The new Apple TV Plus historical epic Chief of War takes us to 18th century Hawai'i, depicting the native inhabitants unifying against European colonizers to protect their land and way of life.
Two episodes premiered on Friday, August 1, 2025, and the first of these is named after the series: 'The Chief of War', which sets up the factions and characters while whisking us away to the islands.
If you're not versed in Polynesian names or Hawaiian history then it might help to be able to read some of the names and events, to help you keep track.
And that's exactly what this Chief of War episode 1 recap is for. Spoilers ensue for the first episode of this new show.
Welcome to The Islands
A narrator explains to us that the Hawaiian Islands in the 18th century are split into four island kingdoms: O'ahu, Maui, Hawai'i and Kaua'i, which are constantly at war. A prophecy tells of a great king who will unite the islands, but the inhabitants have been waiting centuries and so far, no cigar.
Off the shore of Kaua'i, a man maned Ka'iana (Jason Momoa) leads his family on a shark-hunting expedition. While they drop jars of herbs to sedate the animal, Momoa jumps in and lassos a creature. He takes it to the boat, ready for it to be dinner.
Ka'iana returns to the settlement with his family, which consists of several men and their wives, and find young Kaua'i kids poking around in their belongings. One kid confronts Ka'iana and we learn that he is the son of the Maui's Chief of War, but is now an outcast.
A boat is spotted, coming from Maui. A messenger asks Ka'iana to return to Maui at the behest of his uncle, and he's threatened that if he tries to run again, he will be found.
Homecoming
So Ka'iana and his family go to Maui, and are taken to a camp where warriors are training. One of them challenges Ka'iana and he wins by breaking his foe's arm. Then the man is greeted by the ruler, King Kahekili (Temuera Morrison), who's also Ka'iana's uncle and the brother of the former Chief of War, Ka'iana's father.
The king asks Ka'iana and his family to return to Maui, and we learn that the group abandoned the army because of the antics of the warlike king. Kahekili explains that one of the neighboring kingdoms, O'ahu, seems poised to invade and Kahekili wants Ka'iana by his side to carry out the prophecy of uniting the islands. Apparently O'ahu's warmongering head priest is manipulating the young king to carry out the invasion.
Ka'iana tells his family that he wants them to sneak back to Kaua'i, but this splits them as some want to stay on their home country. The next morning Kahekili meets Ka'iana alone, and takes him to a remote hut where Ka'iana's father's bones were; some were stolen by the O'ahu to conduct a pre-war ritual. Ka'iana and his family carry out their own to let the dead lie in piece.
The day after, Ka'iana has a vision of the prophetess, Taula, who implies that the gods want the man to fight. Later his partner brings him his father's old belongings, which convince him to fight.
The attack on O'ahu
Ka'iana proposes a plan to take O'ahu without much bloodshed: Kahekili will take the main army to the western shore to act as a diversion while Ka'iana will lead a small band of warriors to the east, to take the priest and cause the king to surrender. The plan begins as predicted, with the Maui engaging in a skirmish on a beach which sees some brutal combat.
During the battle Ka'iana sees a vision of a disturbed-looking Taula, and as the group proceeds towards the temple, they startle and then kill a group of people who turn out just to be farmers, not soldiers.
On the boats Kahekili beats the call to attack even though he was meant to wait, and the forces land, attacking fishermen and children with no provocation. They make their way to the temple and even though the king's advisor suggests they shouldn't attack a sacred site, they do anyway, slaughtering the residents and burning buildings.
Ka'iana and his family arrive to see the temple burning and the young O'ahu king captive. The boy is confused by Kahekili's unprovoked attack but the Maui king quickly executes him.
The island newly taken, Kahekili reveals that there was no warlike high priest, but the plan to unite the Hawaiian Islands is now underway. Ka'iana realizes that he was manipulated by the king, and is distraught at the slaughter he just carried out.
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