Episode 9 is the bridge between the war and the finale, the show has been building to this moment since the series began, and now we're in the final stretch. Gintoki's disappearance is heartbreaking. He saved everyone, but he couldn't save himself. Shinpachi keeping the Yorozuya alive is a tribute to everything Gintoki taught him and the city rebuilding is a testament to everyone's hard work. This episode is the calm after the storm, but there are clouds on the horizon.