Real Reason Why Toranaga Smiles During Yabushige’s Seppuku In SHOGUN Episode 10

Real Reason Why Toranaga Smiles During Yabushige’s Seppuku In SHOGUN Episode 10

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[Athenian]

Personally I think it is a humane moment.The 2 men liked each other, but one of them found himself on the losing side because he couldn't handle pressure well.

[highstepperARF]

Two warriors with many years between them, even though one was a traitor, still shared a moment.

[patricki]

Remember when Toranaga said to him "Why tell a dead man the future". Right after he says that, you can see Yabushige thinking about it. It is a line Yabushige used when Omi asked if they should inform Toranaga. Yabushige suddenly realizes this and believes Omi was the spy and he has been played all this time. But note that this information also could have come from Kiku (Omi's lover) or Takemaru, Yabushige's assistant.

[ligleaper]

In the book, Yabushige wanted a legendary death. He managed to do all 3 cuts without the aid of a second. First cut is the belly across, then belly straight up, then the final cut in the neck and across. All without making a sound. He was an evil guy, but he went out a legend.

[dailyqwikbytes]

Yabushige smiled because he realized Omi sold him out, proving he (Yabu) had successfully trained the kid to be an even better two-faced backstabbing bastard than he himself was. What Toranaga said to Yabu could only have come to him from Omi's lips. "Wait a minute...I said that "dead man" thing about Toranaga to that fvcking kid. He actually sold me out in order to succeed! I'm so proud of him1" Toranaga realized Yabo got it and gave him a smile acknowledging that Yabu figured it out, then Yabu died a proud "Papa"

[Mr.Paticles]

Toronaga always trusted Yabushige to be a traitor the Lord of Izu didn't disappoint that is probably why he smiled.

His death was just one step closer to the Battle of Sekigahara.

This show was brilliantly made. You can feel and see the schemes of both sides even if they are not mentioned.

[retrotechgames-diyrepair]

It was his acknowledgement of pursuing the position of Shogun, which was the context of their conversation moments before.

[Fderful.]

He smiled because he knew he wouldn’t need 9 cuts this time around like he did when he was a kid

[jeremiahfino]

Nice. It is impossible to have a season 2 now that it gave a good ending. No wonder it receives 10/10.

[horsearcher]

The way i see it is rather simpler than yours. Yabushige obsession with death probably had to do with the fact that he witness too many and constantly thinking and fearing about his own, he put deaths in tier list, thinking what should be fitting for him, he experiment with many way of death just like how he boil the sailor and rank that death later on. when he fall off cliff he feel that drowning infront a barbarian is just too low tier for him so he got his short sword out and prepare to gut himself, an act he deem more honorable. through the whole event he actually fear death and forsaken his honor every occasion to keep his life, in the end he just feel like an absolute piece of thrash and want to run away from all of it, when he know hes going to die, he beg to have "higher" death on his tier list but after a night of consideration and reflection, he no longer able to value himself as honorable samurai he wish his body to be left to eaten by dog in the field which he himself rank it very low( death by being eaten alive by dog is lowest in his tier list) he dont want to suffer that pain so he ask to be eaten after death instead. he also view that die screaming or begging is not articulate as he said about sailor in the very first episode that why his closest samurai bodyguard wish him a good death. When he finally kill himself, the was no hesitation, no begging, no screaming and just commit it bravely, he felt redeemed that the last act in his life he is no coward who fear dead and his death is articulate tat why he smile.

as for Toranaga, he never trusted anybody since the beginning and does not show true emotion unless its benefit him, the two only time hes unable to control it(tho still high degree of control) is when he find blackthorn "unless i win" amusing and the othertime is when he saw the cowardly Yabushige bravely face death in his final moment. when yabushige request for different death, Toranaga thought that he try to find chance to survive, thus denied the request, you also see during excecution, he didnt fully trust that Yabushige would just kill himself and had some expectation that yabushige might attack him to try to save himself so he didnt lift his sword fully in striking position but rather guarding lower, he only lift it when he see the blade enter yabushige body, and amuse that this dude didnt hesitate then remembered that he gotta end the dude's suffering, so one concentrated clean chop.

[Tikimohn]

I prefer his death poem in the books over the show, but the show death poem fits the character totally. The og version is

"What are clouds but an excise for the sky,
What is life but an excuse for death".

[tykjenffs]

He smiled back because Yabu was absolutely right. Toranaga wanted to be Shogun, probably all his life. Toranaga was just disappointed that Yabu did not see it, 'him of all people' as Toranaga puts it. Yabu was too preoccupied staying alive.

Hiromatsu's planned Seppuku forced Yabu to shift sides, and thus Toranaga got what he wanted. Mariko was supposed to Seppuku but got a martyrs death instead. And the effect of that death became exponential.

And Yabu was to thank for that, letting the Shinobi in.

[philliesfan]

I don’t think he always wanted to be shogun. He really didn’t which is why when the dying Taeko made Toranaga the offer Toranaga refused saying it’s the perfect reason to unite my enemies and Allie’s alike against me. But with Ishido and the regents so scared of Toranaga power they left him no choice but to take shogun. I believe it wasn’t until after his son’s death where he officially decided to take the title of shogun. This is from the shows perspective by the way not the book

[John-rnnm]

At the start of the series I only thought of a Yabushiga as a self serving and cruel lord. He went out like a legend. This really feels like Japanese Game of Thrones.

[mbranche]

Great set up for the War that ended all wars.

[cosmasrealestateconsultant]

I personally think Toranaga only trusts Mariko she was the only person Toranaga told some truth like when he said to Mariko that John and Yabushinge were predictable and why Hatamoto commited seppuk

[mp]

it's curios that Yabushige also told the same line to his nephew, Omi.

[Playa]

Im all for the medival politics and the deception, and intrigue, but they had me hard for a battle scene with all the teasing and its a huge blue ball episode lol still a good series but dang. Slightly disappointed. Couldve at least given us a little more action with a longer episode.

[potatoensalada]

Yabushige was such an oaf, but he was enjoyable to watch.

[citizenVader]

Death is as important as life in this society. Even if you avoid death, you are given another life. Not only a chance but a new purpose. Blackthorne becomes hatamoto as his logbook is handed to him.
Toranaga is saved twice, so he becomes more confident in his fate to be the shogun, whereas those who scheme and put others on the line lose their power bit by bit. Some even lose what define them all together in their religion.
The symbolic nature is even shown in the intro where the head of a Toranaga emerges as an earthquake end's the intro.