Such is the case with “Shōgun.” Although most readers likely aren’t familiar with all the historical events the book’s based on, the first 800 pages (and the first nine episodes of the 2024 show) strongly imply that this story’s gonna end with a big, climactic battle. It’s what all the characters are talking about, after all. Surely a story called “Shōgun” wouldn’t just end before we saw the battle that made Toranaga Shōgun, right?
Wrong. “Shōgun” ends with what could easily feel like a string of anti-climaxes. Blackthorne’s ship, which he was supposed to use to bring fire upon the Portuguese ships, is burned down off-screen. Yabu, who has been scheming for nine episodes straight, is simply exposed after his latest betrayal and ordered to commit Seppuku. (He does so without complaint.) Blackthorne and Buntaro, who’ve been at each other’s throats all season, simply make amends. Most notably, Toranaga reveals that he’s already negotiated the deal that will win him the war; the battle won’t be for another few months, but it’s basically already been won.
It’s surprising because the first half of this season really hyped up this battle. We’ve been told repeatedly that Toranaga’s an amazing military tactician, just as we’ve been told that Blackthorne’s knowledge of cannon warfare will massively change the course of Samurai warfare in a cool, cinematic way. The show also gave us multiple episode-ending cliffhangers that really seemed to imply a war-heavy episode the following week, only for that episode to be surprisingly peaceful yet again. It turns out the whole season was a bait-and-switch, not dissimilar to what Toranaga just pulled on his enemies. Does the intentional anti-climax work? Yes, mainly due to one key character.
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