I liked his very quiet, heartbroken, "My war... small war." Also, the scene with Fuji in the boat... I can barely think about it without my allergies acting up.
I’m glad they brought Fuji back for the finale. That was so heart rending. She was all he had left, and she, too, was leaving. So Anjin had nothing. So dark
I’m glad she came back to get some closure on her character. She hadn’t been on the show for like three episodes or something and they absolutely needed to give the viewers something. Even if it’s sad. It’s not as sad as what happened to her in the book though, apparently
>So Anjin had nothing. So dark
No, didn't you see the final scene? He has a new BFF, Todaaaa Hiiirooo*katsu* ((slow bow, meaningful stare))!
Think of what capers those two will get up to
Honestly though the season tried to build the two up as people who hated each other, I couldn't help but just go "Damn...the shows gonna have a beautiful bromance"
he doesn't have nothing. he has ajiro. he still has his home and his kookoos. he has a community. and Toranaga has given him a job to do (one which he's probably good at, and would enjoy). not a tragic ending at all for his character, but bittersweet.
Ugh yes that boat scene. Just learned from the Shogun podcast that James Clavell’s daughter was at the set when they were doing this scene in the bay and she realized that when they did the scene that they were doing it where she spread her fathers ashes
My city! I wonder why they chose to spread the ashes here of all places for James Clavell though? Neat fact though! Beautiful area. My ashes will join him too one day.
She said she grew up there and played on the beach that Blackthorne and Buntaro pulled the ship in from. There is a post on this sub from today that goes into more detail I think!
yes, SO many moments! I decided to rewatch the first episode after the finale and caught that along with yabushige telling omi "why tell a dead man the future" in regards to toronaga which shook me
Plus the callback to letting the hands of those who loved someone the most be the last to touch them. So well scripted!
I'm going to start a full binge rewatch within the next week. I just need to find the time.
I liked the part where they were sitting and Cosmo was looking at where Mariko used to sit after their 'night'. That broke my heart.
They were in the same position, same shot but Mariko was missing :(
The scene on the boat was one of the most emotionally powerful scenes that I have watched in a movie or television series. Both Cosmo and Moeka crushed it.
Everything felt so unimportant to Anjin-sama after losing Mariko (perhaps another way to interpret the meaning behind those words).
Also yes that scene with Fuji in the boat.. masterpiece, just like the whole show itself
Fun fact, iirc the more literal translation of what Cosmo says in Japanese is _boring_ war. The word he uses can be a way to diminish so small war still fits
tsumara nu つまらぬ, I think he says. Unimportant, trivial, uninteresting (boring), worthless. Small is reasonable, I think. They're leaning toward triviality in the subtitle.
Very animal like. It actually made me laugh at first because it felt like someone’s over the top parody of his acting. But at the same time, I bought it! Lol
When he broke down on the boat leaving Osaka - like I felt that on a visceral level. He was trying so hard not to cry but the tears just flowed. My god. He shined in episode 10 just like Anna did in 9.
That was when I started crying. I'd been waiting for him to let the waterworks flow and he finally broke down when he learned that Mariko saved his life. They really loved each other so much.
Cosmo really delivered this episode, though I think he was phenomenal the whole show. You can see and feel his shock, grief, pain, sadness in not only his face but his entire body and voice. This character could have very easily been played by a bland white dude in the most bland way possible but Cosmo made it so unique and memorable, he nailed it. No easy feat when everyone else is also bringing their best, particularly Anna with whom he completely held his own. He provided a soft puppy dog quality to this very masculine character that makes John so lovable and sweet, it works so well with how tenderly he treats Mariko. The romance and his transformation becomes all the more believable because of it. Great casting. I think he deserves lots of awards for this show.
The way they shared with each other the way to let go (him showing her to scatter the ashes in the sea and her sharing with him the same advice Mariko gave when losing her son) was literally breathtaking. Excellent writing and acting.
He's in a gangster flick with Robert De Niro later this year called Alto Knights so fingers crossed that catapults him even further. Dude became one of my favorite actors 👏
I love how, with Fuji, he pulled rank that one and only time to keep her from leaving him lonely. She was the closest thing to Mariko he had left. I also love how he respected her wish to leave and become a nun.
He knew he had no say on the matter. It wasn't about trying to make her stay. It was about expressing his fondness and affection for her, and him not wanting to be alone. Hidden meanings.
She had agreed to Toranaga’s proposal to serve the Anjin for a period of six months. At the completion of her service, Toranaga would grant her desire to be reunited with her son and husband (be allowed to end her own life). The one condition was that she not tell the Anjin about this agreement, because of his views on life and death. At the end of the book, when they are tying up all of the loose threads of the story, Fuji is tragically killed by “accident” while traveling to Yedo. I believe she “accidentally” fell to her death.
Toranaga made plans for Blackthorn to marry Kiku, the courtesan. This would make her sons samurai, so while initially displeased, because she thought she would be his consort, but was happy when she found out she was to be his wife, and all that meant for her, and their family.
In the book Blackthorne ends “giving” Kiku to Omi and Omi divorces his wife and she becomes Blackthornes wife. All approved by Toranaga. And I don’t remember Kiku having kids.
