View source for Asian Saga/Awesome

{{trope}}
''Shogun''
* The eventual victory of  {{spoiler|[[Magnificent Bastard|Toranaga]]}}. It is difficult to summarise in a few sentences, given that the whole [[Doorstopper]] book is a [[Gambit Pileup]], but suffice to say it is absolutely ''glorious''.
* All of Toranaga's plans count as this, whether it's his  {{spoiler|escape from Osaka}}, his excellent game of [[Xanatos Speed Chess]] when he realises  {{spoiler|that Yabu has him at a huge disadvantage and his only chance is to bullshit his way through it}}, or his totally convincing  {{spoiler|[[I Surrender, Suckers|faked defeat]]}}, if there is a situation where some truly awesome scheming is required, Toranaga always does well.
* Pilot-Major John Blackthorne:
** He has one whenever he manages to pull off a particularly difficult nautical manoeuvre, because even though it's a regular occurrence for him, it is repeatedly stated that there are only a few pilots in the entire world at that time who are equal to his skill. A stand out example of this is during  {{spoiler|the escape from Osaka}}, which is a [[C Mo A]] for both him and Rodrigues.
** His faking insanity to distract  {{spoiler|Ishido from Toranaga being disguised as a woman during the escape from Osaka}} at great personal risk is treated as one in-universe by the other characters. As is his  {{spoiler|valiant attempt to hold off the ninja attack.}}
** Managing to hold his own amongst all his enemies at  {{spoiler|Osaka}}. Considering how instrumental he was in  {{spoiler|Toranaga's escape}} even his enemies are impressed that he is able to hold his head high when he has to return.
** However, perhaps his greatest one is  {{spoiler|his attempt at seppuku}}, which is when he fully earns his place among the samurai. Not only that, but he actually manages [[Made of Iron|to stand up and walk after it]], which is considered exceptionally strong even by samurai standards.
* Mariko Buntarou:
** Whenever she plays around the [[Yamato Nadeshiko]] expectations, proving that [[Silk Hiding Steel|to be a true YN]] you must be both [[Proper Lady|very classy]] '''and''' [[Plucky Girl|plucky as fuck]] and showing just how strong she is. Stand out examples include her  {{spoiler|fighting alongside the men during the escape from Osaka, telling Toranaga to his face that he has to become Shogun (which has been something of a [[Berserk Button]] for him), playing Yabu like a harp whenever she has to deal with him, and being completely untouched by her drunken husband's explosive temper}}. 
** However, an entire period of awesome comes during the  {{spoiler|return to Osaka. Publicly standing up to Ishido, trying to fight her way out, attempting (and intending) seppuku, and finally committing it during the ninja attack [[Dying Moment of Awesome|while loudly declaring that she'll die honorably (and also out-gambitting the ninjas]]).}} Even [[Magnificent Bastard]] extraordinaire Toranaga describes  {{spoiler|Osaka}} as a "glorious" moment for her.

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[[Category:Asian Saga]]
[[Category:Awesome]]