John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) has been teetering on the edge of a knife since arriving in Japan, but in Episode 7 ofShōgun, his situation has become much more precarious. Hulu released a sneak peek (via DiscussingFilm) into what the sailor has gotten himself into after a seemingly innocuous conversation – if it can be called that. Blackthorne struggles to communicate with the people of Japan without the help of his interpreter — arguably the show’sbest character — Mariko (Anna Sawai).
In Episode 7, this is further complicated by Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano), who is consistently exasperated by Lord Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada) predicament. In the short clip, Yabushige takes this out on Blackthorne, who cannot understand what he’s saying. To communicate this further,Yabushigetaunts Blackthorne and makes him pick up the samurai sword he carries, though he has no training in it. Blackthorne holds the esteemed position of Toranaga’s Hatamoto, even while no one else trusts him.
Yabushige often finds delight in tormenting others, but it is all in jest up to a certain point. After proving that Blackthorne can’t fight with his sword, he is surprised when Mariko’s husband, Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe), intervenes. While Blackthorne lies helpless on his back, Buntaro threatens him with his blade. What starts as simple fun at Blackthorne’s expense has the potential to turn deadly once Buntaro is involved. Watch the clip below.
Buntaro’s Issues With Blackthorne Are Personal In ‘Shōgun’
After six episodes,Shōgunhas been leading up to a confrontation. As of yet, Buntaro has no hard evidence that his wife has slept with the Englishman but understands they have an intimate dynamic, making Buntaro jealous of their connection. He is constantly offended that she keeps asking for death after her father shamed their family line. To see Blackthorne interacting with Mariko adds insult to injury for him. They have come close to fighting in the past, but this is the first time that Buntaro has drawn his blade on Blackthorne. It is also in direct opposition to Buntaro’s lord, Toranaga —the trailer for Episode 7shows Buntaro asking for permission to kill Blackthorne.
Toranaga is reluctant to let this occur since Blackthorne brings knowledge of warfare previously unknown in Japan. But for Buntaro, it is personal. While Yabushige takes pleasure in batting Blackthorne around and even torturing his men, he has no emotional stake in what happens to the navigator. With only four episodes left, there is still a lot of ground to cover. Mariko clearly still harbors amorous feelings for Blackthorne and there is an entire war to fight.
What To Expect From ‘Shōgun’ Based on the Book
FX’s epic miniseries has a lot of ground to cover.
Viewers can catch up onShōgunon Hulu and watch Episode 7 when it airs on April 2. See the new sneak peek above.
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.
