01x06 - The Splintered Paddle

[bunniefuu]

It was Keōua.

He challenges you, my Chief.

Keōua will never attack Kohala.

He wants you to seek
him in the Black Desert

where he holds some advantage.

Your cousin must be dealt with.

You must unify this island before
King Kahekili comes, or worse.

There might be another way.

[in Hawaiian] Let her speak.

[in English] We
speak with Keōua.

I was raised in Kaʻū.

I have history with him.

I can convince him to join
you without bloodshed.

And what do you think of your
woman's counsel, Kaʻiana?

She speaks with false hope.

He will not join you.

Keōua worships w*r.

We must prepare no matter what.

Is this your counsel as well?

If we are to one day have
harmony for all the kingdoms,

we must prove we
are worthy in ours.

I agree with Kūpuohi.

Let her speak with your cousin

and perhaps preserve the
blood of your childhood.

[in Hawaiian] The women
see what my Chiefs cannot.

[in English] Our captains are
not safe in Keōua's court.

He would k*ll any who go.

I will go.

Alone.

We will go.

I do not trust
Keōua as she does.

[in Hawaiian] If
peace can be reached,

let it come by your word.

[fire crackling]

Why bring your father's mahiole?

This is the symbol
of his kingdom.

The strength and power of his rule still
lives in the weaving. I can feel it.

But I no longer want it.

[sighs]

I no longer fight to
preserve his kingdom.

I will live to build my own.

Even if this one must burn.

That's good.

Give our great king
strength from the sea.

Give him the hidden wisdom.

Show him the path as the Prophesied
One to lead our people to light.

Give the Prophesied One
strength from the sea.

Give him the hidden wisdom.

Let the Prophesied
One see as you do,

through the darkness
of the world.

Let the Prophesied
One hear as you do,

only the truth in the wind.

Give the Prophesied One
strength from the sea.

Give him the hidden wisdom.

-Let the Prophesied One hear as you do...
-[Kahekili grunts, distorted]

...only the truth

in the wind.

What is this talk of replacing
all the royal bloodlines?

I have not heard him
speak of it before.

The history of the islands is
told through the bloodlines.

Your father cannot erase that.

That is not prophecy, Kūpule.

I know.

Confidence in your father's
ambition is beginning to falter.

There is much talk among
the people back on Maui.

About what?

You.

There are many who believe it better
for you to replace your father.

-No, no.
-You are learned

in the arts of governance,
politics, history, and w*r tactics.

[chuckles]

My father...

My father is the greatest
warrior king Maui has ever known.

His legacy cannot end with his own
son taking everything from him.

Your father is unwell and the
shedding of blood, his only medicine.

This is how we
protect his legacy.

Let history speak
of his greatness,

not his madness.

Send me to Maui,

and I will win the
kingdom in your favor.

My father is wrong,

but he is not lost.

Let me try to reach him.

[grunting]

-[Heke] Nāhi.
-[grunting continues]

[Heke] Nāhi.

I wanted to ask you something.

I haven't seen Kūpuohi.

It's not about her.

I want to learn to fight.

I want to help.

I don't think
Kūpuohi will like it.

She would never teach you.

I was hoping...

you could do it.

Ready?

Yes.

[both grunting]

[Heke gasps, groans]

[groans, pants]

Get up.

[in English] Your enemies will
not help you up in battle.

[sighs]

[pants]

How is Kaʻiana?

Kaʻiana is good.

Kūpuohi is quiet.

She seems not the same.

I did not notice.

Again.

You do not notice many
things about women.

Do you?

I notice

when they cannot fight!

-[gasps, groans]
-[Heke grunts]

[both groaning]

-That's good.
-[grunts]

[Nāhi exclaims]

-[Heke laughs]
-[groaning]

[in English] You keep
the Pale-man's habit.

[Kaʻiana sniffs]

It does not feel like you.

[inhales deeply]
They're waiting for me.

[sailors chattering]

Tell them to gather what food and
water they need for their journey.

That seemed to have gone well.

We will see.

What of the sandalwood trade?

[speaks Hawaiian]

[in English] Just be patient.

There's no... There's no chance of
peace among these people, Kaʻiana?

There is,

but I fear w*r is the only
way they can bring it.

You see that you
survive this, my friend.

'Cause you're of no
use to us dead. Right?

[sighs]

[speaks indistinctly]

[in Hawaiian] You ruin my
appetite with that face.

