TV Recap: FX’s “Shōgun” Episode 3 – The Daring Escape from Osaka by Land and Sea

An assassin tried to kill Blackthorne. Where did they come from? Who ordered the hit? We find out in the third episode of FX’s series adaptation of James Clavell’s Shōgun, titled “Tomorrow is Tomorrow.” This episode equally focuses on Blackthorne and Toranaga, but also marks a turning point for Mariko in subtle ways. Fans of the novel will see the pieces falling into place that will soon establish her as a character who equally vies for our attention. But first, Blackthorne needs to earn her trust, which he does in this episode. And now, a detailed recap of the third chapter of this saga.

Chapter 3 – "Tomorrow is Tomorrow" – Written by Shannon Goss

Takemaru (Yuki Kedoin) helps Kashigi Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) update his will before his meeting with Lord Toranaga. Yabushige is certain he will be executed. Before the sun rises, Yabushige is led to meet his lord, whose son, Nagakado (Yuki Kura), waits to collect his weapons. Yabushige is led up the battlements where Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) waits for him. The only other person present is General Toda Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka), who stands behind Yabushige with his hand on the hilt of his katana. “You heard about last night’s attack?” Toranaga asks Yabushige. Toranaga asks what he knows about the society of the Amida. Yabushige answers that he only knows what is common knowledge about the secret group of assassins. Toranaga reveals that he is aware that Lord Ishido visited Yabushige, asking what was offered to him. “Your seat on the Council,” Yabushige confesses, adding that he’s not interested in it. “What do you want?” Toranaga asks. Yabushige wants to expand his fief with the Suruga Province. Tornaga makes him a deal – Suruga Province in exchange for the protection of the Anjin and Toranaga’s wife, Lady Kiri, who will be sent to the fishing village of Ajiro. As a bonus, Toranaga invites Yabushige to join him in watching the sunrise.

Father Alvito (Tommy Bastow) shares the bad news with Captain General Ferreira (Louis Ferreira) that the Black Ship hasn’t been given clearance to depart. Ferreira is angry, saying they bring the profits and, therefore should dictate terms. In frustration, he turns to Father Dell'Aqua (Paulino Nunes) and says the pirate should’ve been taken care of before he reached Osaka. “Let it be known the Black Ship sails tonight,” he says before exiting. Ferreira steps outside, where Rodrigues (Nestor Carbonell) waits for him, ordering him to load the cargo for their departure. Rodrigues warns that they won’t be invited back if they leave without clearance. “The longer we sit around, the worse that pilot makes it for us,” Ferreira declares. Rodrigues is surprised to hear that the pilot is still alive.

A doctor (Soichi Sato) tends to John Blackthorne’s (Cosmo Jarvis) knife wound, with Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) present to translate. He asks why the doctor isn’t bleeding him to cleanse his blood, a practice she’s unfamiliar with. Blackthorne asks about the assassin. Mariko shares that she was a palace maid for years, secretly a member of a dangerous sect of assassins. “Some train their whole life for a single kill; It is very costly.” Blackthorne says only the priests would be able to afford such a hit. Blackthorne flinches as the doctor seals his wound. The doctor complains about how tense his patient is, telling Mariko that Blackthorne needs a woman. “The doctor suggests we send a woman to pillow with you,” she tells Blackthorne. He doesn’t understand the term. “It is polite for the physical joining of a man and woman.” Blackthorne declines the offer. “Would you prefer a male companion?” Mariko asks. “Dear God, where am I?” Blackthorne scoffs as the shoji slides open and a man enters. Blackthorne notices how Mariko becomes tense by his presence. “Is the animal behaving himself?” Toda Hiroshige (Shinnosuke Abe) asks Mariko. “Yes, Buntaro-sama,” she replies. He tells her that they are leaving Osaka immediately, traveling to Ajiro with members of Toranaga’s clan. “I don’t understand,” Mariko responds. “It’s not for you to understand,” Buntaro snaps, leaving the room.

General Hiromatsu brings his granddaughter, Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi), the cremated remains of her executed husband and infant. He tells her that she is to join the group leaving for Ajiro. Hiromatsu looks at Fuji’s father’s swords on the tokonoma, reminiscing about how he and his son fought in Korea together. “Those are the swords of a samurai,” he tells Fuji. “I’m sorry for your husband and baby, but they died because they belonged to a greater fight. And now, it’s your turn.” Fuji cries silently.

Yabushige is dressed in his armor, instructing the soldiers that they will start their journey out of Osaka through the forest to try and avoid potential threats to the Anjin. One of the soldiers asks Nagakado if his father is coming. “He insists on staying,” he confirms. Takemaru hands Yabushige his will. “Not today,” he grunts, tearing it up. Blackthorne asks Mariko if he can speak to Toranaga before they leave. “I’m afraid it will not be possible,” she replies. Yabushige tells her that the Anjin is to remain in sight, walking beside the litter. Mariko’s son, Toda Ryuji (Yuua Yamanaka), begs her not to leave him. “You’ll be brought to your grandfather’s castle where it’s safer,” she tells him. Buntaro rips Hiroshige away from his mother, scolding his son for his behavior and ordering him back inside.

