Therapist Answers "Who Betrayed Mizu?" - Behavioral Analysis and Reaction!
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Join psychotherapist Georgia Dow as she conducts a behavioral analysis in the world of Blue Eye Samurai. In this intriguing video, Georgia explores the dynamics of betrayal, dissecting the behavior of both the protagonist's mom and her husband Mikio. Dive into the complexities of trust and betrayal in Blue Eye Samurai as Georgia unravels the psychological nuances behind the characters' actions. Don't miss this captivating analysis shedding light on the mysteries of betrayal in the series.
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It was actually the horse. He had a lot of gambling debts. Look at him. Hes always got a long face.
oh my god laughed so hard at this
Im sorry I thought you were serious
That is true. He does have a long face. My mind has been changed again. I think it was the horse.
I say neigh, don't blame the horse, neigh!
They mention the horse having troubled past, he couln’t be tamed at the begginign, he couln’t trust. Clearly a result o his hard past as a devious drunken gambler.
I felt so sorry for Mizu in this episode. She was willing to let go of revenge, let go of the sword, and be the woman society always told her to be and then she gets betrayed by the 2 people (one of whom she believed to be dead FOR YEARS) she loved and wanted to care for
and it makes her fury entirely understandable, all that pain manifested itself as righteous fury
Episode 5 id the best of season 1
Yes @@IloveElsaofArendelle
@@IloveElsaofArendelle
Episode 5 is so great because it can exist perfectly fine by itself. Like even if someone saw this episode and never even heard of Blue Eye Samurai before, they could still understand the plot of the episode and not be lost with the characters. Absolutely marvelous writing.
Apparently wasnt her mum at all. Her mum did die, she was just an actor.
To be honest most people in Mizu's past are just horrible to her, with the only exception being sword father. He is definitely the best person in her life.
Well, Ringo is too. He sees who she is and still accepts her.
@@pauldhoff Though to be frank OP said from Mizu's past, she met Ringo during the present
yeah I think the point on not making it absolutely clear who betrayed her is that... it doesn't matter. They all betrayed her in some way. She was let down by everyone and it just doesn't matter anymore who did what exactly. It's a tragedy either way.
I do really appreciate the analysis though, since while Mizu may not care, we still really really want to know :P
He's the only one who treated her like a normal human being, & that is already enough of a pillar to keep her alive and driven throughout her formative years. Just shows how awful her circumstances are throughout her life.
Ringo is a great addition to her life but at this point it didn't matter to her anymore.
Whether she'd ever find meaning in life again after her quest is complete we'll have to watch on i guess.
@@juliansenfr there's that thing about revenge how you finally got it and then what?
I think the important thing is that it doesn't matter who called the guards: Both of the people Mizu tried to start a normal life with betrayed her. Her "Mother" was discovered to have abandoned her and immediately started manipulating her to get what she wanted. Her husband turned out to live up to his own shameful reputation and murdered her mother in cold blood. Even if he was telling the truth, he left her to die when she needed him. All of this while she was fighting for her life just for being different. It doesn't matter who called the guards, the point is that she is alone in this world and was punished for trying to live otherwise.
That is what is so poignant about this whole story. In Mizu's eyes, it doesn't matter. The answer doesn't matter. Beautifully done. Painfully done.
yo fr tho
That's what I've been saying y'all 😭👏🏼
Which contrasts with her current companions in the series, who do actually like her.
That's my favorite part, the moment you and her both come to the conclusion "oh, it doesn't matter which one it was. Neither one can be trusted anymore." And it's a freeing but tragic realization
Mizu killed Miko using the knife throwing skill that he taught her. What a fitting end to his betrayal.
Damn that was a point i didnt notice. And she has pretended she couldn't do it to make him feel more manly and then this is how he finds out how well she can throw a knife.... brutal
I was looking to see who else picked up on this.
He didn't teach her tho
@@imhere1303 You sure about that? Check out episode 5 again. Mizu probably already did know how to throw a knife but he doesn’t know that. He tried to teach her regardless.
@@derrickf8053 Yeah as in he didn't teach her a new skill, is what I'm saying. She already knew how to throw a knife, she's superior to him in weapons.
I think another important clue here is the episode is called “The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride” - and Mizu is the Ronin and then the Bride, and in the bunraku play, the turning point is when the Ronin kills the Bride. That death symbolizes a betrayal of love and that is what creates the Onryo.
Oh damn that is a very good point. !
Mizu betrays her own ability and sense of love to regain her stability as a ronin.
I gess that all stories can in some way match, in some point Mizu was the Ronin but her mom was the Bride when the Ronin stopped seeking revenge and found a place"to rest. After this, they switched places again.
I thought about it to try to figure out who betrayed her and then I realized it didn't matter. The fact that it wasn't clear meant they both were unworthy of her trust.
I just realized when Mikio said "I love you" he was begging for his life not wanting her back
But she had her back turned and with no weapon I think he was wanting her back not begging for his life
@@robertolagunas6651 I think OP meant Mikio wanted the calm happy life with Mizu when things were chill, not Mizu herself. OP didn't mean begging for his life to not die.
I actually kinda disliked Mizu until this episode. I felt that her pursuit of vengeance was stupid because she just could’ve let it go and tried to live a normal life, but then we find out that she did and was completely betrayed. I don’t blame her for only seeking revenge now. She had an actual chance at love and living like a normal person, and it all ended in tragedy. It was so sad.
I wouldn't say I disliked her up until that episode, but I was definitely far less sympathic until this episode.
@@TheHeadNinjainComics The thing that made me kinda dislike her was her reasoning behind wanting revenge. She just wants to kill all the white men in Japan because one of them is responsible for her being born. But I don’t see why she’d turn her hatred towards her father instead of the Japanese people who hate her for being a child of mixed birth. Her hatred of her father seems misplaced to me.
@@AesirUnlimited I don't think this hate is in any way rational. She has twisted way of wanting to make things "right". Also her whole life, whole society sees white people as monsters/bad, so even if it's stupid/not rational, you do internalize it in some way. We do see she is self hating because of 1/2 her blood, so it does make sense in a way; for her as a character, not objectively.
Not only is it easier to have specific targets for her anger than the more nebulous "everyone around me", she grew up in a society that in no uncertain terms depicted white men as demons and the source of all ills. I imagine the first time she met one was when she killed him @@AesirUnlimited
@@AesirUnlimited I get where you’re coming from but I think her hatred being directed towards her father makes sense. Mizu is told from everyone around her that she’s a monster because she’s mixed, she probably hasn’t met another mixed person- everyone around her appears fully Japanese. It’s hard to have a different view of things if you’re only given one your entire life. When Akemi compliments Mizu’s eyes, Mizu is surprised. Also keep in mind the mindset of this era, Japan was closed off from the outside world. People feared the unknown, Mizu’s eyes are unusual for the time and could be alarming since the typical Japanese person had never seen blue eyes before. Nowadays people are more educated and less fearful of things they don’t understand so instead of fear it’s more curiosity.
