Is there a romance forming between Blackthorne and Lady Mariko in FX’s Shogun?
Are John Blackthorne and Lady Mariko up for romance in FX’s Shōgun? The third episode of the series squeezed more moments between the first white samurai and one of the most prominent figures in Japan’s history, which begs the question, do they end up together?
Do John Blackthorne and Lady Mariko End Up Together in Real Life?
The latest episode of Shōgun shows a completely different dynamic between John Blackthorne (played by Cosmo Jarvis) and Lady Mariko (Anna Sawai).
In the premiere, they were nothing more than two completely different people serving their roles. This time, however, they have grown closer on the trip.
Even though Blackthorne is being held prisoner, this doesn’t stop him from surprising Lady Mariko with his own tactics to keep their journey safe from harm.
One of the key moments they shared was when Blackthorne opened up about having to come home to England for his kid.
Lady Mariko seemed quite taken aback at finding out this fact, which sparked the idea they may end up getting romantically involved with one another at some point in the future episodes.
Based on the American historical drama James Clavell wrote, some of the characters portrayed in the story are based on real life.
This includes Blackthorne, inspired by the ‘first white samurai’ William Adams, and Lady Mariko, who is really Hosokawa Gracia. However, did the love story blooming between them happen in real life, too?
The short answer is no. However, this remains unseen for the series adaptation though, especially when the book’s storyline does end up pushing these two.
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Shogun is Less About Romance and Leans More on Politics
It is worth mentioning that despite the potential romance developing between John Blackthorne and Lady Mariko, Shōgun is likely less focused on their dynamic and more on depicting the intense power struggle between Toranaga and Ishido.
Across three episodes thus far, the show has merely sprinkled the forthcoming forbidden romance between these two.
Keep in mind that Lady Mariko is married to Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) because of her duty as a devout Christian. So, getting involved with someone like Blackthorne would risk her high status in Japan.
Needless to say, even if Shōgun doesn’t focus much on their love story, fans are already looking forward to their next episode:
