So who did Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) sleep with in Shōgun Episode 4 “The Eightfold Fence” anyway? Fans of the FX and Hulu show will remember that late into this week’s episode, Blackthorne’s consort Fuji (Moeka Hoshi) leaves him after he falls asleep and shuts the door behind her. A beat later, the door opens, and what appears to be Mariko (Anna Sawai) comes to Blackthorne and immediately initiates, uh, what the Japanese call “pillowing.” However, the scene is cloaked in shadow so it’s difficult to see what is actually happening or who is with Blackthorne. Further confusing matters is Mariko’s explanation the next day: she and Fuji simply hired a courtesan for Anjin-san. So who did Blackthorne sleep with?
Mariko, of course!
Yes, Blackthorne slept with Mariko in Shōgun Episode 4 “The Eightfold Fence.” Even though she plays coy the next day, the recently widowed lady was with Blackthorne in the night. The whole scenario plays out exactly like it does in James Clavell’s book with Mariko sneaking into Blackthorne’s room and then refusing to admit it was her the next day. In fact, the book version of Mariko is even more adamant that it was a courtesan, leading to both Blackthorne and the reader’s confusion…until it becomes clear it was her and she simply lied. Shōgun actress Anna Sawai at least plays coy with a knowing smirk.
Not only that, but Shōgun star Anna Sawai explained Mariko’s actions to Decider during an interview at Winter 2024 TCA.
“I think that obviously having her husband Buntaro die played a big part in her being like, ‘Okay, well, you know, this isn’t completely wrong,’ even though he is a Protestant and even though he is married and has kids,” Sawai said, before admitting that the preceding hot spring scene definitely played a part.
“You know, no one’s perfect,” Sawai said with a smile. “And she’s like, ‘You know what? No one needs to know.’”
No one is perfect, but when Mariko first meets Blackthorne, she’s not exactly all that enchanted. Somehow he manages to win her heart rather quickly, though. What is it about John Blackthorne that Mariko finds so irresistible? Sawai explained that ironically the culture gap between the English pilot and samurai lady is what brought them together.
“I think it’s that when she first meets him, he is a barbarian to her. She doesn’t really trust this person and so she doesn’t care what he thinks,” Sawai said. “Whereas when she’s with Japanese men, there’s a certain way that she has to act. There’s certain things she can’t say. And with him it’s like she really can be her true self.”
“It’s almost… There are the three hearts that are talked about in the show. And I think the first heart is the one that you show to the public, which is what the Japanese men see. And [Blackthorne] almost sees the second heart. That makes her vulnerable in front of him.”
What helps is Blackthorne is the first person who asks Mariko what she wants, feels, needs.
“Surprisingly, he’s actually like, ‘What do you want? Let me know what you think,'” Sawai said. “And he’s accepting of her. And so that is what I think allows them to connect.”
So, yes, in case you weren’t sure, it was totally Mariko who Blackthorne slept with in Shōgun Episode 4 “The Eightfold Fence.” As for why she would lie? Well, the episode literally named after the concept of training yourself to hide your true feelings from the world.