Another thing is that by selling her horse without informing her, he's cutting off a mode of transportation for her. So she can't leave as quickly as she might have otherwise planned.
She was trapped, and he knew it
I didn’t even think about that, I figured he was just being petty by giving away her pet horse but he was basically making sure she couldn’t get away from him quickly….
So typical of controlling people @@_kaleido
Thats why he turned on her after she beat him. It wasn't just a bruised ego, he realised he couldn't control her because she's stronger than him
I think you hit the nail on the head. Mikio's look of sadness at the top of the hill is one of pity for Mizu knowing that she is about to be torn apart. He turned away because he could not bear to see her be slaughtered before his eyes but was firm in his resolve. It is also important to note that Mizu's mother DID NOT love her. She protected Mizu because it served her interests and married her off for the same reason. I also think that Miz's mother kept abusing opioids behind her daughter's back without her knowing it. The wicked side eye meant, "I'm going to have my way whether you like it or not. And you're not going to stop me."
I agree that the mother was probably still abusing opioids behind their back. The way I read it, cutting her off is the first moment we see Mizu and Mikio working as a team, it's "We decided", not "I decided" or "Mizu decided". She was probably going into town, selling herself and using the money to buy opium and keep it hidden, but when Mizu's relationship with Mikio fell apart and they were no longer a team, she could assert herself again by openly smoking it.
and *spoiler alert* she is also not her real mother and got paid to raise her like her own kid, so yeah no real love for the "demon child" from this person
Yeah... trying to forcibly get an addict to quit never works. We know that now, but in feudal Japan I'm not surprised that they tried to do what they could in this way
This entire episode was such a knife to the heart. I did not expect to feel any kind of sympathy for Mizu after some of the horrible things she'd done in the show up to that point. But seeing her happy and letting herself just be a person only for it to ripped away like that. Just hurt so much.
im with you
Another thing about when Mizu pins Mikio in the fight; she was excited, exhilarated to be in the thick of battle again, to the point it was a turn-on (with the little kiss)
It's not just Mikio was beaten, it was that he saw how much Mizu *loves* fighting to the end. Most people of that time period (heck even many people now) who saw a woman enjoying violence * that much * would consider her a freak.
Regardless of his past I think Mikio was genuinely terrified of her bloodlust. Think if the tables were turned and he had been the one kissing her with a blade at her throat
I also wonder if it was Mikio's history. We don't know how or why he was disgraced, but a Samurai who lived to his age (I'm guessing mid 30s) lived that long by being adept at inflictingharm (and seeing it inflicted on others). I could sympathize in as much as he wanted to keep his home, his wife and mother-in-law, free of violence. Trauma, filtered through a gendered lens. (men do violence and are hard, women flee violence and are soft.)
Mizuho challenged his worldview, and became a source of horror- a woman who enjoyed violence, in the heart of his home and sanctuary.
It doesn't excuse how he acted. Even if he didn't betray her, riding in to intercede and stand by her was the Proper Husband move (even in a patriarchal worldview). While my sympathies ultimately stayed with Mizu, I felt I understood her husband's reactions, even as I thought they were wrong.
That's what I found compelling about this show: characters (even the lead) are allowed to be morally murky in ways congruent with their context. Mizu is an antihero, and sometimes a dark one. Still, I root for her and want to see how her story progresses (even as it seems to careen towards tragedy)
Honestly I think that still would have been a turn-on for Mizu.
I agree, the emasculation is compounded by Mizu disrespecting his wishes about safe sparring and the glimpse at her suppressed personality that is frankly pretty messed up
@@dylanehooverlibrarian7026Ffs he sold her horse
Honestly still a turn on…
It's a dead give away, that it was Mikio:
If her husband thought her a monster before, what was he thinking now,
after seeing her slaughter a bunch of soldiers; and what exactly were his intentions while literally *sneaking up on Mizu* with a sword?
He could have just dropped the sword after seeing all the soldiers were dead, but only actually did after Mizu seeing him. So he walked a dozen foot in her direction with a sword, even though he knew she wasn't in any danger.
Episode 8 literally implies it was the “mom”
It was the “mom” that betrayed her. I believe that Miki genuinely regrets turning his back on her, and that he came back to help as a change of mind. That’s why even when Mizu walked away, he tried to win her over still.
@@slantize Fowler was talking about when the mum abandoned her when she was young as far as we can tell, the mom who’s actually a nurse made of her real mother was being paid to protect Mizu And after the fire, she decided to play dead and stop taking care of Mizu until they met up again on the bridge
Or he is scared of her so is trying to endear himself to save his own life..? @@hamorahime937
Also the fact that Mikio LIED to her, talking about all this nonsense of how much he loved her. Why was it clearly a lie? After the duel, he sold her horse, stopped even eating meals with her, ignored her, he clearly didn't love her anymore. So why, after running away from seeing soldiers attack her, start spewing all this nonsense about how he loves her? Only a guilty person would do that
To mizu at that point, it didn't matter who actually did it as since they both *could* have. There's even a possibility that they both did separately. She knew that even if she forgave one and continue to live with them she'd always think 'what if'.
Alternatively she may not have been able to confront the truth of which one really didn't love her and the easiest thing to do to hide from that truth is to cut off any possibility of finding out.
The husband did it, but only because he beat the ‘mother’ to the punch. Sooner or later I think that the mother would have sold Mizu out the moment that it benefitted her more than the status quo.
Why didn’t the mother just turn her in when she was a child when the money ran out. It would have been easier for her to do it then. Although she abandoned her she had enough sentiment for her to not turn her in as a child. This sentiment might still be there even in her adulthood.
Wasn't implied by Fowler stating "kept your mouth quiet until the money ran out".
I think in the later episodes fowler mentioned the payments to keep mizu out of the public eye dried up, and so maybe the mother decided for a payday afterwards.
It is also worth mentioning that Mizu had Mikio stop giving her enough money for her drugs because she was worried about the negative effects on her health, and she CLEARLY didn't like that. Many addicted will do whatever it takes no matter who gets in the way of them and their addiction, wouldn't be surprised if she ratted Mizu out for more money for her drugs. It's my theory that both of them ratted her out at the same time, maybe in cahoots but probably to different people coincidentally.
