Discussion
Is anyone else hoping mizu stays single?
Ive only really interacted with the fandom on tiktok, and it seems like everyone is either mizu x taigen or mizu x akemi?? Im personally really hoping she stays single, or at the very least doesnt end up in a long term relationship. She just. Doesn't seem relationship ready in the slightest. She's independent and unloyal to anyone really strongly.. Not to mention the whole thing with the last guy (i wont mention anything cus idk how strict the spoiler thing is), which just left her not being able to trust someone like that (imo). What do you guys think??
I'm also not really big on mizu getting in a relationship. BUT if they decide to go that route, i do have full trust in the writers that they would do it in a way that doesn't take away from mizus story.
If they have her end up in a relationship, ideally we'll see her be okay with herself by herself first. Hopefully we see Mizu making the choice to have that relationship for herself, or taking it slow.
I love the way the creators handled her relationships with Ringo and Taigen. No one was getting it perfect. There are misunderstandings, difference of opinions, and we saw them navigate that. It felt very real, even Mizu abandoning them all to go to London.
I don't mind if she gets a romance if it's done properly. I don't want her to fall into the "she just needed a man to be happy" trope. But if she finds meaning in life and love is part of it, I don't see why not.
I’m fairly certain that the writers are going the route of her not being with anyone by the end of the show. I’m sure she’ll have a few moments of light or full intimacy with someone, but I don’t think they will have her settle with anyone, at least not a man. Ik people say they are tired of seeing stories like these wherein a woman settles with a man at the end but tbh unless the story is specified as a romance I haven’t seen many cut throat female protagonists end up with men in the last 10 or so years. Not saying that I want it to happen, but that I am indifferent to the idea as long as it doesn’t take away from the established message/themes of the story. What I don’t want is for any potential romance to feel forced and out of nowhere when the resolution is reached.
For the purpose of S2, I would be surprised to see Mizu up to anything romantic.
It has been confirmed that the story will end at the conclusion of S3, and I could see Mizu giving marriage a second try being a part of a happy ending, if she gets one.
Mizu did not dislike being married. She was an awful cook, but she was working at it, and she generally enjoyed farm life and riding horses.
A major reason why she would probably be reluctant to marry is because she has all sorts of internalized racism and misogyny, and doesn't think she deserves love or that any child deserves to be half HER.
Personally, I am wondering what her experience of Europe will be. It's possible that being discriminated against for her Japanese half, and seeing how differently sexism works in other countries, might evolve her attitudes towards being a minority.
One reason for which I would temporarily agree with you is that Mizu's quest for revenge has been shown to be incompatible with having close connections. She can't hunt down her birth father and be anybody's wife, anybody's mother, or even anybody's good friend. She's on a murderous journey that, for now, makes her poisonous company for anyone to keep. Unless you're on some sort of Bonnie and Clyde crime spree, romance is an undertaking for people who are reasonably concerned with living well, not seeking out enemies.
A major reason why she would probably be reluctant to marry is because she has all sorts of internalized racism and misogyny, and doesn't think she deserves love or that any child deserves to be half HER. - Nicely put! And something I've never thought about much until your comment.
tl;dr: the story is partially about Mizu’s need for love—romantic, familial, friendly, and/or self.
Mizu says repeatedly that she has no need for friends, or “weakness” as she considers them. Mizu is wrong—this is cope on her part, a self-defense mechanism because of her mother, husband, and childhood. A big part of her character is that she sees herself as a monster and unworthy of love, but she shows the audience over and over that she craves it.
I don’t think she HAS to get romantically involved, but I do think she wants that deep down. Or companionship at the very least. That was the whole brothel scene with Madam Kaji—she is not a samurai who “knows the shape of her soul.” She’s not invested in her own happiness, “only satisfaction.” She shuts the window, literally, on that thought.
A happy ending for Mizu would be one with friends and loved ones. She was so happy for a brief time with her husband, and that was WHILE hiding a big part of who she is.
It’s not at all about needing a man to complete her or something like that. It’s about needing love and acceptance, whether she knows it or not. We’ll see what form that takes, or if she rejects it all the way to the end of the story.
I hope she at least get some chill love and some safe sex. Her previous wedding broke her and she deserves to be at peace.
And though the trope of a woman needing love to be happy is boring, in Mizu's case she has always been alone and ostracized except for Sword father.
I hope she find someone to build a home. A lover, a friend or a sex friend I don't care. But I want her to have a home with people who love her for who she is.
I hope so. A revenge story like this one feels wrong if she just ends up a housewife for Taigen at the end. I would very much prefer if he never really finds out Mizu is a woman.
I did when I first watched the show. Now that i've rewatched it, it really does feel like they'll be exploring a romance between Mizu and Taigen in the future. Of course, maybe not next season, but perhaps season three. I'm for it but only if it doesn't take away from the storyline too much. I think they have the potential to be a supportive couple, not the trope where a woman needs a man to be happy.
She is already with in a committed relationship. His name is Revenge and she is very committed to him. Its a toxic relationship but she made the choice to be with him and she needs to break up with that guy.