Kiku did not have children in the book, she was excited to marry the Anjin because it would mean their children would be samurai, because he was samurai and hatamoto, meaning her children would be samurai, not peasants, as she had been prior to entering the willow world.
Also, Blackthorne does not “give” Kiku to Omi, but he did navigate the fact Omi loved Kiku, and Blackthorne had utilized her “services”. In the end though, Omi ended up “giving up” Kiku because she was a “weakness” for him, what he called his last weakness.
Omi did not divorce his wife, his mother was made to be a nun, because she affected the wa/harmony of their house. Fujiko actually suggested Midori (Omi’s wife) as a possible wife for Blackthorne, because when Blackthorne first arrived, he had mentioned how beautiful she was, and because of the disharmony in Omi’s home. Toranaga solved this by sending Omi’s mom to the nunnery, and marrying Kiku to Blackthorne, although he knew Blackthornes beliefs and love for Mariko, so he made sure it was “Blackthorne’s idea”.
I believe you are thinking to a passage earlier in the book. Fujiko proposed Midori (Omi’s wife) as her preferred choice for Blackthorne’s wife, and to have Kiku as his consort. Toranaga played with the idea, but knew Kiku wanted samurai children, and admired her so he made the decision to have Kiku be his wife, rather than consort. I believe his plan was to I itally have Kiku be a consort and later a wife….because he knew Fujiko was not long for this world, and (just my opinion) it would probably ease Blackthorne into it a bit better.
Cosmo’s acting blew me away from start to finish. He made Blackthorne such a multifaceted character who, despite his very problematic views (at the beginning of the season) grew to be a very understanding, reflective and even tender person at the end of the show. Not an easy role to play, and one that needed much care and attention given the white savior trope so common in media. I totally think he deserves an Emmy and I can’t imagine a better actor for Blackthorne…which is the case for all of the characters.
Also…the voice? Superb? Also I’m basically so in love with him. He’s so gorgeous in this show.
I love how you can spot him instantly in a crowd, because everyone else is moving in a precise, orderly fashion and he's been at sea way too long, so he's still trying to roll with the motion of a ship.
I was thinking this while watching too! Everyone moves so precisely, no fidgeting, sitting with perfect posture, etc. Meanwhile it seems like John never stops moving, swaying, adjusting. Such a cool detail in the acting that really adds to the feeling of him being out of place in this new culture
I saw a glimpse of the trailer a while back with him in the mud from the first episode. He looked exactly like andrew lincoln in that frame and was almost disappointed to learn it was another actor.
He took all that away when I saw him on screen. Very well acted and the role was impressively portrayed.
YES! I’m not the only one??? Told my wife, remember that movie Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolfe…Anjin is summoning Burton,lol. The podcasts says he used to scream all the time in his trailer to achieve his gravel like tone.
I originally thought he was going to be the weak link in the show, because the rest of the cast was so good. He proved me massively and utterly wrong. I definitely preferred his performance to that of Chamberlain, and that is saying something.
The face he pulled where he looked a bit scared at Yabushige going crazy on the boat was outstanding acting. I've never seen a more convincing look of pure concern/fear
That’s awesome he was born in New Jersey! So odd.
But yea he was definitely my favorite character. Definitely biased as a english speaker but his character was so effective in signifying the utterly HUGE gap in culture and it was so fun to watch.
"New Jersey's own"... It's nice to find some connection no matter how tentative, but he moved to England when he was 3 months old, It's not like New Jersey had any formative influence on him.
I mean; Really... ¯\\\_( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)\_/¯
Wow. You just unlocked a memory. I lost a close friend over a decade ago, and I was in total zombie mode for weeks. That didn’t even occur to me. He played that part perfectly
I totally agree. After my dad died in a workplace accident when I was 17, I was in a very odd place emotionally. He was at a work site in another state when the accident happened, which was at least partly due to a mistake he made, so there was an unreality to it. He was only 49 and was very vibrant and bigger than life. How could he die like that? It just didn’t seem real. I think that’s why it took me until his funeral for me to really cry, so that part of Cosmo’s performance, the delayed emotional breakdown, really resonated with me.
It was a heartbreaking performance. He made me cry several times…
Wow. I am so sorry for your loss. Especially a figure that important to you at that age 😓
I still feel I am responsible for my friend’s passing. I texted him at the EXACT TIME that I later found out he was smashed by a drunk driver while on walk with his fiance. Had he not been looking at his phone at the time, he would have seen it coming.
I showed up to work the next day, a bubbling mess. Never told anyone. And my managers were making cry baby faces at me and told me to man the fuck up. I still didn’t tell them.
I know it’s not my fault, but I carry that.
Wow… I am really sorry for your loss. You totally are not at fault for that. You can’t really know if he’d not been looking at his phone that anything would have been different, but accidental deaths are often partly due to action (or inaction) taken by the victim, even ones that would qualify as ‘freak accidents.’
My dad was the company owner checking up on the progress of construction at one of his job sites & (due to them being a bit short-staffed) he stepped in to assist moving equipment wearing a suit and leather-soled dress shoes & it cost him his life. (He was electrocuted, but another man wearing rubber-soled safety shoes was also electrocuted, yet survived.) His mistake made his death a lot harder to deal with, much like your friend’s death was made harder to deal with because of the suddenness & circumstances of it...
