WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 10 of Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood, "Confidential File 089, Star Sign," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Episode 10 of Joran provides some much-needed insight into Jin's past, finally giving viewers a look at what makes Nue's headman tick. The revelations that come from this episode certainly tie a lot of Joran's loose threads together and with the series nearing its end, the consequences of Jin's past actions will likely shape how things play out leading to the finale.
In a flashback to the years before the series, a younger Jin is held captive by Janome and his organization. Taking place while the madman still worked for the Shogun, Jin -- referred to as Iori by a fellow prisoner -- is one of many human subjects to participate in Janome's research into immortality. The experiments leave Iori's body with scars similar to Janome's. After swiping a shard of glass from under the guards, the boy manages to escape by taking out various watchmen and makes a break for the outside. Though he initially believes he's free, Iori is cornered by soldiers shortly after his daring escape.
Just as he is about to be executed, Iori is saved by a man sporting the Nue emblem. Having scared off Iori's pursuers, the agent, Kotodama, takes the boy into his care and arranges for a meeting with the Shogun. Kotodama presents Iori as a potential Nue candidate due to his intense drive and will to survive. The Shogun renames him Jin Kuzuhara and makes him lick an entire bottle of wine off the floor as a test of loyalty. This forced act of submission shows just how sadistic Yoshinobu is, while also explaining some of Jin's deep-seated resentment towards the Shogun.
Kotodama takes the boy under his wing and spends the next few years training him to be an effective agent and swordsman. When Janome betrays the Shogun and goes rogue, Jin is sent to watch over the Karasumori clan, who drew the madman's interest because of their unique blue blood. There, Jin crosses paths with Sawa's mother, Towa. Towa is the only one aware of Jin's presence, and like her daughter, is a skilled fighter with the ability to transform. Though Jin's initially weary of her, the two eventually grow on each other, with Towa gradually becoming a maternal figure to the orphaned Jin.
Jin spends months watching over the clan but is suddenly tasked with wiping them out by the Shogun when they refuse to let his government make use of their special abilities. On the eve of his mission, Towa visits him and leaves him some food, offering him the chance to come down to her home and spend time with her family. Towa seems to have grown fond of Jin during his stint in the village, and treats him like a son. With his back turned to her, Jin eats Towa's food and begins to cry. This is a first for the usually stoic Jin, and goes to show just how much he cared for Towa.
Despite his reservations about the mission, Jin takes part in the slaughter. He approaches Towa's home and is greeted by her, stabbing her when she lets her guard down. The rest of the scene plays out just as Sawa remembered it, revealing Jin to be the one who slaughtered her family that night. When Jin finds the cowering young Sawa hidden away, he shows remorse and decides to save her. After discovering the unconscious Sawa, Kotodama tries to strike her down as per his orders, but is blindsided by Jin before he can do anything. The episode then goes back to the present where Sawa asks Jin what his role was in her clan's death.
Jin's relationship with Sawa has always been at the center of the series in one way or another, and this episode accentuates that in highlighting the similarities of their circumstances. The dynamic between Jin and Kotodama mirrors that seen between him and Sawa throughout the series, and given Jin's involvement in her clan's death, one has to wonder if Jin will meet a similar end as his mentor.
