Who Destroyed John Blackthorne’s Ship In Shogun (Both Twists Explained)

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Shōgun episode 10.

Two major twists were behind the destruction of John Blackthorne’s ship at the end of Shōgun. The Shōgun finale satisfyingly concluded the journeys of Yoshii Toranaga and John Blackthorne in an episode that subverted expectations. Instead of an action-packed finale full of battles and deaths, Shōgun episode 10 focused on explaining Toranaga’s actions. The Lord of Kanto had been playing the long game since episode 1, and every action he took was part of a larger plan to become shōgun without bringing the country into war.

The only thing Lord Toranaga could not have predicted was John Blackthorne, whose arrival in Japan directly influenced his plan. Blackthorne ended up being a key pawn in Toranaga’s chess game, which is why the Anjin’s fate was bound to be defined by Toranaga himself. While Toranaga pretended to be searching for a traitor in Ajiro, he was the one who had Blackthorne’s ship destroyed. This is something the English pilot might never find out about, and even if he does, he will likely never leave Japan.

Lord Toranaga Had John Blackthorne’s Ship Destroyed In Shōgun

Toranaga made sure the Anjin would never leave Japan

Lord Toranaga had John Blackthorne’s ship destroyed for three major reasons. Firstly, based on the deal Lady Mariko crafted with the Christians, Blackthorne’s life would only be spared if he never left Japan. Secondly, Toranaga wanted to keep Blackthorne around and made sure the ship was going to be destroyed. Not only did Toranaga want to test Blackthorne by destroying his ship, but he also believed that the Anjin’s fate was to never leave Japan. Although Blackthorne believed he had used Toranaga, it was actually the opposite. Toranaga likely never intended to let the Anjin return home.

Curiously, Toranaga told Yabushige that he did not need John Blackthorne for his plan to work. Toranaga simply liked to have Blackthorne around because the Anjin made him laugh. Additionally, Blackthorne’s lousiness served to distract Lord Toranaga’s enemies. With Ishido and the Christian lords worried about Blackthorne and his ship, Toranaga had much more freedom to plot his takeover. Toranaga envisions a period of no wars and absolute peace for his shōgunate, and that includes avoiding a potential war between the Catholic Portuguese and the Protestants over trade in Japan.

Lady Mariko’s Role In The Destruction Of John Blackthorne’s Ship Explained

Mariko worked a deal with the Portuguese to save Blackthorne

Before she died, Lady Mariko worked a deal with the Portuguese to spare John Blackthorne’s life. As the first Protestant to set foot in Japan, Blackthorne (based on William Addams) posed a threat to the Catholic priests in the region. The Portuguese were worried Blackthorne would start a chain of events that would put an end to Portugal’s influence in the region and wanted him dead since episode 1. Regardless of the outcome of the war between Ishido and Toranaga, the odds were not in Blackthorne’s favor given the influence the Portuguese had over the country’s commerce.

This is why Lady Mariko, who converted to Christianity 14 years before the events of Shōgun, used her influence to vouch for Blackthorne’s life. As her last wish before going to Ishido’s castle ready to die, Mariko asked Father Alvido and Lord Kiyama to spare the Anjin’s life. While they accepted Mariko’s request, Blackthorne’s ship was going to have to be destroyed in return. The Anjin could live, but he could not leave Japan. Toranaga was informed of the deal and happily accepted the terms. Despite the destruction of his ship, Lady Mariko helped save Blackthorne’s life.

How John Blackthorne’s Ship Changed His Fate In Shōgun

According to Toranaga, Blackthorne’s fate is to remain in Japan

John Blackthorne’s only goal since the beginning of the show was to reunite with his crew and go back to his ship so that they could return home. However, the Anjin’s time in Japan made his return to England too big of a risk for the Portuguese to take. Blackthorne would have difficulty leaving Japan alive in those circumstances, even if Toranaga were to allow him to return home. Still, it can be said that Toranaga used Blackthorne and played with the Anjin’s life. Blackthorne knows about Mariko’s deal with the Church, yet he is oblivious to Toranaga’s involvement.

This is why Blackthorne wanted to commit seppuku in Shōgun episode 10 – he did not want the village to suffer while Toranaga was looking for the “traitor” who burned his ship. However, in reality, there was no traitor. Toranaga had the ship burned and used this as a way to test Blackthorne’s spirit. When discussing his plan with Yabushige, Toranaga said that he might tell Blackthorne the truth once the ship is rebuilt. However, Toranaga will likely “destroy it again.” It can be assumed that John Blackthorne never leaves Japan after the end of Shōgun.

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