Lord Toranaga’s near death experience after a sudden earthquake in Shogun episode 5 “Broken to the Fist” reveals who his closest allies really are.

A surprise highly destructive earthquake at the end of Shōgun episode 5 nearly killed Lord Yoshii Toranaga. The natural disaster occurred just moments after John Blackthorne, the acting Hatamoto, revealed to Toranaga that he wished to leave Japan permanently and return home to his native England. Toranaga, who has an apparent sixth sense for the truth, picks up that there is something off between Mariko and Blackthorne, which he has yet to discover is a secret romantic affair. Blackthorne is distraught over the death of his gardener Uejiro but Toranaga shows no sympathy for what is to him an insignificant matter.

Shōgun episode 5 demonstrates how natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, and tsunamis commonly affect the communities of feudal Japan. In Shōgun episode 4, a mild earthquake startled Blackthorne, who had never experienced one before, which foreshadowed the catastrophic event in episode 5. Even the formidable Lord Toranaga stands no match against an increidbly powerful earthquake, ordering Blackthorne, Lady Mariko, and his regiment to remain exactly where they are. Eventually, Toranaga gets sucked into the cracked Earth and is buried under rocks and soil. If it weren’t for Blackthorne’s quick thinking and fast action, Toranaga would be dead.

Toranaga’s Fate After The Earthquake In Shogun Episode 5 Symbolizes His Allies

Blackthorne’s quick response makes it perfectly clear that he is a true ally of Lord Toranaga.

If there was any narrative symbolism or deeper meaning of the earthquake in Shōgun episode 5, it would certainly point to the clear allies that Lord Toranaga has. This is demonstrated by Blackthorne’s rapid response to come to his rescue, when it arguably might have been more advantageous for him to allow Toranaga to die. While Blackthrone has proven to be deeply rooted in a moral code despite not being overtly religious, Blackthorne could have potentially used Toranaga’s death to his advantage. Instead, Blackthorne’s quick response makes it perfectly clear that he is a true ally of Lord Toranaga.

In an earlier episode of Shōgun, Lord Toranaga tells his son Yoshii Nagakado to stop viewing the world in terms of friends and enemies and instead learn to only rely on himself. Toranaga believes that there are only people like Yabushige and Ishido who are working to support their own interests and will lie and resort to violence in the name of self-preservation. As Mariko and Blackthorne talk about the death of the gardener, Toranaga walks off saying he has no time or concern for such trivial matters. Him walking away from Mariko and Blackthorne actually put him in a compromising position that almost led to his death.

Why Toranaga Needs To Put More Trust In Mariko & Blackthorne

The shocking ending of Shōgun episode 4 proves that Toranaga and his son are not even on the same page.

Blackthorne’s courageous rescue of Toranaga, along with Lady Mariko’s equally urgent reaction, proves that Toranaga actually has two trusted allies that he should start to utilize more to protect his own interests. The two characters seem to be the only ones not blatantly using him or trying to double-cross him for their own advantage. This is mostly because both Mariko and Blackthorne are indebted to Toranaga and the generous ways he has given them elite status. However, the earthquake proves that Toranaga could look outside of their disadvantaged positions and let them in on his bigger plan to face the Council of Regents.

Toranaga has kept his plans close to his chest and has various levels of trust in the people around him. None of these relationships, however, are strong or transparent enough for Toranaga to begin to disclose his master hand. The shocking ending of Shōgun episode 4 proves that Toranaga and his son are not even on the same page. Prior to the earthquake, Toranaga was correct in not choosing to trust anyone but himself. Now that Blackthorne and Mariko have proven themselves as willing to protect and fight for Toranaga, especially with Blackthorne’s gesture of offering him his swords, Toranaga could realize he has two friends after all.

Why Toranaga Laughs After Blackthorne Gives Him The Swords

Blackthorne is starting to get accustomed to the symbolic rituals that exist at every level of feudal Japanese culture.

After Toranaga is rescued by Blackthorne and Lady Mariko, Blackthorne honorably offers him the swords that his consort Usami Fuji had given to him. Blackthorne is starting to get accustomed to the symbolic rituals that exist at every level of feudal Japanese culture, believing that selflessly offering Toranaga the swords without hesitation is an appropriate display of respect for a Hatamoto. There are a lot of subliminal emotions and thoughts behind Toranaga’s laugh, who is likely still in shock from the earthquake and being buried alive. Toranaga laughs at the gesture because Blackthorne and Mariko have disproved his longstanding notion that he has no genuine allies in Shōgun.

Episode Number
Episode Title
Release Date

6
“Ladies of the Willow World”
March 26

7
“A Stick of Time”
April 2

8
“The Abyss of Life”
April 9

9
“Crimson Sky”
April 16

10
“A Dream of a Dream”
April 23