Shōgun episode 7 brings Lady Mariko back to the first time she mentioned seeking seppuku to escape her life. The question is, does Toda Buntaro kill Lady Mariko himself? Here's what happened.
CONTENT SPOILERS: This article contains spoilers for Shōgun, so proceed with caution.
Lady Mariko's Seppuku Wish in Shōgun Explained
To be clear, this isn't the first time that Lady Mariko (played by Anna Sawai) mentioned her wish to commit seppuku, which is a form of suicide back in the days of feudal Japan.
Initially, Lady Mariko's Seppuku wish was because she wanted to avenge the unjust execution of her father.
However, since she was married off to Toda Buntaro (Shin'nosuke Abe) and her husband wishes that she does not take her life, she heeds his orders, instead.
Approaching episode 7, when Toda Buntaro forces a confrontation with Lady Mariko right in front of Lord Toranaga, it would seem that she is left with no other choice but to leave her cursed life.
READ MORE: Shōgun: What Happened Between John Blackthorne and Lady Kiku in Episode 6?
So, Does Toda Buntaro End Up Killing Lady Mariko?
Buntaro brought his wish to Lord Toranaga as an urgent business to deal with.
Convinced that Blackthorne doesn't plan on protecting Lord Toranaga and that he is having an affair with Lady Mariko, Buntaro seeks that his Lord takes the white samurai's head.
However, as Lord Toranaga brings up, beheading the people involved in the affair would require doing the same punishment to his own wife, as well.
Unfortunately for Buntaro, this request was a dead end. Instead, Lord Toranaga asks Lady Mariko herself where she stands between her loyalty to Lord Toranaga's army and the "barbarian."
"Free me of this cursed life." Lady Mariko pleads to her Lord as she hands out a small knife for him to take action on.
This leads Toranaga to slap it out of her hands, refusing to heed her order, and perhaps out of concern that something so personal had occurred under his own reign.
Lady Mariko is an asset, after all. Losing her from his army would be a tragedy.
READ NEXT: Shōgun Fans Explore What Makes the Courtesan Teacup Scene in Episode 6 a Powerful Move
Meanwhile, Shōgun episode 8 titled The Abyss of Life premieres on Hulu on April 9.
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