Vasco Rodrigues and John Blackthorne didn't immediately click with one another. From the first episode alone, their dynamic was set, which begs the question, are Rodrigues and Blackthorne enemies in Shōgun? Here's all you need to know.
CONTENT SPOILERS: This article contains spoilers from FX's Shōgun, so proceed with caution.
Rodrigues and Blackthorne Got Off on the Wrong Foot in Their Shōgun Debut
Vasco Rodrigues (played by Nestor Carbonell) is the Portuguese merchant who helped John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) come to Japan.
When the premiere episode pinned down their dynamics as mere acquaintances, something ticked off Blackthorne when he first met Rodrigues.
At the time, Blackthorne was trembling in fear on the boat when he thought he was going to die.
Though Rodrigues tried to calm him down with his words of wisdom, it wasn't 'til later that the merchant pilot revealed that he had found one of Blackthorne's most valuable items from his ship.
In Blackthorne's attempt to reclaim his treasure, Rodrigues shows the man he truly is by pulling out a sword on him to make the former think twice before laying out his judgment on the land of Osaka.
Now, this begs the question, does this make Rodrigues and Blackthorne enemies in the Shōgun series?
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Are Vasco Rodrigues and John Blackthorne Enemies in Shōgun?
As of writing, FX's Shōgun series has only aired three episodes, which leaves seven more episodes before we see more of Rodrigues and Blackthorne's relationship.
However, aside from the dynamics of their relationship we witnessed from the first episode, canonically, these two are meant to spite each other due to their cultural and religious differences.
Take note that there are some elements from the American historical drama book James Clavell wrote that will likely take place in the series adaptation, as well.
In the books, Rodrigues and Blackthorne had only developed their friendship once the latter managed to save the latter when he went overboard from the ship during a storm surge.
At another plot point, Rodrigues saves Blackthorne from being burnt at the stake, and though there will continuously be misunderstandings shared on both sides of their stories, they always somehow end up working together, hence, the frenemies' relationship.
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