Baji knows very well where his loyalty lies - and it's in Toman. Sure, that leads to some issues as Toman founders are split and he tries his best to reconcile the units of his loyalty together: but whether he's with Kazutora or with Mikey and the rest, his loyalty lies in them all. He's not choosing between them and, God forbids, he isn't thinking of the situation as betrayal. Not from any of the sides Shinichiro's death created and not from himself

Sanzu has a total of 0 doubt on his loyalty. It's all Mikey, will always be Mikey, cannot ever be otherwise. Everything else will be disregarded if need be if it's for Mikey and conserve his loyalty towards him. Nothing else matters

They both had a plan when they 'switched' gangs and they both stuck to it, never having to deal with torments about if their loyalty had shifted with how long they had spent in that new gang. To be fair, they didn't get to spend that long in those gangs either (not that I think it'd have changed anything. Those two are stubborn as hell. They could've bonded with members but they wouldn’t have diverted from what they were here for - Baji because it was urgent af, Sanzu because. Mikey)(Baji is rather crushed by his responsibility in the mess he is in? Sanzu doesn't quite take part in Tenjiku. He was there but wasn't actually involved.)

Now, if there was ONE person to have a loyalty crisis, it was one who never intended to be a spy or a traitor in the first place.

A lot in TR is about how one incident triggers and impacts another and it leads to snowball effect over and over - but for Mucho's situation I'd argue he really didn't do shit to deserve what was coming for him? Don't get me wrong, there were reasons why what happened, happened but.. it all feels so passive.

His biggest 'flaw' is that he placed his loyalty in two different people and groups. Mucho is all about loyalty, and if he wasn't he could've found a way out, probably, but he's about loyalty and honesty. That doesn't mean he's not devious or that he is transparent, this means that if he has placed his loyalty and trust in you, he'd give it his all and won't back down.

First was Izana and S62 - and there was no problem. But then Izana disappeared and the rest went their ways; never imagining they wouldn't meet again, but still taking a somewhat break. And during that period, Mikey found Mucho.

And Mucho - dear Mucho - tried to warn Mikey, to tell him. And Mikey cut him short, telling him that didn't matter, that he didn't need to hear it.

Mucho was lonely and had lost their fight. He has been scouted whether he wanted it or not and - he did want it. Izana was away and loyalty was given to Mikey. Perhaps because Mucho cannot spend so much time without any king to work for.

Then he gets to live in a rather.. limbo state. He's with Mikey, Izana is always in the back of his mind.

Who to choose if Izana comes back? If there's a choice to take? Well, Izana was first so of course that'd be him. Mucho has nowhere he belongs to, and Izana was the first place he could stand near. That is not to undermine the importance of Toman (although Mucho probably did using that argument) but he isn't quite close to the other division captains, nor to Draken and honestly, not Mikey either. S62 is different.

He tried to warn Mikey. He had already pledge loyalty to someone else. If Izana is back, then he'd leave.

But then there's doubt. And Mucho refuses to acknowledge it, and he works against it, but there's doubt.

S62 doesn't mistrust him, but they're all aware where he spent the last years. They hadn't been part of gangs unless they were at the top, but Mucho? Mucho's different.

But Mucho is Mucho and his devotion is only surpassed by Kakucho, who learned a lot from him.

There's no doubt Mucho is on their sides. They spent juvie together. He came back with Koko. He grabbed the knife Izana handed him when asked if he'd kill for him. (Which - was a loyalty test. Kill someone of the gang you just left for me. Kill for me. You never killed for him. Then kill one of his for me. Prove it)

Mucho, like all of them, is looking forward to what they could build now.

Oh, but here's the thing: if Mucho's loyalty is unwavering, it being placed at polar sides makes him unable to move properly. He can't cancel one to preserve the other: his loyalty is an unit and all of it is true. He'd have pushed himself, to kill a Toman member and have Izana be happy of him - he'd have thrown himself on Angry and would have stabbed him, even though that's the twin little brother of the person he's the closest to in Toman (Mucho and Smiley are bestiessss goddammit). He would've. He would've also regretted it and he would've had buried that fact.

Because, at the end, Mucho cannot choose and he didn't choose. At the end, his wish is to not have to choose. He's been diligent and true when being under Toman - as much as he was for S62. He can't actually betray it without doing tremendous damage to his own self.

That is something Baji also had to deal with. Whole yet shattered loyalty. Mucho had no way of knowing after Baji he'd be next. In a similar situation. Choose and betray, you're the one that'd end up hurting. One of the main differences is that Baji truly believed in a reconciliation (or at least, some kind of stable, neutral ceasefire) between Kazutora and Mikey - that'd be hard to work for, but that could be worked for. Mucho never sees that option

Bad Toman timeline doesn't have that issue. Izana never comes back. It is sad, to never create a group with S62, but his questions about loyalty remain hidden, for himself and his nightmares. If Toman ever has to act against S62 members to grow, maybe he could try to refrain that. Maybe he wouldn't succeed.

He picked a side. He never had to confront it.

Manila timeline doesn't have that issue - while doing. He chose Tenjiku. Tenjiku won (as per expected). None of Toman trust him anymore, pretty much. To think him out of anyone would betray them. Toman dies from the inside. Mikey kills them. He's exempted. He's not Toman no more, haven't been in a long time. To say Tenjiku and Toman joined to become one homogeneous organization is a lie everyone is aware of. Toman never ceased to be bitter and Tenjiku never ceased not to care about them. Mikey doesn't have to kill him. And he has Izana's protection anyway. Sanzu too, is exempted. That's a weight of his shoulders, at least. Sanzu's important to him. Sanzu joined him to Tenjiku, perhaps that explains it. He does spend more time with S62 or Kokonoi or Kakucho than he ever did the rest of Toman.

Loyalty isn't an issue then. One would think it's because Tenjiku and Toman morphed together, but reality is, it's because Mucho acts accordingly as if he had cut Toman off. It's not really true. His actions shows the opposite.

He picked a side. He lies to himself guilt isn't lodged in his lung.

Bonten has it. No side has been picked. Both sides have been picked. Nothing could change S62's importance in his life. He cherishes them. But Toman is also important and showed him another view on life. He cherishes them as well. Izana dies, he goes to juvie with the rest of S62. He goes out of juvie earlier. He's kinda through with pledging loyalty so South won't have it. He needs to make amend toward Toman and to find Kakucho (now that they know he made it out alive). Sanzu - who Mucho left behind after he joined him in Tenjiku - picks him up. He should apologize to him, too. But Sanzu has always understood, Sanzu has always been on his side. Sanzu too had had to deal with loyalty issues.

Maybe not.

Mucho places the blame of his death on no one but himself. First - because he has a soft spot for Sanzu, second because he's aware. He's aware that what was the outcome of being unable to choose would lead him. A gang cannot have a member so uncertain about where to stand. Who ponders about loyalty?? Not a good member, that's who. A weak member that could betray you.

He had it coming. He knew it best than anyone. He was the one, making sure no one in Toman could betray or spy on internal affairs. He had all the intel, was trusted with it, and then himself turned out to have to betray it all? He betrayed his own role on top of the gang, betrayed his damn self with this one.

He had wished for kindness, and while he was harsh when fulfilling his role, he had also given it (ie: Hakkai's situation in Christmas Showdown arc)

He loves S62 and he loves Toman. He just wants a place to belong, which is something he's after. Not picking one leaves him with no solid place to belong. But he cannot truly pick one either. He's stuck. Loving them both for different reasons but equally. He just wants a quite and peaceful life. His dream is to open a café.