[𝗜𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿?] Thread

This thread will explain why this assumption is huge misinterpretation of Sesshomaru's character and his actions in #HanyoNoYashahime .

Inspired by @KikyouRin 's TW https://twitter.com/KikyouRin/status/1362067376477405186

1. The Setting - when HnY starts, according to Towa, her twin sister, Setsuna, and her used to live their own in the forest in Feudal Japan. Both girls looked well looked after & well-dressed, which makes me infer that the girls weren't completely alone, +++

therefore, there MUST have been an adult looking after them, only that they don't remember. The reason why neither remembers can be a combination of their young age & the trauma they suffered after the fire. A way the mind can process trauma is by editing memories +++

to make it more bearable to that person can move on & survive (in this case Towa's). And on Setsuna's case there is the Dream curse.

2. In Ep. 15, we are told about events that took place on the night Towa & Setsuna were born 14 years ago. This ep. confirmed the following:
- Rin is their mother and wife of Sesshomaru
- Zero openly threatened the twin's lives
- Kagome is a few months pregnant (w/ Moroha).

- we are also told that Kirinmaru hates hanyos b/c of the Shikon Jewel's prophecy.
- Riku approaches Kagome to warn her that Kirinmaru will not only be after Sesshomaru's daughters BUT her unborn child too.
- Riku tells Kagome about the comet's incoming landing 7 days from now. +

After Zero escapes, Sesshomaru rushes to get his daughters & take them somewhere safe without explaining to anyone (not even his wife, Rin) where he was taking them. On his way out, Sesshomaru is attacked by Yoka (Who Zero sent to kill the babies). +

Evidence below shows us that Zero SENT Joka to kill Sesshomaru's new-born daughters, hence it explains why he needed to ACT FAST to protect them. Towa & Setsuna are only a few minutes old & this woman has sent an assassin after them. +

Here Riku tells Kagome the worst thing for a mother, that some1 want to kill her child (and husband).
Just see the sheer terror in Kagome's eyes & how she protectively puts her hand on her belly. +

Then after Sesshomaru takes his daughters away, Jaken leaves Kagome a note of Sesshomaru's plans to deal with the comet. It is fair to say while Sesshomaru & Inuyasha might not be close brothers, they care for each other in their own way +

which leads me to suspect that Sesshomaru also took it upon himself to protect his younger brother & his family. Therefore, Sesshomaru & InuKag might have secretly agreed to send their baby into hiding with the wolf tribe & asked Hachi to help them. +++

By the time, Kirin & Sesshomaru meet InuKag they both seemed prepared as they already sent Moroha away. I don't think InuKag knew the exact details of how Sesshomaru's plans to help them, but they trusted him to be on their side. +++

InuKag are then sealed in the black pearl. Moroha is raised by Yawaragi in the wolf tribe. Towa & Setsuna grow up in the forest until the fire happened, and they are likely looked after by Jaken. (I won't mention Rin here bec thats another thread whether she was there or not)+

The screenshot below is shown shortly after baby Towa & Setsuna are taken inside the barrier in the forest. Point here, Zero is determined that the twins should die, so she asks Yoka to keep looking for them. +

We have yet to find out where Sesshomaru was in those first 4 years of his daughters' lives, but it is possible he kept his distance from them to protect them. He might have suspected that Zero/Kirin might keep a close eye on him. +++

As a result of this, by keeping his distance Sesshomaru is protecting his daughters bec he would not inadvertently lead Zero/Kirin to his daughters' secret location. This could also explain why Towa doesn't remember her father.

Some might wonder, why didn't Sesshomaru simply challenge and kill Kirinmaru & co.? Simple answer, Sesshomaru would be outnumbered and this would be a very risky gamble to take. If he suceeds great, but if he fails his family and Inuyasha's would all be dead. +++

3. Teams: While Sesshomaru & Inuyasha could have worked together to defeat the threat to their families, the hard facts was that they were outnumbered and the risk of losing was one NOT worth taking.+++

Team Inu: Sesshomaru & Inuyasha.
Team Kirin: Kirin, Zero, 4 Perils, & Riku (Kirin described him in ep. 18 as his "most loyal servant" so chances are if commanded, Riku would have fought against Team Inu. There is the issue of Riku's secret agenda.) +++

You will have noticed that I didn't list Kagome in Team Inu above bec she is pregnant and in NO condition to be fighting. Her focus right now is taking care of herself to ensure she can carry her pregnancy to full term. So she needs to be careful. +++

Pregnant Kagome, Rin & her twins are who Team Inu want to protect from Team Kirin. Therefore, Team Inu only have 2 warriors against Team Kirin which have 7.
The odds are stuck against Team Inu here, therefore, Sesshomaru decides that holding off the battle is the safest option.+

The director mentioned that Sesshomaru is a strategist and that he would think his moves carefully before realising them, so this supports Sesshomaru's actions he evaluated the situation & decided that their best bet would be post-pone the fight +

Then in ep. 18, Kirin mentions that he will still "make Sesshomaru do what he wants" & I think this might be linked to the events after the forest , how Rin ended up sealed in the Tree of Ages & Setsuna had her sleep & memories taken. +

We also know that Kirin has a close connection to the Dream , which is keeping Rin asleep & Setsuna awake. Therefore, SOMETHING might have happened that put Sesshomaru in this difficult situation. Who knows maybe Kirin offered to protect Setsuna from Zero? +

