Shōgun episode 8, "The Abyss of Life," opens up on Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) traveling to Edo, Nagakado's coffin in front of him. In Edo he will mourn the death of his son for the customary 49 days, while Saeki's (Eita Okuno) army waits outside the city. At that point Toranaga will be delivered to Osaka.
Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) offers his sympathies to Toranaga, who just ignores him. Mariko (Anna Sawai) hands Blackthorne back his diaries. His service with Toranaga now complete, he doesn't need to submit to the council, especially as he no longer stands alongside Toranaga. Blackthorne pleads with Mariko not to go to Osaka, but her allegiance forbids her from doing anything else.
Read on to find out what else happens in Shōgun episode 8.
Dissent in the ranks
Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano), Omi (Hiroto Kanai), Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka) and even Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) drink and honor Nagakado. Omi looks to rally the troops, declaring Nagakado at least tried to fight, rather than just surrendering to Ishido (Takehiro Hira) like Toranaga.
Toranaga doesn't even attend Nagakado's funeral (though he watches from a distance). Hiromatsu tells Yabushige he has fallen ill. Yabushige points out even the Edo generals are wearing their armor in protest at the impending surrender. Yabushige wants them to storm Osaka with their guns and cannons. Hiromatsu tells Yabushige he has to go to Osaka alone, as he's been ordered to return the guns and cannons to Ishido.
Toranaga gives up?
Toranaga meets with Mariko, Hiromatsu and Father Martin (Tommy Bastow), who insists he tried to help Toranaga, but Lords Ohno (Takeshi Kurokawa) and Kiyama (Hiromoto Ida) wouldn't acquiesce. Toranaga already knew this and says the church cannot be trusted.
Martin has a plan, though. He says Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) has manipulated Ishido out of her hatred for Toranaga. But Ishido doesn't love the heir like Toranaga. If Toranaga forms an alliance with Lady Ochiba, the heir will be free to turn against Ishido. Toranaga asks for Hiromatsu's thoughts. He agrees with Martin, as Ochiba is Ishido's only path to power. Mariko adds fear is Ochiba's enemy, not Toranaga.
Toranaga doesn't seem convinced. Hiromatsu says Toranaga has the face of defeat, which is not like him. But Toranaga is prioritizing a peaceful defeat over a gory victory, insisting there will be no more bloodshed. He plans to sign the pledge tomorrow and then march to Osaka.
Meanwhile, in Osaka, Ishido tells Lady Ochiba that Toranaga has surrendered, praising her strategy. But she still thinks he's a threat; she'll only be satisfied once he's been killed. Ishido then proposes to Lady Ochiba, insisting marriage would strengthen their stranglehold on the council.
For Martin's efforts to change Toranaga's fate, he's allowed to build a church in Edo. But only on the condition he returns to Osaka and tells the council what he saw there. He even adds the message that he just wants a peaceful death. Later, Father Martin discovers the church will be built directly next to the courtesan's new brothel, which leaves him furious.
Once Martin leaves his meeting with Toranaga, Hiromatsu tells the other lords Toranaga is definitely going to fight. When asked why, he says Toranaga wouldn't have sent Martin with a message if that wasn't his plan.
An awkward tea
Buntaro makes a stronger effort with Mariko, who continues to be cold toward him. Later they share a solemn and profound afternoon tea, after which Buntaro tells Mariko he believes he'll die in Osaka. Buntaro reflects on their first days together, insisting they were happy. But she can't remember. He asks if she's still under Blackthorne's spell. She doesn't respond.
Buntaro wants them to die together that night as husband and wife, saying it'll be in protest to Toranaga's surrender. Mariko says she would rather live a thousand years than die with him like this. She leaves, he weeps.
Reunited at last
Blackthorne finally reunites with his men. He tells Salaman (Dakota Daulby) that they can return to Erasmus, but Salaman isn't interested. He's mad at Blackthorne for continuing on the journey after the captain killed himself, when they should have turned back home. They get into a fight. Blackthorne knocks out Salaman and leaves behind the other men.
Out of options, Blackthorne turns to Yabushige. He wants to sail under Yabushige's banners, as he believes that Toranaga is going to die soon. Yabushige refuses, as he knows Toranaga is up to something, even if he doesn't know the specifics.
Blackthorne continues to try and betray Toranaga. He says he knows he doesn't belong in Japan and he has to make his own fate, just like Yabushige has always done. But Yabushige continues to refuse his offer of an alliance.
All a ploy
Toranaga gathers his lords to sign the surrender that Yabushige will deliver to Ishido. One asks if this is a ploy? When Toranaga says it isn't, they refuse to sign. Toranaga says he's protecting the future of Japan over their survival.
Hiromatsu says he'll commit Seppuku immediately if Toranaga doesn't change his mind. Toranaga refuses to yield. Hiromatsu asks Buntaro to be his second. Buntaro insists he'll follow his father to death, but Hiromatsu says Buntaro must believe in Toranaga even when he doesn't believe in himself. Hiromatsu kills himself, with his head landing in front of an emotional Toranaga.
Afterwards, in a meeting with Mariko, Toranaga asks if Blackthorne went to Yabushige. She says yes, but Yabushige refused his offer. Toranaga insists that, after Hiromatsu's Seppuku, Yabushige will accept. It turns out, Toranaga planned Hiromatsu's suicide to make sure Osaka believed his defeat was real. Toranaga then asks Mariko if she's ready to do her part. She says she is.
Yabushige does indeed align with Blackthorne, much to the protests of Omi. From a distance, they see a small boat arriving. It's Mariko, who, at the request of Toranaga, has been told to join them to Osaka. Yabushige and Blackthorne are confused.
The next morning, Toranaga wakes up. He visits his son's ashes, thanks him and Hiromatsu for earning him more time, promising not to waste it.
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.
