John Blackthorne wouldn't have been held captive in Japan if he hadn't lost his ship. Now that he got it back, some of you may be wondering: why was Blackthorne's ship confiscated in Shōgun in the first place? Here's what happened.
CONTENT SPOILERS: This article contains spoilers for Shōgun, so proceed with caution.
John Blackthorne Was Stripped of His Power in the Beginning
John Blackthorne indeed landed in Izu via his ship named Erasmus, however, we haven't had sight of it since Vasco Rodrigues helped in confiscating the vessel from its Captain.
Despite Blackthorne seeking to have his case heard (that he wanted to expose the church over conspiracies for using the establishments for illegal means), nobody listened to his words.
Instead, he was stripped of his power in Shōgun and practically forced to work under Lord Toranaga's clan, thanks to getting captured under Yabushige's orders.
In episode 8 of the series titled The Abyss of Life, Blackthorne surprisingly reclaims his Erasmus ship.
However, prior to nearly ending this series with a bang, why was Blackthorne's ship confiscated in the first place?
READ MORE: Did John Blackthorne Betray His Men in FX's Shogun? Why His Crew Lost Faith
John Blackthorne Learns His Fault in Losing His Ship and Crew
While it's true that it was Vasco Rodrigues who helped in confiscating John Blackthorne's Erasmus ship, it doesn't change the main reason why it was taken away.
Keep in mind that when Blackthorne first came under Lord Toranaga's clan as a prisoner, he was called an Anjin (pirate), who was mistrusted because of his foreign blood.
The confiscation was thanks to Yabushige's doing, ultimately, as he was siding with Lord Toranaga at the time. However, he ended up being revealed to be a double spy.
Not to mention, it was also in episode 8 when one of Blackthorne's old mates on Erasmus ship told him that it was his fault he and his crew were in the mess the feudal Japan was going through.
READ NEXT: Shōgun: Did Lady Ochiba Hate Lady Daiyoin in Episode 8? Iyo's Dying Wish Explained
Meanwhile, Shōgun episode 9 titled Crimson Sky premieres on Hulu on April 16.
Follow our official Facebook page for more news coverage and other explainer articles! Check out more right here on Epicstream.