While Kiyomori moves to Fukuhara, entrusting Kyoto to his heir Shigemori, the retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa enters the Buddhist priesthood. In 1169, the Imperial Court falls into chaos by Go-Shirakawa's incoherent order on the treatment of Narichika (Go-Shirakawa's aide and Shigemori's brother-in-law). Learning that Shigemori is unable to quell the disturbance, Kiyomori leads his troops into Kyoto and calms the turmoil. By Kiyomori's decisive action, Go-Shirakawa and the aristocrats are compelled to admit that samurai's military power is indispensable for resolving all the problems.
福原に居をうつした清盛（松山ケンイチ）は、京を嫡男の重盛（窪田正孝）に任せる。後白河上皇（松田翔太）は出家し、法皇となる。しかし、院の近臣・成親（吉沢悠）を巡って起こった比叡山の強訴騒ぎにより、院と清盛の間に入った重盛は、立ち位置をはっきりすることができず、苦悩する。混乱する京に上らくした清盛がとった行動とは？待望の遮那王（後の義経・神木隆之介）が本格登場！
