Mori Motonari/Synopsis Eps 31-49
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Synopsis By Episode
Episodes 31 thru 40
- Episode 31
After losing both his wife and stepmother in a span of six months, Motonari becomes a changed man. With no one to protect anymore, he declares he will live the way he wants. He makes plans to take control of the Kikkawa Clan by offering his second son Motoharu for adoption. Clan lord Okitsune scoffs at the suggestion and tries to make Kumatani Nobunao an ally against the Mori. But Motoharu expresses a desire to marry Kumatani's plain-looking daughter, thus ensuring Kumatani's loyalty to the Mori. With no one to support him, Okitsune is forced to accept Motonari's proposal. And just as planned, the Kikkawa Clan is about to fall into Motonari's lap.
- Episode 32
In 1547, Motoharu leaks information that the chief retainer of the Kikkawa Clan has been usurping clan funds and conveniently gets rid of a thorn in his side. Then he forces Okitsune and Okitsune's son to retire and installs Motoharu as the clan lord. With the Kikkawa Clan secure under his control, Motonari looks to add the Kobayakawa Clan to his growing domain. However, Inoue Motokane has other ideas.
- Episode 33
Motonari journeys with his sons to Yamaguchi to inform the Ouchi of Motoharu's ascension as the lord of the Kikkawa Clan and Takamoto's marriage to Toshi. Upon his arrival, Kosanta tells Motonari that an assassination plot is brewing. During a Noh performance, a masked dancer attacks Motonari. It turns out to be Jiro, who has long held a grudge against Motonari. When Motonari calmly reveals his feelings and tells Jiro to go ahead and kill him, Jiro loses fight and drops his sword. But later, another attempt is made on Motonari's life...
- Episode 34
Motonari recovers from Inoue Motokane's attempt to poison him and returns home from Yamaguchi. Motonari's sons and vassals call upon their lord to punish Motokane, but Motonari convinces them to bind their time. Autumn passes and Motoharu is formally adopted into the Kikkawa Clan. With his sons safely installed in the clans of his allies, Motonari orders his men to take up arms against Inoue Motokane. Finally cornered, Motokane kills himself with a pistol.
- Episode 35
The year is 1550. The entire Inoue clan has been annihilated and Takamoto begins to worry that his father is becoming more radical. When word reaches him that Kikkawa Okitsune is planning to escape to Kyushu, Motonari uses Kosanta to spread a rumor about Okitsune's treason. And Kikkawa is captured while attempting to leave the fief and once again, an entire family is executed.
- Episode 36
Six years after Mii's death, Motonari takes a concubine. Around that time, rumors abound that Sue Harukata is going to turn on his lord, Ouchi Yoshitaka. Soon missives from both the Sue and Ouchi reach Mori, asking for assistance. Although Takamoto favors siding with the Ouchi, Motonari disagrees, believing that a Sue victory is inevitable. On August 28, 1551, the Sue forces attack Yamaguchi and Ouchi Yoshitaka is forced to flee. With no hope of victory, Ouchi kills himself. Learning of Yoshitaka's death, Mori orders an attack on the Ouchi's main castle. An era is coming to an end, but in the Mori clan, a rift is growing between Motonari and Takamoto.
- Episode 37
In 1552, Sue Harukata names Otomo Sorin's brother as successor, but retains control of the Ouchi clan. And Motonari warns Takamoto that this is not the time to fight. Meanwhile, Amago Haruhisa orders his wife Mitsu's father to march to Bingo. However, Bingo has long been a Mori stronghold and Kunihisa is defeated badly. The victory boosts the confidence of the Mori and Motonari decides that the time has come to confront Sue and calls upon his three sons to stand strong and united. The year is 1554 and Motonari is just about to turn 59.
- Episode 38
Motonari decides to face Sue Harukata in battle, but his forces are outnumbered ten to one and the outlook is bleak. Motonari's strategy is to take over Itsukushima while the Sue forces are attacking Iwami, then face them head on. Takamoto's young army has no trouble conquering Itsukushima. As his main army prepares to join Takamoto, Motonari gets a little help from fate. Amago Haruhisa executes his own father-in-law as a traitor, which totally demoralizes the Ouchi clan, and Sue kills Era Fusenaga, a trusted vassal. With the final showdown looming ahead, Motonari's enemies lose two precious generals and weaken themselves from within.
- Episode 39
In 1555, Katsura Motosumi offers his services to Sue Harukata, claiming he wishes to avenge the his father who was killed by Motonari. At first, he is viewed with suspicion, but Katsura wins Sue over after he discloses the date that Motonari will reach Itsukushima. Around that time, the Murakami navy under Jiro and Kame become Mori allies when Motonari convinces them that the weak and strong must unite and make sacrifices today in order to bring about change for tomorrow.
