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Shogun Ending Explained: What Happened To Lady Mariko?
A high-born woman and a powerful ally to Lord Toranaga, Lady Mariko’s death brought doom upon the Toranaga clan.
Trigger warning: this article contains gruesome details of murder, violence and death, which could be triggering for some readers.
Spoiler alert: this article contains details about Episode 10 of Shogun
FX’s runaway hit series, Shogun concluded with its final episode on Tuesday. While viewers were bombarded with a plunging twist in Episode 9 of the period drama, they had to make terms with it in the season finale. Lady Mariko’s tragic fate in the Ishido ninja clan explosion in Osaka castle left the plot of Shogun in a whirlwind.
A high-born woman and a powerful ally to Lord Toranaga, Lady Mariko’s death brought doom upon the Toranaga clan. With impending war, John Blackthorne tries to save the villagers accused of destroying his ship whereas Lord Toranaga discovers a disloyal member, the Lord of Izu, Kashigi Yabushuge whom the former orders to kill.
What happened to Lady Mariko?
Set in the 1600s era of Japan, Anna Sawai’s Toda Mariko plays a key role throughout the storyline of Shogun. The plot explores Japan’s civil war between Hiroyuki Sanada’s Lord Yoshii Toranaga and Takehiro Hira’s Ishido Kazunari and the corrupt Regents. The curtains closed in Episode 9 with Mariko sacrificing her life for Toranaga’s supremacy in a battle against Ishido Kazunari’s corruption and disloyalty to the nation. 
Mariko steps into Ishido’s palace with her soldiers to take back Lord Toranaga’s wife and son, Edo. She is ready to accept whatever punishment as long as she remains loyal to Toranaga’s orders. However, Ishido forces Mariko to stay put at his palace, in hopes of driving Toranaga in. Furious by Ishido’s attempt, Mariko revisits his late father Akechi Jinsai’s fate as a disgraced samurai who had to kill the then-king for Japan’s greater good.
Unimpressed by Mariko, Ishido slams her with treason and holds her hostage following her revolt for leaving the palace. Mariko shall attempt Sepukku, the act of committing suicide by slitting one’s own belly and joining her father in the afterlife. Cosmo Jarvis’s John Blackthorne, Mariko’s love interest, supports her while she tries the ritual. Ending her life will vault Mariko to become a martyr and carry on Akechi’s legacy.
Interestingly, Ishido lets Mariko leave only to launch an attack at her residence later the same night. This was accomplished by the treachery of Tadanobu Asano’s Yabushige. Blackthorne and Mariko hide out in a storage room but Ishido’s ninja clan blows up the door with cannons. Against Blackthorne’s wish, Mariko shields the door with her body and is sent off flying owing to the explosion. The closing scene ends with a tragic scene of the star-crossed lovers yearning for each other as Mariko perishes.
Shogun season finale explained
Following Shogun’s one of the most heartbreaking scenes, Episode 10 begins with an older Blackthorne lying in bed while his seeming grandchildren enquire about a sword, that he used to slay assassins with, hung up in his room. Blackthorne briefly recalls the gory happenings of the past with Mariko’s death while clutching onto a rosemary from Japan. The final episode confirms that Mariko is dead with no hopes of returning.
The scene cuts to the show’s real-time when Blackthorne is holding Mariko’s corpse as others around weep in sorrow. A council meeting eventually decides that war is imperative, the sole intention of Mariko’s sacrifice. While Lady Ochiba advises a proper burial for the martyr.
Kashigi Yabushige’s treachery to Toranaga is dealt with as the latter orders him to commit Sepukku. Later, Blackthorne finds out that Mariko has a role to play in destroying his ship with Toranaga instead of the villagers. Blackthorne is struck with the realization that Lord Toranaga was ultimately using him as a pawn throughout.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with any kind of abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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