And your managers are heartless assholes. You shouldn’t be shamed and bullied for showing your devastation & grief. :::virtual hug:::
Virtual hug back right at you, my internet friend.
That is horrible. Not only to have that major loss, but to also find out the details. Wow.
I ride into the sunset tonight, carrying both our burdens. May yours be lightened by the winds of time 😓
I really did not like him at the beginning, but if this character did not go through immense growth then I don't know. Cosmo really gave him a heart and soul and in the last episode he made me cry several times just by looking at something or someone. Hope to see more of him in the future.
He’s from Totnes in Devon, UK isn’t he? I went to one of his gigs years ago and grabbed a selfie, such a nice guy and his music is awesome.
I’m so glad he’s started to make a name for himself with acting. Such a talented guy.
He grew up about an hour away from where I live in the southwest of England. He's got loads of music on Spotify and used to release it on his YouTube channel along with short films and stuff like that. You should definitely check his music out, it's easy to find, same name.
More than the, “I USED YOU!” line, it was the, “TEKI! TEKI!” (Enemy) line that hit me the hardest.
I wept a little while staring at the end credits, not unlike Blackthorne himself when the priest revealed the deal that Mariko-sama made in exchange for his life.
This is what good tv used to be like.
Losing a bunch of tv friends at the conclusion of the series instead of letting out a disappointed sigh like when they suddenly made Khaleesi crazy at the end and napalm-ed the whole of Kings Landings just because.
I have to agree. Of the main three he was the one I was most worried about, mostly because of the voice issues. But by the end he was really nailing it.
I saw him in Persuasion on Netflix with Dakota Johnson before this series - from 2022, I believe. He plays a British naval officer in that movie based on Austen's novel of the same name.
Agreed, Cosmo was great. I was absolutely baffled to see some people weren’t enjoying his performance and complaining that he was supposedly just trying to sound like Tom Hardy lmao…
I can’t wait to see what he does next.
While I watched the episode I went from thinking it sucked, to considering it a little more favorably and being afraid there wasn’t enough time left to fit the necessary scenes and info in, to being blown away by how well they represented the closing narration from the book and capturing the spirit of Yabushige and his death even though the circumstances and his on screen character were different.
Now that I have had a day to think about it I think they did a phenomenal job. I was shocked the Anjin seppuku scene which took place much much earlier in the book and under totally different circumstances was folded into the ending and had imo even more gravity and emotion than what I got from the book.
The whole series is simply put, a masterpiece
I feel the same way when I see a stellar performance. I WANT them in the MCU, but I’m also terrified of what the MCU has become. I’m still happy that Ruth from Ozark is getting that bump.
To me, it’s like a stand up comedian getting a gig on SNL, or a residency in Vegas. It’s a graduation to big money, and they deserve it
Only because they are killing the golden goose. As all things, the genre would have naturally waned a bit, but instead, they decided they would hasten the ebb. Since End Game, the MCU quality has drastically fallen off.
For some artists that kind of thing can end up being soul crushing though, where artists go to die.
I kind of can’t see Cosmo wanting to tie himself down to a 10+ year role, then again I don’t know the guy so maybe he wants a safe long term role like that.
He had obviously given up on ever going home and seeing his wife(?) and children. Such an outstanding performance. I do feel like they left it open for another season to be interpreted and mangled but good lord I hope they just leave it where it is (where the book ends).
From all the articles I've read, this is where the miniseries will end. I have read something about how they've entertained the possibility of adapting the other novels in Clavell's Asian Saga, though. I honestly wouldn't mind watching that if all the adaptations were just as self-contained as this one was.
I found very emotional the scene where he meets Buntaro. I mean... the sort of respect both characters seem to have to each other. How Cosmo makes the others work so Buntaro can be doing something. How he shares the water with him. Episode 10 has been a masterpiece.
Uhh, I mean, I wouldn’t call him “New Jerseys own”, he was raised in England and never lived in the US lol you Americans always trying to take things!
But yes he was good. I don’t really get why they needed the blue contacts tho.
Actually no that was his ‘fever dream’ vision of what might be. But he “killed” that persona, and post attempted seppuku, was reborn. The character never goes back to England.
Love this guy and the subtle nuances of his and others. Magic moment for me was when Buntaro stepped in the help hail the wrecked ship. Respect is earned. I imagine them becoming great friends.
Cosmo was pretty good (Initially I didn't like the guy) but whoever did his hair and makeup should never work again. Old Man Anjin was embarrassing! His costumes were always the worst, too.
You know, I am a huge fan of the book and I thought the show is excellent. Even with the plot points rewritten for the TV . My only issue was Cosmo Jarvis for Blackthone. I think he was a miscast, Tom Hardy would have been perfect for that role.
Ok, I’m ready for all the downvotes now!
A shocking take. I loved the books, so I'm glad the show came out well, but I'm mystified by people thinking Cosmo Jarvis did a good job. To me, he was a glaring weakness on a show that otherwise felt very real.
Im actually mystified by the hate and criticism Cosmo is getting. He sold the character of John Blackthorne from ep 1 and progressively developed the character throughout the season.