The show literally said it was the mother
One thing I love about these flashbacks is the knife throw she purposefully fumbles in front of mikio earlier is the same knife throw she uses to kill mikio at the end.
One video I saw said "it doesn't matter who sold her out, they both could have, and that's why she leaves them to die" and it is SO revealing of Mizus character.
It could have been either one. Mizu's husband asked her to show him ALL of her & couldn’t handle it. Mizu's mother/maid was using her to get a better life; "what woman doesn't want a man to take care of her, of her MOTHER!?"
Seeing the husband taking even Mizu's beloved horse off to his lord she may have though he was going to throw them both out, meaning her cushy ride was about to end.
That doesn’t explain his look of non-shock when the men were on his land. He had to have known before hand.
@@ConsoleCombather "mother" wasn't shocked either
@@ИмяФамилия-я9з1к they never showed her mother’s reaction when the men came.
@@ConsoleCombat exactly. Because there was no reaction. She did not come out after hearing the sound of hooves, she was not interested in what was really happening, she seemed to disappear at that moment, although she was clearly in the house. It was as if she knew in advance and hid.
@@ИмяФамилия-я9з1к perhaps. Or she was high.
As soon as her husband called her a monsters it was over. And when he road off and didn't help her, I hurt for her so much.
And the doll was cut. Genius visual storytelling with the puppets.
I think the moment she turned her back on their quarrel they were both dead to her. It was extremely sad to see that she gave herself a chance to be who she really is and leave violence behind only to be thrusted back into it by the people she thought were her family. I can totally relate to having your wounds reopened and stepped on by someone but this was still no reason for Mikio to betray her like this.
Japan was crazy back then too. Every man on his own. Your closest bet to safety and love was your family and your friends (if you had any). But even then I think they would still do sth bad to you.
I disagree, I think violence *is* her true self. The whole episode she was trying to be something she wasn't.
This whole story was so tragic. When you are a closed-off person like Mizu and are afraid of opening up, it can come as such a relief when you think you can finally do so and be yourself. He said so himself, I want to see all of you. But when she bested him the first time, he already said it was enough. Mizu didn't read the room, but I think their relationship wouldn't have been the same anyway. Had she stopped after her first win, she would have still known that he doesn't truly want to see all of herself.
This episode was such a great way to show Mizu’s backstory. She was willing to give up a life of violence, but as a warrior, the violence always comes back. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so bad for a character. She deserves better and I’m glad that she learns to open herself up and make friends.
Although the biggest part of me thinks it doesn't matter who sold her off, not to Mizu, because at the end both were clearly scared of her, clearly saw her as a monster... I think they both did it. The line about spitting on the tea she made, as well as knkwing mizu's horse was being sold, makes me think the mother and husband talked. The lack of any confusion in either part, knowing right ahead wjat's happening, ignoring it, then not even having to think about what the other would gain from it, makes me think they discussed this. The mother could have sold Mizu earlier, but while the couple still was a "we", it was quite possible for the husband to retaliate. So her best opportunity would be when they had a falling out. It's easier to do someyhing mischivious if you have a partner in crime, and if it blows up on your face, and you don't really care about the partner, the easiest out is to pin all the blame on them.
This I think might actually be the case.
I think sparring is Mizu’s love language. Mikio couldn’t handle it, Taigen couldn’t handle it. I hope Mizu finds someone who can handle defeat at her hands.
Taigen could definitely handle it, to the point where he was turned on by it (even though he didn't understand why). The parallels of her play fighting with Taigen versus Mikio was really well done
@@GoldenPhoenix101 Really? I couldn’t tell. (Must have been too busy mocking him for acting like a child over having his ego bruised.) But yes, the parallels are masterful.
True! I think it's admirable if a woman could best me in physical combat and I would love her even more for being strong and skilled.
It was the mother "I gave you tea with gold leafs and you spat in it" it's much more hateful opposed to someone's ego getting hurt... it's similar to what Mizu says to Akemi in the brothel about eating trash... it's probably why she let the guards take her too.
This period in Mizu's life affirmed to her that love was vulnerability, and that vulnerability was weakness. In her heart, Mizu felt she could never trust again after the two people closest to her had motives to betray her and excuses to act on them. It's as valid a reason as any why anyone who tried getting close was pushed away, since Mizu didn't want to open herself up to possibly being betrayed again.
The fact it doesn’t quite matter is more the point, she would have just walked away had he not killed her adopted mother
But it was the husband. The mom was dependent on them, he was not
Mostly agree with you, except the point that "If she had started the fire, she wouldn't have gotten burned: a lot of arsonists get caught up in fires they set. Flame can be unpredictable, and tradition Japanese houses were _very_ flammable. I don't actually think she set it, but I don't think getting burned by it is in any way proof she didn't.
The fire who burned the house was an accident caused by her opium pipe. She was asleep with it in her hand the last time we saw her before the house burn and after, she got that scar. So, when she pretend she abandonned her for her own good, it's a lie. She probably just never found Mizu after that or just did not look for her. At the same time, it's ot logical for her to sell her after so long as her new confort came from Mizu's husband.
ill have to look back to see that thanks for this
@@GeorgiaDow In episode 3 at 2 minutes 45.
I'm still betting that they were working together. Neither of them seemed surprised by the situation and were quick to thro each other under the bus.
What motivation would he have to work with the mother? The husband doesn’t need the mother’s help in any aspect and frankly she’d be a burden for him. Why would he keep her around after Mizu is gone. It doesn’t make sense to me if this is the case.
@AGCII ooh, that's a good point.
@@ConsoleCombat unless the mother made a deal with him after finding out his demeanor when he came back. She would have been back on the streets anyway, she seems to plan.
Another interesting thing is that seeing the battlefield and only Mizu standing, Mikio still approaches with sword in hand and what to me seemed as a cautious stance (obviously by this point, if he saw the whole thing) - maybe hoping that after the battle she would've been broken... and only when he sees her face to him, he drops it... perhaps by fear, now knowing very well what she could do to him and he wouldn't stand a chance
I can see a scenario where Mikio brings his former master the horse that'd he'd promised to Mizu and it is rejected. To save face he gives up Mizu as the "something beautiful", and is filled with regret. So maybe betrayal wasn't what he'd originally intended, but what he was willing to do for his pride.
Here's a hint about life. Don't judge people with what they say, but what they do. It saves alot of time and pain.
I like this interpretation! It lines up with his character really well. That’s what keeps bothering me about Mikio, why? Was it truly just his ego even after knowing her for so long and asking her to show him. Would he go that far? But these two things are about his pride and honor. It all is.
