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Shogun Episode 4 Recap

Shogun has been a powder keg since its premiere episode. It opens with five daimyos fighting for control of Japan. Four of them selected Lord Yoshii Toranaga as a target, placing him in seemingly inescapable danger. His cunning political moves kept him alive, but the risk of a public execution has rapidly been supplanted by the potential for all-out war. “The Eightfold Fence” represents the beginning of the promised conflict.




Frederick E. O. Toye directed Shogun‘s fourth episode. Toye is an impressively prolific TV director with credits on shows like 11.22.63, The Boys, Chuck, Fringe, The Good Wife, and The Walking Dead. Emily Yoshida is the primary-listed writer. She provided elements of previous episodes as a staff writer on every entry. She’s otherwise best known for her well-received short film “Sitting” starring singer-songwriter Mitski.

John Blackthorne Becomes a Hatamoto

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Last week, Lord Toranaga formalized his new arrangement with English sailor John Blackthorne by awarding him a noble title. He’s a hatamoto charged with diligently training Toranaga’s soldiers in unique tactics. “The Eightfold Fence” opens with an introduction to his new surroundings and circumstances. Blackthorne is back in Ajiro, where he initially landed and met the brutal samurai, Omi. Upon their return, Yabushige proudly reclaims his reverent army. When the soldiers chant Lord Toranaga’s name, he appears jealous. Blackthorne discovers that his deal with Toranaga isn’t as he expected. The daimyo owns Blackthorne’s ship and crew, a violation of Blackthorne’s trust and a demonstration that the Englishman’s service is still demanded rather than requested. Mariko introduces Blackthorne to his new home and consort, Fuji. He’s wildly uncomfortable with both ideas, sulking and resisting local traditions. Blackthorne comes to appreciate Fuji after learning about the tragic death of her husband and son.



The next morning, Blackthorne begins educating Yabushige’s samurai on English warfare. Omi instigates a tense standoff as Blackthorne refuses to give up his pistols. He hands them to Fuji, who proudly threatens the samurai to protect him. In a meeting with Yabushige, Blackthorne admits to Mariko that his talents are almost exclusively naval and that he can’t offer infantry strategies. Though Yabushige seems enraged, Blackthorne proves himself by setting up his cannons and demonstrating considerable accuracy. He assures his captors that naval bombardment can win a war in hours, unlike a months-long siege campaign. He returns to his home and shares a meal with Fuji and Mariko. He gives Mariko a pistol, acknowledging her purpose in his household, while giving her the means to defend herself. She gives him her father’s swords, a sign of honor that marks Blackthorne as a samurai.



Later that night, Blackthorne bathes in a nearby spring. Mariko approaches and they share a conversation. Mariko’s dark past has weighed heavily on the series so far. She gives Blackthorne the first glimpse of the terrible circumstances of her family name. Several short, sharp flashbacks punctuate her horror, teasing grim future reveals. Blackthorne offers some sympathy, demonstrating a refreshing lack of judgment towards her hereditary shame. Their connection deepens swiftly. Mariko slips into his quarters, and they have sex that night. The following morning, Mariko plays off the event as an encounter with a courtesan, hiding a coy smile as he seems confused by her demure ploy.

Shogun Prepares for War



While Blackthorne deals with his responsibilities and romance, the figures under Toranaga enact a scheme. Yabushige is quietly in league with Omi. Both men favor Ishido over Toranaga. Omi, partially influenced by his lover Kiku, wants to seize Yabushige’s land and army for himself. He proposes subterfuge, suggesting Yabushige allow Blackthorne to teach his men before offering them, their rifles, and cannons to Ishido. Ishido’s soldier, Nebara Jozen, arrives to offer Yabushige a chance to pledge allegiance. Yabushige insists he stick around for a cannon demonstration. Omi quietly influences Toranaga’s son, Nagakado. That morning, Nagakado instructs his samurai to aim their cannons at Jozen and Ishido’s men. They’re blasted apart in the show’s goriest kills to date before swift sword executions by nearby warriors. In horror, Mariko proclaims this action the first of an oncoming war.



“The Eightfold Fence” is another stellar episode that explores the depth of the characters’ relationships. Shogun is unveiling its romance, action, and drama in rapid succession. Most of this episode took place in quiet rooms, depicting calm discussions between political operatives. It remains endlessly engaging. The stakes have never been higher as Shogun steps into its war era. Ishido’s men lie dead on Toranaga’s grounds, practically guaranteeing a conflict across the nation. The next few episodes will escalate the already tense tone of the series into new levels of violence. Shogun remains one of the best things on TV today, and its next steps could make it one of the best things on TV in years.



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