Shogun Episode 5 Ending Explained: Lady Ochiba’s Return In Shogun

Shogun episode 5 complicates the relationship between Blackthorne and Mariko and brings the heir’s mother into the war.

Shōgun episode 5 introduced a new character: the heir’s mother. It also revealed more about Lady Mariko’s past as her relationship with John Blackthorne became more complex.

To the surprise of many, including Lady Mariko herself, the episode showed that Toda Buntaro was still alive. The samurai returned with Lord Toranaga, only to learn that he would now have to live under the same roof as the Anjin.

1. How does Shogun Episode 5 End?

The tension involving Blackthorne, Mariko, and Buntaro set the tone for Shōgun episode 5, which ended with Toranaga almost dying after a massive earthquake.

Ishido did not immediately take action after Nebara Josen, the leader of the Shogun’s Council of Regents, passed away. However, he met with Ochiba-no-kata, the heir’s mother.

Toranaga witnessed an earthquake that destroyed a large part of Anjiro. Now, he must deal with another powerful figure: Lady Ochiba, who is no longer interested in political schemes and wants to protect her son from potential usurpers. Finally, Mariko’s relationship with Blackthorne soured after she revealed her life story to him.

2. What does Lady Ochiba’s return to Shogun mean for the Regents?

Shōgun episode 5 ends with Ochiba stating that the time for political games is over, suggesting she will be more directly involved with her son’s future decisions.

The Taikō’s heir, Yaechiyo, was born to Ochiba-no-kata, the only one of Nakamura Hidetoshi’s consorts to bear him a child. At the start of Shōgun, Ochiba was held hostage in Toranaga’s castle in Edo, increasing tension between the Lord of Kanto and the Council of Regents.

The Regents should theoretically rule on behalf of the Taikō’s son until he turns 16. However, Ishido and the rest of the Council of Regents feared that the increasingly powerful Toranaga wanted to take over.

Now, Shōgun reveals that the heir’s mother is not only fully aware of the political games being played over her son’s title but is also taking part in the conflict.

Ochiba speaks directly to Ishido and seems to have massive influence over him and the rest of the Regents, which makes sense given that the council should protect the heir’s interests.

Ochiba-no-taka perceives Toranaga as an enemy and has chosen to align herself with the Regents, but she seems to be giving the cards and not the other way around.

The series has so far portrayed Ishido as the biggest threat to Lord Toranaga’s plan, but that may not be the case. An alliance between the heir’s mother and the Council of Regents will not be good for Toranaga, especially now that a war between him and Ishido is inevitable following Jozen’s gruesome death in Shōgun episode 4.

3. Shōgun Episode 5’s Earthquake & True Story Explained

Shogun’s earthquake is based on the Keichō earthquake.

The fifth episode of Shōgun featured a powerful earthquake that nearly claimed Lord Toranaga’s life and resulted in numerous casualties. Earlier, in episode 4, John Blackthorne and Lady Mariko had experienced a smaller-scale earthquake, which was Blackthorne’s first encounter with such a natural phenomenon.

Lady Mariko remarked that in Japan, death can come from the air, land, or sea, alluding to the country’s vulnerability to earthquakes and tsunamis. While it seemed like FX’s Shōgun might skip the portion of the novel that loosely adapted the Keichō earthquake, episode 5 did, cover this significant event.

4. What happened to the gardener in Shōgun?

The gardener assigned to John Blackthorne’s home, Uejirou, was reportedly executed for committing a crime. The crime in question was removing the pheasant that Blackthorne had received as a gift from Lord Toranaga, which had hung on the wall due to the unpleasant smell.

This happened because Blackthorne had jokingly said that whoever touched the pheasant “was dead,” which led to the gardener’s action being considered a punishable offense.

Usami Fuji explained the situation to Blackthorne, who was shocked and extremely angry at the consequences of his words.

The gardener’s fate remains uncertain.

Earlier in the episode, Toranaga warned his spy Muraji to be extra cautious now that Yabushige was searching for the mole. Although Muraji wanted to turn himself in, Toranaga refused and suggested they find “another spy” for Yabushige to uncover.

At the end of Shōgun episode 5, Muraji claimed the gardener, who had already been killed, was the spy. However, Uejirou’s body was never shown, suggesting he may have been taken elsewhere and used to cover up Toranaga’s real spy.

5. Why Toda Buntaro didn’t fight John Blackthorne?

Toda Buntaro’s return led to intense scenes with John Blackthorne, which culminated in a confrontation after Blackthorne saw that Buntaro had hurt Mariko. Given their previous comparison of skills, it seemed like there would be a duel between Buntaro and Toranaga.

However, Mariko’s husband apologized to Blackthorne. The samurai acknowledged that he was dishonoring Blackthorne’s home and refused to pick up his sword for a fight.

6. What is next for John Blackthorne & Lady Mariko’s relationship in Shōgun?

Mariko and Blackthorne will now only speak to each other through other people’s words.

Blackthorne confronted Mariko about how she chose to live her life, stating that she could not spend her days wishing to be dead and being resentful that she was not allowed to commit seppuku.

This caused them to argue, and Mariko now seems to regret telling Blackthorne her life story. She has ended their relationship, saying that, from now on, they will only talk to each other whenever something is to be translated. Whether they will reconcile in Shōgun’s next episodes remains to be seen.

7. About Shōgun

Shōgun is an upcoming American historical drama television limited series based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell. The novel was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries.

The series is set to premiere with its first two episodes on February 27, 2024, on Hulu and FX, with new episodes of the 10-episode series then releasing weekly.

Shōgun follows “the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai; John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ultimately redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a shrewd, powerful daimyo, at odds with his own dangerous, political rivals; and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonorable family ties, who must prove her value and allegiance”.