'Shōgun' Episode 5 Takeaway: Toda Mariko forced to reveal her tragic dark past in FX's historical series
Contains spoilers for 'Shōgun' Episode 5
JAPAN, OSAKA: In the heart of Feudal Japan, FX's 'Shōgun' plunges viewers into a world of spectacular visuals and cutthroat power struggles.
The series, created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, follows the adventurous journey of headstrong pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who unknowingly becomes caught in the complicated web of politics.
In recent episodes, the fondness between Blackthorne and Lady Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) has been fairly clear, with the two even beginning a sexual connection.
Mariko also alluded to her tragic background in the last episode, which left her in eternal anguish.
In the fifth episode, her dark and heartbreaking past is revealed when her husband, Toda Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe), humiliates her by forcing her to disclose crucial information to Blackthorne.
Toda Mariko is unhappy about Toda Buntaro's homecoming
In the latest episode, Mariko is taken aback when she discovers that her allegedly deceased husband has returned with minor scrapes and bruises on his face.
It was revealed in the first few minutes of the episode that Bunatro was accompanying Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), who was returning from his Edo hamlet with a sizable army.
Mariko's displeasure with Bunatro's homecoming was evident from the expression on her face, and she further revealed her emotions when she chugged more food to ease the stress of her husband's return to Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi).
Toda Buntaro forces Toda Mariko to reveal about her dark past in 'Shōgun' Episode 5
However, it wasn't clear why Mariko was so upset about Buntaro's homecoming until the episode progressed, as it became clear that Buntaro truly had a sexist, violent, and callous attitude towards Mariko.
Later in the evening, at the supper table, tension rose quickly, with Blackthorne and Buntaro competing in childish ways to outshine one another.
Things take a dramatic turn when Buntaro pushes Mariko to reveal her dark background to Blackthorne.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Blackthorne advised the lady to fabricate any tale so that Buntaro would be unaware due to the language barrier, as he did not want to put Mariko in a difficult situation or compel her to divulge her past.
However, Mariko ultimately opens up about her heartbreaking past. She revealed that her father, Akechi Jinsai, served for the Kurodo, the monarch of Japan prior to Taikō.
Her father assassinated the prior monarch due to his corruption and murderous spree, resulting in the death of her whole family.
Her brothers, sisters, and mother were made to kneel before her father, who executed them one by one before committing suicide himself.
She also disclosed that she only spared death because she had recently married Buntaro, which explains why she is subjected to Buntaro's taunts and has little control over her own life, given the harsh reality of her social position.
The series premiered with its first two episodes on February 27, 2024, on Hulu and FX. The subsequent episodes are scheduled to be released weekly.