Starvation.
What are they…?
Father.
She's splendid.
Truly.
Conceals herself against the sun.
Conserving energy,
waiting for her moment.
You might never even know she's there.
So.
Shall we go then?
Welcome to Osaka Castle.
Lord Ishido asks that you confine yourself
to your personal quarters.
I'm surprised he actually came.
A wise man knows when his time has ended.
Well?
I hate Osaka.
This place…
…it's become a real shithole.
In that case,
let's be done with it.
Welcome to Osaka.
The Council of Regents appreciates your coming.
This seating arrangement is new.
We thought it appropriate,
under the circumstances.
Lord Toranaga,
in the year since the Taikō's death,
we have watched with concern
as you've aligned power against the Council.
Which the late Taikō had good reason to forbid.
What power have I aligned?
Six marriages you've consented to.
And your fief has doubled in size.
If my fellow Regents are concerned,
let me say I am content as Lord of the Kantō.
I will never be the first to break any peace.
How strange.
When just this morning,
the Heir's mother was taken to your castle at Edo.
No warning, no request.
The Lady Ochiba's sister, my daughter-in-law, is in labor.
Or has Lady Ochiba been taken hostage
to guarantee your safety here?
This is a time of peace, Lord Ishido.
The Lady is no more a hostage in my castle
than I am here, in this one.
What would the Taikō say if he were here with us now?
I think he'd be pleased,
knowing the five of us still can't agree.
His dying wish was for a peaceful sharing of power.
Yes, until his Heir comes of age.
And I look forward to that day.
These meetings are exhausting.
Then let me put it differently.
The Council has voted to demand the Lady's return.
Under penalty of impeachment.
The time has come to expose those traitors
who wish to usurp the Heir's power.
Low-born, high-born, even a Minowara like yourself.
You'll see four signatures.
Lords Kiyama, Sugiyama, Ohno
and myself.
Your pardon,
but hasn't my lord done everything according to law?
To call him a traitor on such flimsy accusations is --
Tadayoshi, sit down!
I'm so sorry,
but I could not bear you hearing such insults.
Insults?
How dare you imply that Lord Ishido insulted me?
I ask permission to commit seppuku.
I will end my family line,
and all who carry my name.
My host, please accept my apology.
What's done is done.
Though I must say this childish outburst is typical of your clan,
and an insult to the Taikō's proud legacy.
You have seven days to release the Heir's mother from Edo.
And then
we will vote on your fate.
Usami Tadayoshi --
he's married to your granddaughter, isn't he?
Yes. Fuji, the best of all my grandchildren.
I'll see to it she lives.
The boy was reckless.
He has only himself to blame.
No,
he was brave.
I don't approve of all this pointless death.
Then why are we still here?
Trapped in this castle by bureaucrats who want us dead.
As soon as they have the Heir's mother back,
they'll vote to kill us all.
Sorry friend,
If we go to war now, four armies against one, I will lose.
I must remain here.
Which is why you must go to Ajiro in my place.
You're prisoner to your enemies,
days from death --
and you want me to look into a barbarian ship?
Please leave immediately.
I wonder if you made a mistake, Hiromatsu.
Siding with me instead of those bureaucrats who want me dead.
The thought has crossed my mind.
Everything is to remain on board for my uncle to inspect.
Lord Yabushige?
I sent word to him as soon as I could.
He wants to see this in person.
Fuji, this has gone far enough…
Stay back.
It's our lord's order. Hand over our son!
I won't do it!
Fuji.
Tadayoshi humiliated our lord in front of Lord Ishido
then committed our son to die.
I heard. I'm sorry.
But I am forced to live.
The order comes from our master.
I am your husband -- !
And this is the granddaughter of Toda Hiromatsu,
a name that should command your respect.
Her family ends today because of what you've done.
Who are you to treat her harshly?
I'm sorry,
but he's right.
I know you feel the pull of death.
I've felt it too.
However,
it's a mercy that you must reject.
I'm not strong like you, Mariko.
I can't remain in this world without purpose.
If he's ordered you to live,
then that is your purpose.
Let her hands be the last to hold her son.
God --
forgive me.
Your uncle never set foot in this village before.
Not even when your father died.
We must all make the most of this moment.
Only Lord Yabushige can give you the fief you deserve.
Prisoners come up!
Worthless cowards --
You are ordered by Yabushige, Lord of Izu,
to come up and present yourself.
All men come up now.
I don't understand what you're saying. Come up, all of you!
Bring them up!
Everybody go up the ladder! Stop resisting!
Everybody up!
Bring it over!
Come back up!
Filthy savages.
Muraji.
You're Christian.
You speak Portuguese?
Very little.
Tell him to behave.
You're a foul-mannered savage.
"Understand?"
Is this man a Christian?
We don't know…
Please! Stay away!
Why is he being held prisoner?
Enough!
Back off!
Where is this translator?
Lord Yabushige, honored I that you come village.
He's the best priest you have?
Priest, you will translate for me and this barbarian.
Who is he?
And why is he here?
Priest. Why is he angry with you?
Him evil.
Make death.
Pirate.
Priest! Translate.
Very bad man.
Make murder Japan and Portuguese.
Tell him his ship is confiscated.
Bring him to a house and bathe him.
Lord! Danger!
Pirate must die!
Do you have proof he's actually a pirate?
Insult to Cross!
I don't have time for this Christian nonsense.
Pirate must die!
Fine. But choose another in his place.
We'll do it in my special way.
Try harder, Uncle.
You always lose!
This is a new game for me, Lord.
It's too complicated for an old man.
Didn't you learn how to play when you were small?
