Shōgun – Season 1 Episode 10 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

A Dream of a Dream

A Bad Omen

The finale of Shōgun briefly jumps ahead in time, bucking the recent trend. His grandsons question an old John Blackthorne about the samurai attire in his room. We jump back to the moments right after Mariko is killed in the explosion. John holds her in his arms as Yabushige regrets his actions.

The Council of Regents bemoan Mariko’s death. The tide is firmly turned against Ishido, who is cornered by the recent developments. He tries his best to convince the council that Toranaga is behind the attack. His undying wit is unmatched and hence, no one else could have done such a thing.

When Lord Ohno says that Mariko must be given a proper burial before the armies march to Edo against Toranaga, Ishido denies the request. He reminds them of her tainted bloodline, drawing Ochiba’s ire, who seems to have turned against him in the moment. Right as Ishido is about to sign the letter from Toranaga and declare his orders, a small earthquake hits the castle. Outside, Ishido is reminded by Yabushige that a similar thing happened to the Taiko, who was doomed from that moment.

How does Mariko’s sacrifice save John’s life? 

When John wakes up days after the incident, he is permitted to return to Edo by Ishido. Father Martin accompanies him to the harbour. En route, Martin explains to John that he was supposed to be ambushed in the woods and killed. But it is only Mariko’s sacrifice that ensures he lives. She made an arrangement with the church to spare John’s life in exchange for destroying his ship, which they later discover as they sail back to Edo.

John’s face reflects his heartbreak. Losing the woman he loves, and now that he owes her an unserviceable debt, will take its toll. As soon as they hit the shores, Yabushige is arrested. Apparently, one of the maids who was in the room when Mariko died noticed Yabushige muttering to himself in a guilty candour. Murijo explains to John that Christian raiders came in the dark of the night to destroy his ship. To find out who did it, Toranaga has taken the entire village to task. 

Toranaga instructs Yabushige to commit seppuku the next day. In turn, Yabushige chooses him as his “second.” Toranaga is thrilled to see his son with Shizu and thanks her for protecting him. Lady Kiri also hands over the secret letter she received from Lady Ochiba, which holds the potential to change everything. Later that night, Fuji declares to John that her service to Toranaga is over.

Why does John stand up for the villagers?

She will leave Ajiro the next day to begin her training to become a nun. In a thrilling and intense meeting with Toranaga, John proves his worth to lead his naval fleet. Despite everything the beleaguered Englishman has gone through, he remains a person of undeniable mettle and substance. John doesn’t hesitate to let the lord know what he thinks of his recent actions. He asks for leniency toward the villagers but Toranaga is stern in his stance.

Mujiro, who had earlier revealed to John his real identity, acts as an in-between them, although John mostly handles the conversation on his own. The big talking point is John’s revelation that Mariko was the one who destroyed his ship. This is in continuation of the arrangement she made with the Christian regents in Osaka to spare the heretic’s life. He also says that his original plans against the Portuegese are insignificant in the larger scheme of things. 

In an unexpected move, John offers to commit seppuku to convince Toranaga to forgive the villagers. The lord is unmoved and starts walking away from a kneeling John. However, the Englishman strikes back with a vile monologue where he claims that he used Toranaga all the way for his own motives. He also calls himself the enemy and declares that his death is in protest of the treatment meted out to the villagers. 

Shogun Ending Explained: Why did Toranaga destroy John’s ship?

Toranaga stops him at the last moment and agrees to listen to his demands. Yabushige prepares to die by the riverside on a rock as Omi walks him to the spot. Omi expresses his gratefulness for everything that Yabushige has done for him. He also promises to keep the name of the clan flying high. Finally, only Yabushige and Toranaga are left in the backdrop of a scenic sunset. When Yabushige begins talking about Mariko, Toranaga clarifies that he was the one who destroyed John’s ship.

If he hadn’t done that, the Portuguese would have killed him. It was only after the ship was destroyed that Mariko could negotiate with the church. The lord also explains that it was a necessary ruse to test the foreigner about his character. He believes John is fated to forever remain in Japan and contribute his part in making the country peaceful again. When Yabushige asks him about Crimson Sky, Toranaga reveals yet another ace up his sleeve. 

What is Crimson Sky?

To Yabushige’s astonishment, Toranaga exclaims that Crimson Sky is already finished. With the regents united, sending an army to Osaka would have been suicide. Instead, Toranaga came up with a different plan. In the impending war, Toranaga envisions that five armies would square off against each other on the battlefield.

If it is indeed 4 vs 1, they would lose. However, Lady Ochiba secretly sent a message to Toranaga – through Lady Kiri – that she would hold back the Heir’s army in Osaka. And only then, would Toranaga be able to realize his dream – and perhaps his fate – of becoming a Shogun.

In an emotional moment, John takes Fuji on a boat to disperse the ashes of Mariko into the water. He holds on to her rosary for dear life, as we saw in the flashback at the beginning. The final scene of Season 1 sees John and the other villagers pulling his sunken ship out of the water in one united breath. Buntaro also joins in, paying his respects to John. Together, they are able to pull it out as Toranaga watches on, giddy about his prospects in war. 

The Episode Review

Shogun’s finale is completely unexpected and perhaps the best send-off to what has been a fine season. Although one would have moderated their demeanour after seeing the trends, Shogun’s elusive promise of a war might still be alive. Mariko’s defining role in the whole saga is firmly cemented as a mantlepiece for other writers aspiring to mould their stories around a powerful woman. This is how you write a female character who is flawed, endlessly determined to save her honour, and redeemable. 

There are certain moments in the finale when the screen looks like a painting. It is quite surreal to experience those moments in the thick of how things are panning out. Toranaga’s planning and plotting has sparked comparisons with Game of Thrones but Shogun is its own show.