Things get even worse for Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his followers as his attempt to form an alliance with his estranged brother (Eita Okuno) ends in betrayal and in the death of his son (Yuki Kura). With Toranaga apparently willing to give up the fight, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) finds himself released from his service but with nowhere to turn. His attempt to reconnect with his fellow sailors end disastrously leading him to attempt to cultivate a new partnership with Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) who initially refuses but, given his lord’s refusal to fight on, eventually accepts.
Given his loses, his humiliation at his brother’s actions, and the loss of his son, the two episodes sell Toranaga as a beaten man willing to accept defeat. This, of course, is exactly what he needs his enemies to believe. Despite his apparent disinterest in anything, Toranaga continues to maneuver his chess pieces (even if his outward appearance costs him his most loyal friend to cement these plans). After refusing to make peace with her husband, who only know realizes the respectful but determined enemy he has made of his wife, Mariko (Anna Sawai) accepts a new assignment from her lord joining the Anjin and Yabushige on their sail as the series moves into its final two episodes.
