Mariko’s desperate request of Toranaga in Shōgun episode 7 highlights the shame she’s carried most of her life, which could be based on a massive lie.

Lady Mariko’s surprising request in Shōgun raises many questions about her future in the series. Mariko has faithfully served Lord Toranaga throughout Shōgun season 1 and in events that took place before the series began, which include Mariko’s tragic family past. Ever since John Blackthorne arrived and advanced through the ranks of Toranaga’s clan, Mariko has been burdened by extreme inner conflicts underneath her skin. Her feelings for the Hatamoto Blackthorne have complicated her dutiful marriage with the noble samurai Toda Buntaro, who suspects that the Anjin has a secret attraction to his wife.

As Lord Toranaga prepares for an attack on Osaka he refers to as Crimson Sky, he must also sort out the subliminal distractions caused by Blackthorne and Mariko. He sends Blackthorne and Mariko to Willow World in Shōgun episode 6 intending to end their complicated entanglement, but he still senses a great internal divide in Mariko towards the end of Shōgun episode 7. Buntaro also stirs the pot when he requests that Lord Toranaga allow him to kill Blackthorne in front of Mariko. Toranaga refuses Buntaro’s request because he would not accuse Mariko of infidelity along with the allegation against Blackthorne.

Lady Mariko Asks Lord Toranaga To Allow Her To Die In Shogun Episode 7

Buntaro has prevented Mariko from dying throughout their marriage

Every year on their anniversary, Mariko asks Buntaro to allow her to die in response to her father’s betrayal of Lord Kuroda many years ago.

After Buntaro asks to speak with Lord Toranaga about an urgent matter, Toranaga asks Buntaro to elaborate on his allegations against Blackthorne. Buntaro wishes to have Blackthorne’s head because he suspects that he is taking advantage of Toranaga and that he has solicited the affections of his wife Mariko. Buntaro would confirm his allegations against Blackthorne but would not include Mariko in the accusations, despite suspecting that she was engaging in inappropriate behaviors towards Blackthorne. Because Buntaro does not have the heart to kill Mariko, and won’t allow her to die honorably, the allegations are dropped.

When asked her opinion on the matter, Mariko robotically replies, “My life is my husband’s to take.“ This alludes to the fact that every year on their anniversary, Mariko asks Buntaro to allow her to die in response to her father’s betrayal of Lord Kuroda many years ago. Because Buntaro won’t kill Mariko, she begs Toranaga to do it for him by allowing her to commit seppuku. Mariko continues to assert that she is only dutiful to Lord Toranaga’s wishes, but Toranaga can see that her dynamic with Blackthorne is continuing to cause problems and disrupt the order within his clan. Toranaga demands that Mariko make up her mind about her priorities.

Why Lord Toranaga Refuses Mariko’s Seppuku Request

Toranaga could have set her father up to kill Kuroda years ago

The guilt and shame that Mariko has been harboring ever since her father’s betrayal of Lord Kuroda has left her feeling irrecoverably disgraced.

Mariko is torn between serving her best interests and her true desire, which comes to a head during her intense conversation with Lord Toranaga in Shōgun episode 7. Toranaga questions whether she is more loyal to him or to Blackthorne, who has started to question the point of his status as Hatamoto. Mariko insists that she has served Toranaga to the best of her ability, which leads her to beg him for the one thing she wants most; death. The guilt and shame that Mariko has been harboring ever since her father’s betrayal of Lord Kuroda has left her feeling irrecoverably disgraced,

Mariko is the closest thing that Toranaga has to a daughter and often views her in a different light than he does with any other character. He is fully aware that she feels disgraced by her father’s actions, which have compelled her to beg for death. However, Ochiba-no-kata suspects that Toranaga was truly behind the death of her father, Lord Kuroda, which, if true, would explain why Toranaga won’t allow Mariko to commit seppuku. If Ochiba-no-kata’s suspicions turn out to be true, then it was truly by Toranaga’s design that Kuroda died at the hand of Mariko’s father.

Is Lady Mariko’s Death Request Foreshadowing Her Shogun Fate?

Mariko and Ochiba-no-kata’s connection could reveal a major Toranaga truth

Mariko’s desire to commit seppuku would be an escape from her so-called cursed life that may have been crafted by Toranaga all along

If Ochiba-no-kata is right about Toranaga being the mastermind behind her father’s murder, then Mariko has been wrongfully disgraced ever since that fateful night. Mariko’s desire to commit seppuku would be an escape from her so-called cursed life that may have been crafted by Toranaga all along. If Mariko knew the truth about Toranaga and her father, as Ochiba-no-kata claims it to be, then it might change her perspective on her tragic family past and her entire life. She is guilty, however, of betraying Buntaro with Blackthorne, and the guilt could be too much to endure by the end of Shōgun.