Honestly that’s what I thought
Cue the Tyra Banks “we were all rooting for you” clip at Mikio
I had a theory it was the both of them that betrayed Mizu. They came to an agreement that they no longer cared for Mizu and would get rid of her and get what they want too. Hikio would get his title back, earn a reward which he would split with the mother and go their separate ways.
I think their arguement was them turning their backs on one another to take blame off themselves. Thats why Hikio was definitely trying to sneak up on Mizu before she turned to him and why Mizu's mother stayed inside until it was over. The goal was to get rid of Mizu together.
This betrayal reminds me of when someone cheats. They'll often blame the affair partner to save themselves any grief, but it takes two to tango.
Lovely and insightful analysis, Georgia!
There is brief flashback in episode 3 where "mum" passed out with still smoking opium pipe so fire could happen then or she set it off herself but it got out of control too fast hence the burns.
As for who truly betrayed Mizu? It does not really matter, I think creators left it vague on purpose. From Mizu's POV they both betrayed her trust, that is why she dropped the weapon, left no one alive and walked away (that broken emptiness in her eyes was so painful to watch)
P. S. Do you plan to do some analysis for Akemi, Taigen or perhaps even Seki?
very interesting i will look over that so that could have been it but fowler also mentioned a fire to kill her so food for thought
I think the "mom" turned her in for opium money. The husband had bad timing mixed with bad decisions. He saw her surrounded and abandoned Mizu thinking her for dead. But after riding away his actions weighed heavily on him. He admits his cowardice and his fault. But with their prior arguments and his decision to take her horse to his lord she wasn't ready or able to hear his words. Him killing her "mom" in that struggle simply broke the last straw she was holding onto
Maybe but I think at that point she was done with both of them. I wouldn't be surprised if she killed the maid too had she not died already.
Will you be doing an episode on Fowler? I found him a surprisingly fun villain, especially with Kenneth Branagh hamming it up. There is clearly something messed up with him.
I really don't think she's her mom because their facial structure is absolutely different but I also don't think she would have turned her in with nothing to gain from it. He did to her the same thing he did to her horse, spent months trying to break her just to sell her to regain his title. To me the key is when he says "If I bring him the perfect creature he will welcome me". The perfect creature wasn't the horse in the end, it was Mizu all along
Personally. Messed up though that sounds. I think it was Mikio. Her mother married her off to him so they could have enough money for them to survive. Even with her opium addiction to account for, it was CLEAR they had enough money to live proper lives and survive, which even at the time where she didn't marry Mizu off, was a concern for the mother
He however, had something to gain by getting rid of Mizu, namely his title, as implied by the mother, or at least he'd get part of the money for her bounty, which was possibly a rather large sum, which could help him reach a certain station
Spoiler ahead btw dont read what's below if you're not caught up on the series
Even if the "Mother" wasn't actually Mizu's mother like implied at the end of the series, she still took care of Mizu, or at least, did her best to until she had no more money available. There'd be little reason for her to expose Mizu now and risk losing Mikio, who brings money to them via his business at reliable intervals. After all, like she said, Mizu being married was supposed to "Solve all of their problems"
Mizu was already making money as a samurai. And a lot of money it seemed. She could have looked after her 'mother' by doing that. So I think it was also about Mizu looking after her the 'proper' way to an extent. And Mizu had just 'spat in the tea'.
It's definitely either her mom or her husband, either ways it's tragic and I feel so sorry for Mizu. I like how you're going about it finding it out, and I think you're right about it being him, but it also seems too obvious for a show like this. I really don't know.
thank you so much for the support = ))
And I think it's not really important who did it. Mizu was betrayed by two people who could have given emotional support but recoiled because of what she is: a foreigner (her mother) and an enjoyer-of-violence (her husband).
I love how Mizu is not a conventionally heroic figure, and she does awful things for entirely believable reasons. I'm rooting for her every step of the way, regardless! It's nice to see proper antiheroes as leads again (especially when their reasons for anti heroism are so compelling)
I like the character analysis mixed with theory crafting videos. Excellent video as always. Mizu husband was the one who betrayed her
so happy you liked it i think there will be more like this one I enjoyed it as well
I always figured it was the mom. But your argument is very persuasive and convinced me otherwise. Good job!
thanks = )
I was raised by an addict. It runs rampant in my family. This makes my heart hurt for Mizu. My father gave me to his friend. My father used and left me to fend for myself. I've seen him pass blame and dodge responsibility more than I can count. I've watched him nod and drop lit cigarettes and the burns on his skin. This gives me bias against her "mother". Unless it shows in future episodes that there's more to the story (which wouldn't surprise me for this anime), I will believe it was her mother and that sh HURTS when the person that's supposed to keep you safe, doesn't.
I think they both sold her out. I think you're undervaluing how seemingly strong and sudden a relapse can be. They definitely both sold her out in their hearts.
This is probably my favorite episode of the season, and I'm so glad you covered it in detail! I loved how we were given greater insight into Mizu's motivation and attitude by delving into her past more. We see that she could have possibly been diverted from quest for revenge if given the chance to live a peaceful life with loved ones, but the fact that she was betrayed--and even more, didn't know who betrayed her--cemented her beliefs that she is a monster and that the one who made her that way must be destroyed.
He also kind of looks like he was sneaking up on her at the end while she was recoiling from the fight with the horsemen now that I've seen it again. He didn't make a sound before/while approaching her and had his weapon raised. I'm pretty sure it was obvious everyone else was already dead too. Feels like he only put his weapon down cause she noticed him, he lost the advantage, and he already knows she could easily take him down.
very interesting assessment that could well be
Love that you chose to make a video on this subject..It is fascinating to hear your thoughts and breakdown this episode.i was wondering and trying to figure it out myself?
For starters, I always just thought that the fire when Mizu was little was a direct result of her mother. Like when a person falls aleep with a cigarette burning but this is the opium.. But maybe the "maid/ sub mother" maybe she only started smoking opium after the fire to address the pains of the burns?. Maybe someone else lit their home on fire ?
I think you are right I think it was more probable that the husband turned her in. But like Mizu - we put ourselves in her shoes we the audience just in the moment of watching feel like both parties ultimately betrayed Mizu.
Its crazy to imagine having to lose your mother and husband in a day and the betrayal uh it hurts.. so sad.
Super cool analysis! I think it's a really good breakdown of just how Mikio's part in the story plays into Mizu's betrayal and the impact that opening up to the wrong people while trying to lead a normal life has had on her. It was incredible seeing the way they handled Mizu's journey in this episode, everything being set up to just prove her right in the worst way, especially through how ambiguous the ending felt (in terms of who could have called the samurai to come for her- I personally think both of them had equal motive to hand Mizu over either for honour or for money). The choice to use bunraku (not only an amazing craft but also the indicator on the uncanny valley scale used to represent something near-human) to illustrate the internal dynamics of Mizu in the episode and the way it plays into the imagery that's set up for her character was incredible. Overall just such a cool backstory episode and it's great seeing you talk about the absolutely tragic ending to it!
