We might be closer than ever before to a second season of the hit FX series “Shōgun,” but we have a ways to go before that becomes official. Created by writers Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, the sprawling drama starred Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Yûki Kedôin, Akiko Kobayashi, Takehiro Hira, Eushin Lee, and many more. Not all of the ensemble cast would return for another go around, of course, but the season did end on an intriguing note that could point the way forward for future stories in this world. Securing a deal with Sanada for a potential return was step one to making this a reality; now comes the hard part.

By the end of the 10 episodes, Lord Yoshii Toranaga lays out what events may come to be in a flash-forward vision of sorts. (We’re keeping this relatively spoiler-free for those who haven’t had a chance to finish the entirety of the first season just yet.) Kondo and Marks could simply take the transcription route and depict those narrative beats straightforwardly, using another 10-episode season to fill in the gaps accordingly. On the other hand, it’s also possible that the master planner and strategist didn’t think everything through as well as he thought, cleverly using this what-if scenario against viewers to change things up and keep us on our toes. The Deadline report is thin on any actual plot details, unfortunately, so speculation will surely run rampant in the meantime.

“Shōgun” is loosely based on James Clavell’s five-novel series, meaning there’s plenty of material to help guide the way for season 2 (although the source material is more of an anthology, changing up the setting and characters with each story). Stay tuned!