Friday, November 11, 2005
Yoshitsune #41: The End of Brotherly Ties 兄弟絶縁
Without seeing Yoritomo, Yoshitsune leaves for Kyoto with Munemori and his son Kiyomune. Deep in his heart, Yoshitsune starts to suspect Yoritomo for his real intention.
During one of the stops in the journey, Munemori asks to see Yoshitsune.
Munemori: "What are you going to with us from now on?"
Yoshitsune: "I am bringing you and your son back to the capital."
Munemori: "And what happens after that? Will it be death penalty for us? Or are you going to behead us halfway through the journey?"
Benkei assures that they will do nothing to them as they are only instructed to escort them back to Kyoto. However, Munemori still feels insecure as he notices that Yoshitsune wears a burdened look on his face. (Although that burden is to do with Yoritomo and not Munemori.)
Meanwhile in Kamakura, Masako sees Yoritomo who seems to be somewhat troubled too. She tells him not to regret his decision to send Yoshitsune away without seeing him.
Masako: "According to Hiromoto, in Yoshitsune's letter, he only talked about winning the battles for you as your brother. He doesn't see himself as one of your kerai at all! It was a right decision to send him away."
Yoritomo: "It is not that..."
(Masako is blaming Yoshitsune for not seeing himself as Yoritomo's servant but his brother... nanto??!?! Yoshitsune doesn't OWE Yoritomo anything!! He came all the way from Oushuu and put his life on the line for Yoritomo and this is all he gets??!?)
The truth is, Yoritomo is troubled not because he regrets his decision to send Yoshitsune away but because he is worried about Yoshitsune's loyalty to him. He reveals to Hiromoto and Tokimasa that he is worried Munemori will win Yoshitsune over and they will join hands against himself. (Well, if you haven't treat Yoshitsune so bad, you wouldn't have to worry about him rebelling against you, stupid.)
Yoritomo: "We will need to bind Yoshitsune's power."
Hiromoto suggests confiscating the 24 territories that originally belonged to the Heike and were given to Yoshitsune after he defeated them. Tokimasa suggests getting rid of Munemori and his son.
Stopping at a temple on the journey back, Yoshitsune learns that Shigehira was there a few days ago too. He informs Munemori and the latter starts to talk about his own brothers. He has always felt jealous of them and now regrets his pettiness. He knows he will never get to see Shigehira again. Yoshitsune gets upset hearing Munemori talks about his own brothers with pride.
Meanwhile, Shigehira has been escorted to a temple in Kizu and handed over to (some mean-looking) monks from the "southern capital" of Nara. They have pressurised Yoritomo to surrender him as they want to punish Shigehira for setting fire to the sacred Todaiji and Koufukuji previously. (Hey, I have been to these two shines in Nara! You mean the reason why I wasn't able to see the original huge Buddha statue (the one inside Todaiji now is a replica of the original, thou it is pretty darn big too) anymore was because Shigehira burnt it down hundreds of years ago??? Aiyaiyaii..) Sukeko receives news of this and hurries to the temple to see Shigehira but is denied entry.
The monks interrogate Shigehira for his actions in the past and the man admits to all of them gamely. The next day, Shigehira prepares for his execution when he suddenly hears his wife Sukeko yelling for him outside. Initially calm and composed, he begs the head monk to let him see his wife for a last time. Sukeko is let in and allowed a final reunion with her husband, whom she has not met since the Ichinotani battle. (SAAAAAADDDDD~~~~~~~~~~~ Shigehira is my favourite Heike yoooo!!!! Why is it that the end of Taiga dramas is always marked with lots of deaths??!) Shigehira bites off a lock of his hair and gives it to Sukeko as a momento. He makes her promise not to follow him to death, but live her life to the fullest. (OH MY GAWD!!! The scene where he tries to bite off his hair is sooooo heartbreaking!!! Yadaaa.....)
Shigehira: "We will reunite again in the other world."
With that, Sukeko is taken away and Shigehira beheaded. He was 29.
Go-Shirakawa learns of Shigehira's death. This means that Munemori is the only surviving son of Kiyomori. Tsubone asks if they have any use for Munemori when they return to the capital but Go-Shirakawa says, Yoshitsune is more useful to him now. (I seriously wonder how Tomoyasu remains sane working for these two severly whacked out masters. -_-)
Yoshitsune's group arrives in Shinohara just outside the capital. Munemori reveals that he has been feeling tense throughout the journey, knowing that he could be killed anytime. But now that they have come this far and about to enter the capital the next day, he finally feels relieved. He wants to visit Go-Shirakawa and asks for forgiveness. If he does forgive him, Munemori plans to enter a temple and become a monk to pray for the lost souls of his clan for the rest of his life. Hearing this, Yoshitsune tells Munemori he will help and speak up for them in front of Go-Shirakawa. Just then, one of Yoritomo's men Morinaga arrives with a message. The message is from Yoritomo to execute Munemori and his son at once. Yoshitsune is against this cruel treatment as he feels Munemori is no longer a threat to the Genji. He tries to protect the two by delaying any action until they return to the capital but Morinaga insists an answer immediately. Yoshitsune has no choice but to agree. He feels depressed that he is unable to save Munemori and his son despite assuring to help them earlier.