When I was your age,
I was honored to be a hostage.
Until I was this tall,
I was traded amongst enemies.
Lord Yaechiyo,
you'll be late for your writing lesson,
as you well know.
Hello, Daiyoin.
I want to practice archery instead.
A leader must write clearly and beautifully.
He must be the very best in all things.
This is what my mother says too.
Is she coming home from your castle soon?
Yes, absolutely.
Go to writing practice.
I can't imagine
what Ishido promised the Regents to fall in line.
My fief, probably.
He'll kill them next.
And then the child.
It's the Dark Centuries starting again.
I'll protect the Heir with my life.
If only you could stop them.
It's not your name "Yoshii Toranaga" they fear --
It's your Minowara bloodline.
I don't seek the title of my ancestors.
Because you are a good man.
But now is not the time for good men.
It is time for a Shōgun.
And I've told you before --
I don't seek to be Shōgun.
That title is a brutal relic.
From a bygone era.
This was planted the hour Yaechiyo was born.
The splint supports its growth.
Like you and the boy.
What happens to him if you're gone?
I'm sorry for the discomfort my lord has caused your village.
It won't be much longer now.
My lord,
he's obsessed with the moment of death.
When you are powerless,
and it's inevitable --
how a man faces such a moment.
This is the closest
he can get.
I kept waiting, but… nothing.
His final moment came and went.
Like everyone else… inarticulate.
Lord. This is Kiku.
The most celebrated courtesan in Izu.
It is my honor to serve
and my duty to please.
What are you looking at with your pervert eyes?
What are you doing?
Shall I stop?
Go on.
The barbarian took a long time to die.
He was stronger than most Christians.
Give me a poem about him.
His eyes…
were just the end of Hell
- - all pain,
articulate.
You've managed this village well since your father's death.
How long has it been?
Almost a year.
Your fief is increased to 3000 koku.
I'll see to it as soon as I'm home.
Uncle, if I may…
You're not going to tell Lord Toranaga about the barbarian ship?
Our lord Toranaga is trapped in Osaka.
I told him it was madness, but he went anyway.
Why tell a dead man the future?
Then…
you have other plans.
What do you think?
In these uncertain times -- what comes next?
After Lord Toranaga is dead, no doubt there will be war.
Lord Ishido will be the most powerful Regent,
but he'd next have to contend with the Christian lords.
With their Christian weapons.
So a lord who possesses a ship with these weapons
would make a valuable ally to anyone.
My brother never told me about his son's great qualities.
Lord!
A ship's arrived.
Hiromatsu.
You honor me by coming to one of my villages.
Yabushige.
Lord Toranaga had requested you wait for him in Edo.
We've seized a foreign ship and its crew.
I felt it was important to our cause to be here.
And where are the cannon?
I'm told there are five hundreds muskets, twenty cannon,
and several crates of silver and gold on board that ship.
I had everything brought ashore.
Good.
As President of Foreign Relations,
Lord Toranaga confiscates this ship… and all it contains.
With respect.
Izu is my fief.
So sorry…
It was my understanding that you were loyal to our lord.
Of course I am.
Obviously, the ship is already his.
It's a gift, though I had wanted it to be a surprise.
He'll be pleased with your generosity.
He knew everything.
There's a spy in your village.
Shut that pilot's mouth.
Is this him?
Tell him he's being taken to Osaka.
Forbidden!
Pilot?
Lord Hiromatsu.
Lord Rodrigues will take care of him.
Give him drink, then blow head off.
Pardon me.
Samurai. Pilot friends?
One has been executed.
The rest are prisoners of Lord Yabushige.
Row!
Going to Osaka just to become a prisoner.
Feels wrong, no?
Understand?
Yes.
Maybe we won't be dying in Osaka after all!
What is he up to?
Row!
The ship is ready.
Everyone, we're leaving!
What is he doing?
He's not wrong to search for the Spaniard.
The man is a skilled pilot.
You take him. Make it quick.
Lord! I found him!
He's there!
Don't let the pilot put himself in danger.
Let's be fast about this.
Lord, let me go in your place.
Don't you see what he's doing?
The barbarian wants me to fail.
He's testing me.
He's very simple, though he doesn't know it.
Lord!
Fetch more ropes from the ship!
He's breathing!
Rope is coming!
Lord!
Please grab onto something!
Lord! Help is coming!
Good evening, Mariko.
So sorry, my Lord -- I was told I'd be meeting my father-in-law.
I sent Hiromatsu away on business.
I asked for you.
How long has it been since you married into my general's family?
Sixteen years.
And so rarely have we spoken.
Thank you for helping Lady Fuji through her grief the other day.
I wish I could have done more.
Such a waste.
Since Lord Ishido aligned the Council against me,
death is everywhere I look.
If the Regents vote for your impeachment,
we will welcome death with you.
I'm told you speak Portuguese.
Only as a student.
Your father-in-law is bringing a prisoner from Ajiro.
A barbarian from a foreign ship.
I want you to translate for us.
Surely the Portuguese can send Tsuji to translate.
It's been fourteen years since your father's death?
Fourteen years
and three months.
Akechi Jinsai was brave and principled,
and I revered him.
But I know it's haunted you.
Not being permitted to join him in death.
Like Fuji.
Kept from the fight and robbed of your purpose.
What if,
as your liege lord,
I could restore you to this purpose?
The barbarian is an enemy of your faith.
Would your loyalty to God
conflict with your service to me?
If I were just Christian, yes.
But --
I have more than one heart.
I think our fate has brought us together.
You, me,
and this barbarian who could turn the tide.