Shogun: Crimson Sky

 

In the episode Crimson Sky of Shogun, Mariko who is the translator for John Blackthorne, AKA Ajin San, was faced with commiting Seppeku (ritual suicide) because she could not obey her liege lord Toranaga and leave Osaka. In a nerve racking scene where she takes out the Tando, and prepares to kill herself, Ajin San who has been pleading with her to leave with him and to choose to live and be with him, gets up to be her Second, and thus help her die. The scene is potent with great emotion, as John decides to step into their customs and culture that he thinks is madness for the sake of his love. I think in that moment I saw Jesus, he stepped into our world and instead of helping being our Second, he became The Second Adam and took all our sins, destroying The Second Shi (death) for us. 

It can be very difficult to appreciate the suicide scene with our sensebilities, Mariko even saying “to take my own life is a mortal sin.” And yet her culture and tradition demands it. Through Mariko we see how hard it is to be Not of This World (John 15:19) and yet In The World (John 17:15); to balance your call as a Christian with its commandments and to be understanding like John Blackthorne of people’s steeped tradition. 

When Mariko is interrupted from delving her short blade into her abdomen, you breath a sigh of relief. Later Ajin comes to her, and she does not resist his kiss, she is so moved that he loved her so much that rather than protest the madness of her devotion and death cult, he decides to be there as her Second and make sure she has a swift death. The agony on his face as he must take up the sword as an executioner of the only person in the Japans that he loves, it is breathtaking, on par with the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. 

And then after consummating their love once more, an attack happens and Mariko is blown away by a bomb like in the Richard Chamberlin adaptation. I know not if Mariko is truly dead, but if the older series is a template, she is. Now one could argue that all she gained was a night, her death inevitable. But in that night she knew she was loved, that Anjin loved her more than himself, willing to aid her in Seppeku so she would not suffer. Mariko if she is dead knew that the Protestant Pilot loved her more than any man in the Japans. He was able to put his Anglican and English sensibilities aside to do the loving thing, to be a little christ for her, suffering with her.  

I understand suicide is never right. Life is sacred. But Blackthrone in his act towards his love shows a level of maturity in this world, that sometimes when you cannot change people, all you can do is show them you love them and stand by them even if its in a moment that seems insane. We love to persuade, to win arguments, but when they are done can we stand like the Ajin and show after we have cited all the scriptures and rebuttals, that we are here with you, loving you? For would Jesus not say of the Samurai and Mariko, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Can we love like this? For remember the words of the apostle, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8). Amen.