‘Shōgun’s Finale Makes Its Most Surprising Move With Blackthorne

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for the Shōgun finale.

When we first meet John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) on FX’s Shōgun, he is an English pilot on the Erasmus ship, tasked with creating a path into the Pacific Islands and disrupting Portuguese trade in Asia. However, when he washes ashore on the coast of Japan, he soon realizes that his ambitions and arrogance might have led him to bite off more than he could chew. He must think quickly on his feet to preserve his life, leading him down an increasingly complicated path that intertwines his destiny with that of Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai).

As a political conflict unfolds, and despite the disadvantageous position he finds himself in, John Blackthorne persists in pursuing his original goal in Japan for most of the show, seizing every opportunity to reclaim what he’s lost and, hopefully, achieve what he came looking for. Yet, as he learns about the local customs and the people he now finds himself with, he undergoes an irrevocable transformation. The young, selfish sailor who first set out to sea looking for his destiny finally finds it, but it takes losing everything he had before, and everything he gained after arriving at the coast of Ajiro, before he can do so. Shōgun Episode 10 finds Blackthorne grappling with the grief caused by that loss, and finally, learning to let go.

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

February 27, 2024

‘Shōgun’s Finale Gives Us a Glimpse Into Blackthorne’s Future — Or Does It?

Shōgun‘s finale pulls a fast one on the viewers. After Mariko’s devastating death in Episode 9, we are given a vision of Blackthorne’s distant future, where his presumably two grandsons regard his sword as the dangerous, foreign object it is, while he lies sickly and dying in a bed back in England. A samurai helmet is on display, and a Japanese painting can be seen hanging behind the sword. Old Blackthorne holds Mariko’s rosary, his expression weighted with regret as the older boy asks, “Was it really given to you by a savage?”

After so many misadventures, near-death experiences, and finally losing the woman he loved, it would not be surprising to see Blackthorne go down this path. We catch a glimpse of a future where he has returned to England, yet clings to reminders of his time in Japan. Returning to the present day, a grieving John goes back to the town where it all began, only to find the Erasmus burnt to ashes and sunk to the bottom of Ajiro’s harbor. With bridges burned between his former crewmates, Mariko lost, and his sole means of returning to England destroyed, Blackthorne finds himself utterly bereft.

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The final blow comes when Blackthorne realizes the people of Ajiro have endured torture and persecution as Toranaga’s men search for the culprit of burning the ship. Even after meeting with Toranaga to plead for the people of Ajiro on their behalf, informing him that Mariko brokered a deal with the Church to ensure his survival in exchange for the ship’s destruction, the warlord dismisses Blackthorne’s plea, claiming he can’t tolerate disloyalty in his domain. After failing to provoke Toranaga into taking his life by confessing his always-present ulterior motives, we see Blackthorne haunted by the vision of the future we saw at the beginning of the episode. His expression of disgust signals his rejection of that future and the life it would bring, as he declares his intent to commit seppuku.

Blackthorne Has to Lose Everything To Find Peace on ‘Shōgun’

When Blackthorne attempts to commit seppuku as a protest against the punishment of Ajiro, his character arc reaches its climax. The lessons he learned from Mariko about honor and purpose during their months together weigh heavily on him, and for the first time since his journey began, he resolves to undertake an act he deems truly honorable and selfless, choosing a death he sees as meaningful. In the final episode of FX’s Shōgun: The Official Podcast, actor Cosmo Jarvis discussed this scene, saying that although there’s a “Western bias” to Blackthorne’s seppuku, he recognizes the significance the act has on itself and that he is committed to doing it. Understanding that, much like the gardener Uejirou’s death over the pheasant in Episode 5, he bears responsibility for the fate of the people of Ajiro, and now seeks to actively accept that responsibility.

In James Clavell‘s Shōgun, Blackthorne’s attempt at seppuku occurs significantly earlier in the story’s timeline, which would have placed the event closer to Episode 4, as noted by creator Rachel Kondo. However, this timing would not have been consistent with the portrayal of Blackthorne as depicted in the show. Throughout the narrative, Blackthorne has demonstrated a stubborn persistence in clinging to his plans despite facing numerous obstacles. It is only after losing the people and attachments he held dear that he becomes truly free to forge a new path for himself. Later in the episode, we witness the Anjin once again performing a noble act by helping his last remaining friend, Fuji (Moeka Hoshi), to spread the ashes of her deceased husband and son at sea. In a symbolic gesture, he releases Mariko’s rosary, rendering the visions of his future unattainable and solidifying his resolve to let go of the past and embrace a new beginning in Japan.

‘Shōgun’ Was Never About Blackthorne

We are brought into the world of Shōgun through Blackthorne’s point of view; however, the show swiftly avoids the “white savior” trope by masterfully introducing the characters that would ultimately hold the fate of this story in their hands. As Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) sits on a cliff with Toranaga in Episode 10, preparing for his own seppuku, we learn Toranaga was behind the destruction of the Erasmus all along. Not only was it an act done to spare his life from the Church’s retaliation, but it was also devised as a test for Blackthorne to prove himself and to ensure he would remain in Japan.

More importantly, Toranaga reveals that his Crimson Sky strategy had already been completed even before the battle began — because it was always supposed to be about sending Mariko to Osaka and ensuring the Council of Regents would turn on Ishido (Takehiro Hira). Toranaga knew Mariko’s power and that she would get the job done, making her a key player in achieving victory. Ultimately, Shōgun is Mariko’s story, rather than Blackthorne’s, and about how the sacrifice of a woman not only saved an entire nation but also won the war.

All 10 episodes of Shōgun are available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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