The commonly held view is that Shikanosuke was murdered by Motoharu KIKKAWA as a preemptive measure because he deemed it too risky to let him live, believing that Shikanosuke was determined to survive and committed to again attempting to restore the Amago clan.
通説によれば、鹿介は尚も生き延びて、尼子氏を必ずや再興するという執念を胸中に抱いていたため、これを生かしておくと危険と見た吉川元春が先手を打ち、鹿介は殺害されたと言われている。