Hammerscale
- Swordfather trying to convince Mizu not to leave on her Roaring Rampage of Revenge. At first he just tells Mizu that revenge will wait, but when he blurts out, "You will get yourself killed!" it's clear that he doesn't want Mizu to leave at all.
A Fixed Number of Paths
- Seki's apparent support for Akemi turns out to have been a ploy on his part to make her see how difficult finding Taigen would be and give up. After he seemed like a Cool Old Guy and a better father figure than her actual father, it really stings to see his true colors.
Peculiarities
- On her way to find Kinuyo, Mizu is startled by a noise and wields her sword to kill her alleged assailant, only to find she killed a harmless bird. Mizu then sadly places the bird back into her nest alongside her unhatched eggs.
- Mizu killing Kinuyo at Madame Kaji’s request. Kinuyo is obviously scared when she sees Mizu, but she goes into her arms for comfort, as though Mizu might find a safe way out for her... and then she snaps Kinuyo’s neck when she least expects it.
The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride
- Even though we knew Mizu's marriage didn't last, the details are pretty heartbreaking:
- Her husband, who actually seemed like a good match for her, turned on her after she bested him in a sparring match.
- Mizu's mother is revealed to be alive and is a bitter opium addict who may have sold her out for another hit. The possible alternative, that her husband turned her over, isn't much better.
- Between her mother faking her death and abandoning Mizu, and Mikio leaving Mizu to die at the hands of bounty-hunters, Mizu is so embittered from such utter betrayal by the two most important people in her life that she simply doesn't care who sold her out. While Mikio and her mother start fighting, she just sports a silent Kubrick Stare, then turns to leave.
- All of these disasters cemented Mizu's choice to focus on revenge and give up actual happiness.
- Mizu's indifference to Akemi's situation makes Ringo see how focused on revenge she is and leave her side, not long after she was starting to grow genuinely fond of him.
- After all she's been through, Akemi ends up being taken back to her father and married off the shogun's son and even has to have her teeth blackened like she was instructed to before.
Nothing Broken
- While not excusing any of his actions, Fowler speaking of his past can make you feel a little bit bad for him, especially when he mentions how during every meal he remembers the time he was forced to eat his sister's kidneys to survive. Even Shindo is hinted to pity him judging by his facial expressions.
- When Akemi grants the prostitutes their freedom, they are emotionally overwhelmed, but in particular is Ise, who regrets how she treated Akemi. She then tells her about Fowler's plan to overthrow the shogunate, but when they go to warn Daichi, he responds by throwing Ise out of a window to her death in front of Akemi, revealing him to be a part of the conspiracy all along.
The Great Fire of 1657
- Seki dies catching a stray bullet while trying to escort Akemi to safety. She weeps by his side in his final moments as he acknowledges her as a surrogate daughter.
- Mizu having a My God, What Have I Done? reaction when Fowler points out that her quest for vengeance is now causing the city to burn to the ground.
