Shōgun episode 4, "The Eightfold Fence," opens up on signs of winter, as snow graces the ground and trees around Ajiro.
The galley's arrival in Ajiro is imminent, and Lord Omi (Hiroto Kanai) helps prepare the village for Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) and Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada). As the ship pulls into Ajiro they can see all of Yabushige's forces waiting for them.
But what actually goes down in Shogun episode 4, "The Eightfold Fence?" Take a read below to find out.
Toranaga's brief hello
While still on the galley, Toranaga informs Yabushige he has quit the regent council. A surprised Yabushige assumes Toranga will now commit seppuku, as by leaving the position he has lost all of his allies, vassals and friends. But Toranaga insists he'll only do that when the legal order arrives.
When they set foot on Ajiro, Toranaga gives a rousing speech to Yabushige's soldiers, telling them, "dark clouds are gathering over Japan" and it needs protecting against treachery to keep the Taiko safe. He then bows at the soldiers, praising their loyalty. But as the forces chant Toranaga's name, he gets back on the galley. Nagakado (Yuki Kara) tells Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) and Yabushige that Toranaga is leaving because he has other urgent matters to deal with, which leaves them both peeved.
Blackthorne wants answers
Blackthorne wanders around Ajiro looking for his men he was forced to leave behind. Mariko (Anna Sawai) informs him they've been taken to Edo for safety. Blackthorne still wants to get back on his ship, Erasmus, but Mariko insists that's forbidden, telling him the ship and its arsenal belong to Toranaga and he'll use them as he wants.
Meanwhile, Mariko has forced Usami Fuji (Moeka Hoshi) to be Blackthorne's consort. After the deaths of her husband and newborn son, who were killed because her husband brought shame on the family in Toranga's meeting with the council, she now wants to become a nun. But Mariko convinces her to serve Blackthorne for six months.
Blackthorne is surprised to learn he has a beautiful house and staff while staying in Ajiro. This only makes him query the length of his stay. When Maliko says six months, as he has to train the soldiers in the ways of western fighting, he says he just feels like a prisoner again, especially as Toranaga has left.
But while Blackthorne is initially annoyed that Fuji won't leave him alone — as she only sleeps when he does — he ultimately comes to accept and be grateful for her help. He even apologizes for his initial coldness, giving Fuji a set of guns that Mariko was able to get for him from Erasmus. She then gifts him her dead father's swords in return.
Blackthorne and Mariko grow closer
Blackthorne and Mariko's own relationship becomes much more intimate in "The Eightfold Fence." The episode's title comes from Mariko explaining to Blackthorne that everyone has an eightfold fence inside themselves, where they can protect their deepest feelings.
Mariko also begins to read Blackthorne's diaries, becoming more aware of the crimes he committed on Erasmus. When she approaches him about them, Blackthorne insists he did these deeds against their common enemy and the Catholics want him dead because he can offer Japan a modern navy, one that could be built by the men currently in Edo.
Then, late one night, Mariko stumbles upon Blackthorne taking a bath in a hot spring. She admits to him her service in Ajiro isn't to the church, but to get retribution for a great injustice against her family from years ago. He then describes London to her.
Later that night, while everyone sleeps, a woman sneaks into Blackthorne's room in the dark and seduces him. The next morning, Blackthorne — believing that it was Mariko — tries to talk about it with her. But she explains it was another woman and her and Fuji had come up with the plan together. Whether she's lying and she was really the woman remains to be seen.
Omi plots
Yabushige is disappointed to learn that Omi still hasn't found the spy who previously told Toranaga about Erasmus. Yabushige is also worried Ishido thinks he's betrayed him and, with Toranaga now out of the council, believes he's on the losing side of the seemingly inevitable war.
Omi says Yabushige could use the western weapons he has at his disposal as a gift to Ishido, especially because the price on Toranaga's head is now so high. Omi's mistress Kiku (Yuki Koura) later tries to convince him that he should replace Yabushige.
War becomes inevitable
Blackthorne, after initially making a terrible start in his lessons on war, shows Yabushige and Nagakado how to use cannons to expedite a battle. Yabushige and Nagakado have never seen cannons used so accurately, and realize this will give them a huge advantage in any war. Over the next few weeks, he trains the whole army how to use them.
But when Ishido's trusted general Nebara Jozen (Nobuya Shimamoto) arrives in Ajrio, demanding Yabushige return to Osaka to answer for his actions, the only way he can convince him to stay for the night is the promise of a demonstration of the cannons in the morning. This will help Ishido in any future battle, so Jozen decides to stay.
That night, a still plotting Omi tells Nagakado it's a shame that Ishido will now know about the cannons, which will eradicate Toranaga's tactical advantage in any forthcoming battle.
The next day, Jozen and his army gather to watch the cannon demonstration. But Nagakado takes it upon himself to put Jozen and his soldiers in the firing line. Much to Yabushige’s fury, Nagakado kills Jozen and all of the troops, a huge provocation of war.
Watch the latest episodes of Shōgun on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK every Tuesday. Shōgun also airs Tuesday nights on FX.
