This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
The Big Picture
Blackthorne faces danger in
Shōgun
Episode 7, as tensions with Buntaro escalate.
Mariko and Blackthorne’s forbidden love complicates their relationship, and Toranaga must navigate treacherous waters as war looms ahead.
Watch the new trailer for Episode 7 of
Shōgun
before it premieres on FX on April 2.
John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) has never been in control, but in the promo for Episode 7 of Shōgun, he is in even more dire straits. Since the English navigator first washed up on the shores of Japan, he has been at the mercy of Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and a culture he doesn’t understand. He fails to endear himself to the samurai, notably Mariko’s (Anna Sawai) husband, Toda – Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) to his friends. In the new trailer for the upcoming episode, it goes without saying that Blackthorne is not his friend.
“I beg permission to take the barbarian’s head,” Buntaro requests of Toranaga, refusing to address him as his lord’s new Hatamoto. After episodes of conflict between the two, Buntaro finally draws his sword against Blackthorne and holds it to his neck.
Meanwhile, Toranaga faces mounting pressure about what to do with the Council of Regents, who want him dead. Toranaga is a man of honor, and while he agrees to conduct the act of Crimson Sky, he understands the ways of war. Not everyone will make it out of this conflict. That was the reason he was so hesitant to declare war in the first place. But war is upon them, and there is no choice but to surge ahead into battle in the episodes to come.
Will Blackthorne and Mariko’s Relationship Be Discovered In ‘Shōgun’ Episode 7?
The true-to-life story is halfway over, and the fallout between Mariko and Blackthorne’s dalliance is inevitable. Their precarious love affair came to a screeching halt after the return of Mariko’s husband. Though brutal, Buntaro isn’t blind to the dynamic between the navigator and his interpreter. Even Toranaga seems to be aware that something is going on between the two.
To avoid any ramifications, Mariko has forbidden any further romantic interaction between her and Blackthorne. The interpreter faces many threats but even so, it hasn’t stopped her from yearning for her former paramour, especially after his liaison with Lady Kiku (Yuka Kouri). Buntaro has already vocalized dissent in his marriage, and sensing that his wife is warming towards another man – let alone an Englishman – is certain to inspire fiery passions.
Buntaro likely draws his sword on Blackthorne in the trailer for this reason. Though he may not appear like it, Buntaro is a wounded man. There is never any excuse for abusing your wife, but this does give context to why he acts the way he does. Buntaro thought that once they were married, Mariko would thaw towards him following the events of her tragic past. Instead, she asks year after year to be allowed to die as her besmirched father had died.
Buntaro’s rage is misplaced, to be sure, but ultimately, he is someone who thought he would be loved. By forbidding Mariko’s death, he thought she would ultimately see his kind gesture and become a more loving wife toward him. These hurt feelings will have to come to a head following Episode 6. Viewers have already seen that Buntaro misplaces his emotions. By asking to kill Blackthorne, he is trying to keep Mariko close to him. There is the little matter of being disrespected by Blackthorne, who has slept with his wife as well. As the protagonist, Blackthorne is certain to survive the exchange, so he can aid Toranaga in Crimson Sky. But the secret between him and Mariko seems to be not so safe.
Watch the trailer above and catch Shōgun Episode 7 when it airs on Hulu, on April 2, 2024.
Shogun (2024)
When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, Lord Yoshii Toranaga discovers secrets that could tip the scales of power and devastate his enemies.
Release Date 2024-02-00
Main Genre Drama
WATCH ON HULU