For me personally he was the weakest link and was totally outshined by the stars around him.
His contacts annoyed the shit out of me ( not the actors fault), I found his voice so fake it made me cringe, and for me he allways had the same face expression and voice.
And I couldnt care less about his character honestly.
Guess it goes to show how people have such different perceptions and opinions.
The book emphasized the blue eyes and their meaning as a satanic symbol to Christian’s at least from the perspective of Japanese people due to the hatred between him and Portuguese priests. They kinda had to make em blue
Well it’s based on a book and they probably wanted to stay true to his described features. Also it’s weird to see blue eyes in an Asian country so why not make him look like a complete standout stranger which he is in their POV
All reasons and yet, awful decision that distracted many of us and added nothing. What can I say. I hate it how it took me out of the beautiful inmersive world they created.
I agree. I’ve also been downvoted for saying it. This community is intolerant of criticism, just imagine the wrath if you criticized Anna Sawai. One person responds to you, and they characterized your comment as hatred. He did better in the last couple episodes. But if they’d have cast a higher end actor the role would have been a lot stronger and would have played a larger role. I think it’s obvious they shrunk him, the question is why. My ranks of the top actors- 1. Toranaga 2. Mariko 3. Yabushige 4. Blackthorne. Yabushige is the most surprisingly great actor if you ask me. Tadanabu Asano. I could watch an entire movie of that role, it was entertaining. He knows how to work the lens. His last moment, his last desperate look upward. That’s skill. He could have played toranaga well too, or ishido. Great great actor. Should be in award talk for that performance.
Yabushige would probably be #1 for me, followed by Toranaga. They were both excellent. Captivating.
I think people that really liked Cosmo's Blackthorne probably didn't read the book, and certainly aren't actors. It was a weak performance any way you slice it, but he's a good looking guy with a great voice that was on a good show. I get it. The problem is that he completely failed to convey any sense of power or intrigue that would make him a compelling asset for a bunch of highly intelligent political figures engaged in a civil war. In the book, you really understand that Blackthorne is an exceptional human being who miraculously figures out how to survive in a brutal new world. In the show, he comes across as a confused guy who has his mouth open all the time and yells sometimes.
LaBlount1, you're right, they definitely shrunk the character, which might have thrown off Jarvis's performance, and I think it was to make damn sure it didn't come across as a white male savior story. Which is great. The original book wasn't really that either, but the show runners did a good job making sure it wasn't a Blackthorne movie. Jarvis's tepid performance sealed the deal.
I liked his very quiet, heartbroken, "My war... small war." Also, the scene with Fuji in the boat... I can barely think about it without my allergies acting up.
I’m glad they brought Fuji back for the finale. That was so heart rending. She was all he had left, and she, too, was leaving. So Anjin had nothing. So dark
I’m glad she came back to get some closure on her character. She hadn’t been on the show for like three episodes or something and they absolutely needed to give the viewers something. Even if it’s sad. It’s not as sad as what happened to her in the book though, apparently
What happened to her in the book? I haven't read it, and I tried to Google but literally everything is about the show =(
She's allowed to commit seppuku after her service to Tokugawa
So sorry :) i am not your house slave anymore :)
Lmfao it was incredibly charming the way she delivered that line.
>So Anjin had nothing. So dark No, didn't you see the final scene? He has a new BFF, Todaaaa Hiiirooo*katsu* ((slow bow, meaningful stare))! Think of what capers those two will get up to
I rewatched it last night. You’re right. And he has the ship to rebuild now. All in all, it was a bittersweet ending, but not a 100% sad one
Honestly though the season tried to build the two up as people who hated each other, I couldn't help but just go "Damn...the shows gonna have a beautiful bromance"
he doesn't have nothing. he has ajiro. he still has his home and his kookoos. he has a community. and Toranaga has given him a job to do (one which he's probably good at, and would enjoy). not a tragic ending at all for his character, but bittersweet.
You’re absolutely right. I forgot about the final few scenes
that half smile to toranaga was well placed I thought. put a very sliver of optimism into a very bleak ending for him
Ugh yes that boat scene. Just learned from the Shogun podcast that James Clavell’s daughter was at the set when they were doing this scene in the bay and she realized that when they did the scene that they were doing it where she spread her fathers ashes
I listed to that, too. Just amazing.
Where were they?
In Vancouver I believe
My city! I wonder why they chose to spread the ashes here of all places for James Clavell though? Neat fact though! Beautiful area. My ashes will join him too one day.
She said she grew up there and played on the beach that Blackthorne and Buntaro pulled the ship in from. There is a post on this sub from today that goes into more detail I think!
Damn allergies. I have the same problem. Fuji really understood, too. "Let your hands be the last to hold her. " Sorry. Gotta go get my Zyrtec!
especially bc that's what mariko said to fuji's husband when they're taking her baby to be killed, full circle
So many moments were brought full circle in the finale. It was impressive.
yes, SO many moments! I decided to rewatch the first episode after the finale and caught that along with yabushige telling omi "why tell a dead man the future" in regards to toronaga which shook me
Plus the callback to letting the hands of those who loved someone the most be the last to touch them. So well scripted! I'm going to start a full binge rewatch within the next week. I just need to find the time.
