The episode will air on April 9 on FX.

Lord Yoshii Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada) has been teetering on the edge of oblivion since the very first scene in FX’s historical epic, Shōgun. The show has by no means shied away from how dangerous the game of power can be, doing so in the most elegant of ways, as was customary in feudal Japan. The threat posed to Lord Toranaga’s survival has been increasing significantly in recent episodes, and even nature seems to be in opposition to his survival. However, the stakes have never been so high and the situation so dire for the Lord of Edo, but among many traits, Yoshii Toranaga is resilient.

In this week’s episode, A Stick in Time, the cunning Lord Toranaga has been beaten at his own game and cornered by the Council of Regents. Having decided to proceed with his “Crimson Sky” plan, he is in need of new allies, and turns to his half-brother Saeki Nobutatsu (Eita Okuno), for aid. Boasting a significant fighting force which is certain to bolster Toranaga’s forces, Saeki has, however, allied himself with the Lord Ishido (Takehiro Hira) controlled Council of Regents. The new trailer opens with Lord Ishido seeking to further consolidate his power within the island nation by proposing a marriage to the influential Lady Ochiba (Fumi Nikaido) — the consort of the late taikō and mother of his young heir. The armies of Lord Toranaga seem to be on the march in the next scene, with English pilot John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) persuading his translator and love interest, Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), to not join the camp. A request she promptly refuses.

Lord Toranaga is a powerful man. However, recent events have ultimately eroded some of that strength. His son, Nagakado (Yuki Kura), who is no stranger to ill-advised judgment calls, made another in this week’s episode which accidentally cost him his life. Now in this new trailer, a weakened Toranaga is now facing a revolt within his own ranks, as some samurai voice their opposition at having to follow his lead. A grieving father with his enemies circling, what will Toranaga do? The clip ends with Toranaga perhaps, seeking to employ a kamikaze tactic with the help of the industrious Mariko.

A Disorganized Force for Lord Toranaga

While loyalty is a significant part of the power dynamics in FX’s Shōgun, Lord Toranaga seems to have an issue in that regard. The hawks are circling, and sooner rather than later, this strife will lead to open conflict. While Toranaga retains the unwavering support of his general, Hiromatsu (Tokuma Nishioka), the samurai contingent seem to be faltering, as highlighted in the trailer. There is also the issue of his sworn vassal, Kashigi Yabushige’s (Tadanobu Asano) loyalty, whom you simply can’t fully trust. Then there is the ever-growing tension between Toda Buntaro (Shinnosuke Abe) and Jarvis’ Blackthorne. If the Lord of Edo is to emerge victorious, he has alot of fires to put out.

New episodes of Shōgunpremiere each Tuesday on FX and Hulu in the U.S. Watch the trailer above.

Lord Toranaga is a powerful man. However, recent events have ultimately eroded some of that strength. His son, Nagakado (Yuki Kura), who is no stranger to ill-advised judgment calls, made another in this week’s episode which accidentally cost him his life. Now in this new trailer, a weakened Toranaga is now facing a revolt within his own ranks, as some samurai voice their opposition at having to follow his lead. A grieving father with his enemies circling, what will Toranaga do? The clip ends with Toranaga perhaps, seeking to employ a kamikaze tactic with the help of the industrious Mariko.