro spoke the words “I beg permission to take the barbarian’s head” in the following segment of the trailer.
From the moment the episode premiered, Blackthorne had been completely at odds with one another. That seems to be carrying over into the upcoming episode as well. Episode 5, when Blackthorne confronted Buntaro about hurting Mariko, marked the height of their enmity, and it hasn’t budged since.
Torinaga glanced over at Mariko suspiciously as Buntaro spoke to him. In the last episode, he had asked her about her relationship with the engine, and she hadn’t been quite forthright. Therefore, I think this might be related to the period when Mariko were sexually acquainted.
From what we witnessed in the wedding day flashback, Mariko has no interest in being married to Toda Buntaro. Because of his terrible treatment of her and the fact that she saw no benefit in being linked with his family name, she felt helpless. One thing that was certain, though, was that Bontaro loved Mariko.
Either he’ll find out what happened between John and Mariko, or he’ll start to suspect and be envious of Mariko’s behavior while they’re together. For the simple reason that he may now understand how John is bringing Mariko immense joy, something he has been completely incapable of accomplishing.
In my opinion, the second is more likely to be true, since the first would have brought disgrace onto Mariko as well, leading to the probable execution of both John and Mariko. Therefore, I believe it might just be the emergence of jealous tendencies. I truly do not think that Toronaga will authorize Buntaro to murder John because of how highly Toronaga regards John Blackthorne.
Nevertheless, in the subsequent scene, there was a brief time when John Blackthorne lay on the floor with Yabushigi’s sword extended. Suddenly, Toda Buntaro dashed over from the corner of the camera and swung the sword around John’s neck. “Well, go on then” was John’s line. My two main takeaways are as follows.
The first is that Buntaro’s jealousy is obvious; he knows this person he calls a barbarian is taking his wife away from him. It was also clear that John Blackthorne was an assured character. He witnessed the ease of killing upon his arrival in Japan, but now that he is self-assured and knows his value to Torunaga sama, he is testing Buntaro’s limits.
The character undergoes a significant transformation. As the camera drew nearer to Bantaro’s face, he betrayed his growing frustration at his inability to frighten John Blackthorne. This will probably make Torunaga very sad. His adversaries in the west are part of a larger conflict he must contend with.
He will, therefore, really dislike the idea that his most fearsome fighter is engaged in combat with someone he trusts the most. No, they are not our adversaries here. After that, the trailer cut to Nagakado speaking to his father and asking him a question. “So, what’s your decision?” he asked. Is it an honor to die with a blade slashed?
My guess is that this relates to the initial inquiry posed by John Blackthorn to Mariko in the trailer. The chance to surrender may present itself to Torinaga soon; if he takes it, his soldiers may be spared. He may have deliberated for a while about his next move because, if he isn’t sure he can capture Osaka, Ishido, and the Western Army, he may feel guilty about betraying his men, decide that their lives aren’t worth it, and then retreat peacefully.
But I don’t believe he’ll go down without a fight or give up easily. Yoshi Toronaga is the man who appears to be a formidable leader, fighter, and character. Thus, I anticipate that we will observe him and his army advancing on Osaka with the goal of capturing it entirely. I don’t think they would stray from including the fight of Sekigahara, as I mentioned in my prior, because it is an incredibly important part of that history.
As we entered the last segment of the trailer, Toronaga spoke. Some of us will never be able to make it. It appeared as though a nighttime war was about to break out while the statement was being uttered. In the following episode, we might expect to see tensions rise and casualties to arrive, tipping the scales in favor of one side or the other camp.
Next week’s episode seems to center on Torunaga sama and his decision about how to take Osaka, and whether or not the risks are worth it in light of the potential casualties. Furthermore, it appears that Todd Blackthorne’s dispute will also be receiving significant attention, thus it’s safe to say that the upcoming episode will revolve around division and conflict.
I am curious to see if any characters from Osaka will make an appearance, because the trailer didn’t feature Ishido, Lady Ochiba, or any of the important characters there. If not, I would prefer it if the focus was on Izu. The next four episodes will be my absolute favorite, and I can’t wait to find out what happens. That concludes it.
Shogun: Episode 7 Trailer: How It Works… Using the card in the upper right corner will take you to Shogun’s movie library. Up until this point, I have been discussing the show’s historical figures and giving analysis of each episode. You should also visit the channel if you would like to view additional content.
Can you predict what will happen in the seventh episode? Post your opinions in the space provided. Thank you for reading; I’ll see you next time.