Roast him with sweet potato.

It's delicious.

Maui has long been
a great kingdom.

Kings and queens of
the highest rank,

loyal to the gods and
beloved by the people.

I have stood by
you to exalt Maui

as a light for
all others to see.

But,

all of this is not necessary.

We cannot destroy the royal
lineage of the other islands.

We must not taint the
name of our kingdom.

You have the heart
of your mother,

and I miss her.

And you are right,

we must keep Maui pure.

Come here.

[gasping]

These are Chiefs of Maui.

They whisper
conspiracies against me,

questioning the
Prophecy and my gods.

Just like the treacherous O'ahu
Chiefs, their bloodlines are infected

by weakness and evil.

And as you said,

we must keep Maui pure.

[Maui chief straining]

[whispering] Your
father has gone mad.

[Maui chief breathes shakily]

[in English] Will you
just stand there, Kaʻiana?

[chuckles] I can
hear your thoughts.

I must speak with you.

[in Hawaiian] Come.

Sit with me.

[in English] I do not...

You do not agree with Kūpuohi.

No.

Or Kamehameha.

They are not wrong.

If there is any hope to unite
this kingdom with Keōua,

Kamehameha will seek it.

There is no hope. No peace.

Keōua is a man of w*r.

This will end in blood.

That is why he has you.

No, he has us, and we
must convince him...

There may come a time,

but for now we must honor
Kamehameha's wishes.

This is a mistake.

See this through, Kaʻiana.

If not for Kamehameha, for me.

[in Hawaiian] I am KeKūpuohi,

once a Chiefess of this
land and cousin to Keōua.

Send word to him that
I have come home.

[grunts]

[exhales sharply]

[in English] All right,
let's go through this again.

First, we got the powder.

[powder streaming]

Next, the ball.

Then...

you ram it down.

[in Hawaiian] The black
desert has missed you Kūpuohi,

as well as your family.

I have missed this place.

But I am not here to stay.

If you are not here to
stay, then why are you here?

To help negotiate
peace with Kamehameha.

If Kamehameha wanted peace,

he would deliver
the w*r God to me.

-Enough.
-Stop!

[sighs]

Kahekili is coming
for this kingdom.

We must stand together
if we are to survive it.

Kahekili is not my enemy.

It was my own cousin,

Kamehameha, who has wronged me.

Please.

I don't want us on
the other side of w*r.

[clears throat, sighs]

[scoffs]

[sighs]

Choose peace.

[chuckles]

[all gasp]

[in English] You try.

[in Hawaiian] Together with Kamehameha,
we'll unite the scattered kingdoms as one,

just as the Prophecy predicts.

[sighs] The Prophecy
is a fool's myth.

We will never be united because
we are not the same people.

I will never be Maui,
O'ahu or Kauaʻi.

I am Hawaiʻi, I am Kaʻū,
I am the Black Desert.

And I will keep this island divided
before I bow before my cousin Kamehameha.

[in English] I told you.
He will never listen.

[speaks Hawaiian]

[in English] We go.

[in Hawaiian] Kūpuohi.

How could you leave us for this?

A man who embraces the
Paleskin's language

and weapons is no longer a man.

He is the pet of a new master.

Kaʻiana.

[grunts]

Kamehameha has my
father's w*r God,

but where is your
worship, Kaʻiana?

In the gods, or in the
Paleskin's weapons?

[muskets clinking]

[grunts]

[sighs]

[sighs]

[warriors grunting]

I have my answer.

Tell Kamehameha...

that I am coming

for what is mine.

[stone thuds]

[sighs]

Your father... [clears throat]

...was a great Chief, Kaʻiana.

But he would be embarrassed
of what you've become.

Worthless.

Kaʻiana, "Son of the Haole."

[groans]

[in English] You spoke against me
in front of Kamehameha's council,

and now you would see Keōua as our
enemy rather than try for peace.

[Kaʻiana] I do not trust him.

[Kūpuohi, in
Hawaiian] Trust in me!

[in English] We always fought for
the gods and for peace, Kaʻiana.

Now you fight for
something else.

I fight for our people.

There are no gods
where I have been.

There is no peace.

I will face my enemy,
and I will take it.

[Kaʻiana grunts]

[sighs]

[in Hawaiian] Kaʻiana has
the Red-mouthed weapons.

I will call upon the mana of
our ancestors to face him.

You cannot win, son.

I do not fear the
foreign weapons.