Hiromatsu calls for Toranaga’s wife as Lady Kiri No Kata (Yoriko Dōguchi) slowly exits the house. “I’m a tired old woman,” she says, asking for forgiveness. The pregnant Lady Shizu (Mako Fujimoto) expresses her wishes to travel with Lady Kiri. Fuji is loaded into one of the litters, and Lady Kiri is assisted into the other by a servant wearing a hat with a curtain of netting that protects her from bugs but also makes her face difficult to see. A guard announces that Lord Ishido (Takehiro Hira) is coming. Ishido enters the courtyard on horseback with a small group of soldiers, led by Nebara Jozen (Nobuya Shimamoto). Ishido speaks to Nagakado about the arrangement he has with Toranaga that a day’s notice is required when important people are leaving Osaka so he can pay his respects. “Jozen, proceed with the inspection,” Ishido orders. Nagakado tries to stop him. “You haven’t even seen a battle,” Jozen laughs at the boy, calling him “A brazen brat.” A fight between the two is about to start, but Hiromatsu calmly stops it by laughing, saying Lord Ishido honors them by paying his respects. “Let him through,” he orders.

Jozen opens the first litter to find Fuji looking dour. He then moves to the second litter and opens the door. “Lady Kiri, sorry to se you go,” Ishido says to Toranaga’s wife. “I am sad to leave, but my lord says there are too many assassins in Osaka,” she responds. He agrees, saying he heard the barbarian was attacked. He offers to have Jozen escort the party to the galley. Yabushige declines, but Ishido insists. Lady Shizu groans and keels over with pregnancy pains, capturing everyone’s attention. Blackthorne is the only one who notices a woman in a hat with a curtain of netting rushing away from the party, quickly ducking out of sight into a garden. At the last moment, Mariko notices, too. Blackthorne looks at Lady Kiri’s litter and sees Toranaga’s eyes staring back at him from under a similar hat. Blackthorne smiles to himself at the trickery they just played on Ishido. “I’m fine,” Lady Shizu announces as she is escorted back inside. “I wish you a safe journey,” Ishido announces to the party as he leaves them. Jozen rides next to Yabushige, talking privately with him about how Ishido is confused by his sudden departure with Toranaga’s party. “Please remind your lord I keep my promises,” Yabushige defends himself.

Hiromatsu rushes to Lady Kiri and Lady Shizu to congratulate them both on a job well done. “Now it’s in the hands of the gods,” he tells them. They all nod somberly.

“Did you know?” Blackthorne asks Mariko as the party begins the long process of exiting Osaka Castle’s many protective walls. “No one knows,” she confirms, “My lord is famous for his trickery.” Blackthorne asks what will happen if Toranaga is discovered. She says they will all be killed if that happens. At the next gate, the Captain of the Guards (Luis Seki Chi) announces that he needs to inspect the party again. Yabushige protests that Lord Ishido had already searched them. “It is Lord Ishido’s order,” the Captain informs them. Blackthorne watches in disbelief as nobody makes an attempt to stop the second litter from being opened. He takes matters into his own hands, marching towards the Captain and shouting in Portuguese about how opening a woman’s private quarters is improper. Mariko steps in to translate, which only infuriates the Captain, who backhands Blackthorne, knocking him to the ground. He groans as he grabs the Captain’s ankle to slow him down. Mariko apologizes for the barbarian’s behavior. Blackthorne doesn’t give up, getting back on his feet and physically blocking the litter from being open. Jozen grows increasingly annoyed, ordering the guards to let them pass under Ishido’s orders that the party get to the harbor. They are cleared to continue. Mariko is stone-faced as Blackthorne beams with pride. “This is the man we’re risking our lives for,” Buntaro complains about Blackthorne’s behavior to Nagakado as they finally cross the moat out of Osaka Castle.

“What happens when Ishido’s men learn who they’re escorting?” Blackthorne asks Mariko as the party proceeds through a dark forest at night, their path lit by handheld torches. “I’m certain my lord has a plan,” she responds. She asks if what he said about the purity of women was true. He laughs and says no, telling her about prostitution in London, comparing it to the doctor’s offer that morning. “We think pillowing is necessary to good health,” she informs him. “Some say the moment of the clouds and the rain is as near to heaven as they can get.” Blackthorne says he’s never heard such a poetic expression for an orgasm, surprised to hear it from a married woman, pointing to Buntaro and asking for confirmation that he’s her husband. “He’s a strong and admired warrior,” she tells him. “And the boy your only child?” he asks, and she confirms. She asks if he has children, and he begins to tell her about his son and daughter when a flaming arrow strikes one of the foot soldiers through the trees.

