Why did Captain Simon Metcalfe ambushed the Hawaiians in Chief of War? Speculations explored

In Apple TV+ drama Chief of War, Captain Simon Metcalfe's rampage through his own village in Hawaii is built as a stunning and climactic showstopper. The drama relocates an event that actually occurred in the backstory onto the 1790 Olowalu Massacre, blending fact and fiction.

Historically, the encounter has been well-documented as one of the first and most violent confrontations between Westerners and Hawaiian Natives. American-British-born Pacific fur marine trader Captain Simon Metcalfe traded and operated in the Pacific in the late 18th century. Metcalfe encountered the Hawaiian Islands at a period when European and American trade was on the rise, with cultural misunderstanding and intermittent violence being the norm.

Metcalfe's killing of Olowalu in Chief of War is justified as a response to betrayal, within the general historical process of revenge and reassertion of control by foreign businesspeople in Hawaii.

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The Olowalu Massacre in Chief of War

The Olowalu Massacre occurred on an unspecified date in April 1790 when Captain Metcalfe moored his vessel, the Eleanora, off Maui. When he asked that a small boat be taken out to his vessel, it was stolen, and a shipwatch was killed while trying to inquire about it.

Retaliation landed Metcalfe on the beach in Olowalu village, where he invited Natives to paddle over and trade. But Metcalfe had been silently loading shot and ball into his guns. When Hawaiians paddled up in canoes, Metcalfe ordered his men to fire, killing around 100 and wounding hundreds more.

This incident has been described as one of the earliest major acts of Western violence in Hawaii and had both short- and long-term consequences. The massacre cemented the lethal power of cultural misunderstanding and foreigners' moral transgressions in their attempts to safeguard their interests.

The Chief of War series recognizes this conflict, symbolizing the unfortunate aftermath of first contact, though not being literally accurate.

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Motivations behind Metcalfe’s actions in Chief of War

Some of the reasons most likely necessitated Metcalfe to attack Hawaiians:

Revenge at once – The theft of the boat and the killing of the watchman were personal grievances against Metcalfe. History stresses that he believed the attack a punishment so that theft and attack would no more be attempted.

Cultural confusion – Metcalfe's reaction is stemmed from a misunderstanding of Hawaiian governmental and social norms. What he saw as rudeness or lying was a Western society, here, standard neighborhood behavior.

Exercise of power – As a foreign trader in a foreign country, Metcalfe likely attempted to demonstrate power. The expansion of military strength was an assertion of power over the natives, indigenes and the trade routes.

Economic motives – Traders such as Metcalfe were motivated by valuable resources and control of strategic ports. By showing them what would happen if he was challenged, he could deter resistance and secure future trading benefits.

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The destiny of Thomas Metcalfe and the Fair American in Chief of War

One of the strongest impacts that Metcalfe's actions was the fate of his son, Thomas, who commanded a smaller ship named the Fair American. The majority of the crew and Thomas were eventually killed by Hawaiians led by Chief Kameʻeiamoku, with only Isaac Davis surviving.

Historians perceive this as ancient irony or poetic justice — that fierce crimes can trigger a chain reaction whose consequences the offenders cannot control.

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Immediate and long-term effects in Chief of War

The Olowalu Massacre left both short-term and lasting impact on Hawaiian society:

Loss of life – The slaughter of about 100 villagers had an instantaneous impact, leading to shock and turmoil in society.

Fear and mistrust – The massacre instilled universal fear of Westerners that conditioned later contact.

Political effect – The massacre exposed Hawaiian defense weaknesses and influenced political elationships with colonial powers.

Cultural memory – The massacre remains a living component of Hawaiian oral history and historical awareness, recalled as a reminder of foreign threat.

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Speculation and analysis of Chief of War

Historians still debate Metcalfe's motivation. Some characterize the ambush as partially retaliatory. Others see it as an intimidation tactic meant to seize control of commerce and safeguard economic interests.

Chief of War affirms these assumptions, depicting Metcalfe's actions as both reactionary and cunning, reflecting the toxic dynamic of fear, power, and cultural illiteracy.

It is also necessary to view Metcalfe’s actions in the context of larger trends in American and European behavior in Hawaii. Violence and war were the norm, not the exception, in the late 18th century, when traders sought resources and authority in the Pacific.

The Chief of War series fictionalizes history such as the Olowalu Massacre and reexamines it with a perspective that comments on these dynamics while encouraging viewers to develop a humanized perspective toward both Hawaiians and the foreigners who arrived.

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Captain Simon Metcalfe's assault on Hawaiian villagers in Chief of War brings the Olowalu Massacre into closer focus. His motivations were most likely immediate vengeance, cultural insensitivity, a demonstration of authority, and protection of economic interests.

The consequences were catastrophic — with mass loss of life, widespread fear, and reorganization of Hawaiian social and political systems. The fate of his son Thomas and the Fair American carries a sense of irony in history, showing the unexpected results of ferocious conflict.

Also read: You can’t deny that Ka’iana and Kamehameha are slowly turning against each other in Chief of War