Why Crimson Sky Is So Important in ‘Shōgun’
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FX'S EPIC HISTORICAL drama series Shōgun, based on James Clavell's novel, chronicles the ascent of Lord Yoshii Toranaga in feudal Japan, as he battles and outmanoeuvers his enemies to assume the title of—you guessed it—shōgun.
Episode 6 of the show, "Ladies of the Willow World," brought that vision one step closer, with the brutal death of Sugiyama and his family at the hands of Ishido's forces pushing Toranaga to take drastic action. The episode ends with Toranaga declaring to his most trusted lieutenants that the time has come for him to invoke "crimson sky." This marks a major moment in Shōgun both in terms of Toranaga's character arc, and the overall plot.
What is "crimson sky"?
Prior to Episode 6, Toranaga has tried to avoid an outright military conflict, as he has been lacking in numbers and almost certainly doomed to fail. And he has also stated multiple times that he has no personal desire or ambition to be shōgun. However, Ochiba and Ishido's ruthless actions force his hand—after killing the neutral Sugiyama, they control the Council of Regents, and clearly aren't afraid of a fight. So it's time for Toranaga to do the same.
"Crimson sky" is the term Toranaga uses to describe his plan to carry out a swift and violent all-out assault on the castle at Osaka, eliminating his enemies in one fell swoop and installing himself as the sole Regent. It is a strategy with no space for politicking or negotiation: left with no other options, Toranaga must put everything he has into this war, and hope that his half-brother will come to his aide.
The aim of crimson sky is to avoid a lengthy, drawn-out war with a high death count, keeping the fighting and killing to a minimum. Whether or not Toranaga's plan will be successful, and how it will reshape the political landscape and balance of power, is sure to unfold in surprising ways over the remaining four episodes.
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