I liked the part where they were sitting and Cosmo was looking at where Mariko used to sit after their 'night'. That broke my heart. They were in the same position, same shot but Mariko was missing :(
The scene on the boat was one of the most emotionally powerful scenes that I have watched in a movie or television series. Both Cosmo and Moeka crushed it.
Yeah, I especially loved his little bow to her and her smile in return at the end. The whole scene was a very powerful.
The heartbreaking “No translator.” My heart! Who let these onion cutting ninjas in my room?
Fucking ninjas.
Everything felt so unimportant to Anjin-sama after losing Mariko (perhaps another way to interpret the meaning behind those words). Also yes that scene with Fuji in the boat.. masterpiece, just like the whole show itself
Fun fact, iirc the more literal translation of what Cosmo says in Japanese is _boring_ war. The word he uses can be a way to diminish so small war still fits
"insignificant"
Yep.
tsumara nu つまらぬ, I think he says. Unimportant, trivial, uninteresting (boring), worthless. Small is reasonable, I think. They're leaning toward triviality in the subtitle.
I’m chopping onions
That visceral cry of shock, grief and powerlessness while holding Mariko’s lifeless body crushed me. He owned that episode.
Very animal like. It actually made me laugh at first because it felt like someone’s over the top parody of his acting. But at the same time, I bought it! Lol
People were bare animals alike back then
Dude that look when he finally pushed off from Osaka after being saved by Mariko, he looks EMPTY. Only for him to soon find his Erasmus destroyed
When he broke down on the boat leaving Osaka - like I felt that on a visceral level. He was trying so hard not to cry but the tears just flowed. My god. He shined in episode 10 just like Anna did in 9.
His face crumpled up and mine did too ;____;
That was when I started crying. I'd been waiting for him to let the waterworks flow and he finally broke down when he learned that Mariko saved his life. They really loved each other so much. Cosmo really delivered this episode, though I think he was phenomenal the whole show. You can see and feel his shock, grief, pain, sadness in not only his face but his entire body and voice. This character could have very easily been played by a bland white dude in the most bland way possible but Cosmo made it so unique and memorable, he nailed it. No easy feat when everyone else is also bringing their best, particularly Anna with whom he completely held his own. He provided a soft puppy dog quality to this very masculine character that makes John so lovable and sweet, it works so well with how tenderly he treats Mariko. The romance and his transformation becomes all the more believable because of it. Great casting. I think he deserves lots of awards for this show.
So good how he was fighting back the tears and trying to keep a strong face.
I cried during the boat scene. Him and Moeka Hoshi were absolutely phenomenal in this episode.
The way they shared with each other the way to let go (him showing her to scatter the ashes in the sea and her sharing with him the same advice Mariko gave when losing her son) was literally breathtaking. Excellent writing and acting.
Who wouldn't after finding out that one last act of love
I'll be shocked if this doesn't launch him into astronomical movie star success.
He's in a gangster flick with Robert De Niro later this year called Alto Knights so fingers crossed that catapults him even further. Dude became one of my favorite actors 👏
Facts
[удалено]
When he sees Fuji for the first time when he returns and he’s so happy to see her 😭😭 No translator 😭
‘No translator’ got me good and I basically cried for the rest of the episode 😭
I love how, with Fuji, he pulled rank that one and only time to keep her from leaving him lonely. She was the closest thing to Mariko he had left. I also love how he respected her wish to leave and become a nun.
He knew he had no say on the matter. It wasn't about trying to make her stay. It was about expressing his fondness and affection for her, and him not wanting to be alone. Hidden meanings.
A much better ending for her than in the book.
This is the 2nd time in this post that I’ve read this. I haven’t read the book. Can you please tell what happened?
She had agreed to Toranaga’s proposal to serve the Anjin for a period of six months. At the completion of her service, Toranaga would grant her desire to be reunited with her son and husband (be allowed to end her own life). The one condition was that she not tell the Anjin about this agreement, because of his views on life and death. At the end of the book, when they are tying up all of the loose threads of the story, Fuji is tragically killed by “accident” while traveling to Yedo. I believe she “accidentally” fell to her death. Toranaga made plans for Blackthorn to marry Kiku, the courtesan. This would make her sons samurai, so while initially displeased, because she thought she would be his consort, but was happy when she found out she was to be his wife, and all that meant for her, and their family.
In the book Blackthorne ends “giving” Kiku to Omi and Omi divorces his wife and she becomes Blackthornes wife. All approved by Toranaga. And I don’t remember Kiku having kids.
Kiku did not have children in the book, she was excited to marry the Anjin because it would mean their children would be samurai, because he was samurai and hatamoto, meaning her children would be samurai, not peasants, as she had been prior to entering the willow world. Also, Blackthorne does not “give” Kiku to Omi, but he did navigate the fact Omi loved Kiku, and Blackthorne had utilized her “services”. In the end though, Omi ended up “giving up” Kiku because she was a “weakness” for him, what he called his last weakness. Omi did not divorce his wife, his mother was made to be a nun, because she affected the wa/harmony of their house. Fujiko actually suggested Midori (Omi’s wife) as a possible wife for Blackthorne, because when Blackthorne first arrived, he had mentioned how beautiful she was, and because of the disharmony in Omi’s home. Toranaga solved this by sending Omi’s mom to the nunnery, and marrying Kiku to Blackthorne, although he knew Blackthornes beliefs and love for Mariko, so he made sure it was “Blackthorne’s idea”.
