Episode 5 of "Queen Woo" kicks off with a haunting flashback, transporting us to three years prior when King Na-mu lay recuperating from his wounds within the confines of the Goguryeo army's stronghold, perched on the frontier. As he received treatment, tensions simmered within the palace walls. Woo-so's anxiety festered, fueled by fears that Myeong-Rim plotted to depose the Queen for her failure to bear an heir to the throne. Together with Woo-do, they hatched a sinister scheme to thwart Myeong-rim's ambitions and safeguard their family's standing.
Woo-do, his intentions shrouded in doubt, cunningly proposed utilizing Woo-soon's charms to ensnare the King. Woo-soon, consumed by her own ambition, embraced the plan without hesitation, stealthily making her way to the King's bedside as he mended from his injuries. In a tragic misidentification, the King, mistaking her for the Queen herself, succumbed to her allure, their encounter a fleeting moment of deception.
The dawn broke with a sobering realization for the King, who, though aghast at his mistake, spared Woo-soon's life, mindful of her familial ties to the Queen.
Meanwhile, the present-day Queen Woo traversed the treacherous path towards her next destination, with Mo-chi trembling in fear as the relentless White Tigers continued to shadow their every move. The Tigers' keen instincts led them to discern the Queen's intended destination—Baeuitu—prompting No-eum to dispatch his son, Gal-ro, on a mission to hunt her down.
Back at the palace, Eul Pa-so's relentless investigation into the King's untimely demise cast a shadow of suspicion over every corner, save for his trusted companion, Mil-woo. He narrowed down the list of suspects to Woo-do and the formidable Head Secretary Song-woo, yet the enigmatic motive behind the King's death remained a conundrum.
As secrets danced on the edges of exposure, a maid's furtive act of sending a messenger bird beyond the palace walls sparked further intrigue. Within the palace, Woo-do's mistrust of Eul Pa-so simmered, but Woo-so counseled patience, urging that they could not afford to strike blindly without first unraveling the true depths of his loyalty. The stage was set for a game of deception, loyalty, and survival, where every move could be a matter of life or death.
As the investigation delves deeper into the labyrinthine secrets of the palace, Song-woo's piercing gaze steers the head physician towards Woo-soon, like a compass finding its north. A second sweep of Woo-soon's quarters uncovers the elusive elixir vial, a damning clue that tightens the noose around Sa-bi's neck. Revisiting her shrine, the evidence now incontrovertible, Sa-bi's denial falters, confronted with additional herbs that served as the potion's lifeblood. Stubbornly, she shields the mastermind, insisting Seol-joo's innocence while portraying Woo-soon as a mere pawn in her greedy game. Eul Pa-so escorts her away for more rigorous questioning, only to encounter a barrage of eunuchs, their blades drawn, blocking their escape.
Amid the chaos, Sa-bi's life extinguishes, the truth forever entombed with her. A fresh enigma emerges—why would assassins targeting the king also seek Eul Pa-so's demise? Song-woo arrives on the scene, his brow furrowed in confusion, only to be met with Eul Pa-so's somber conclusion: those who conspired against the throne now have their sights set on him.
Meanwhile, at the serene yet ominous Eastern Temple Sabaegol, the serene visage of Chief Priest Seol-joo is disrupted by a missive from the Hidden One. As she peruses the letter, Sa-bi's prophecy echoes in her mind, foretelling the Fourth Prince's ascension. Seol-joo dispatches Mal-woo, her trusted aide, with urgent news for the faithful within the palace walls, declaring that the prophesied moment has dawned. The temple resonates with the hushed chants of her followers, their devotion undiminished.
Elsewhere, Queen Woo's perilous odyssey continues, her resolve unshaken. A brief respite offers an opportunity to scout the treacherous path ahead, strategize. The Queen steadfastly chooses Baeuitu over the perilous ferry, time ticking away with mere hours until dawn. Woo-soon, voice laced with urgency, pleads for a retreat to Bal-ki, but Queen Woo's heart is set on her destiny.
Mo-chi's futile attempt to flee with Yu-hwa falls flat, while the queen's suspicion towards Woo-soon's actions intensifies. The royal procession presses on, with the White Tigers relentlessly pursuing their tails. Amidst the chaos, Mo-chi's incessant whining prompts Mu-gol to reveal the King's tragic demise, igniting a fiery patriotism within the young man and a fresh realization of the gravity of their situation. Though skeptical of evading Bal-ki, he persists in the journey.
Elsewhere, two vigilant soldiers illuminate the path to Baeuitu, a centuries-old ritual instilled by the former king to detect encroaching foes. The White Tigers, relentless in their pursuit, finally catch up with the Queen's procession, unleashing a fierce attack. The Queen's guards valiantly retaliate, but the Tigers' ferocity proves overwhelming. Donning her armor, the Queen emerges from her carriage, armed with bow and arrow, engaging in a desperate battle as the Tigers encircle and grapple with the carriage. In a desperate bid for survival, Mu-gol abandons the carriage, momentarily hindering the Tigers' advance.
Back in the palace, Eul Pa-so's suspicions of Song-woo deepen, though the motive for the King's murder remains elusive. Suspecting a darker conspiracy, he delves into uncovering who might have hired Song-woo to commit such a heinous act. Realizing the eunuchs' true target was Sa-bi, not himself, Eul Pa-so cunningly swaps Song-woo's messenger birds, lying in wait for his next move.
Returning to the Queen's plight, despite her valiant efforts to slow the Tigers' advance, they continue to bear down on her. Recalling a tale the King once shared, of how the Baeuitu route was fortified with boulders to deter invaders from Liadong, Eul Pa-so's grandfather's strategic genius comes into focus. As the procession nears Baeuitu, the Queen comprehends the significance of those stones, instructing Mu-gol to sever the ropes, sending the boulders tumbling down upon their enemies. By the time Bal-ro comprehends the trap, he and his men are entombed, crushed by the avalanche of rock.
The death of his beloved son ignites a fiery rage within No-eum, who swears vengeance against the Queen, a testament to the bloodthirsty consequences of their clash.