Father's men defeated them,

I will do the same.

It is not just that.

Your father had the God of w*r.

No one has ever lost

when in possession of it.

Kamehameha has it.

And with the Paleskin's weapons,

it's sad to say,

but we will surely lose.

What must I do?

[sighs]

[inhales sharply]

[chanting] Take your fleet...

[inhales sharply]

...cross the channels,

and find strength

with the enemy,

of your enemy.

[sighs]

[in English] Keōua has refused
peace. The time for talk is over.

If we do nothing, the
kingdom will think us weak.

The people will turn to Keōua
and place him above you.

We could lose everything.

[Kamehameha, in Hawaiian] I will
not be drawn into a cycle of w*r.

[in English] I left this
council one night...

in secret.

I took my canoe to
a village in Puna.

I was attacked.

Canoe paddle broken
over my head.

[in Hawaiian] What?

They shall be stoned.

Send the executioners.

[Kamehameha] Wait.

No one will harm them.

I am the one

who should be slain by stones.

I was attacked

because they thought I was there

to plunder their village.

For the Chiefs

have built a cycle

of w*r

and fear.

Fear can be a useful tool.

I do not want my people
to live like that.

I make a new law.

A law of peace.

No king, Chief, or warrior

will seek to k*ll,

unless life is threatened.

Let everyone, common or royal,

go forth and be free

from harm or fear.

This is the law of
the Splintered Paddle.

It protects everyone,

even Keōua.

To break this law,

is to die.

Stop there!

I come to you with
an empty hand.

King Kahekili,
rival to my father.

Let the Hawaiʻi men come to me.

You will honor the King.

Keōua,

son of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, my
most respected enemy.

Sit.

It was brave of you to come
unannounced and unarmed.

No bravery needed. [grunts]

Your men leave
Waikīkī unattended,

to excel in the art of laziness.

I am aware of your campaign.

You claim to be the fulfillment
of the ancient Prophecy.

You are here to give allegiance
to the Prophesied One?

The Prophecy is a lie.

I claim allegiance to no one.

You are not here to k*ll

or honor me.

So what do you want?

My cousin, Kamehameha,

claims to be the heir
of Hawaiʻi's Kingdom.

I have been stripped
of what is mine.

I ask for men to get it back.

-Hawaiʻi is divided.
-Stop.

Why not k*ll you where you stand

and take your kingdom now?

[chuckles]

If I die here,

Hawaiʻi's Kingdom will
unite under Kamehameha,

and Maui has never
defeated a unified Hawaiʻi.

And I know you still face
resistance here on O'ahu.

What do I get in
return for helping you?

Peace among our kingdoms.

You can chase your prophecy
among whomever you want

and Hawaiʻi will never
stand against you,

as long as you
leave us in peace.

I see the fire in your eyes.

I will send my finest battalion.

[sighs]

Go.

My god is at work

to deliver Hawaiʻi's Kingdom.

They are divided.

[speaks Hawaiian]

Bring me ʻŌpūnui.

'Ōpūnui is a man of
chaos. I will go.

Chaos brings the
harmony of rule.

You stay.

Send me ʻŌpūnui.

[fire crackling]

[Kūpule] ʻŌpūnui.

Keōua has need of Maui's Men.

Your King asks you to lead them.

The King no longer asks his
son to do the work of real men?

I will go.

And when Maui helps
Keōua to win his kingdom,

I will steal his victory

and bring back his intestines

to decorate your
father's altars.

[chuckles]

My father does not ask
you to k*ll Keōua yet.

The King has sent you to me

because he knows you won't.

You called me, my Chief.

You brought Kaʻiana
to my council.

The gods have blessed it,

but,

is his path clear?

[in English] Kaʻiana sees the
world in a way we do not, my Chief.

[in Hawaiian] But is it
the way we should see it?

[in English] We may
not have a choice.

Though, like you, Kaʻiana
seeks peace above all else.

Hmm.

You trust him.

I trust he will
do what is right.

Kaʻiana will help us.

He listens to you.

Is that not what you wanted?

It is,

but you have woven Kamehameha and Kaʻiana
in a way that cannot easily be undone.

Kamehameha is the heart of our
people, and Kaʻiana is the fist.

We will need both to face the
troubles that will come our way.

But if it does not work, all eyes will
look to you, who brought them together.

Remember it is Kamehameha
you stand with.

Not Kaʻiana.

[crew on ship shout, clamor]