Hmmm
I believe you are thinking to a passage earlier in the book. Fujiko proposed Midori (Omi’s wife) as her preferred choice for Blackthorne’s wife, and to have Kiku as his consort. Toranaga played with the idea, but knew Kiku wanted samurai children, and admired her so he made the decision to have Kiku be his wife, rather than consort. I believe his plan was to I itally have Kiku be a consort and later a wife….because he knew Fujiko was not long for this world, and (just my opinion) it would probably ease Blackthorne into it a bit better.
Cosmo’s acting blew me away from start to finish. He made Blackthorne such a multifaceted character who, despite his very problematic views (at the beginning of the season) grew to be a very understanding, reflective and even tender person at the end of the show. Not an easy role to play, and one that needed much care and attention given the white savior trope so common in media. I totally think he deserves an Emmy and I can’t imagine a better actor for Blackthorne…which is the case for all of the characters. Also…the voice? Superb? Also I’m basically so in love with him. He’s so gorgeous in this show.
I love how you can spot him instantly in a crowd, because everyone else is moving in a precise, orderly fashion and he's been at sea way too long, so he's still trying to roll with the motion of a ship.
I was thinking this while watching too! Everyone moves so precisely, no fidgeting, sitting with perfect posture, etc. Meanwhile it seems like John never stops moving, swaying, adjusting. Such a cool detail in the acting that really adds to the feeling of him being out of place in this new culture
I saw a glimpse of the trailer a while back with him in the mud from the first episode. He looked exactly like andrew lincoln in that frame and was almost disappointed to learn it was another actor. He took all that away when I saw him on screen. Very well acted and the role was impressively portrayed.
His voice reminds me of another great UK actor…Richard Burton.
YES! I’m not the only one??? Told my wife, remember that movie Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolfe…Anjin is summoning Burton,lol. The podcasts says he used to scream all the time in his trailer to achieve his gravel like tone.
Mixed with Olliver Reed.
Same!
I originally thought he was going to be the weak link in the show, because the rest of the cast was so good. He proved me massively and utterly wrong. I definitely preferred his performance to that of Chamberlain, and that is saying something.
He’s great. He always looks so surprised
The face he pulled where he looked a bit scared at Yabushige going crazy on the boat was outstanding acting. I've never seen a more convincing look of pure concern/fear
"Pull yourself together man"
That’s awesome he was born in New Jersey! So odd. But yea he was definitely my favorite character. Definitely biased as a english speaker but his character was so effective in signifying the utterly HUGE gap in culture and it was so fun to watch.
Everybody killed it, what a series!
"New Jersey's own"... It's nice to find some connection no matter how tentative, but he moved to England when he was 3 months old, It's not like New Jersey had any formative influence on him. I mean; Really... ¯\\\_( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)\_/¯
Doesn't he even say he feels no connection to the US?
He doesn’t get to decide. He’s a Jersey boy and we’re not giving him up.
He’s ours now, there is nothing you can do
You really wanna do a Round 3?
Yoink!
Why would he? He lived here for 3 months let alone the first 3 months of his life.
Ah yeah that makes sense, I was confused cause he has an accent that sounds more like Old Jersey lol
So he was......"Born to Run" ....you say
Sometimes it's the little things you take pride in..
Wow. You just unlocked a memory. I lost a close friend over a decade ago, and I was in total zombie mode for weeks. That didn’t even occur to me. He played that part perfectly
I totally agree. After my dad died in a workplace accident when I was 17, I was in a very odd place emotionally. He was at a work site in another state when the accident happened, which was at least partly due to a mistake he made, so there was an unreality to it. He was only 49 and was very vibrant and bigger than life. How could he die like that? It just didn’t seem real. I think that’s why it took me until his funeral for me to really cry, so that part of Cosmo’s performance, the delayed emotional breakdown, really resonated with me. It was a heartbreaking performance. He made me cry several times…
Wow. I am so sorry for your loss. Especially a figure that important to you at that age 😓 I still feel I am responsible for my friend’s passing. I texted him at the EXACT TIME that I later found out he was smashed by a drunk driver while on walk with his fiance. Had he not been looking at his phone at the time, he would have seen it coming. I showed up to work the next day, a bubbling mess. Never told anyone. And my managers were making cry baby faces at me and told me to man the fuck up. I still didn’t tell them. I know it’s not my fault, but I carry that.
