Shōgun episode 10, "A Dream Of A Dream," opens up on an elderly Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) sleeping bed. We can hear English children discussing their grandfather's Japanese weapons. One of his grandchildren asks about the chipped sword he proudly displays, "Was it really given to you by a savage?"
Holding onto Mariko's crucifix, Blackthorne just lays back in bed, as the sound of Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) waking him up rings in his ear. Suddenly we're back at Osaka Castle, where Blackthorne tries to tend to an unconscious Mariko (Anna Sawai). But he's too late, she died from the blast. As Yabushige watches on, Blackthorne asks for God's forgiveness.
Here's what happened in the Shōgun finale, "A Dream of a Dream."
War is inevitable
At a Regents Council meeting, Saeki (Eita Okuno) gives Ishido (Takehiro Hira) a letter of protest from Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) over Mariko's death. Toranaga is now preparing for war. Ishido insists all that matters is the rest of the council remains united and they have Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) and Yaechiyo's (Sen Mars) backing.
But Kiyama (Hiromoto Ida) and Ohno (Takeshi Kurokawa) are openly against Ishido, with Kiyama disgusted Ishido ordered such a "dishonorable attack." Ishido tries to shift blame to Toranaga, saying he is trying to grow discontent between the council. Ultimately, they agree war is inevitable.
Yabushige tells Ishido he thought Mariko would only be captured, but Ishido says there was nothing that could be done. Thanks to his actions, Yabushige will now get a seat on the council once Toranaga is defeated, with Ishido telling him to gather his army and wait for his command. But Yabushige has been severely affected by Mariko's death.
Awaiting death
Blackthorne wakes, having had visions of himself as an old man mixed with memories of Mariko. He missed Mariko's funeral and now is being transported to the harbor by Kiyama's men so he can return to Toranaga.
Father Martin (Tommy Bastow) updates Blackthorne on the situation, telling him Toranaga will be dead in weeks. But Blackthorne insists Toranaga will survive and that his plan has worked at the cost of Mariko.
Blackthorne expects to be killed on the journey to the harbor. But Martin reveals Mariko made the church promise to spare Blackthorne before she died.
On the galley, Yabushige tells Blackthorne they should never have gone to Osaka. He wants them to take the Erasmus to England. But when they get back to Ajiro the Erasmus has been sunk. Blackthorne is told the Christians did it in the dead of night. Toranaga is ravaging the village to find out who helped.
As soon as they get onto land, a regretful Omi (Hiroto Kanai) takes Yabushige prisoner and tells him his guards are now under Toranaga's command. Toranaga tells Yabushige he was seen allowing intruders into his quarters the night Mariko died, while Omi also has evidence he was guilt-ridden and pleading for forgiveness after her death.
Yabushige admits to being involved. Toranaga orders him to commit Seppuku before sunset tomorrow. After refusing Yabushige's request for Blackthorne to second his death, Toranaga agrees to do it.
Elsewhere, Lady Fuji (Moeka Hoshi) tells Blackthorne she's going to become a nun. Blackthorne orders her to stay, but says she's no longer his consort as her service to Toranaga is complete. Blackthorne says she served him well. Later, Blackthorne helps Fuji finally bury the heads of her dead husband and son at sea, and she helps him throw Mariko's crucifix in, too.
Toranaga tells Blackthorne he is disgusted by the destruction of Erasmus and won't rest until the saboteur is found. But Blackthorne wants Toranaga to stop terrorizing Ajiro, saying Mariko burned the ship, as she hated his war against the Catholics. He has no desire to fight his war anymore.
Toranaga refuses his request. He'll only stop once the disloyal have all been found. Blackthorne offers himself to die instead of any more villagers, which Toranaga refuses. Blackthorne briefly considers his future-self. Then pulls out a sword, protests Toranaga's callous punishment of this village and attempts Seppuku. But Toranaga stops him.
Toranaga tells Blackthorne if he's finally done, he needs to rebuild Erasmus and build a new fleet.
Japan's future
As Ajiro returns to peace, Omi takes Yabushige out to be killed. He thanks Yabushige for trying to make him his heir and saying their family name is in safe hands. Yabushige admits he always considered Omi the son he never had. Yabushige then tells Toranaga he wishes he could stay alive to see Omi in battle, Blackthorne sailing against the Christians and Toranaga's plan coming together.
Toranaga reveals he was actually the one who burned Blackthorne's ship, insisting it was a ruse to test him. Toranaga doesn't think it's Blackthorne's fate to leave Japan. Toranaga also admits he's repeatedly thought of killing Blackthorne. He kept him alive — not because he made his banner stronger — but because he made him laugh and was a distraction to his enemies.
Yabushige asks how Toranaga is going to beat the council considering his fleet is outnumbered. Toranaga explains he sent Mariko to do what an army never could. He says in a month, five armies will square off on the field of battle. Mariko’s actions have already forced Lady Ochiba to tire of Ishido. In a secret letter to Toranaga, she pledged to keep the heir's army from the battlefield. Ishido will have no banner to fight under and the regents will turn on him before the fight begins. Toranaga plans to start a new center of power in Edo and have Japan be a nation without wars — an era of great peace, made possible by all of the sacrifices that those closest to him have made.
Yabushige calls Toranaga a hypocrite, saying Toranaga is no better than any of them in his secret heart, accusing him of seeking to become Shōgun, something Toranaga always denied. Toranaga refuses to tell Yabushige that part of the future, as he is a dead man. Yabushige then commits Seppuku.
As the villagers help Blackthorne pull the ship out of the water, Buntaro (Shin'nosuke Abe) approaches him. He puts his swords down and helps them. He makes all the difference and the ship emerges from the water. Blackthorne and Buntaro then share water. Toranaga watches on from a distance, then stares out to sea, patiently waiting for his plan to unfold.
All episodes of Shōgun are now available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
