Aahana Swrup
In the Apple TV+ historical show ‘Chief of War,’ the kingdom of Hawai’i continues to stand on the precipice of possible ruin in the face of political turbulence. Episode 6, titled ‘The Splintered Paddle,’ opens in the aftermath of Keoua’s ravenous attack on Kamehameha’s food storage. Yet, the Chief stays his ground, advocating for peace rather than an all-out war. As a result, under Ka’ahumanu’s counsel, he allows Kupuohi to reach out to the King of Hawai’i to broker some peace between the two cousins. Nonetheless, Ka’iana, who is eager to teach his men the art of the paleskins’ weapons, remains against this strategy. Meanwhile, in O’ahu, doubts begin to creep in among Kahekili’s ranks as the Maui men express their reluctance to serve under their King’s bloodthirsty ambitions. However, a possible new alliance promises to change the future for better or worse. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Kupuohi Attempts a Diplomatic Mission to the K’au District
Things inevitably take a tense turn when Kamehameha and his council discover the ruins of their burnt-down food storage. While others are reluctant to jump to conclusions, Ka’iana remains confident that Keoua is behind the attack. Nonetheless, where he advocates for war, his wife, Kupuohi, floats a different strategy. As the new King’s cousin, who was a former chiefess of K’au, she believes she can talk Keoua out of his vengeful streak against Kamehameha and his district. Although her husband doesn’t support her idea, Ka’ahumanu offers her own vote of confidence. She believes peaceful harmony between the districts will allow Hawai’i to stand stronger as a united front when its enemies reach their doors. This compels the Chief to allow Kupuohi to run her mission.
Consequently, Kupuohi and Ka’iana travel to the borders of the K’au district, where Keoua entertains them with his audience. Nevertheless, when his cousin tries to broach the subject of peace, he maintains that the only way for Kamehameha to escape the war is for him to surrender the revered God of War. Even when she tries to assert the reality of the looming threat presented by Kahekili, the war-obsessed King remains firm on his stance. Inevitably, some conflict triggers between him and Ka’iana, as the King criticizes the latter’s acceptance of some of the paleskins’ culture, including their language, weapons, and clothing. Thus, in the end, Keoua refuses any possibility of peace between the two districts, leaving Hawai’i vulnerable for days to come.
Kamehameha Declares a New Law of Peace
In the aftermath of the disastrous diplomatic mission, Kupuohi can’t help but hold her husband at fault for some of the failure. After all, since his return from the outside world, he has grown terribly eager at the prospect of war, almost preferring it to a peaceful alternative. Unbeknownst to her, part of Ka’iana’s eagerness for war stems from the fears he holds about the paleskins, who have brutally helmed the age of slavery, exploitation, and colonization on other ports. Afterward, at the Kohala district council, Moku and Ka’iana both advise Kamehameha to take up arms for war against his cousin. Yet, the chief has plans of his own.
Kamehameha has always been an advocate for peace. Therefore, he recognizes the ways in which his kingdom has grown to prioritize violence and war above all else. He recalls a story for his council members about how he was once attacked during a late-night rendezvous at a different port village. However, he never condemned the villagers for their reactions. He understood that they had simply come to expect plunder and pillaging from the Chiefs and Kings of their kingdom. Consequently, with that experience in mind, Kamehameha declares a new law and labels it the Law of the Splintered Paddle. He announces that from now on, no one in Hawai’i shall kill another person unless it’s in response to a danger to their own lives. Anyone who violates this law will be punished for it by death. As such, it’s starting to become evident that his and Ka’iana’s philosophies are bound to diverge down the path.
Keoua Makes a Deal With the Devil
Even though Keoua easily rebuffs Kupuohi’s offering of peace, he remains worried about the looming war against his cousin. The interaction reveals to him the fact that Kamehameha now has access to the paleskin weapons, which once nearly undid the kingdom of Hawai’i. The added absence of the God of War from his arsenal further cements the inevitability of his kingdom’s demise. Therefore, under the advice of his Prophetess, he resorts to adverse methods. Keoua has already made it clear that he doesn’t care if he has to burn down his father’s old kingdom to build his new one from the ground up. As such, with no other avenues left, he decides to shake hands with the enemy of his enemy.
Keoua travels to O’ahu to offer a deal to Kahekili. The latter King is on a mission to wipe out the royal bloodline of all the kingdoms on the Island and establish his own sole rule as the Great King. His ambition had reached such a terrifying peak that even his own people had begun to doubt his reign. Still, Keoua extends a hand of friendship to his father’s rival. He asks Kahekili for his men to back K’au’s campaign against Kamehameha. In exchange, he offers to stay out of his business for good in the future. The Maui king sees the opportunity for what it is. If he allows the two cousins to weaken each other in an inbred war, it would make Hawai’i easier to take. Therefore, he sends his most ruthless warrior, Opunui, to lead the charge against Kamehameha. Yet, while these kingdom wars unravel, a bigger threat looms on the horizon for the Islands, as another ship of much less friendly paleskins voyages to the shores of Hawai’i.
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