WARNING: SPOILERS ahead of Shōgun season 1.

A major risk of Shōgun season 2 is potentially ruining Lord Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne’s perfect ending. The critically acclaimed Hulu/FX series recently announced that despite the lack of source material, Shōgun seasons 2 and 3 are currently in development. This announcement, while exciting, raises all sorts of questions about what direction the story will head in after it was previously thought to have concluded with its exceptional final episode. Prior to Shōgun’s season 1 finale on April 23, 2024, there was a general assumption that the series would end since it was based on a novel of the same name by James Clavell.

Clavell, who died in 1994, won’t be around to oversee the direction of Shōgun’s future seasons and story, which is only one of the reasons why expanding Shōgun further could end up backfiring for Hulu and FX. Shōgun season 2 will have the notable disadvantage of being unable to feature some of its best characters, such as Anna Sawai’s Mariko, Tadanobu Asano’s Yabushige, and Tokuma Nishioka’s Hiromatsu, all of whom died in season 1. It will be difficult for series creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo to continue Shōgun’s exceptional quality after its 99% Rotten Tomatoes debut season.

Shogun Season 2 Would Ruin Season 1’s Bittersweet Ending

The masterful and refined characters of Shōgun were one of the greatest achievements of the series, with just about every key member of the cast having thoughtful and rewarding arcs by the end of the first season. There was a true sense of finality to Shōgun’s original ending, even though the series notably did not depict the anticipated downfall of Lord Ishido at the Battle of Sekigahara. While the season 1 conclusion of both Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s character arcs was outstanding and poignant, there are still plenty of historical accounts to pull from in future seasons.

Since Shōgun is a historical fiction series, it does have the added benefit of pulling from real-life events and the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s shogunate, which is the basis of Hiroyuki Sanada’s Lord Toranaga’s story and character. The same is true for John Blackthorne’s character, who is based on the real-life William Adams, a lifelong friend and advisor of Tokugawa Ieyasu who ended up never leaving Japan. While Shōgun season 2 disrupts season 1’s bittersweet ending, it won’t undo it, since there is more factual information and compelling narrative to be explored in the relationship between Toranaga and Blackthorne.

John Blackthorne & Yoshii Toranaga’s Endings In Shogun Were Perfect

Toranaga kept Blackthorne exactly where he wanted him

The Shōgun finale was very much echoed by the remarkable sacrifice that Lady Mariko made at the end of Shōgun season 1, episode 9, which greatly impacted both Toranaga and Blackthorne until the final frame. As the last two main characters standing in Shōgun, outside of the anticipated return of Ochiba-no-kata, Toranaga and Blackthorne will undoubtedly become the foundation for the start of season 2, and will likely become the glue that holds the rest of the series together. Their season 1 ending, in which Toranaga observes Blackthorne from afar carrying out his plan, sums up their dynamic pretty well.

At the end of season 1, Toranaga disclosed to Yabusghie before his death by seppuku that he had been the one who ordered the destruction of Blackthorne’s ship to prevent him from leaving Japan. The truth that Toranaga will likely never admit to Blackthorne is that he needs him to enact his vision to become shōgun, which still technically hasn’t entirely come to fruition at the end of season 1. Toranaga orders Blackthorne to build him a fleet of ships while still giving him the hope of salvaging his own, keeping him exactly where he wants him.

Shogun Season 2 Could Put The Show’s Legacy In Risk

Toranaga must maintain his brilliance in seasons 2 and 3

While Shōgun season 1’s great ending could become an excellent launching pad for season 2, it also could place the series at risk. The first season ends with Toranaga finding peace and reaffirming faith in his ancestral right to rule Japan. As part of Toranaga’s karma, he feels validated by Blackthorne’s sudden appearance in Japan and the martyrdom of Mariko and Hiromatsu, chalking it all up to his destiny. In order for Shōgun season 2 to stay on track, Toranaga should still carry the same level of brilliance, perception, and faith that makes him mesmerizing to watch, especially since the spotlight will likely be more centered on him than it was previously.