The emotion showing on Mikio's face was certainly shame. He definitely did it.
Your video made me realize Miku might have also been the one to supply Mizu's mom with the opium so she would be passed out when the soldiers came to murder her daughter. Either by leaving money around, paying off a guy in town when Mom went to buy stuff, or even just leaving a little bit of the stuff around the house, just enough to make it seem like this was left over stash she forgot about. For an addict the temptation would have been too great. Mom would be too preoccupied with her fix to warn Mizu of the loss of her horse before he left. Also she seems extra mean when high, I'm betting Mizu let it slip that when her mom was high she was extra mean/vindictive, but nice when not, hence Miku saying she's cut off. By giving her the drug he knew she would be extra spiteful and hurt Mizu, then when the soldiers came she would be too high to do anything.
When I first watched this episode, I thought both had betrayed Mizu accidentally. Both saying little things that added up and gave her away.
I read her husband’s face as “I was afraid this would happen. Did I do this? There are too many.”
I love how this episode intersects with the onryu-story. And how it switches from mizu being the ronin to being the bride. Really good storytelling.
I feel like it's important to note that we do not know the crime or circumstances that Mikio was banished for, what skeletons he really might be hiding...
very interesting point indeed
This was the episode I enjoyed and watched the most. From my POV, Mikio betrayed Mizu as he had more motivation at all. Also, Mikio saw Mizu was highly skilled, thus, how valuable she could be for his purpose. Mizu’s mother could’ve come back “to work” to restart her addiction. In the narrative of this episode this betrayal made a catharsis on Mizu; the clear example was killing the younger member of the army at the end of the battle.
Let's gooo! Been waiting for this. Thanks for the awesome video, Georgia. Follow-up theory: Why did Mikio return after the horsemen failed to kill Mizu? Could it be that he wanted to "finish the job"? Perhaps so that HE could say that he killed Mizu and regain his honour? His last ditch effort? Hmmm!
thank you for the support and i think it was to claim his gold and ensure everything happened as needed to save face.
While I believe it was Mikio, there is 1 more evidence against Mizu's mother. Her mother might fear that Mikio won't take care of them anymore, and chose to sell out Mizu for some extra retirement money. That helps the timing, but it's also a pretty weak evidence since we have to assume a lot about what the mother is thinking. I still say it's Mikio, but it's not impossible that it was the mother.
I think, honestly, it was the "mother" because we later learn she wasn't actually Mizu's mother, but her maid, paid to hide her. With the money gone, why would she not sell her out for more money? I also think she accidentally lit the fire that burned her, she was asleep with her opium pipe still smoking. She likely fled thinking she killed Mizu in that fire and there would be repercussions from whomever paid her to take her away.
I genuinely can’t decide who I think betrayed Mizu. I agree with everything brought up in this video, and it is very compelling evidence in favor of her husband betraying her. But I think that there were some things left out. The case for the husband was already payed out in this video. Here’s why I think the mother could have done it.
Since the woman who raised Mizu is not actually her mother, I think that’s important. In flashbacks, she is kind but it’s also demonstrated that the setting is one that is very unkind to white and mixed people. And apparently the maid had to be paid to take care of Mizu. When cutting Mizu’s hair, she is also pulling at her head and using a very harsh tone. She doesn’t seem very tender or affectionate. Then, while I don’t think the maid set the fire herself, I do think she sold Mizu out and accidentally got burned. Fowler mentions that the maid stopped protecting the child when she stopped getting paid. I think she expected Mizu to die in the fire and was shocked when she saw her again. At this point the maid was poor, an addict, and had resorted to prostitution, and she found Mizu with an expensive sword and a purse full of money. She no longer sees Mizu as a burden, takes her money and gets to work finding a way to exploit her. She marries Mizu off to a rich guy with no thought for who he was or how he might treat Mizu. Life is pretty good while Mikio pays for her opium. It’s even better now that he seems to care about Mizu. But then Mikio cuts the maid off. Life is still good after that and she probably gets used to going without. Then one day Mikio gets angry at Mizu and sells her horse. Maybe the maid thought he would throw her out after he betrayed Mizu. And as far as she’s concerned, it’s Mizu who messed up the marriage and caused this trouble. And it’s Mizu who is denying her access to drugs. So why not sell her out and get the bounty now that her meal ticket doesn’t like her anymore?
Theres also a very real possibility that they both turned Mizu in. And when Mizu came out on top they both tried to placate her. If only one betrayed her, the guilty one was quick to shift blame and the innocent one was quick to defend. But no matter who sold Mizu out, they had both betrayed her in other ways. I don’t think the narrative will ever confirm who actually turned Mizu in. The point was that Mizu lives in a world that is entirely hostile to her. Even the people who are supposed to love her hurt and betray her.
Her husband betrayed her FIRST, followed by her mother. 😢
As you mentioned his hierarchy of motivations was to gain back his lord’s favor and he said “I held onto this fantasy that if I bring him back the perfect creature he will welcome me back..” and what is more perfect than a “monster” with a huge bounty? Plus everything else you mentioned about his guilt/accusation etc. He def did it! Well done!
Not only that….After mizu killed the the soldiers….her husband came up from behind with his sword in hand…after the soldiers were already dead… he tried to sneak up to kill her
Also i bet mikio was watching the whole fight. And only came back to "help" when he realized she won the fight and wouldn't be captured. He already knew she could beat him, and that she was obsessed with revenge. It was all self serving
A lot of people are criticizing the mom for justifiable reasons, but I disagree about her not loving Mizu. I think there was some version of love from her mother (or maid). There are snippets that show genuine affection or concern. Also, it was said she left when the money ran out. However, all the story actually shows is that there was a fire and they were separated. The mother chose to sever ties and allow her to believe she was dead. The mom didn’t search for her. I do think that was for selfish reasons, but if the fire hadn’t happened it is unclear how long she would have stayed. She could have already been sticking around even after payment had ended if she wasn’t truly the mom. We are basing that idea of money and her being a maid on the desperate villain’s words. Or what if her opium pipe had caused the fire and so she saw herself as a danger to Mizu and that is why she didn’t search for her. Consider also that she could have sold Mizu out a long time ago or even tried to prostitute her. She never did. She healed her wounds when she showed up. She arranged a marriage as a safe option with a “stable” person. It was partly for self-serving reasons. However, I do think this was viewed as protection for Mizu too. Also the mom stuck around even after she was not getting opium. I think she cared about Mizu but cared about herself and her addiction more at times. Either she was a paid servant who went past her duties to protect a child that was not hers and was dangerous to be around or she was a traumatized mother who was struggling to hide her child one that could have come as a product of SA or prostitution for all we as the audience know. Obviously she wouldn’t be considered a good mom but I don’t think the good things she did do in a difficult, survivalistic environment should be dismissed either. I think too much of her story is unknown to judge her as a bad guy in the story.