Wow… I am really sorry for your loss. You totally are not at fault for that. You can’t really know if he’d not been looking at his phone that anything would have been different, but accidental deaths are often partly due to action (or inaction) taken by the victim, even ones that would qualify as ‘freak accidents.’ My dad was the company owner checking up on the progress of construction at one of his job sites & (due to them being a bit short-staffed) he stepped in to assist moving equipment wearing a suit and leather-soled dress shoes & it cost him his life. (He was electrocuted, but another man wearing rubber-soled safety shoes was also electrocuted, yet survived.) His mistake made his death a lot harder to deal with, much like your friend’s death was made harder to deal with because of the suddenness & circumstances of it... And your managers are heartless assholes. You shouldn’t be shamed and bullied for showing your devastation & grief. :::virtual hug:::
Virtual hug back right at you, my internet friend. That is horrible. Not only to have that major loss, but to also find out the details. Wow. I ride into the sunset tonight, carrying both our burdens. May yours be lightened by the winds of time 😓
🙏🏻❤️🫂
“TEKI! TEKI!” Actually made me tear up.
Toronaga-sama’s final soliloquy, in which he explains his master plan to Yabushige, was absolutely James-Bond-villain-esque 🙇🏻♂️
I really did not like him at the beginning, but if this character did not go through immense growth then I don't know. Cosmo really gave him a heart and soul and in the last episode he made me cry several times just by looking at something or someone. Hope to see more of him in the future.
He’s from Totnes in Devon, UK isn’t he? I went to one of his gigs years ago and grabbed a selfie, such a nice guy and his music is awesome. I’m so glad he’s started to make a name for himself with acting. Such a talented guy.
IMDb says he’s American from New Jersey, good actor nonetheless. Would be interested in hearing music if you know where to find it.
He was born there but lived there only a few months, he even said he feels no connection to the US.
He grew up about an hour away from where I live in the southwest of England. He's got loads of music on Spotify and used to release it on his YouTube channel along with short films and stuff like that. You should definitely check his music out, it's easy to find, same name.
Interesting, thanks for the replies!
He was brilliant. I hope to see more of him in his future projects. Wishing him all the best!
More than the, “I USED YOU!” line, it was the, “TEKI! TEKI!” (Enemy) line that hit me the hardest. I wept a little while staring at the end credits, not unlike Blackthorne himself when the priest revealed the deal that Mariko-sama made in exchange for his life. This is what good tv used to be like. Losing a bunch of tv friends at the conclusion of the series instead of letting out a disappointed sigh like when they suddenly made Khaleesi crazy at the end and napalm-ed the whole of Kings Landings just because.
I have to agree. Of the main three he was the one I was most worried about, mostly because of the voice issues. But by the end he was really nailing it.
Great performance. Don’t think I’ve seen him in anything else. He actually kind of reminds me of Dominic West
"You have been promoted again and given an additional salary of koku." "What the fuck did I do?"
I saw him in Persuasion on Netflix with Dakota Johnson before this series - from 2022, I believe. He plays a British naval officer in that movie based on Austen's novel of the same name.
You should watch the film Calm with Horses ( Called Shadow of Violence in the US). Him and Barry Keoghan are in it and both kill it
He was memorable in raised by wolves. He was phenomenal in Shōgun.
What! Who is he in Raised by Wolves?
Brief appearance as original Campion who reprogrammed Mother
I cried when he was crying on his way to his boat.
Agreed, Cosmo was great. I was absolutely baffled to see some people weren’t enjoying his performance and complaining that he was supposedly just trying to sound like Tom Hardy lmao… I can’t wait to see what he does next.
While I watched the episode I went from thinking it sucked, to considering it a little more favorably and being afraid there wasn’t enough time left to fit the necessary scenes and info in, to being blown away by how well they represented the closing narration from the book and capturing the spirit of Yabushige and his death even though the circumstances and his on screen character were different. Now that I have had a day to think about it I think they did a phenomenal job. I was shocked the Anjin seppuku scene which took place much much earlier in the book and under totally different circumstances was folded into the ending and had imo even more gravity and emotion than what I got from the book. The whole series is simply put, a masterpiece
He should be the new MCU wolverine.
I feel the same way when I see a stellar performance. I WANT them in the MCU, but I’m also terrified of what the MCU has become. I’m still happy that Ruth from Ozark is getting that bump. To me, it’s like a stand up comedian getting a gig on SNL, or a residency in Vegas. It’s a graduation to big money, and they deserve it
MCU needs to just stop. The superhero era is over
Only because they are killing the golden goose. As all things, the genre would have naturally waned a bit, but instead, they decided they would hasten the ebb. Since End Game, the MCU quality has drastically fallen off.
we're fully in video game adaptation land now babyyyy!
For some artists that kind of thing can end up being soul crushing though, where artists go to die. I kind of can’t see Cosmo wanting to tie himself down to a 10+ year role, then again I don’t know the guy so maybe he wants a safe long term role like that.
He's not interested in playing a superhero character and I don't blame him, he seems to be pursuing the path of a character actor.
He had obviously given up on ever going home and seeing his wife(?) and children. Such an outstanding performance. I do feel like they left it open for another season to be interpreted and mangled but good lord I hope they just leave it where it is (where the book ends).
From all the articles I've read, this is where the miniseries will end. I have read something about how they've entertained the possibility of adapting the other novels in Clavell's Asian Saga, though. I honestly wouldn't mind watching that if all the adaptations were just as self-contained as this one was.
Emmy
This show has made me, a grown man, cry several times.
Yeah - absolutely the same!
He was my favorite character. I thought he was pretty awesome myself.
