Can Toranaga Win The War?

Summary

• Lord Toranaga is set to launch the Crimson Sky plan to depose Ishido and the other Regents.
• Ochiba-no-kata seeks revenge and power, aligning herself with the Regents against Toranaga.
• Sugiayama’s death forces Toranaga to prepare for war against Ochiba and Ishido in Osaka.

Shōgun episode 6 ends with Lord Toranaga ready to launch the Crimson Sky plan now that Ochiba-no-kata and Ishido have made their move. Following her return to Osaka at the end of Shōgun episode 5, Ochiba reminded Ishido she is the one he must answer to, changing the status quo of the show. With Sugiyama dead after refusing to vote to support Ochiba-no-kata, Lord Toranaga, who is based on Tokugawa Ieyasu, had no choice but to prepare his men for war. Toranaga is now heading to Osaka, where he and his men plan to depose the Regents and make him shogun.

Ochiba-no-kata, the only of the Taikō’s consorts to bear him a child, is ruling over the Regents with the help of Ishido. Not only is Ochiba the mother of the Heir, but she is also on a quest to avenge the death of her father and reclaim the life that was once stolen from her. “Ladies of the Willow World” makes clear where every Shōgun character stands and what they are fighting for ahead of the show’s final four episodes.

What Lord Toranaga’s Crimson Sky Plan Means For Shōgun

Toranaga is about to launch an attack

Crimson Sky, which was first brought up by Toda Hiromatsu, is a last-resource plan formulated a long time ago that consists of a single, violent rush on Osaka Castle. The goal would be to depose Ishido and the rest of the Council of Regents from their positions, making Yoshii Toranaga the only Regent. This would essentially turn Toranaga into shōgun. However, Toranaga initially refused to consider a direct attack against Ishido. According to the Lord of Kanto, they did not have enough allies and would be marching toward certain death.

The assassination of a Regent confirmed that Ochiba-no-kata and Ishido were willing to do anything.

Additionally, Toranaga once again stated that he has no interest in becoming shōgun. Even though his most trustable ally and his son asked for an immediate attack, Torana commanded them to find an alternative. Still, once Sugiyama was killed when trying to leave Osaka, Toranaga realized Crimson Sky was the only option he had left. As noted by the Lord of Kanto earlier in the episode, Ochiba-no-kata was not fighting with honor, meaning her actions were bound to be ruthless and unpredictable. The assassination of a Regent confirmed that Ochiba-no-kata and Ishido were willing to do anything.

Now that Lord Toranaga is ready to unleash Crimson Sky upon Osaka, Shōgun’s remaining episodes are expected to be all about war. John Blackthorne is now one of Toranaga’s generals and will command the cannon regiment, but they do not have nearly enough numbers to take over Osaka just yet. Toranaga hopes to ally with Saeki Nobutatsu, his half-brother, which would help them stand a chance against Ishido in Osaka. With only four episodes left, the war Shōgun has been teasing since the beginning of the show is finally here.

Everything Shōgun Episode 6 Reveals About Ochiba-no-kata’s Past

Ochiba-no-kata has been plotting her revenge for decades

Episode 6 revealed a lot about Ochiba-no-kata’s plan and backstory. Ochiba, whom Shōgun‘s Lady Mariko once knew as Ruri, is the daughter of Kuroda, Shōgun’s version of Oda Nobunaga. Like his real-life counterpart, Ruri’s father was betrayed and killed by one of his men. This man, Akechi Jinsai, was the father of Mariko. Having lost both her father and best friend at the same time following Akechi Jinsai’s uprising against his master, Ochiba saw herself with no purpose and nowhere to go. Her life was destroyed, but her spirit remained strong.

Shōgun
’s Ochiba-no-kata is based on Yodo-dono, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s second wife and mother of his successor.

She would then be offered to become the Taikō’s consort, an invitation that came from the Taikō’s wife. Ochiba would now be Ochiba-no-kata, and if she succeeded in giving the Taikō an heir, she would become one of the most powerful people in the entire country. Wishing for revenge and to reclaim what had been taken from her, Ochiba accepted the offer and eventually became the mother of the Taikō’s only heir. Following the Taikō’s death, Ochiba-no-kata aligned herself with the Regents, believing that Toranaga represents a threat to her son.

Why Ochiba-no-kata Is At A War Against Toranaga

Ochiba sees Toranaga as her biggest enemy

While Ishido was already trying to make a move against Toranaga, things are now moving much faster following Ochiba’s return to Osaka. Not only does the Heir’s mother believe Toranagas wants to take over and become shōgun, but she also has a personal hatred against him. It is unclear what exactly happened on the night Kuroda was killed, but Ochiba believes that Toranaga was the one pulling the strings. Even though Akechi Jinsai was killed shortly after his treason, Ochiba seems to think that her revenge will only be over once Toranaga is defeated too.

Who Is Lord Ito? Toranaga’s Replacement In The Council Of Regents Explained

The Council of Regents answers to Ochiba

Toranaga made a strategic move by sending a resignation letter to the Council of Regents, who always need a full decorum of five members to have any decision approved. A new fifth member had to be chosen, but that person would have to be on board with voting for Toranaga’s death. Ishido was taking too long to reassemble the council, which is why Ochiba-no-kata made them all into hostages and made it so that they could only leave the castle once a decision was made. Not all Regents responded well to this ploy, but a replacement was chosen – Lord Ito.

Why Ishido Killed Sugiyama In Shōgun Episode 6

Sugiyama refused to support Ochiba

Whereas four of the Regents, including Lord Ito, voted for Toranaga’s death, Lord Sugiyama refused to comply with Ochiba-no-taka and Ishido. Sugiyama argued that Ochiba and Ishido’s actions were putting the Heir in danger and that he would not stand for their decisions. Ishido later suggested impeaching Sugiayama too, but Ochiba noted that the process would take too long. The Heir’s mother does not have time for the same games Ishido was playing and wants to defeat Toranaga as soon as possible. She commanded Ishido to kill Sugiyama before the latter could leave Osaka.

Sugiyama’s death showed to the other lords that Ochiba would have no mercy for those standing against her and also sent a message to Toranaga. Ochiba-no-taka controls Osaka and will stop at nothing to consolidate her power, leaving Yoshii with no choice but to put the Crimson Sky plan in motion. The Council of Regents is now just an extension of Ochiba’s will, and it is no surprise Shōgun episode 6 was almost entirely about her and her backstory.

Shōgun Episode 6 Confirms What Lord Torana’s Goal Really Is

Toranaga tried to avoid war

Shōgun episode 6 makes it clear that Lord Toranaga does not want to become shōgun but will not wait for Ishido and Ochiba’s attack. This is why he originally refused to prepare an attack against Osaka, although he later perceived it was the only way to stop Ishido. Toranaga is close to the Taikō and wants to protect the Heir, but to accomplish this, he will have to defeat the council and become the sole regent. With the power of multiple daimyos against him, Lord Toranaga’s Crimson Sky will have to be very precise for him to win the war.

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