You know, maybe I blinded myself, because I myself is a proud guy and I would want Mikio to be better than this, but yeah, so many element doesn't go in his favor. My point was that he showed that he wasn't a thin skin man, he could take some of her jab really well, even from the moment they met (the jab at his age for example, though it was in response to his own comment).
If it was me, I would of probably got angry and ask to be alone for a time, to accept this new reality, but I wouldn't want to hurt back that badly. Mikio didn't seem the type also, but then he sell the horse, which is a lot in itself, and kill the mom.
To me, I just wanted it to be neither him or the mom, that it just happen that the lord found her and it was poor timing. Or they followed Mikio back, suspecting who his new wife was. It could still be that, but frankly, selling the horse, intervening only after the guard are killed and killing the mom make me just want to punch the guy.
I just wish they could at least show us that he had a thin skin sometime before this event, it just feel so out of character if it is really him.
1. I don't know who betrayed her. All I know is Mizu fought and killed those men, and neither her husband nor mother helped her when they could have. In that, they are both guilty in my eyes.
2. I would love your two cents on Fowler, though. Is he damaged or just greedy? I'll settle for an educated guess.
So happy you are covering this. Episode 5 is by far my favorite episode. Everything that we see in Mizu culminated from her finding her mother and marrying Mikeo. The love poisoned by betrayal. She was willing to give up on her revenge for Mikeo just as Mikeo was willing to give up on regaining his title for Mizu by letting her keep Kai, all until the moment where Mizu went to far and Mikeo called her a monster.
I think it is a strong argument that Mikeo is the one who betrayed Mizu, however I think it was the mother, she was spiteful of Mizu, she was getting paid for her opium again out of the blue and and clearly did not get over Mizu cutting her off from her opium in the first place. When she says how Mizu spat in her tea of golden leaves she is insinuating that Mikeo is going to leave Mizu after getting back his title, thus cutting her off from her money again and leaving Mizu useless for her. Mikeo was potentially going to get his title through selling the horses and may not have ever needed to betray Mizu to regain his honor. The look he may have exhibited may have also been concern not sadness at seeing the men surrounding Mizu. My last belief as to why it is not Mikeo is that he came back with a sword, where he did not have a sword when he was first on the hill riding his horse. So I think he did in fact come back to help, but because of the tension with everything that was happening, he lost control of the situation and very quickly it became too late.
Mikio is a difficult character to put my finger on. On one hand, he did abandon Mizu in the time of need and and kept avoiding responsibility over what he did like a coward, but he was also one of the only men in Mizu's past, if not THE only one, who treated her with patience, kindness and respect. Seeing people instantly categorize him as a horrible jerk just doesn't sit right with me.
I feel there is an invisible influence here not mentioned. His lord would have known about his wife and her background. There could have been a number of letters or other forms of conversations we are not exposed to which could have been twisting Mikio's thoughts. Until she had combat with him, he may have dismissed the concerns until she could show those were valid. When he took her horse to his lord, several things could have been demanded of him in order to regain his lost status. Mikio's compliance due to how 'honor demands you do what your Lord wants' could have included the death of his wife. I think part of it was how he may have hoped she was dead when he returned.
As for her 'mother', drug addicts talk and talk and talk some more. I don't think she kept as quiet as she insisted. Why else would the fire had happened? If she did talk but left out the 'blue eyes', people would have known she had a difficult child to contend with. We also do not know who was showing up to pay her and help keep Mizu safe. How did she get the drugs again? Was she ever out of it? Was she paid with her medicine? There are too many ways this woman could have helped cause the events. She knew Mizu would have to die if not broken to behave. She was a 'demon' after all.
So who are the hidden powerful men who have been keeping Mizu in a strange kind of hell? Who were the ones holding back before trying to kill her over and over again?
Her family were willing pawns in some of the most heartbreaking of ways. I feel the Maid was promised medication and gold by those who told her to hide Mizu. I feel Mikio was promised a few things too, and to 'tame' or 'break' or 'kill' the demon he was made to marry. His reluctance to be near or close with her immediately sat wrong with me, as if he 'knew' the rumors and didn't want to get kicked as he had with the horse. He kept his distance, always, even for the moments of intimacy. He knew things, and he knew if he failed, she was dead.
You can't betray someone you were never really there for. This is how they failed her and were traitors to her.
I thought it was Mikio. His attitude towards Mizu completely changed when she showed him her strength. It went from love to disgust, and i wouldn't be surprised if he turned her in. The theme that had been with Mizu is that people didn’t think of her as a human, but as a monster, and unfortunately, Mikio eventually thought the same of her when she was in a frenzy.
Mine is very much more of a storytelling analysis than a behavioral one but I think it confirms your conclusions.
I think it's interesting how during this episode, Mizu shifts to and from the Ronin's role and the Bride's role in the story that is being narrated in tandem to her backstory. When she's alone she's the Ronin, and when she first meets Mikio she's still the Ronin and Mikio is the Bride. But the moment that she reveals her skills and I'd even say her acquired nature as a swordswoman to Mikio, the roles in the story change. Mikio is now the Ronin and Mizu is the Bride. She starts behaving like a Bride, puts on make up, even has the same white robe as the Bride in the story. And then she is betrayed at the same time that the Bride is in the story, and the Bride in the story is betrayed by the Ronin. And she's consumed by her pain and the betrayal, the same as the Bride. So if Mikio is still the Ronin's parallel, then this is how the writers communicate to us that it was he who betrayed Mizu. Even the mom's death has a parallel with the Ronin's story, because as soon as the Ronin learns who the Bride is, he also kills their son, not just the Bride, a bystander to this conflict between them. And Mikio killed Mizu's mom, also a bystander. The narrative parallels here are just that strong, and it confirms what your conclusion is at the end of the video.
I can’t believe I had to scroll so far to find this comment. I at first thought it was the mom who betrayed her-but on top of the video analysis, this convinces me fully that it was Mikio.
