The endgame begins.
There are a few themes that the show has ensured stay in the forefront of our minds – Tahomaru vs Hyakkimaru in both ideology they embody and the fact that, had circumstances been different, they could have been great brothers, as well as Hyakkimaru’s personal conflict with his goals and the means he is willing to take in order to reach those goals. They have made it clear that reckless pursuing of his goals will certainly lead into his soul becoming demonic and his own ruin, the same as the demons that to this point he has already cut down.
It is almost certain that the tale of Hyakkimaru will end in nothing but tragedy, as despite the doll-maker’s wishes, Hyakkimaru continues with a single purpose to Daigo to reclaim what is his after his spurning. Make no mistake, his family carries even more responsibility for this than does he, and if they try to pass Daigo off as a “misguided ruler” at this point I would probably laugh in the face of the atrocities he has committed for his fragile peace. There’s no end to bloodshed for him and there is nothing he would not do for his country – there is absolutely no line for remorse in his patriotism.
Tahomaru sets off with Hyogo and Mutsu to put an end to Hyakkimaru shortly after receiving word that he is on his way to the land of Daigo. Daigo himself, unable to deal with him personally considering the resources he is spending in the ongoing war, cannot leave his post and does not seek to deny his son the conviction he can see in his eyes. If anything is clear, it is that there is nothing that can be done to change the fate of Tahomaru and Hyakkimaru from fighting one another until only one remains.
Ironically after calling themselves the left and right arms of Tahomaru, Mutsu and Hyogo are taken out of the picture after Hyakkimaru deftly slices their respective limbs off. Worse yet, we later find out that Mutsu is suffering from a deadly fever that will certainly take her life in a matter of time. I feel for them and understand that they’ve given their life for Tahomaru’s wishes, but I can’t help but feel as though being complicit in the murder of kin that this was a kind of karma for them.
Meanwhile, things are not much better for Hyakkimaru. After getting deus-ex-machina’d off the field so as to ensure Tahomaru didn’t meet his maker, the white horse that was wrongfully forced from its home as a result of the Daigo war rebirthed itself as a demon, giving Hyakkimaru a means to exact retribution on the people of Daigo. No doubt its rebirth was a result of the animosity it harbors towards the nation and its people. Unfortunately, Hyakkimaru has essentially succumbed to the anger inside of him and at this point is being openly called a demon. Mutsu returns to the hall of hell hoping to give her body in exchange for Hyakkimaru’s, but the demons make it clear that only Hyakkimaru’s body can serve as the exchange. Tahomaru and Hyogo march out to meet the newly created demon, only this time it appears that Tahomaru himself has bartered with the demons to achieve newfound power.
This can only end in tragedy. I will be surprised if anyone but Dororo makes it out of this alive. Perhaps the worst pit in my stomach is when the doll-maker reunites with Hyakkimaru and sees the state he is in.