Munemori asks to see Yoshitsune since their journey is ending and they may never meet again. He reminisces about their childhood and admits to Yoshitsune that he once thought Kiyomori was not his real father. He has always felt sidelined and incredibly jealous of his other brothers and even Yoshitsune (when he was still known as Ushiwaka). He felt Kiyomori favoured Yoshitsune over his own sons. He still remembered how happy Kiyomori looked when he told Yoshitsune his dream of a new capital even though he doddled on his precious divider screen. So jealous he was, he damaged the screen with stones. Through this intimate convesation, the two of them realise they have a common point, that Kiyomori meant a lot to them. Munemori knows Yoshitsune has received an order from Yoritomo to execute them. He guessed it from Yoshitsune's expression when he first entered the room. He begs Yoshitsune to spare his son's life, as killing him too will mean the end of the Heike bloodline. Kiyomune appears at this moment and tells his father not to put Yoshitsune in a dilemma. Yoshitsune feels helpless and is at a loss of words.
The next morning, Munemori prepares for his execution. Kiyomune has already been executed earlier. Yoshitsune asks if he has any last things to say.
Munemori: "There is nothing left worth to say." (As in, since everyone around him is dead, there is no point for him to beg for his life anymore.)
Although Munemori has acted cowardly at times, he takes his final execution with fortitude. He smiles at Yoshitsune as if to thank him for his gracious treatment. He was 39.
Morinaga watches Yoshitsune like an eagle as tears well up in Yoshitsune's eyes. (pokes Morinaga's eyes. ARRGHHH!!)
Later that night, Yoshitsune ponders alone in his room. The distrust from Yoritomo hurts him greatly and he finally makes up his mind.
He announces to his kerai the next morning.
Yoshitsune: "Whether I execute Munemori or not, it is obviously a test set by Yoritomo. To go to this extent means that he no longer trusts me. If this is how he feels, there is no need for me to work for him anymore. He is prepared to throw away all compassion and resort to such cruel methods to build his new country. This is not what I hope for. Our journey to build a new country with him together ends here. From today onwards, I will take a different path from him."
~End of Episode 41~
During one of the stops in the journey, Munemori asks to see Yoshitsune.
Munemori: "What are you going to with us from now on?"
Yoshitsune: "I am bringing you and your son back to the capital."
Munemori: "And what happens after that? Will it be death penalty for us? Or are you going to behead us halfway through the journey?"
Benkei assures that they will do nothing to them as they are only instructed to escort them back to Kyoto. However, Munemori still feels insecure as he notices that Yoshitsune wears a burdened look on his face. (Although that burden is to do with Yoritomo and not Munemori.)
Meanwhile in Kamakura, Masako sees Yoritomo who seems to be somewhat troubled too. She tells him not to regret his decision to send Yoshitsune away without seeing him.
Masako: "According to Hiromoto, in Yoshitsune's letter, he only talked about winning the battles for you as your brother. He doesn't see himself as one of your kerai at all! It was a right decision to send him away."
Yoritomo: "It is not that..."
(Masako is blaming Yoshitsune for not seeing himself as Yoritomo's servant but his brother... nanto??!?! Yoshitsune doesn't OWE Yoritomo anything!! He came all the way from Oushuu and put his life on the line for Yoritomo and this is all he gets??!?)
The truth is, Yoritomo is troubled not because he regrets his decision to send Yoshitsune away but because he is worried about Yoshitsune's loyalty to him. He reveals to Hiromoto and Tokimasa that he is worried Munemori will win Yoshitsune over and they will join hands against himself. (Well, if you haven't treat Yoshitsune so bad, you wouldn't have to worry about him rebelling against you, stupid.)
Yoritomo: "We will need to bind Yoshitsune's power."
Hiromoto suggests confiscating the 24 territories that originally belonged to the Heike and were given to Yoshitsune after he defeated them. Tokimasa suggests getting rid of Munemori and his son.
Stopping at a temple on the journey back, Yoshitsune learns that Shigehira was there a few days ago too. He informs Munemori and the latter starts to talk about his own brothers. He has always felt jealous of them and now regrets his pettiness. He knows he will never get to see Shigehira again. Yoshitsune gets upset hearing Munemori talks about his own brothers with pride.
