Shogun Episode 5 Recap & Speculation

summary

• Blackthorn will have to keep his secret with Mariko in next week’s episode. Otherwise, he will face dire consequences.
• There is an intense conflict between Toranaga and Blackthorn looming over politics or adultery.

FX’s Shogun vividly brings to life the turbulent era of feudal Japan in the 17th century. The series masterfully weaves together explosive action, intense political drama and highly thrilling sequences that are sure to captivate you.

The final episode was a storehouse of intrigue and drama, all hidden under a fragile canopy of fear. Will Blackthorn and Toranaga be able to wade into the murky waters of the Shogun? Let’s find out!

1. Episode 5 recap/speculation

Secrets will be the hallmark of next week’s episode, as murder, conspiracies, adultery and many acts of blasphemy hide beneath a thin veil of fear, ready to unfold at any time.

First, Blackthorn and Lady Mariko would face imminent danger of exposure. They must keep their business together and not let their intimate relationship become public. I expect a lot of drama to unfold. Will Toranaga learn their secret? The consequences will be disastrous.

We will also learn more about Lady Mariko’s mysterious past. How did her father, Akechi Gensai, come to power? What is the backstory of the ruthless warlord Kuroda? The beginning of the backstory may occur from Episode 5 itself.

Elsewhere, the consequences of eliminating Gozen and his followers will fall on Lord Nagakado. How will Toranaga punish him? I think he will be stripped of his duties and suspended.

Finally, a potential conflict between Blackthorn and Toranaga looms due to the delayed return of Blackthorn’s crew and ship. Or maybe Toranaga will kill Blackthorn when he finds out he’s been sleeping with Lady Mariko.

2. Episode 5 release date

Episode 5 of Shogun will be available on March 19, 2024.

2.1. Is the series on break?

No, Shogun is not on a break and will continue on schedule.

3. Series table

4. Where to watch Shogun

5. Shogun Episode 4 recap

In last week’s episode, Toranaga reviews Yabushige’s forces at Ajiro and heads to Edo. Meanwhile, Mariko informs Blackthorn that his crew and ship are now the property of Toranaga, who is in Edo to capture them.

Speaking of Blackthorn, he offered him a house, a salary, and Fuji Osami as a companion if he trained Yabushiji’s forces for six months.

Blackthorn accepts this offer from Yabushige and begins training the army in English naval warfare, focusing on the use of cannon and other advanced methodologies.

Elsewhere, Nabara Gozen demands that Yabushige return to Osaka to swear loyalty to the daimyo guardians. Yabushige gets a hint that there is trouble in Osaka, and calls Gozen to appease him, and has him watch the cannon display.

In the latter half of the episode, Blackthorn and Mariko finally become intimate and have a bonding moment amidst the chaos.

The episode ends in chaos as Nagakado defies orders and uses cannons to kill Gozen and his men during a cannon demonstration. This upsets Yabushiji.

6. About the Shogun

Shōgun is an upcoming American limited historical drama television series based on the 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell. The novel was previously adapted into a television series in 1980.

The series is scheduled to premiere with its first two episodes on February 27, 2024, on Hulu and FX, with new episodes of the 10-episode series released weekly.

Shōgun follows the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai; John Blackthorn, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will eventually redefine him; Lord Toranaga, a powerful shrewd, at odds with his dangerous political rivals and Lady Mariko, a woman with invaluable skills but dishonest family ties, who must prove her worth and loyalty.