So the dream was used? By doing this, Kirin could ensure to control Sesshomaru better since he is technically holding Rin hostage. Kirin might not trust Sesshomaru, esp. after he helped seal InuKag in the black pearl. So to avoid Sesshomaru pulling another unexpected move +

Kirin would have put the curse on Setsuna and Rin. Considering that after the forest , Sesshomaru & Jaken might believed Towa to be dead, it could add a sense of desperation for him to want to protect his ONE surviving daughter. +++

I cannot imagine how it would be for Sesshomaru to search for Towa's scent & not find it (almost as if she disappeared completely) which would have led him to believe she might have died in the forest . +++

Towa's disappearance would have also been for Jaken, who would have personally searched the whole forest for her to no avail. Then having to tell to Sesshomaru that Towa was no where to be found, not even her corpse. I cannot imagine the unimaginable pain they both felt +

perhaps even guilt at failing to protect them. I think after the forest, Sesshomaru might have told Jaken to take Setsuna into hiding in another secret location (which we will find out in ep. 21). +++

The separation would have been hard for them, but back then, Setsuna's best chances of survival would have been NOT to be associated with Sesshomaru or Jaken. Sesshomaru would have decided to keep a low profile & wait for the right time & opportunity to taken on +++

Team Kirin. In that time, Sesshomaru would have chosen to stay to watch over Rin, while Jaken would likely stay outside in hiding, but still keeping informed of what was happening outside the Tree of Ages. +++

10 years pass after the forest , Towa, Setsuna & Moroha meet Treekyo who asks them to kill Kirin AND Sesshomaru. Unbeknownst to them, Sesshomaru is watching them. This is first time he has seen his daughters & niece, he might have felt both happiness & relief +++

Sesshomaru might also felt particularly happy to see that Towa was actually alive (esp. if he spent the last 10 years believing she was dead). He would have also watched them fight the nebukumi & felt relieved to see that they were strong & could defend themselves. +++

I think after this, Sesshomaru decides to leave the Tree of Ages (even if Treekyo warns him that Rin might never awaken). He leaves in order to watch from a distance his daughters & niece. Sesshomaru leaving is NOT bec he has given up on Rin but bec he is planning to reunite +

his family & to do this, he knows the time to take on Kirin & co. will approach soon. For this reason, Sesshomaru keeps on "working" for Kirin and can't actively help the princesses EXCEPT when Kirin threatened his daughters & niece's lives. +

Kirin wasn't actively seeking the girls to begin with, but it all happened bec Tonketsu inadvertently led them to Kirin's ship (which Kirin got pissed at Tonketsu for). So Kirin confrontation with thw girls wasn't planned but he used it to test them & prove for himself that +

the girls were NOT a threat to him. What was unexpected for Kirin was that Sesshomaru intervened, hence his comment "you have compassion/care for your daughters". Up to this point, Kirin likely assumed that the cold stoic Sesshomaru didn't care +

and then Kirin calls off their battle bec the girls are no threat to him but reminds Sesshomaru's of their "agreement" (we still have to find out the details but chances are it is linked to the , Rin & Setsuna).
+++

We also saw how pained Sesshomaru looked when Jaken asked him if it was ok to leave the girls unconscious, he tells him "don't say it". There was also Riku hiding close by, which Sesshomaru likely sense his smell, and suspected Riku could tell Kirin/Zero +++

that he (Riku) saw Sesshomaru show concern for his daughters. This is another reason why Sesshomaru doesn't wait for the twins to wake up bec it would make the separation harder and he likely suspects they would have a lot of questions (which he cannot answer atm). +++

I think Sesshomaru will continue to watch over the girls from a distance, until the time comes when they will have to fight and defeat Team Kirin. +++

In the present time, the members in each team has changed.
Team Inu: Sesshomaru, Towa, Setsuna, Moroha, (and Inuyasha & Kagome once they come out of the black pearl).
Team Kirin: Kirin, Zero, Tonketsu & Riku* (*whose loyalty is a bit dubious with his secret agenda) +

Team Inu now has a better chance to stand against Team Kirin. There is greater strength in numbers, it will all come down to timing.
+++

4. Sesshomaru's character: key to understanding his character & motivations is to pay close attention to his actions. Actions always speak louder than words, esp. with Sesshomaru. IMO, he had one of the most beautiful and complex character development in the in the OG +

and we get to see the resulta of his character growth. Sesshomaru is the unofficial head of the Inu clan (which includes his brother, Inuyasha & his family) and he has taken it upon himself to protect them. +++

Every single action Sesshomaru has taken from the time of daughters' births was to protect them and their mother, Rin, as well as to protect Inuyasha & his family. Sesshomaru might have been secretive & vague with InuKag & others, but his goal to protect them +

and ensure everyone's survival, was accomplished with relative success. Perhaps Sesshomaru's plans might not have gone to plan 100% but he adapts his plans to the changing situations to eventual defeat Team Kirin & have their families reunited.

In conclusion, the purpose of this thread is to debunk that incorrect assumption "Sesshomaru is a bad father" that some in the fandom are spreading. Only the people hating the show would make such misterpretation of Sesshomaru's character, actions & motivations. +

Sesshomaru did everything within his power to protect his daughters when they were born and continues to do so, now that they adolescent. He also protected Moroha by working with InuKag. In short, Sesshomaru is a family man & the de-facto leader of their clan protecting every1