Shogun Ending Explained | Episode 10 Breakdown | Finale Recap & Review

This version of Shogun exceeded my expectations. Seeing something like this succeed through thoughtful crafting of the world and characters and true admiration for the source material is what you love to see. Mariko is a character for the ages finding purpose in her sacrifice and changing history. You couldn’t ask for better performances. And the best nun. Let me know what you think.

Yabushige eeeeeeasily the best actor in the series. Deserves an award.

“If I could use words, like scattering flowers and falling leaves, what a bonfire my poems would make” 😢

I love how Fuji-sama tells Blackthorne that “let your hands be the last to hold her!” Flashback to when Mariko told Fuji-sama, “let her hands be the last to hold her son!” 🥺

This final was incredible. I think my favourite moment, though, are the smiles exchanged between Toranaga and Yabushige. Yubashige smiles because he has finally been let in on Toranaga's intrigues and knows, yes, his lord will prevail. His betrayal was all part of Toranaga's calculus as Toranaga has always known Yabushige's inner heart. Ironically, he realizes he has rendered faithful service to his lord through his unfaithfulness, and his actions have made a decisive difference. Toronaga's smile, in return, acknowledges all these thoughts and also confirms to Yabushige that, yes, in his heart-of-hearts, he desires to be Shōgun, something he has so carefully guarded from those around him. It's a brilliant moment of these two comrades' hearts communing, leaving nothing unsaid at their final goodbye. Beautifully done! 👏👏👏

Great series. I hate that Mariko died, while understanding how important her death was. I only regret that my time with these characters was so short.

Yabu was an amazing character, literally updating his will throughout the series knowing at any point in time he will lose his head too😂😂

I enjoyed that it ended with Toranaga being utterly ruthless. In those times, peace wasn't necessarily achieved by clean methods, even today peace is rarely achieved by clean methods. Toranaga did care about people, but he was also ambitious and ruthless. It didn't necessarily make his character more likable but for me it made his character in this story far more interesting and fuller.

I loved his shaded response of "what good is it to tell a dead man the future?"

Anyone who's interested in the history behind these events, I recommend visiting Nikko in Japan. Specifically Toshogu Shrine, the place where Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toranaga in the show) is enshrined. Also, there is an Anjin street in Nihombashi Tokyo, where William Adams (the real life Anjin) was given a mansion of his own by Tokugawa. There is a small monument there.

I really hope they don’t cave to the pressures that come with media success. And that is conjuring up a direct sequel/2nd season that just ends up hurting the perception of the series as a whole. This story is done. We don’t need anything more. Adapt other books by the author but leave Shogun alone.

Man, I love your breakdowns! No spoilers from other sources till the end, profound analysis and attention to details and an honest and respectful stance about your own impressions and the possibly diverging thoughts of other viewers. Thank you so much for covering the Shogun!

Japanese actors that they cast and did the production in Canada, were almost all superb. "Fuji" was a family favorite. Within that great finale, Fuji and John Blackthorne had killer scenes.

A dream of a dream applies both to Blackthorne’s dream of returning to England & Toranaga’s dream of being Shogun

I took Toranaga's smirk before taking Yabu's head was answering his question, Yes he did want to be Shogun. Yabu looks to his lord to see if he will answer his final question. The lord obliges and then takes his head.

Thanks for your good review of the show, Here are a few remarks: In the book, the ship was destroyed as a gift to the Christians, but more importantly to Kiyama as a proof of his sincerity that he wasn't an enemy to the catholics and to get Kiyama to switch sides during the coming battle.  The series wasn't far off that, but I think it left out the turning Kiyama reference. The other point in Marino's actual mission to Osaka was to confront Ishido and free the hostages so several Daimyos could then flip allegiance to Toranaga. This was done by Mariko both to further the cause of her lord Toranaga but also to fulfill her most inner desire which was to honor the memory of her father and fulfillment of a primary rule of Samurai culture as stated in the book, ie to not rest until the murderer of her father was avenged and her innermost desire to die due to the shame of being spared from the slaughter of her entire family at the hands of the Taiko. She and Toranaga both knew that was her secret desire and that was what was behind the bonfire remark by Toranaga in 10.. In the book I believe Toranaga thought in one act she destroyed all her enemies which were also Toranaga's. Lastly the most serious mistake to me in the show was the first episode when Blackthorne first met Toranaga. The series chopped that crucial establishing scene and thereby butchered a major theme in the book, Alvito undermines Blackthorne at that 1st meeting by explaining that his allies the Dutch were in rebellion against their lawful liege lord, Spain. This was the central political issue Toranaga was embroiled in, because he was accused of seeking to rebel against the heir of the Taiko, his liege lord. Per the book, obedience to one's liege lord was at the core of Japanese culture and disobedience was punishable by death, which is why Toranaga insisted that there were no mitigating circumstances for rebelling against your lawful liege lord. Then Blackthorne said there is one mitigating circumstance and that was "Unless you win". This scene crystallized the heart of Tornado's story, and was essential to establishing how the feudal system nominally worked in Japanese law but not always in reality, and the tension of Toranaga's quest apart from his public stance; yet the show runners trivialized this major thematic plot line into why fight the Catholics if you can't win, which missed this major plot point. To me this was an unforgivable plot change made for no good reason. Other changes didn't really bother me as much. At the end of the day, I thought episodes 9 and 10 were wonderful on their own merits. The acting in 9 when Ochiba and Mariko have their last conversation was so brilliant by both women it made the whole show better for me. Also in 10 the scene with Fuji in the boat was very poignant and using Yabu to let Toranaga explain what he was really doing was a clever idea. I thought the Oldman Blackthorne scenes were unnecessary and I really didn't see the value you did in them. Of course the production values, attention to detail and the acting throughout the series was beautiful. Thank you for your synopsis of the series, it was really good.

My favorite part was when Yabushige was like "You know, Toranaga-sama, you really are the Shogun."

I loved this ending, it was so poetic. Bitter sweet, sure, but still amazing. Like Toranaga said to his son, only a young man who hasn't seen a battle rushes to war. That was the whole point. This was a masterful chess play and he ended it with checkmate using Mariko. Amazing TV, finally

I think it's wonderful now that we're so much more receptive to watching shows in other languages. Sanada has said that he wants to provide more opportunities for these amazingly gifted actors to create many more great shows. I'd love all of these actors to become household names xxx

The absolute best review. This series was an intellectual masterpiece that demonstrates the power of storytelling in subtle ways. Bravo FX👏🏽