Though he's worshiped as Arthdal's hero and greatest warrior, our anti-hero, Tagon, desperately seeks acknowledgement from his father. But his father despises Tagon, and we learn that fear underlies that hatred. Our hero from the faraway southern lands of Iark, Eunseom, finally confronts Tagon in attempts to save his tribe, and he unintentionally learns a lethal secret of Tagon's. When all hope seems lost, Eunseom realizes that this lethal secret can be his lifeline.
EPISODE 5 RECAP
Tagon opens the door to confront his enemy, and Eunseom tightens his grip on his knife. The moment Eunseom sees Tagon's weapon, Tagon attacks but targets the roped-up hostage — his father. But Tagon sees the face of the victim, and his smile drops when he realizes it's not Sanung.
Before Tagon arrived, Sanung predicted that Eunseom would gain nothing because Tagon wants his father dead. When Sanung is killed, Eunseom would be framed as the murderer, and he will never save his people. Lo and behold, Sanung was right about Tagon, and he steps out of the room to face his son.
While meeting the gods in the smoke ceremony, Asa Ron receives an update that Tagon went to "save" his father alone. Mihol also receives this information, and he immediately gets moving, knowing that Sanung is in danger.
In the marketplace tower, Eunseom tells Sanung to keep his promise. We see that Sanung had recognized Eunseom's necklace and identified him as Asa Hon's son. As the Union leader, Sanung promised to release the Wahan tribe because the Arthdal people are indebted to Eunseom's mother.
Tagon seethes that his father seems to find a lifeline in any situation, and Sanung tells his son that the damning prophecy has come true. Eunseom demands that the Union leader keep his promise, but Sanung is focused on rebuking his son, who partnered with Asa Ron to plot his demise.
Sanung accuses Tagon of attempting to kill his mother and now his father, but Tagon defends his actions, claiming that he was trying to survive. Sanung shakes his head and says that Tagon should have left Arthdal sooner. In a brief flashback, we see young Tagon begging to stay in Arthdal and pitching an idea to kill them (the Neanthals?) all.
Getting impatient, Eunseom lifts his knife and orders Sanung to announce the release of the Wahan people. Tagon says that Eunseom will not get a response because he knows nothing about Sanung. Instead of keeping his word with Eunseom, Sanung prepares to announce Tagon's attempted murder of his father and knows that the Arthdal people will not forgive Tagon for these actions.
Just before Sanung opens the windows to make the announcement, Tagon falls to his knees to beg for forgiveness. Outside, the Wahan people wonder if Eunseom has really come to save them. They seem cautiously optimistic, but Dalsae — always the realist — says that if anything goes wrong, Eunseom will be punished.
Sanung looks astonished by Tagon's acknowledgement of his sins and plea for mercy. Eunseom watches this interaction with zero context and doesn't quite know what to do (ha). Tagon pleads that his father take his hand and embrace him, as he did with young Tagon years ago.
After failing to choke his young son to death, Sanung had embraced his son and apologized. In the present, Sanung says that his failure to kill Tagon was his biggest mistake and vows not to make that same mistake again. But Tagon argues that the circumstances have changed and tries to convince his father that their partnership will extinguish the Union's suspicions about their contentious relationship, and the Arthdal will chant for both Sanung and Tagon.
A powerful persuader, Tagon acknowledges that Sanung endured the consequences of saving his son the first time but assures him that this time, he'll be blessed with the consequences. He adds that his mystical abilities have been confirmed, so Sanung also has an upper hand against Asa Ron.
