Episode 7 of *Chief of War* opens with a scene set in the Kohala district of Hawai’i. Kamehameha receives confirmation that one of the chiefs has just given birth, and he seizes this moment to remind everyone present that it should be a day of celebration, despite the ominous tension that shrouds the atmosphere. He endeavors to soothe the restless minds of his people, yet the specter of war looms large, an immutable force that remains ever unyielding.
Ka’ahumanu, of course, is also expected to bear a child, perpetuating Kamehameha’s legacy. However, her thoughts are currently preoccupied elsewhere. Word from Ko’au reaches the shores, and Ka’ahumanu is taken aback to learn that Ka’iana has been scheming behind Kamehameha’s back, employing spies to further his hidden agenda.
While Kamehameha strives to broker peace, Ka’iana is relentlessly seeking vulnerabilities to exploit in order to eliminate Keoua. Regrettably, assassins will not be able to infiltrate their ranks, making war seem like the inevitable outcome.
Caught in the crossfire of this conflict, Ka’ahumanu finds herself torn between the desire for peace and the reality of impending war. She is not so naive as to believe that everyone will simply join hands and lay down their arms. Yet, she is also bound by tradition to her role as a wife, not the primary figurehead in this drama.
This places Ka’iana in a precarious position, and his wife fears that Ka’ahumanu may exert undue influence over him. Later in the episode, this fear seems to materialize as the two come tantalizingly close to a kiss, only to be interrupted by a more pressing threat.
A motley crew of British interlopers, led by the racist Marley and the opportunistic Captain Metcalfe, arrive with the intention of plundering Hawai’i for their own gain. However, their schemes are quickly thwarted, and they find themselves captured. Brought before Kamehameha, Metcalfe attempts to pass off their presence as a simple quest for trade and peace, but we, the viewers, are well aware of their true, hostile intentions.
Ka’iana, unwilling to take any risks, covertly boards the ship that very night alongside Tony, harboring a lethal intent to annihilate them all. But fate takes an unexpected turn; as they menacingly corner Marley, a conch shell’s mournful wail pierces the air, summoning Kamehameha aboard. He intervenes, compelling Ka’iana to halt his violent plans. Instead, Kamehameha decides to dispatch John back to the English with a message embodying peace and prosperity.
Ka’iana vehemently disagrees, perceiving such a gesture as a sign of weakness. Yet, his world is shattered when he discovers that it was his own confidant, Kupuohi, who had initially betrayed him, revealing his treacherous intentions to Kamehameha.
The negotiations, however, prove fruitless. Captain Metcalfe, with an air of disdain, snubs John, vowing that once news spreads, there will be no deterring the hordes that will follow. True to their stubbornness, the soldiers refuse to depart; instead, Marley and Metcalfe navigate their vessel across to the opposing bay.
Onboard, canisters brimming with nails are unleashed, raining down death upon the unsuspecting villagers below on the beaches. Ka’iana, fueled by desperation, sprints to the scene in a valiant attempt to rescue them. Alas, it is too late; the beach transforms into a macabre killing field. Villagers fall in droves, while Marley, too, is cast overboard before Captain Metcalfe sets sail for home, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.
The damage, though, has already been irrevocably done.
