With just one episode before Shogun’s finale, Yabushige remains the show’s most unpredictable character, even more so after episode 9’s major twist.

Yabushige let the assassins into Osaka in Shōgun episode 9, which caused Lady Mariko’s death and proved he is the show’s biggest wildcard. A local lord fascinated by death, Yabushige saw himself in the middle of Ishido and Toranaga’s war when a foreign ship arrived at his village. Yabushige’s fate has been tied to that of the Anjin since the beginning of the show, but his allegiances have not been as clear. As the most unpredictable of the Shōgun characters, Kashigi Yabushige poses a threat even to his allies.

Lady Mariko’s death at the end of Shōgun episode 9 may not have been that surprising considering she was willing to die to complete her mission, but it was a tragic moment nonetheless. Had Yabushige not helped Ishido, Mariko might have left Osaka in safety while still succeeding in causing instability at the castle. Unfortunately, neither Blackthorne nor Mariko were counting on Yabushige’s betrayal. Rather than honoring his duty to his lord, Kashigi Yabushige once again accepted a deal from Ishido.

Why Yabushige Let The Intruders Into Osaka In Shōgun Episode 9

Yabushigi was offered a deal by Ishido

Yabushige went to Osaka to report back to Ishido and answer for his treason on the matter of Nebara Jozen’s death. Ishido was accusing Yabushige of conspiring with Lord Toranaga against the Regents and taking part in the assassination of Jozen, which is why Yabushige had no choice but to return to Osaka. Yabushige believed he could talk Ishido out of punishing him by offering the Anjin’s services. The plan did not work, though, as Ishido said he had no use for John Blackthorne. Yabushige was now about to be executed and had no leverage whatsoever.

Character
Actor
Real-Life Inspiration

Yoshii Toranaga
Hiroyuki Sanada
Tokugawa Ieyasu

John Blackthorne
Cosmo Jarvis
William Adams

Toda Mariko
Anna Sawai
Hosokawa Gracia

Kashigi Yabushige
Tadanobu Asano
Honda Masanobu

Kashigi Omi
Hiroto Kanai
Honda Masazumi

Ishido Kazunari
Takehiro Hira
Ishida Mitsunari

Ochiba-no-kata
Fumi Nikaido
Yodo-dono

Still, shortly after Lady Mariko almost committed seppuku, Ishido secretly sent Yabushige an offer. In exchange for his life, Yabushige was to help orchestrate an attack on the Osaka Castle that would end with Lady Mariko’s assassination. Even though Yabushige was a servant of Lord Toranaga, he accepted Ishido’s offer and betrayed Mariko. Yabushige not only let the assassins into the castle, but he also killed some of the guards. This allowed Ishido’s shinobi to attack Osaka when everyone was sleeping, directly leading to Lady Mariko’s sacrifice to save the other hostages.

Who Is Yabushige Really Loyal To?

Yabushigi has tried to play both sides

After nine episodes, Shōgun has proven that Yabushige is loyal to no one but himself. While the Council of Regents holds some authority, Yabushige’s responsibility should always be to his lord first. In other words, even when asked by Ishido or Ochiba-no-kata to do something, Yabushige should have been loyal to Toranaga under any circumstances. Instead, the character tried to play both sides and never honored his duty. As a result, Yabushige “changed sides” several times throughout the show and put himself at risk of being executed for treason at least twice.

Following the attack on the castle that cost Lady Mariko’s finale, it will be interesting to see whether anyone will be able to trace the assassins back to Yabushige.

Yabushige was part of Toranaga’s council of war that put Crimson Sky in motion and later watched the Lord of Kanto announce his surrender. Before his death, Toda Hiromatsu commanded Yabushige to go to Osaka and surrender, which was part of Toranaga’s plan to deceive Ishido into thinking the war was over. While Toranaga and those loyal to him likely perceived Yabushige as disposable and untrustworthy, none of them must have anticipated that he was going to help Ishido kill Lady Mariko and the hostages. This was Yabushige’s ultimate betrayal.

How Yabushige Could Be A Gamechanger In Shōgun’s Finale

Yabushige’s next moves are always unpredictable

Following the attack on the castle that cost Lady Mariko’s finale, it will be interesting to see whether anyone will be able to trace the assassins back to Yabushige. Blackthorne and the rest of the hostages know that Ishido orchestrated the attack so that Mariko would not leave, but Yabushige’s involvement in the invasion might not be so clear. If they do not find out, Yabushige will remain a volatile, unpredictable player who could be a game-changer in Shōgun’s finale. Yabushige completed the mission given by Ishido, but that doesn’t mean he will remain loyal to him.

However, if Blackthorne even suspects that Yabushige is to blame for Mariko’s death, things could get complicated for the Lord of Izu. While Yabushige and Blackthorne were not exactly friends, there was a sense of mutual respect between them. The Anjin even decided to offer his services to Yabushige after being dismissed by Toranaga. Yabushige betrayed not only his lord but the Anjin as well, and neither Blackthorne nor Toranaga will be happy to know that he was involved with Mariko’s death. Either way, Yabushige’s fate will be decided in Shōgun episode 10.