Amazing! It never crossed my mind that it would be possible to work out the truth. I was too rocked by the drama of this episode. Great video (as always)!
thanks so much
This was already my favorite episode of the series, but your breakdown only made it even better!
makes me very happy you say that
I feel that Micho was also scared of Mizu after the fight. It wasn’t just that he lost to her, but she brought a level of violence he didn’t want to the fight.
exactly. And the whole time she was smiling and giggling. Dude almost pissed himself near the end.
And considering this, there is no way he "came back to help" after seeing her slaughter a bunch of soldiers. He was just playing mind games trying to land a suprise hit.
@@ClintStone-t9m i think people underestimate how psychotic Mizu came off as laughing and giggling especially to a Japanese man in the 1600s. its also really freaky to be a killing machine with little explanation.
I thought they were both in on it because the mother knew he left to sell the horses so I assume they communicated beforehand, they both also didn't help her when the samurai showed up to kill her, and then they both died in the end making me think the story insinuated they both betrayed her.
Im so sad that it was mikio. I really wanted to believe it was the mom only because shes not really mizus mom and has no motivation to care for mizu. But the clues do show his guilt, especially that he gets so angry at the mom for telling on him that he kills her. Very guilty behavior. I just wanted to believe he really loved mizu.
Excellent breakdown and analysis. Thank you!
Adding to your position, it was quite telling that Mikio came back with a sword, after likely thinking Mizu dead. I also find it interesting that there was a larger group of soldiers that arrived, which to me denotes that they knew the strength of force required. Finally, Mikio, upon seeing Mizu alive, he places the sword on the ground... he knows that he cannot win and the witnesses to his previous betrayal all laid dead upon the ground before her.
On first watch, I thought it was the “mother” and that the husband who saw the swordsmen froze and was scared to fight. The mom likely turned her in while high (which could explain her confusion, but her drug use definitely incapacitated her). But her husband killing her presumed mom was also a final straw. Mizu definitely felt betrayed by both of them.
Think her 'mom' & ex-husband betrayed her. 👀
My reading of the episode is that Mikio's offense to the lord was that he is a coward and this cost him his station. He saw Mizu's capacity for combat and knew that it was only a matter of time until her actions caught up to her. His look of sadness was due to the resignation that it did catch up to her. So he rode away like a coward only to return when the danger is no longer present. His crime is his cowardice. He called her a monster because he showed he would accept her, but she would joke about his trigger.
I think the mom sold Mizu out. She found that Mizu screwed up her marriage by failing to pretend to be weak and therefore saw her current lifestyle ending. Selling out Mizu to maximize her benefits by having some money over her investment before anyone beat her to it.
If Mikio sold her out, why would he comeback? If he sold her out, he could have simply waited it out, then come back to his home after the ordeal. He was a coward after all, so him coming back with a sword was maybe only for show to claim he wanted to help. He already knew he couldn't beat Mizu.
In the end, it didn't matter who betrayed her.
I agree!
You somehow managed to make this scene even more sad.
Congratulations
I think they were both in cahoots; if you look at how they accuse each other and rush to shut the other up, you will see it even more clearly.
I enjoy your videos so much that I have to go watch this series now so I can come back and watch your analysis.
I am excited for both!
oh that makes me so happy = )
I loved this episode! The interwoven story is great, the way that everything is framed, and of course the actually events are portrayed so compellingly. It also reminds me, as a transmasc nonbinary person, of how it feels to be on the edge of coming out, or out to most of the world but not out to your family. Mizu gets forced into all these different gender roles by their mother (first a boy as a child when hiding is useful to her, then a woman as an adult when she sees a benefit in pawning off a bride). They accept this treatment because even if their mother treats them poorly she's all they have, she's their only sense of stability for so long even if that foundation is incredibly weak and damaging.
They return to dressing as a woman because it's what their mother wants, and their mother has guilted them into it even though they offered another way to make money to support themselves. Mizu's mother has to have it her way, and she won't listen to her much wiser ward. It doesn't ultimately matter if her addiction, internalized misogyny, or bigotry causes her to act this way to Mizu, or if the addiction is just an excuse to let the last two run rampant. I also think it's important to note that Mizu dresses like a woman, but never really shifts back to moving or acting like one. Even in the post-lovemaking scene their shoulders are still so strong from all those years as a smith and then their time as a warrior and working on a farm (saddles were so much heavier than I thought they would be when I first started riding - it's a workout).
Mizu learns that to love someone is to change yourself into the person they want , because who you are will never be correct, will never be good enough. They think Mikio is going to accept who they are in full, and when he doesn't that sends them back to the child they were, just looking for approval and stability from their mother. They change themselves again, trying to be more feminine because clearly that's all Mikio wants, they were too much again, they let the mask slip and it was Unacceptable. Mizu learned that this is what love is. Cutting off parts of yourself to fit in a box for scraps of approval.
To be clear, I think interpreting Mizu as a cis woman is perfectly fine, however I think there's a lot of room for a trans interpretation of the story as well. For me, what hits is the only people who ever refer to Mizu as a woman or using feminine language for them are the people who hurt them most - their mother, Mikio, and Fowler. Everyone else who figures it out later (Swordfather, Ringo, Taigen) continue to refer to them with masculine language even after they find out, and not in a way that can be brushed off if the audience wasn't paying attention. Ringo has his moments early on of almost spilling the beans when he's too excited, and Taigen seems pretty comfortable making the only trans joke I found funny coming from a cis person ("he needs a weapon to kill you like you need two hands to pee"). So they know. Mizu's first time binding (even if its in a dangerous way) that moment was a real standout for me, very recognizable experience. The writers also addressed fan theories of Mizu's gender identity, and basically said Mizu's gender is Mizu, which sounds pretty dang nonbinary to me lmao.
Gender in this story, particularly the social expectations of assigned gender, are so inescapable in this story and I found this exploration really refreshing? It's hard to explain, but it really aligns with my personal experience of gender. I am my gender, but it's not the most interesting or important thing about me. People and society still see me as and try to fit me into a category where I don't belong. It's a very strange place to be, not a woman but still experiencing misogyny. Not a man, but expected to uphold dangerous ideals of toxic masculinity.
This story is so good.
this is a really good analysis, I’m surprised it has no likes besides mine. I also think there’s a chance Mizu isn’t fully cis, like we all saw how berserk she/they went when Fowler said her bones break like a woman’s
@@_kaleido things tend to get lost in the comment section, I'm not really surprised it's gone mostly under the radar. I'm glad it spoke to you though!
"Ever since my lord banished me I've had this fantasy that if I bring him the perfect creature he will welcome me back." Zuko, is that you?