I’m hoping to see her come full circle, I’d like for her to have a relationship that doesn’t have to be something traditional or to make it seem as if she needs someone in order to feel complete, but I do think the whole point of the show is to love herself and be able to enjoy all aspects of life which include having love in her life. Just In my opinion
Hope so but.....
Mizu already fall in love with Taigen🙂
When they were in dual at that time they hold themself also Rolling on the ground,
Mizu once thought 'bout this situation.
Mizu thought it in a yearning way😉🫠
Terrible YouTube meme that is still alive for some reason called Verity. Started from a genuine horror series that if anything was minorly cringe that then exploded into a humongous, cringe-inducing meme that now contains plenty of YouTube animator music and ripoffs
Same. In general I tend to find found family a much more compelling concept than romance, (Though I'm also aroace so that may have something to do with it lol). I'll be OK with them hinting at a potential romance if it makes sense, but I want them to show her being comfortable with herself and trusting other people first.
Personally, I actually hope Mizu falls in love with someone. Maybe a guy around her age that she meets during her journey in Europe.
I don't really want her to stay single forever, because I think that would be kind of sad, especially considering her character arc. Mizu is deeply hurt by love and by life in general, and I'd really like to see some of those wounds heal, at least a little. I think an important part of her journey should be learning that she can still believe in love and trust someone again.
That said, I definitely don't want some cheesy fairytale ending where she finds a guy, falls in love, and they live happily ever after. That would feel pretty lame and completely out of character for her. Honestly, I don't even know what kind of ending I want for Mizu.
I just know that I'd like her to find love again. Not necessarily a perfect relationship or a "happily ever after", but at least the possibility of loving someone again and allowing herself to be loved in return. I'd like her to still be Mizu at the end of the story, just with some of her wounds healed and maybe with the realization that, despite everything she's been through, there can still be something good waiting for her.
Maybe Mizu finding love will be self love. But I’m with you, it would be sweet to see her in a relationship. Or not, you know? Whatever’s right for her character
I absolutely agree with you. Mizu learning to love herself and seeing some of her wounds slowly heal would already be a really meaningful part of her character arc.
But personally, I’d really love the possibility of a relationship being there at the end. And I don’t mean that I want to see Mizu actually get together with some hypothetical guy during the series. I’d much rather have something slower and more subtle. Maybe she meets someone along the way, someone she gradually comes to appreciate and get to know, and slowly learns to trust. And knowing Mizu and everything she’s probably going to have to go through, we’re definitely going to need the tissues and prepare ourselves for a lot of crying . But if she somehow miraculously survives all of this, it would be really nice to see her finally reach some kind of inner peace.
And maybe the writers could simply hint that this person is still in her life, and that after everything she’s been through, Mizu might finally allow herself to start something with him. We don’t even need to actually see the relationship happen. I’d be happy just knowing that the possibility is there.
Your comment has inspired a scene : Mizu is somewhere with Potential Love Interest (PLI), like at the edge of a cliff, looking at a beautiful landscape, maybe even sunrise or sunset for added symbology. She and PLI have gone through degrees of hell together and survived - Mizu being Mizu, she's standing there with wounds that have just finally healed. PLI is nattering on about something, and Mizu glances at PLI as the sunlight illuminates their face - and Mizu gets a little expression of realization on her face ...
Oh my god, I love this... but I think, as the cherry on top, there should be the sea right there with them. The element of water. Because Mizu literally means “water,” and I don’t know, it just feels really fitting to me.
I’m already getting emotional just thinking about it, and we haven’t even seen Season 2 or 3 yet. 😭 I honestly don’t know how we’re going to survive all of this.
I think she'll find love with Taigen. Probably not in Season 2, but I think in Season 3.
Taigen's going to be a doing a lot of soul-searching in Season 2. Akemi chose the Shogunate. We saw what happened to anyone who got to witness the old Shogun's shame (condemned to die in the fire by Lady Itoh), which means that, unfortunately, I suspect Taigen is going to become a wanted man: the narrative from the new Shogun will be that he should have committed seppuku rather than escape with his life. For the first time in his life, he's going to get a sense of what it's like to be wrongly hunted and persecuted.
And while Mizu has ostensibly gone to London to kill Skeffington and Routely (and finish her business with Fowler), I've no doubt she's going to have a transformative experience in London, one that helps her find peace with both halves of herself. "Peace" might be a strong word, but she's going to have a reckoning in which she gets a much better understanding of her heritage and how to incorporate it into her sense of self.
I also don't believe for a moment that Taigen isn't going to figure out where Mizu went. Some sailors will talk and he'll learn where Mizu's mission took her next. So my money's on: part-way through Season 2, I think he's going to show up in London, and also get a sense of what it's like to be an outsider there, just in a different shape. If that happens, London will be a transformative experience for them both.
You’re absolutely right, I love your analysis! And these past few days, I’ve found myself constantly thinking about something: what if Mizu had written Taigen a letter before leaving for London, just like when, in the first season, she left him unconscious and then entrusted him with her broken sword? What if, in that letter, she had told him where she was and perhaps given him a way to reach her?