- Episode 40
On September 30, in the middle of a terrible storm, Motonari orders his army to set sail for Itsukushima. His sons, as well as Jiro, oppose vehemently. Motonari tells them that man faces three types of crises: uphill, downhill and the "impossibill" -- whereupon the men rise and set out on this impossible mission. Meanwhile, Harukata, believing that Motonari will not make a move in the storm, tells his men to rest. As day breaks on October 1, Motonari's men stand ready for war, while back at home, their women wait anxiously and pray.
Episodes 41 thru 49 (end)
- Episode 41
Motonari's army defeats Sue Harukata in the October 1555 battle at Itsukushima. But Takamoto harshly criticizes the risky strategy taken by Motonari. Motonari slaps his son across the cheeks declaring that he deserves to be executed for such a rude display of anger. After Takamoto storms out, Motonari thanks his retainers for training his son to be such a shrewd warrior. The following year, the Mori begin an offensive on Yamaguchi, forcing Ouchi Yoshinaga to flee his domain. Yoshinaga commits suicide in 1557 bringing an end to the Ouchi dynasty. Now, the Mori control a vast empire, but Motonari begins to fear that perhaps they have grown too powerful.
- Episode 42
Motonari, who is past sixty years of age, takes a new wife named Tae. Although things work out well between them, there is trouble among his children over the division of land won from the Ouchi. Both Harumoto and Takakage claim that Takamoto's share is far too large. Takamoto, in turn, accuses his two younger brothers of forcing marriage upon their father. Disgusted with the fighting, Motonari decides to relinquish all control and declares Takamoto to be the one and only head of the Mori.
- Episode 43
In 1556, the Mori conquer Yamabuki Castle which also gives them control of the valuable Iwami silver mines. Motonari swears that he will never let the mine slip into the hands of the Amago. However, at that time, Haruhisa is busy preparing an offensive against the Mori. With his sons away in Kyushu struggling to conquer Moji Castle, Motonari is in a very vulnerable position. Seizing the opportunity, Haruhisa attacks. Motonari escapes with his life, but he loses 600 of his men and the silver mine. In September 1559, Takamoto and his brothers make a triumphant return to Koriyama. This time, with his sons at his side, Motonari and his army of 14,000 men set out to take back Yamabuki Castle.
- Episode 44
Motonari celebrates his 65th birthday in 1561. The Ouchi have been conquered. The Amago clan is in an uproar after Haruhisa is poisoned by his wife. Only the Mori clan is thriving. Takamoto takes this opportunity to address his vassals and restructure the Mori council. Although this is met with some resistance, Motonari again emphasizes that Takamoto is the leader of the clan. Takakage throws a party in his brother's honor. At the party, Mori gets up to dance. Takamoto watches intently and is reminded of all the qualities that have made his father great. Later, Takamoto promises Motonari to do his best as clan lord, and father and son talk deep into the night.
- Episode 45
The year is 1561, and all is well with the Mori who control the largest region in the Chugoku area. With the help of an Amago vassal, Takamoto recaptures the entire Iwami region, including the silver mine. Next, Takamoto seeks to conquer the Izumo region which has long been Motonari's dream. In 1562, the Mori army begins at offensive on Izumo. But before he can make his father's dream a reality, Takamoto is assassinated by the Amago on August 3, 1563.
- Episode 46
Takamoto dies, but not before leaving instructions to make illness the cause of his death. When word reaches Motonari, he refuses to believe that his eldest son would succumb to illness and orders an investigation. Meanwhile, Toshi (Takamoto's wife) and Tae receive news of the tragedy. Spurred on by a desire to honor his late son, Motonari succeeds in winning Shiraga Castle from the Amago in October. But the emotional stress takes its toll and Motonari collapses.
- Episode 47
The Mori begin the year 1565 by laying seige on the Amago in Toda Castle, their main stronghold. And thanks to Tae's tender ministrations, Motonari lives to welcome the new year. In February, Takamoto's son undergoes his manhood rites. Shogun Yoshiaki bestows upon him the name "Yoshimoto." However, Kochiyomaru shocks everyone by turning it down. Instead, he tells Yoshiaki's representative that he will humbly accept just the lower half of the name and called himself "Terumoto." Then he sets out to Izumo to join his grandfather.
- Episode 48
At the end of 1565, four years have passed since the Mori first began planning their conquest of Toda Castle. The Amago are surrounded and are on the verge of starvation. Yoshihisa, the lord of Toda Castle, alienates his vassals when he kills one of his most loyal men. The soldiers abandon the castle in droves, forcing Yoshihisa to flee. Out of deference to old Amago Tsunehisa, Motonari expresses a desire to wait for the Amago to surrender rather than kill Yoshihisa. With those words, Motonari collapses.
- Episode 49 (Final)
In 1566, Terumoto takes over for his grandfather as lord of the Mori. In the following year, he weds Princess Tama. Then he leads his army together with Motoharu and Takakage to conquer the remnant forces of the Amago in Izumo. The solidarity and power of the Mori Clan is unquestioned and Motonari declares that his dream has been realized. Several years later, in 1571, after having visions of all those who have gone before him, Motonari dies smiling at the ripe of age of 75.
