Chief of War Episode 4 recap: Kahekili's power play, Keoua's war on Kamehameha and Ka'iana's daring mission in Zamboanga

Chief of War Episode 4, titled City of Flowers Part II, dropped on Friday, August 15, 2025, on Apple TV+. Episode 4 slows down the tempo, but the tension stays intact. The events in the episode set the stage for the bigger war across the Hawaiian Islands.

In the previous episode, Ka'ahumnau got married to Kamehameha I, carrying a secret that only she and her father, Moku, knew. The secret? Ka'ahumanu will not be able to give an heir to the chief, a fate foretold by Prophetess Taula.

Meanwhile, Ka'iana reached the Zamboanga islands in the hopes of finding enough ammunition with the money he saved, only to fail. This is when he crossed paths with Vai, a Hawaiian woman who offered to help him, but at a price. Elsewhere, King Kahekili's reign of terror escalated to new heights.

The episode ended with a cliffhanger, with Ka'iana's mate, Tony, being sedated by Marley, a crewman, as he overheard their plan to seize the unmapped Pacific Islands.

Continue reading to know what happened in Chief of War Episode 4.

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Chief of War Episode 4 recap: King Kahekili tightens his grip

With King Kalani'opu'u dead, King Kahekili spots his chance to expand his territory. and decides to attack the island. He addresses,

"Kalani'opu'u was a great king. His bones were to be the ultimate prize for my altars. Call the war generals. We prepare to conquer Hawai'i Kingdom."

The Maui ruler, already feared for his ruthless campaign, frames his conquest of O'ahu and the rest of Hawai'i as divine prophecy. In truth, his aim is chillingly simple: to wipe out rival royal bloodlines and capture the island of Hawaii. Previously, he killed the young ruler of O'ahu, which moved Ka'iana so much that he decided to abandon the king.

Even Kahekili's chiefs question the logic of slaughtering every potential heir, noting it feels less like unification and more like domination. Similarly, his son Kupule isn't sure of Kahekili's beliefs and ruthless brutalities but agrees to his father's orders. King Kahekili utters,

"We must set one bloodline for all the kingdoms. My blood. Only then will we be truly united as the Prophecy says."

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Chief of War Episode 4 recap: Keoua declares war on Kamehameha

In the Kingdom of Hawai'i, succession sparks a crisis. Keoua, the son of the late king, expects full control but instead learns that Kamehameha has been named God of War, guardian of the island's military power. The appointment was made by Kalani'opu'u before his death, as he recognized Kamehameha's strategic mindset and potential to lead.

However, Keoua sees this as an insult. In the end, he knocks out a tooth and declares war on his cousin, Kamehameha.

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Chief of War Episode 4 recap: Ka'ahumanu finds her voice

Apart from the war, strategies, and betrayal, Episode 4 of Chief of War also deals with the patriarchal rules that limit women's roles; however, Ka'ahumanu isn't the one to back off. She tells Young,

"In the darkness, I was free."

Both her father, Moku, and advisor John Young insist she stay out of military affairs, but she ignores them. This proves that patriarchalism wasn't just limited to the Islands but to the other 'civilized' parts of the world too. Young puts it,

"Wives submit to your husband. Husband is the head of the wife as God is the head of the church, and is himself it Saviour."

In a quiet yet pivotal exchange, Ka'ahumanu challenges her husband's reliance on divine signs. If the gods are silent, she tells him, then trust his own judgement. The counsel works; Kamehameha decides not to strike first but vows to win if Keoua brings the fight to him. It's a subtle shift towards a leadership that could define his legacy and alter history forever.

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Chief of War Episode 4 recap: Ka'iana's mission in Zamboanga

Far from home, Ka'iana is on his mission. Still in Zamboanga after the disappearance of his ally, Tony, Ka'iana clashes with Spaniards while uncovering the horrors of colonization and cages of women and children. The brutality fuels his determination to find Tony, even as his trade partner, Vai, urges him to cut loose and board the ship before it sails.

After defying the odds, in Chief of War Episode 4, Ka'iana locates Tony in a slave warehouse. The rescue turns into a riot—prisoners freed, Spanish soldiers killed. He escapes with Tony and boards the ship, ready to sail home with ammunition.

But home won't be the same. In his absence, grief has reshaped his family. His half-brother Namake has grown close to Ka'iana's wife, Kupuohi, a bond born from shared loss. When she finally gives in to Namake's advances, it sets the stage for a personal reckoning as fierce as any battle.

Chief of War Episode 4 ends with Ka'iana heading back to Hawai'i on the brink. Keoua's feud with Kamehameha and Kahekili's looming invasion threaten to ignite a war that could decide the island's fate.

The battle for Hawai'i's soul is just beginning, and every alliance, prophecy, and betrayal will matter.

Chief of War Episode 4 is streaming on Apple TV+.

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