Even regardless of who called the soldiers on Mizu, both Mikio and her mom had already deeply betrayed her emotionally and psychologically
Betrayals Mizu, and us, know for sure:
= Maid-Mother had been smuggling in opium after being told not to
= Mikio didn't come down to defend his wife when danger came
the husband was “testing” her and himself. because she wounded his ego w/ her skill as a samurai he sought to humble her. he wanted to be the hero who came back and saved her and if she was killed, defeat them in her honor to prove himself better and worthy.
I 100% agree. I figured it was them to begin with but you found SO MANY other reasons to back it up.
My head canon has a Third party figured it out after enjoying the services of Mizu's "mother".
When reviewing the scenes you make a strong argument for Mikio. I see no good counters besides my personal bias to addiction. Therefore, if I remove my bias what other counter would I have. I must concede. However, Mikio was only killed because he killed her "mother". If he wanted to live he shouldn't have done that unless he is guilty and knew she would come back and kill him anyway.
okay i'll watch it again. love this show
Honestly I thought maybe it was both. Mikio mentioning it to his former lord and the mom/maid selling her out after she saw Mikio mad and thinking she lost her meal ticket. But like you said the mom/maid had a lot more to lose and Mikio had a lot more to gain if either of them sold her out. I don't know how bad addiction can get (only thing close to addiction is my phone and laptop and I have no relatives or friends with it either) but I heard that after a long period of time without the substance sometimes the person can just get desperate and do something unthinkable to get it back. Especially if it wasn't their choice to quit. Granted over 9 months is a long time to finally snap. That's a whole pregnancy period. And they still let her go alone with a bag of money to town during that time too. She'd could've just been like "fuck you I'm getting my opium!" People with addiction do that all the time with their family member's money. Especially people with gambling addictions. Shit man you doesn't even have to be an addict to do that. Sometimes it's just a very selfish person. Honestly the whole story with the mom/maid is weird and I hope we get some clarification in the next season. She cared way too much about Mizu if she was being paid too. Maybe she was a decent person before the addiction caught up to her but I even doubt she was paid. The circumstances leading up to it doesnt line up. Paying someone to protect means someone had a plan to save baby Mizu but It was a split-second decision by some rando dude cause he got a conscious at the last second about killing a baby. I doubt that rando dude had the means to locate and pay the mom/maid and even if he tried he was probably killed for disobeying orders or not finishing the job. The whole story Fowler came up with is full of inconsistency. So I take it with a grain of salt until the story confirms or denies it.
I never believed it was her mom because to me, it's just illogical. Although, tv shows don't always follow good logic so thats not always a good indicator, but i'll explain.
Mizu's "mom" walks to town and back.
It means that her mom would've had to WALK into town, however long that takes.
Then she would've had to tell whatever guards/soldiers/whatever about where Mizu was.
Then these people would have then PAID this woman based on NOTHING except her word.
Then her mom went drug shopping.
Then her mom WALKED home.
Then her mom fired up a pipe.
And THEN several men on horseback came up and attacked Mizu.
And almost immediately after they arrived, her husband shows up.
I don't believe these people would've given her reward money based on her word alone. I don't believe they would've lolligagged for so long before going after Mizu that they, on horseback, would take longer to arrive than her old mother strolling on foot after drug shopping.
Meanwhile, if her husband sold her out as he was leaving, it makes sense that those soldiers would've been dispatched right away and arrived just before he did. If he had tried to pass them on the road or whatever, it would've looked very suspicious to them, so he would've been trailing right behind them. And he showed up right after they did.
Those soldiers also did not acknowledge him at all. They never looked at him. Never said a word to him, like "dont interfere, samurai business" or whatever. They didn't acknowledge his presence as if to say they already knew that he wouldn't be a problem or a threat to them.
If it wasn't just the husband's doing, I wouldnt be surprised if they were working together. He was extremely quick to blame her mother, but the mother also seemed to know what was going on, that he rode away. We never see her outside or watching the situation unfold, so it's possible that they already had this planned. They had probably agreed to split the prize money they would have gotten from Mizu. Another clue to this is how quickly he kiss Mizu's mother, tying up loose ends, no one left to challenge the story. The tea of gold leaves comment is telling too, since I assume Mikio told her mother about what happened. Mizu hurt Mikio, and in turn hurt her mother, since now Mikio doesn't see her as a wife, just a monster. It is possible Mizu told her mother about it, but I doubt it.
Rewatching the scene, I always figured Mikio. But!!!! I never noticed that the mother stayed inside during the fighting and came out after Mikio arrived. The way they both blame each other reminds me of two siblings turning on each other over something they both did. How did mother know Mikio just watched when she had been hiding inside the whole time???? I think they both went in on it but expected Mizu to fail. When she killed the horsemen, they both came out to convince her of their innocence. They were terrified of her so tried to play up how the other didn’t care enough about her. Mikio already knows Mizu is better than him in a fight, and the mother is fairly certain Mizu wouldn’t hurt her own mother but the situation is tense with Mikio’s accusations. He realizes mother sounds more convincing so he attacks her in desperation. It probably wasn’t planned, just kind of a gut reaction that may have partly been his own rage at Mizu being a better warrior (her killing everyone and wearing the aftermath was a very blatant reminder of his own inadequacy) but he could only take that rage out safely on mother. If he tried to fight Mizu, he knows he would be dead. I kinda think he knew it was at least a 50/50 chance Mizu would spare him.
I dont know if her mom directly sold her out, but she definitely could have known and allowed or helped him to turn her in. Her sudden indulgence of opium, how she insults Mizu, and how quick she is to deflect blame kind of leads to thinking she had some knowledge of the situation. She could have been using opium to cope with what she thought was going to happen
The way Mizu wouldn’t kill Mikio if he didn’t kill her «mother». She wasn’t expecting that he would do such thing, something died in her eyes when she heard the stab. Even though I halfway understand why she didn’t help her mother. The first reason is that she was disoriented, the second is that she was upset with her and kinda blamed her. He killed one of the closest and loved person in her life. This is the true betrayal.
I still have a hard time deciding who betrayed Mizu. But I will say this, in the end she was broken. Her whole life the people around her tried to kill her and for once to have the opportunity to be loved by a parent and partner diminishes as a reminder of how the world views her. At the end of the clip from Mizu’s body language and expression, I can tell that she could care less who betrayed her but like natural instincts, self preservation comes into play. In summary,If Mizu isn’t given any trust, then it’s natural to kill off all ties just to survive but it does break her because for once she’s given that opportunity to be happy and loved. That’s heartless for me to say but Mizu’s life has always been a battle.
I appriciated this analysis, but also would love to hear your thoughts on how this convergence of betrayals shaped/broke her psyche further… as a continuation of Pt1 where you spoke about her childhood and being outcast and bullied…mainly bcz I relate to Mizu a lot.