Blackthorne and Mariko shield themselves behind a tree as arrows come down on the party. Buntaro begins to shoot arrows back in the direction they’re coming from, taking out some of the attackers with deadly accuracy. Toranaga’s litter catches fire, and Mariko rushes out to save him. “Father?” Nagakado asks as he sees Toranaga amongst them. “It’s the Christians,” Toranaga tells his son. “They’ve come again for the Anjin.”

Toranaga was right. We see Lord Kiyama (Hiromoto Ida) amongst the attackers. One of his soldiers tells him that Ishido’s men are with the party. “Then they’ll die with the heretic,” he orders.

Ishido’s men notice that Toranaga is among them. They quickly draw their swords on Toranaga, cornering him and Nagakado, who have drawn their katanas in self-defense. Mariko leaves the protection of the trees again to help her lord, grabbing a naginata (pole with a curved blade on the end) and leaping into the action. Blackthorne follows her lead, and Yabushige joins the assassination of Ishido’s guards. “One of these days, I’d like to know about your plan before it happens,” Yabushige tells Toranaga. One of Ishido’s men gets away, the only arrow from Buntaro’s bow that misses its target. “Hurry to the ship,” Buntaro yells, offering to stay behind to help fight off the attackers.

“Alert the men in the harbor,” Kiyama orders his men. “The heretic is on his way.”

At the shore, Toranaga’s party is put into rowboats to head to his ship. Blackthorne ends up in a boat with Yabushige, while Mariko is put in Toranaga’s boat. They aren’t far from the dock when they hear the yelling soldiers racing to the harbor to try and stop them. Buntaro is ahead of them, still fighting. He lets loose his final arrow, ditching his bow and switching to swords. He is backed up onto the dock, fighting. Blackthorne wants to turn back to save him. “We must continue on,” Yabushige orders.

Buntaro takes out every man who steps on the dock, and there’s a moment of reprieve as other soldiers gather around, afraid to go near him. He has succesfully stopped Kiyama’s men from killing the Anjin. Buntaro takes a moment to turn and face his lord, bowing to Toranaga. Toranaga stands from his boat. “Toda Hirokatsu!” he shouts. Buntaro kneels as Lord Toranaga bows to his soldier, a great honor. Buntaro’s eyes find Mariko before he turns around, katana raised, as he rushes up the dock towards the soldiers, rushing full speed into certain death.

The rowboats reach Toranaga’s ship, and they are all transported aboard. Yabushige gives orders to the crew. From the deck, Blackthorne can see the Black Ship moored in the harbor. Beyond it, a line of small fishing boats. Blackthorne points them out to Mariko, asking her if they fish at night here. We see the men on the boats, who wear crosses on their necks and have bows and arrows ready to attack.

“Yabushige betrayed us,” Jozen tells Ishido, who has arrived at the harbor. “Those boats blocking their escape, are they Kiyama’s men?” Ishido asks.

Blackthorne has an idea, knowing that the fishing boats will attack Toranaga’s ship, but wouldn’t dare attack the Black Ship. “He wants us to approach the Black Ship,” Mariko translates to Toranaga. He seems impressed with the plan and gives the orders for the crew to sail towards it.

Inside Ferreira’s quarters aboard the Black Ship, Father Alvito warns that the ship’s sailing will ruin their chances of diplomacy. Rodrigues interrupts, telling them they should come upstairs. They go topside to see Lord Toranaga’s ship pulling alongside them. “Ahoy, Ingles,” Rodrigues calls to Blackthorne. “I bring you, Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who seeks an audience,” Blackthorne announces.

Father Alvito translates for Ferreira as Toranaga asks for safe passage through the harbor against the fishing boats. “If your Black Ship protects my galley, you have my permission to leave Osaka harbor,” he offers. Ferreira says the price has now gone up. “How about this,” Toranaga offers. “When the Black Ship leaves Macao, it will carry ten thousand tael silver coins for me to invest in the silk trade. Half the profit would be his.” Father Alvito translates, and Ferreira grins. “Also Tsuji, I offer something to you.” Permission to build a church in Edo, which Alvito translates for Father Dell'Aqua, who is also present. “In exchange, I need your help with Lords Kiyama and Ohno,” Toranaga adds, asking Alvito to bring them to his side and against Ishido. They agree to try and persuade the two Christian Regents. “Now, rid me of these pirates so I may leave Osaka,” Toranaga requests as he stands. But Ferreira has one more term for the deal, that Blackthorne remains in Osaka. “The Anjin is my guest,” Toranaga insists. Father Alvito hands Toranaga the rutter and journal that were confiscated from Erasmus. “He is not the merchant he claims to be,” Alvito warns Toranaga.