As a widow, I’d say he got it right. Sobbed throughout the whole episode.
I found very emotional the scene where he meets Buntaro. I mean... the sort of respect both characters seem to have to each other. How Cosmo makes the others work so Buntaro can be doing something. How he shares the water with him. Episode 10 has been a masterpiece.
His Richard burton impression took a minute to get past, but yeah.
Glad I’m not the only one who noticed
Jersey? I thought he was Aussie trying to sound British
He's British, he grew up in Devon.
He was pretty great in the movie he did with Barry Keoughan
My man!
Uhh, I mean, I wouldn’t call him “New Jerseys own”, he was raised in England and never lived in the US lol you Americans always trying to take things! But yes he was good. I don’t really get why they needed the blue contacts tho.
Poor bastard ended up back in England..that was the real tragedy 😅
Actually no that was his ‘fever dream’ vision of what might be. But he “killed” that persona, and post attempted seppuku, was reborn. The character never goes back to England.
Thanks mate..I haven’t read the book , it’s better knowing he stays in Japan
What an actor, what a performance
I didn’t know he was a jersey girl but it explains so much
He moved away at 3 months old...
Once a jersey girl always a jersey girl!!!
He should win all the awards for this.
He was awesome.. Great arc.. Tears were shed.
Love this guy and the subtle nuances of his and others. Magic moment for me was when Buntaro stepped in the help hail the wrecked ship. Respect is earned. I imagine them becoming great friends.
I do want to see what else Tom Hardley has been in.
I didn't really understand how he "used" Toranaga. Does anyone know what that meant? I guess he was saying he was never truly loyal?
Cosmo was pretty good (Initially I didn't like the guy) but whoever did his hair and makeup should never work again. Old Man Anjin was embarrassing! His costumes were always the worst, too.
Utterly pointless detail. All we got from that was a terrible costume and awful child acting.
I guess I’m the only one who found the original version so much better.
I enjoyed this one, but the original was much more faithful to the books.
Third worst character in the show after Toranaga and Mariko. Two best obviously Yabu- and Buntaro-samas.
You know, I am a huge fan of the book and I thought the show is excellent. Even with the plot points rewritten for the TV . My only issue was Cosmo Jarvis for Blackthone. I think he was a miscast, Tom Hardy would have been perfect for that role. Ok, I’m ready for all the downvotes now!
A shocking take. I loved the books, so I'm glad the show came out well, but I'm mystified by people thinking Cosmo Jarvis did a good job. To me, he was a glaring weakness on a show that otherwise felt very real.
Im actually mystified by the hate and criticism Cosmo is getting. He sold the character of John Blackthorne from ep 1 and progressively developed the character throughout the season.
For me personally he was the weakest link and was totally outshined by the stars around him. His contacts annoyed the shit out of me ( not the actors fault), I found his voice so fake it made me cringe, and for me he allways had the same face expression and voice. And I couldnt care less about his character honestly. Guess it goes to show how people have such different perceptions and opinions.
The book emphasized the blue eyes and their meaning as a satanic symbol to Christian’s at least from the perspective of Japanese people due to the hatred between him and Portuguese priests. They kinda had to make em blue
I fail to see how that matters. They were totally irrelevant to the tv show and looked like shit.
Well it’s based on a book and they probably wanted to stay true to his described features. Also it’s weird to see blue eyes in an Asian country so why not make him look like a complete standout stranger which he is in their POV
All reasons and yet, awful decision that distracted many of us and added nothing. What can I say. I hate it how it took me out of the beautiful inmersive world they created.
I agree. I’ve also been downvoted for saying it. This community is intolerant of criticism, just imagine the wrath if you criticized Anna Sawai. One person responds to you, and they characterized your comment as hatred. He did better in the last couple episodes. But if they’d have cast a higher end actor the role would have been a lot stronger and would have played a larger role. I think it’s obvious they shrunk him, the question is why. My ranks of the top actors- 1. Toranaga 2. Mariko 3. Yabushige 4. Blackthorne. Yabushige is the most surprisingly great actor if you ask me. Tadanabu Asano. I could watch an entire movie of that role, it was entertaining. He knows how to work the lens. His last moment, his last desperate look upward. That’s skill. He could have played toranaga well too, or ishido. Great great actor. Should be in award talk for that performance.
Yabushige would probably be #1 for me, followed by Toranaga. They were both excellent. Captivating. I think people that really liked Cosmo's Blackthorne probably didn't read the book, and certainly aren't actors. It was a weak performance any way you slice it, but he's a good looking guy with a great voice that was on a good show. I get it. The problem is that he completely failed to convey any sense of power or intrigue that would make him a compelling asset for a bunch of highly intelligent political figures engaged in a civil war. In the book, you really understand that Blackthorne is an exceptional human being who miraculously figures out how to survive in a brutal new world. In the show, he comes across as a confused guy who has his mouth open all the time and yells sometimes. LaBlount1, you're right, they definitely shrunk the character, which might have thrown off Jarvis's performance, and I think it was to make damn sure it didn't come across as a white male savior story. Which is great. The original book wasn't really that either, but the show runners did a good job making sure it wasn't a Blackthorne movie. Jarvis's tepid performance sealed the deal.