In episode 7 of Shogun, we saw a big betrayal by Saeki Nobutatsu, who is Toranaga’s half-brother. Toranaga trusted Nobutatsu to help him fight against Ishido and the other Regents.

But instead, Nobutatsu decided to join Ishido’s side and forced Toranaga to give up in Osaka. John Blackthorne didn’t like this at all and made it clear he disagreed with Toranaga’s plans.

Then, Nagakado, a loyal follower of Toranaga, attempted to kill Nobutatsu but ended up accidentally dying himself when he slipped and hit his head on a rock. Now, we’re left wondering how this event will affect Toranaga’s power and position.

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Is Toranaga’s Surrender Strategic?

In episode 8 of “Shogun,” Toranaga and his clan move to Edo for 49 days to mourn his son’s death. Saeki Nobutatsu’s army keeps a close watch to prevent any trouble from Toranaga.

After the mourning period, they plan to escort Toranaga to Osaka. Mariko tells John that Toranaga is now free from his duties and can return home with his men. John invites Mariko to join him, but she decides to stay with Toranaga until the end.

Meanwhile, Ishido makes romantic advances towards Lady Ochiba, but her response remains unclear. At Nagakado’s funeral, some significant observations are made: Toranaga is absent, Edo generals wear armor, and they possess artillery to take over Osaka.

Hiromatsu advises Yabushige to comply with Toranaga’s surrender and give the weapons to Ishido, despite Yabushige’s shock. Lastly, a sick Toranaga observes his son’s funeral from his castle.

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Is Hiromatsu Dead in Shogun?

Mariko and Lady Rin were chatting about how their lives might change because Toranaga decided to surrender and Lady Ochiba’s determination to survive.

Suddenly, Buntaro showed up, offering to make tea for Mariko. It seemed like he was trying to redeem himself.

Meanwhile, Tsuji met John and mocked him for becoming more Japanese and leaving his ship’s crew behind. Then, Tsuji went to Toranaga and warned him that the Christian Regents wouldn’t support him and that Lady Ochiba was secretly controlling Ishido.

He suggested that Toranaga ally with Lady Ochiba to gain strength against Ishido. Hiromatsu and Mariko agreed with this plan, but Toranaga insisted on going ahead with his surrender.

However, he assured Tsuji that he would still fulfill his promise to let him build a church and asked him to report everything he saw in Edo to Osaka without holding back.

Hiromatsu suspected that Toranaga might have another plan and that his surrender was just a trick. Later, the focus shifted back to Buntaro and Mariko. Buntaro, pretending to make tea, suggested they should die together to avoid whatever fate Ishido or Ochiba had planned for them.

He tried to make it sound like a gift to Mariko, but she saw through his deception and rejected his idea, telling him to stop dreaming about controlling her life. This made Buntaro cry, making it one of the most memorable scenes in Shogun.

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John Attempts To Establish A Connection With Yabushige

John tried to gather his crew to fix their ship, the Erasmus, and sail home. But instead of cooperation, a fight broke out with Salamon. The next day, John sought an alliance with Yabushige.

He promised to fix the Erasmus if Yabushige supported him and Toranaga in their uncertain future. John reminded Yabushige of their shared past to convince him. However, Yabushige refused to betray Toranaga.

Meanwhile, Lady Gin inspected land for her Tea Houses. Tsuji revealed that his church would be nearby, testing the Christians’ tolerance. In Osaka, Lady Daiyoin died, asking Ochiba to release hostages and likely regretting her influence on Ochiba’s mind.

In the latest episode of “Shogun,” things get intense as Toranaga, the main guy, shocks everyone by deciding to surrender instead of fighting.

His decision doesn’t sit well with his buddies, the generals. They’re like, “No way, we’re not giving up without a fight!” But Toranaga sticks to his guns, saying he’s had enough of the bloodshed.

Then comes the bombshell: Hiromatsu, one of Toranaga’s top guys, threatens to kill himself if Toranaga doesn’t change his mind. It’s a tense moment, but Toranaga stays firm. So, Hiromatsu goes ahead and off himself, believing in Toranaga even when it seems like Toranaga’s lost hope in himself.

But surprise, surprise! Turns out, Toranaga’s got a secret plan brewing. He fakes surrender to trick his enemies into thinking he’s weak. Hiromatsu’s death is all part of the plan to make it seem real. Sneaky, right?

Meanwhile, things are heating up elsewhere. Lady Ochiba and Ishido are getting cozy, planning to team up and rule Japan together. But Yabushige and his buddy John have other ideas. They’re gearing up to either fight or escape, not surrender.

But wait, there’s a twist! Mariko, another key player, wants Yabushige to surrender on Toranaga’s behalf. So, it’s a showdown between loyalty and rebellion.

Toranaga’s not just sitting around twiddling his thumbs, though. He’s secretly amassing an army, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The tension’s building and it looks like the final episodes are going to be packed with action and surprises. Stay tuned!