“The Black Ship will bring us out of Osaka,” Mariko translates for Blackthorne. “But you must stay. I’m sorry.” Blackthorne is left on Toranaga’s ship with its captain and crew. He asks the captain to sound the drum as he takes the helm, sailing alongside the Black Ship. Blackthorne and Rodrigues exchange humorous insults at each other as they sail. Blackthorne sails the ship close enough to the Black Ship that they make it safely past the fishing boats. “I warned you once, Rodrigues, they’ll never keep me here,” Blackthorne shouts. “You’re not out yet,” Rodrigues reminds him. They’re approaching a rocky shoal. Ferreira laughs menacingly, watching with anticipation as Blackthorne’s ship comes close to getting pinned between them. Rodrigues lets Blackthorne pass them safely. “That’s a debt repaid,” Rodrigues says, out of Blacktorne’s earshot. “May God be with you, you’ll need him,” he adds.

The Council of Regents meets. Ishido is furious that violence was incited in Osaka, part of his fief. “We agreed on a lawful execution of that barbarian,” he reminds the Council. “Yet Toranaga stole him from my custody, and you did nothing,” Kiyama reminds Ishido. “In a matter of days, there would have been no Toranaga.” Ishido counters. “I’d have handed you the heretic myself.” The fusuma slides open and General Hiromatsu is announced, who enters with a scroll. “Esteemed Regents,” he declares, “Lord Toranaga regrets that for personal reasons, he has decided to resign from the Council.” Ishido says this changes nothing, the Council will still impeach Toranaga. “If I recall, the Taikō required five Regents for any vote,” Hiromatsu shares. “And now, I fear you have only four.”

Toranaga and his party transferred back to his ship to complete the voyage to Ajiro. He instructs his son that he will continue sailing on to Edo, but that Nagakado is to remain in Ajiro to help Yabushige train a new regiment. Nagakado protests, saying that Yabushige was conspiring against Toranaga out in the open. “And?” Toranaga asks. “And I am your son. Why am I so unworthy of your trust?” Toranaga tells his son that he’s playing a game of “friends and enemies,” when you only have yourself in this life.

“Good morning,” Mariko says to Blackthorne. He comments on how nice the weather is. She warns him that winter is coming soon, a harsh season in Japan. He tells her winters are rough in England, too, adding that they have famine every six years. “You must be excited to be going home, to be reunited with your family,” Mariko adds. Blackthorne confesses that he’s never met his daughter, who would be around two years old now. “You serve your lords honorably,” Mariko says. “I have no lords,” Blackthorne responds, saying that he chooses the freedom of the open sea over loyalty to his family. “No yesterday, no tomorrow,” he says about the horizon. “Just today,” Mariko adds, a moment of understanding between the two of them. Blackthorne remembers that Mariko had just lost her husband. He apologizes for her loss. She says nothing.

Toranaga approaches Blackthrone and Mariko, commending the Anjin for his bravery in Osaka. He holds out the rutter and journal from Erasmus, saying that piracy is punishable by death in Japan, but complaining that the books will take a long time to translate. “In the meantime, we must prepare for war,” he says. Blackthorne is to train a regiment to use the weapons from Erasmus. Blackthorne begins to say that he’s just a sailor, but then backtracks. ‘Tell him it would be a great honor. All I ask for in exchange is the return of my men and my ship.” Toranaga turns to Yabushike and Nagakado, instructing them to learn all that they can from Anjin about foreign war tactics. And then he says they need to stop calling him a barbarian, giving him a new title – Hatamoto. Mariko tells Blackthorne this is a great honor. “Katajikenai,” Blackthorne responds (a formal way to say “Thank you” between samurai). Toranaga invites Blackthorne to swim with him.

Blackthorne dives into the water, turning around to realize nobody else has joined him. They’re all stunned. “My master would like you to teach him how to dive,” Mariko instructs. Blackthorne tries to teach Toranaga, who wants to see him do it over and over before he makes a first attempt. Blackthorne seems tired by the time Toranaga is ready to try a dive, asking him to join him in a race to the shore. Mariko warns Blackthorne to let Toranaga win. “Here we go,” Toranaga says as he and Blackthorne stand on the edge of the ship. “Hai,” Blackthorne responds. They dive together. Mariko watches as they swim toward the shore. She smiles.

Next Episode – Tuesday, March 12th, streaming on Hulu and airing at 10/9c on FX:

Chapter 4 – "The Eightfold Fence" –  Written by Emily Yoshida

Blackthorne and Mariko test their new alliance as they train Toranaga’s gun regiment for war. Yabushige must navigate his past promises to Ishido when an old friend comes to the village.

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