Meanwhile, Shigehira has been escorted to a temple in Kizu and handed over to (some mean-looking) monks from the "southern capital" of Nara. They have pressurised Yoritomo to surrender him as they want to punish Shigehira for setting fire to the sacred Todaiji and Koufukuji previously. (Hey, I have been to these two shines in Nara! You mean the reason why I wasn't able to see the original huge Buddha statue (the one inside Todaiji now is a replica of the original, thou it is pretty darn big too) anymore was because Shigehira burnt it down hundreds of years ago??? Aiyaiyaii..) Sukeko receives news of this and hurries to the temple to see Shigehira but is denied entry.
The monks interrogate Shigehira for his actions in the past and the man admits to all of them gamely. The next day, Shigehira prepares for his execution when he suddenly hears his wife Sukeko yelling for him outside. Initially calm and composed, he begs the head monk to let him see his wife for a last time. Sukeko is let in and allowed a final reunion with her husband, whom she has not met since the Ichinotani battle. (SAAAAAADDDDD~~~~~~~~~~~ Shigehira is my favourite Heike yoooo!!!! Why is it that the end of Taiga dramas is always marked with lots of deaths??!) Shigehira bites off a lock of his hair and gives it to Sukeko as a momento. He makes her promise not to follow him to death, but live her life to the fullest. (OH MY GAWD!!! The scene where he tries to bite off his hair is sooooo heartbreaking!!! Yadaaa.....)
Shigehira: "We will reunite again in the other world."
With that, Sukeko is taken away and Shigehira beheaded. He was 29.
Go-Shirakawa learns of Shigehira's death. This means that Munemori is the only surviving son of Kiyomori. Tsubone asks if they have any use for Munemori when they return to the capital but Go-Shirakawa says, Yoshitsune is more useful to him now. (I seriously wonder how Tomoyasu remains sane working for these two severly whacked out masters. -_-)
Yoshitsune's group arrives in Shinohara just outside the capital. Munemori reveals that he has been feeling tense throughout the journey, knowing that he could be killed anytime. But now that they have come this far and about to enter the capital the next day, he finally feels relieved. He wants to visit Go-Shirakawa and asks for forgiveness. If he does forgive him, Munemori plans to enter a temple and become a monk to pray for the lost souls of his clan for the rest of his life. Hearing this, Yoshitsune tells Munemori he will help and speak up for them in front of Go-Shirakawa. Just then, one of Yoritomo's men Morinaga arrives with a message. The message is from Yoritomo to execute Munemori and his son at once. Yoshitsune is against this cruel treatment as he feels Munemori is no longer a threat to the Genji. He tries to protect the two by delaying any action until they return to the capital but Morinaga insists an answer immediately. Yoshitsune has no choice but to agree. He feels depressed that he is unable to save Munemori and his son despite assuring to help them earlier.
Munemori asks to see Yoshitsune since their journey is ending and they may never meet again. He reminisces about their childhood and admits to Yoshitsune that he once thought Kiyomori was not his real father. He has always felt sidelined and incredibly jealous of his other brothers and even Yoshitsune (when he was still known as Ushiwaka). He felt Kiyomori favoured Yoshitsune over his own sons. He still remembered how happy Kiyomori looked when he told Yoshitsune his dream of a new capital even though he doddled on his precious divider screen. So jealous he was, he damaged the screen with stones. Through this intimate convesation, the two of them realise they have a common point, that Kiyomori meant a lot to them. Munemori knows Yoshitsune has received an order from Yoritomo to execute them. He guessed it from Yoshitsune's expression when he first entered the room. He begs Yoshitsune to spare his son's life, as killing him too will mean the end of the Heike bloodline. Kiyomune appears at this moment and tells his father not to put Yoshitsune in a dilemma. Yoshitsune feels helpless and is at a loss of words.
The next morning, Munemori prepares for his execution. Kiyomune has already been executed earlier. Yoshitsune asks if he has any last things to say.
Munemori: "There is nothing left worth to say." (As in, since everyone around him is dead, there is no point for him to beg for his life anymore.)
Although Munemori has acted cowardly at times, he takes his final execution with fortitude. He smiles at Yoshitsune as if to thank him for his gracious treatment. He was 39.
Morinaga watches Yoshitsune like an eagle as tears well up in Yoshitsune's eyes. (pokes Morinaga's eyes. ARRGHHH!!)
Later that night, Yoshitsune ponders alone in his room. The distrust from Yoritomo hurts him greatly and he finally makes up his mind.
He announces to his kerai the next morning.
Yoshitsune: "Whether I execute Munemori or not, it is obviously a test set by Yoritomo. To go to this extent means that he no longer trusts me. If this is how he feels, there is no need for me to work for him anymore. He is prepared to throw away all compassion and resort to such cruel methods to build his new country. This is not what I hope for. Our journey to build a new country with him together ends here. From today onwards, I will take a different path from him."
~End of Episode 41~
// posted by snuffles @ 1:11 AM 