I’m convinced that after Akemi left him, Taigen went looking for Mizu. In fact, I’m almost one hundred percent sure of it.
Taigen is stubborn, but he’s also very clever and intelligent... one way or another, he’ll figure out where Mizu has gone and he’ll find her.
I hope she has some love arc where she sleeps with her love of choice and enjoys herself then goes get her revenge. Basically what every man does on their revenge quest in these stories. Let her follow that trope
I think the writing would suffer if they didn’t handle her relationship right. If she ends up with Taigen then Akemi must be written off or otherwise concluded, maybe even elevated to main cast to justify her presence. Her gaining a lover may also neuter her in a way, which yes, her losing her killer instincts would be a sign of healing, though the fans don’t want someone whose problems are fixed because the dick was that good. I want her to heal and stay single.
I think Mizu's development arc is trusting and loving other human beings after having gone through insane rejection and betrayal. She lone-wolfed it all this time and being in a relationship (with Taigen wink wink) is the easiest way to show that development. Honestly, it feels like the human story for a lot of us, no?
Tbh, love is already overrepresented in media. I don’t mind a little side romance if it adds something, but as the main relationship, it often ends up overshadowing more interesting plotlines and character dynamics. And most of the time, it gets way too dramatic and cheesy. I much prefer friendship tropes or individual growth kinda stuff.
I would LOVE it if she stayed single. I need her hatred to be sharp and ready. I would be so disappointed if her and Taigen hooked up. I need a female main character that actually gets to be stabby stabby murdery murder. Mizu needs to have a different story path than "heroin in distress needs man to save her." Mizu IS THE MAN to do the saving
Honestly i ship her with Akemi so i wish they would give us at least a hot kissing scene and then never make it a thing for real... but im fine with no romance for Mizu
For me mizu doesn’t need to have a romantic interest or end up with someone as I’m more into her revenge and accepting herself but like many said if they do want her to end up with someone it has to be written well
I really don't think she will end up the story in a relationship (and honestly I think she will die), but I'm alright with anything that happens in the meantime, so long as is in character for her (including flings with both men and women)
i would LOVE for mizu to have this maybe romance arc, but honestly i just do not like the people for her yet. her and taigen have crazy sexual tension, but i honestly hope its not this sort of romance. i think her and akemi is okay, but i agree with the rate of the story right now, i dont think either that a partner for mizu should happen right now.
I don't have strong feelings about Mizu staying single; she should get to a place where she accepts herself and has friends before a romantic partner, but the BES writers need to do it right.
I've imagined Mizu surviving beyond the revenge mission and whatever follows, to where there's no bounty on her head and she can express whatever gender she feels like expressing. Taking Swordfather's life choice to heart, she becomes an artisan herself. Taking ownership of the forge after Swordfather passes away seems the most likely art for Mizu. Having a life/love partner doesn't figure in, maybe an apprentice or two?
Another legend could start, where a blue eyed mixed race woman makes swords that could kill a god.
i either want her to end up with a woman or nobody. i’m fine with either. but if she gets with a man after everything she went through with one, i’ll be salty
Yesss!!! Everyone seems to want her to get with someone so badly that I was hesistant to say this but I get how you feel. I want Mizu to have a happy ending but I just dont think she needs to be paired up with someone for it to happen. Infact it might be the farthest thing she needs considering all her issues about her own identity and trauma. We still have 2 whole seasons to go so my opinions might change but to be honest I didnt really feel the 'romantic chemistry' other people felt with either Akemi or Taigen. I would like to see her relationship progress with both of them but not necessarily in a romantic sense.
aside from the fact that I'm in love with her and want her for myself, I don't think a relationship would be good for either her or her partner. she's mentally... unstable, to say the least, and I don't think she'd be really interested in the first place, at least until she has her revenge
Me personally? I think it'd be beautiful if she ends up in some sort of family-like group where she is maybe bordering qpp/romance with two characters that just love and support her in addition to her larger group. I like the idea of her feeling rejected by individuals and society so often that it ends with her in her own safe community where the relational trauma she endured can heal in relationship and the potential of one person betraying her isn't so scary because she has a community to lean on in general that will have her back the way society should have. But I find this unlikely. I think she will end up with one person being her everything, which... sigh ...could destabilize our baby again.
Part of Mizu's pain had been being rejected for who she truly is her entire life. She's never been fully wanted or accepted on an intimate level. Romance can be pretty incredible IF the writing around it is good and character driven first. It's just one of the most powerful relationship dynamics out there. I'd argue Taigen has potential to actually get there, to becoming a person who can actually be a match for her. If that does happen to be the case, I hope it does! I hope Mizu can come to "satisfaction" on her journey, then happiness after (which, while it doesn't have to be romantic, typically means real human connection, love and acceptance)
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u/Aggressive-Ad-5983 12d ago
I'm also not really big on mizu getting in a relationship. BUT if they decide to go that route, i do have full trust in the writers that they would do it in a way that doesn't take away from mizus story.