In the wake of episode 8’s profoundly moving and compelling storyline, FX has just dropped a 25-second teaser for the upcoming penultimate episode, Car. Saying it out is really devastating; I still can’t believe we’re down to the last two episodes. The upcoming episode, Crimson Sky, appears to be a pivotal one in deciding the destiny of Japan and the result between Toranaga and Ishido, following Mariko’s revelation of a secret mission from Toranaga in the previous episode and her apparent journey towards Osaka with Yabushige and John Blackthorne.
It is time to dive into the trailer and extract all the relevant information, so let’s not waste any more time. In addition, I will provide my speculations and forecasts on the future. Let me walk you through the plot of Shogun Episode 9’s trailer.
Spoiler Alert!
Warning: this contains spoilers for FX’s Shogun, the 1980s TV series, and the novel. Thus, you might want to look elsewhere for your blog reading material if you like to remain in the dark about future events. I wanted to inform you just in case.
Shogun Episode 9 Trailer Breakdown
Within Osaka, John Blackthorne told Mariko, “You can’t leave; they’ll stop you,” in the preview for the upcoming episode. In response, Mariko pleaded with Anjin-sama, telling her not to become involved. In my opinion, this demonstrates that Mariko is putting her own safety last in order to fulfill her agreement with Toranaga.
She mentioned in the last episode that her loyalty prevented her from pursuing her desires, which in this case presumably involve staying safe. Therefore, I think we will witness Mariko completing her part of the arrangement. I will get to the plot point in a moment, but it appears to be happening in the trailer’s second half. If it succeeds, it could offer Mariko a way out of her life, which she would probably call an abyss.
The scene then cut to one we’d seen in the prior episode: Mariko meeting with Toranaga to inquire if she was prepared to carry out her role in the plan, which we hadn’t heard about previously. However, Delacroix appears to have his own suspicions regarding a possible plot involving the arrival of Mariko, Yabushige, and John Blackthorne in Osaka, and Father Martin Alvito’s report to Delacroix regarding what he witnessed in Edo under Toranaga’s orders. His statement, “Toranaga is planning something; find out what it is,” lends credence to this theory.
Father Martin Alvito expressed his belief a few episodes ago that they should never have supported Ishidor. If he finds out what’s happening, I believe he will keep it to himself out of respect for Toranaga. The fact that Lord Ishidor is basically spearheading the attack on Toranaga is hilarious to me, but his belief that Toranaga would simply capitulate is equally naive. He honestly believes he is in control right now, even if that is not the case at all.
Part of it is because Toranaga has worked so hard to trick them, but Ishidor had entire faith in Saeki Nobutatsu’s treachery against his brother from the very first scene of the previous episode. This further demonstrates Ishidor’s lack of maturity and competence as council leader at the time. Unlike Lady Jin, the tea business owner, and Delacroix, he fails to notice what’s happening directly in front of his eyes.
Upon hearing this line, it appeared as though the citadel was about to be besieged. With the goal of evading the wall and gates, lines were put over the top. My money is on this being Toranaga clansmen who will pretend to be entering Osaka in order to get the captives.
Subsequently, in the middle of the night, we saw Yabushige what appeared to be strolling towards the normal abode of Lord Ishidor and Lady Ochiba. In this case, I’m going to assume that he’s probably telling them about Toranaga’s current status and his previous thinking, possibly hoping to now battle with Ishidor. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Yabushige has a redemption arc in store for us.
I’m holding out hope that he finds atonement because he is Toranaga’s friend and, although he has wavered between the two camps, his devotion seems to have primarily been with Lord Toranaga. But if the first two seasons of the show are any indication, that won’t be happening. Just like in the 80s series, we see Yabu secretly working with Ishidor in this series. At one point, while Mariko and John Blackthorn were planning to retrieve the captives held in Osaka, Ishidor and Yabu recruited a gang of ninjas to kill them.
Not only that, but Toranaga comes to disagree with Yabu’s decision to kill the official in charge of the castle’s defense. In the 1980s anime, Yabushige’s demise is sealed when Hiramatsu seconds Toranaga’s command for him to perform seppuku. Having said that, there is still hope for Yabushige to pull off something good and avoid playing both sides at crucial moments; after all, Hiramatsu’s death in the FX version of the show is already a big difference between the two Shogun adaptations.
The teaser continued on to reveal what appeared to be a pivotal moment that would shape the course of the entire series. We had Mariko planning to lead the families of the hostage generals and daimyos outside Osaka’s gates as bargaining chips to get them to support Lord Ishidor once they were free. This relates to the very first scene in the teaser, where Blackthorn warned Mariko that she would be stopped if she attempted to flee, and it appeared as though her threat was about to come true.
Afterwards, Mariko spoke with Lord Ishidor, who advised her not to postpone her departure, even for a moment. In my opinion, this chat with Ishidor is occurring right before the one she had with Blackthorn. This is because her current attire differs from the one she wore when she planned to leave with the captives.
After saying there’s nothing more to talk about, Lord Ishidor made it clear he won’t be ready to let her go. She said, “I’m free to go as I please” in response. It was at this point when Mariko, armed, engaged Ishidor’s soldiers.
Probably this will happen right when the gates open, with the hostages trailing behind her. Lady Mariko Toda was dramatically outnumbered; many of the men who had been with her seemed to have died. This is probably where she’s going to pass away, I’m afraid.
It appears that the events unfolding here will mirror those in the book and TV series, in which Lady Mariko gives her life to free Blackthorn and the hostages from Osaka. In my opinion, Torinaga had Mariko’s demise in mind when he devised his scheme, and there were multiple motivations for this. The first is that he wants Mariko to terminate her life for herself so she can be a part of a bigger cause that will have more of an impact; he understands that this is what she wants out of her current situation.
The second is that he is aware that the death of Mariko will alter the dynamic between Torinaga, the supporting Daimyo of Ishidor and Ochiba, and the rest of the supporting daimyo. As a result, a large number of them will defect to Torinaga’s cause, giving Torinaga an advantage in the Battle of Sekigahara. The last fifteen minutes of the majority of episodes usually feature a major plot point.
Loss of Jozen occurred in Episode 4. A large portion of Torinaga’s troops was killed in the earthquake and landslide that occurred in Episode 5. Sugiyama passed away in Episode 6.
Nagakado died in Episode 7. Hiramatsu performed seppuku in Episode 8. I have a feeling that episode 9 will include the shocking death of Mariko Toda. This will have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only Buntaro and Blackthorn, but also the Daimyos of Japan, who will begin to wonder if they should be siding with Lord Ishidor at this pivotal juncture.
Taking a stand with Ishidor appears to be a decision that Lady Ochiba will come to deeply regret. The sense of security she believed she would experience in overcoming her deep-seated fears will certainly resurface. Mariko travels to Osaka in preparation for the battle of her life, according to the synopsis of the upcoming episode. As time runs out, Blackthorn and Yabushige race to preserve their own lives.
Accordingly, I think Mariko will die. The plot summary for episode 10 provides further evidence of this. It said that after a sad death, Mariko’s tragic death was the only one that could happen, therefore her demise is imminent, and it will be intense to witness.
Although this isn’t the initial plan, it’s a more strategic one that, instead of attacking Osaka from the outside, opens it up from the inside. I believe it will have a much greater impact. Bring it on, because the next episode is only a week away. You now have all the information you need about the Shogun episode 9 trailer.
Just click on the card up there if you’re interested in reading more about Shogun. I will keep covering the show until it ends, as I have done since the first episode.
After this, what do you anticipate happening? Post a comment telling me what you think. I appreciate you taking the time to read this essay and look forward to seeing you in my next piece.
