Prince Masahito ascends the throne and becomes Emperor Go-Shirakawa, which throws the Imperial Court into chaos. Meanwhile, a dispute arises among the Minamoto family and the relation between Tameyoshi and Yoshitomo becomes worse. Emperor Go-Shirakawa goes into a frantic rampage after receiving a poem from the former Emperor Sutoku at his enthronement celebration. The retired Emperor Toba, who has fallen ill, hands Kiyomori a hand-copied sutra he wrote for Sutoku expressing apology. Kiyomori goes to deliver the sutra to Sutoku.
予想し得なかった後白河天皇（松田翔太）誕生に、朝廷は揺れる。強大な軍事力を持つ平氏の棟りょう・清盛（松山ケンイチ）は、この人事によって決定的となった崇徳上皇（井浦新）と鳥羽法皇（三上博史）の仲を取り持とうと奔走するが、時は非情に流れる。そんな中、カリスマ・鳥羽法皇がついに崩御。朝廷のパワーバランスが崩れ、時代はついに崇徳上皇と後白河天皇が軍事的に争う保元の乱へ突入する！
