Is Vai still alive after Captain Metcalfe’s attack in Chief of War? Speculations explored

Chief of War Episode 7, Day of Spilt Brains, shows a devastating end with Metcalfe attacking a Hawaiian village by the bay. Loading up his canons, Metcalfe's men launch a brutal attack, killing women and children of the village. The scene showcases Vai heroically sacrificing her life shielding a kid.

Vai getting killed holds utmost significance in the Chief of War as she was the only one who provided a civilian lens to an otherwise narrative ruled by Kings and warriors. She first appears in Episode 3, as a Hawaiian woman living in Zamboanga, a Spanish colonial port in the Philippines. She runs a tavern where sailors and traders come from across the world, which makes her a witness and part of a global network of colonial trade.

Her presence embodied the struggle of the indigenous people who had to work in the oppressor's economy and learn their language to survive. Vai offered a unique lens, connected with the real world, to the themes the show is about. Therefore, her death marks a huge turning point, escalating the stakes higher than ever.

Is Vai still alive after Captain Metcalfe’s attack in Chief of War?

Vai dies heroically while saving a frightened child during Captain Metcalfe's attack in Chief of War. Her character mattered in the show, as she embodied the struggles and survival strategies of people caught between colonial powers.

She worked as a tavern operator, working with Spanish systems. The show uses Vai to explore how indigenous people had to compromise and negotiate with colonial structures without losing their cultural essence. Moreover, when she sacrifices her life, taking a bullet in episode 7, it portrays that colonial violence doesn't just clash with chiefs and armies but equally devastates ordinary lives.

Kamehameha's decision to keep up with his peaceful policy and not see the foreign travellers as threats, despite the warning by Ka'iana, led Vai to lose her life. This depicts how even small decisions of a king impact their people. On the other hand, Ka'iana, unable to save the villagers despite suspicions, is suffering with guilt along with Kamehameha.

What does Vai's death symbolize in Chief of War?

Vai is portrayed as being indigenous but fluent in English and Spanish. This is a narrative device used by the makers to show how indigenous people had to adopt colonial languages to survive and make money. While speaking the tongue of the oppressors, they choose to preserve their culture.

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She is connected with the Sandalwood negotiations. This ties her with the global commerce, anchoring the real-world pressures. Thematically, Vai’s death is the human cost of colonial intrusion. It personalizes what’s at stake beyond politics and war strategy.

This has raised the stakes higher than ever in Chief of War, pressurizing Kamehameha to consider harsher measures while justifying Ka'iana's militancy, setting up a conflict within the Hawaiian leadership.

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