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Gregory James Wakeman

Shōgun episode 3 recap: escape from Osaka

Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun.

Shōgun episode 3, "Tomorrow Is Tomorrow," begins with Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) writing out his will, as he believes there's a good chance he's going to die that day. Yabushige heads to Osaka Castle for a meeting with Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka). Yabushige admits he met with Ishido (Takehiro Hira), who offered him Toranaga's seat on the council. But Yabushige doesn't want it. Instead he wants the Suruga Province so he can expand his fiefdom. 

Toranaga has no interest in killing Yabushige. Instead, he wants Yabushige to hide Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and Lady Kiri (Yoriko Dōguchi) in the fishing village of Ajiro. If he does, Toranaga promises to give Yabushige Suruga. 

What else happens in Shōgun episode 3? Read below to find out  

Leaving Osaka Castle

Yabushige prepares his army to leave with Blackthorne and Lady Kiri, but warns them to be prepared for a fight because many people want the "barbarian" dead. Yabushige also rips up his will, insisting he won't die that day. 

Ishido arrives to inspect the carriage of people being taken out of the castle. He insists that, because Lady Kiri is being transported, his troops will help. 

But as soon as he confirms Lady Kiri is onboard, she is secretly replaced by Toranaga, who uses this opportunity to escape his imprisonment. Only Blackthorne and Mariko (Anna Sawai), who is joining the exiting party with her husband Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe), see the switch. 

If Toranaga is discovered they'll all die. Just as they're about to leave the castle, one final inspection is sprung upon them. Toranaga only remains hidden because Blackthorne causes a scene, insisting it's not proper to leer inside a woman's private quarters. 

Mariko and Blackthorne bond 

While walking through the forest, Blackthorne asks Mariko about Buntaro. The only positive thing she can say about her husband is that he is a great warrior. After revealing she has a child, Mariko asks about Blackthorne's family. He admits that he has a two-year-old. 

Later in the episode, Blackthorne reveals to Mariko he has never actually met his child, having left before she was born. However it was not for a greater cause, but because he wanted his own freedom. 

Forest fight

Shinnosuke Abe in Shogun (Image credit: Katie Yu/FX)

As they walk through the forest at night, Kiyama's (Hiromoto Ida) army attacks, hoping to kill Blackthorne. He survives, but a fight ensues. When Toranaga's carriage is set on fire, Mariko helps him escape. At the sight of Toranaga, Ishido's men realize they've been betrayed and fight Toranaga's men. 

Mariko and Blackthorne even have to join the battle. Buntaro manages to hold back the other fighters, and tells Toranaga, Mariko, Blackthorne, Yabushige and the rest of the army to head to the harbor so they can sail to Ajiro. 

In a dozen small boats, they sail to a small galley. They watch Buntaro fight off the oncoming army and then sacrifice himself to save Toranaga and his army. 

The Black Ship

On the galley, Blackthorne notices a line of boats blocking their exit from the harbor. He says the galley is too small to break through them. Nearby is The Black Ship — the Portuguese boat that Toranaga refused to let leave because of the Catholics’ exploitation of the Japanese. 

Toranaga boards it and negotiates a deal with Father Martin (Tommy Barstow) and Genoa (Louis Ferreira). Not only will he allow The Black Ship to depart, but he'll allow a church to be built in his home town of Eco, as well as offering thousands of silver coins. 

But Genoa insists that Blackthorne has to stay in Osaka. Toranaga refuses. But then Martin shows him the diaries that prove Blackthorne is a pirate and he changes his mind.

Left at the galley, Blackthorne prepares to watch The Black Ship depart. But then he takes charge of the galley and tells the ship's sailors to get it alongside The Black Ship. It breaks through the tiny boats, but then Rodrigues (Nestor Carbonell), who is piloting The Black Ship, is told to push the galley onto the rocks. 

Rodrigues refuses, as Blackthorne previously saved his life. This allows Blackthorne to meet up once again with Toranaga, Yabushige and Mariko. 

New plan

All on-board the galley, Toranaga tells his son Yoshii Nagakado (Yuki Kira) that he and Yabushige will train his remaining soldiers in Ajiro. Nagakado doesn't think they can trust Yabushige, but Toranaga reminds him they're playing a game with enemies and friends. 

Toranaga — who has also informed Hiromatsu to tell the rest of the council regents that he quits — thanks Blackthorne for his bravery. He shows Blackthorne the evidence he has that he's a pirate. While he should be killed for such acts, Toranaga instead says it'll take a long time to translate this evidence. 

In the meantime, he wants Blackthorne to train Nagakado and Yabushige in the way of western fighting. Even though he knows he's just a sailor, Blackthorne accepts. Toranaga then gives him the new name of Hatamoto, before the pair dive into the sea and race to Ajiro's shore. 

Watch the latest episodes of Shōgun on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK every Tuesday. Shōgun also airs Tuesday nights on FX.

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