What does 「駒」mean in this sentnce? 「罪滅ぼしの駒にはなりません」

Question

From Quintessential Quintuplets Movie (1hr 15mins in):

A character was talking to her father about how he left her mother when she and her sisters were born. The father expressed that he wanted to make it up to them, but she had this to say.

最後まであなたからお母さんへの謝罪の言葉はありませんでしたね。 私はあなたを許さない。 罪滅ぼしの駒にはなりません。 あなたがお母さんから解放される日は来ないでしょう。

If I wanted to try to translate this line,

罪滅ぼしの駒にはなりません。
"(I) will not become a piece in your desired atonement(?)"

I don't know what 駒 means in this context and I also don't know what the subject of the sentence is since it seems like it's understood by every party involved.

What does 駒 in this context mean and what exactly is the subject of the sentence?

Answer 1

It means tool. The word 駒{こま} comes from 将棋, literally referring to a piece in shogi or chess. It is commonly used in everyday life in a figurative sense referring to tools, stepping stones, powers, skills, etc. things that can be used to achieve a goal, much like how you use pieces in a chess game to achieve victory.

By extension there are also quite a few compound words with 駒 in them. 捨て駒, stepping stone, something you throw away after you use them; 持ち駒, things/people/skills you have at your disposal, things/people you can use.

罪滅ぼしの駒にはなりません。
I am not going to be a tool you use to make amends for your past mistakes.