Jason Momoa has made no secret about the fact that Apple TV+‘s Chief of War is an absolute passion project for him. Created by Momoa and fellow native Hawaiian Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, the show looks at the fight to unify the various tribes of Hawaii before Western colonizers take hold of the islands. Momoa plays the legendary Ka’iana, a brilliant warrior who gets quite the impressive introduction.
Apple TV+’s Chief of War opens with Ka’iana and his friends hunting a great white shark. However, they don’t bring in their catch with the help of spears or harpoons. Rather, Ka’iana, wearing nothing but a loin cloth that shows off his well-toned glutes, essentially lassos the shark to death. Meaning, yes, Chief of War opens with Jason Momoa and his magnificent butt riding a shark. It’s maybe the coolest cold open ever.
The first episode of Chief of War centers on Ka’iana and his friends being called back to their native island of Maui. They had deserted their own army after disagreeing with Chief Kahekili’s (Temuera Morrison) brutal battle techniques that targeted innocent civilians. Kahekili believes that the prophecy that a chief will come to unite the islands will come to pass only if Ka’iana helps him conquer the neighboring island of Oahu. Ka’iana agrees when he learns his beloved father’s grave has been desecrated by the rival tribe. He also agrees because Kahekili lets him come up with a plan that will limit the massacre.
Chief of War is fascinating because it fully immerses you in the indigenous culture of Hawaii, from its native language to its profoundly beautiful rituals. It’s also a show that’s not afraid to show the sheer brutality of battle. The show’s extremely metal cold open helps to welcome us quickly into the world.
I don’t know how to express how gnarly it is to watch a physical actor like Momoa give it his all from the jump by wrangling a freaking shark. Is it a real shark? I don’t know and I don’t care. Just the sheer visuals of seeing a dude bring a shark to heel in the water blew me away.
Everything about Chief of War is super ambitious, from its scale to its spirit. Jason Momoa is really putting himself and his culture completely out there for the world to discover. And part of that is, I guess, riding that dang shark.