Kiyomori launches a coup d'etat by placing the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa under confinement, and finally becomes the first samurai to seize control over the entire country. While Kiyomori manipulates the Imperial Court freely from Fukuhara, Prince Mochihito (Go-Shirakawa's son), who has been put in a miserable situation by Kiyomori, devises a plot to take up arms against the Taira family. Yoshitsune, the son of Yoshitomo and Tokiwa, is also gaining strength with Benkei, formerly named Oniwaka. On February 21, 1180, Prince Tokihito (Tokuko's son) ascends the throne from Emperor Takakura and becomes Emperor Antoku as Kiyomori hoped.
この国の頂に立った清盛（松山ケンイチ）は強引に高倉天皇（千葉雄大）を譲位させ、我が孫を安徳天皇として即位させる。後白河法皇（松田翔太）の子・以仁王（柿澤勇人）は源頼政（宇梶剛士）を呼び反平家勢力を結集し武力蜂起せよと命じる。平泉では義経（神木隆之介）を迎えた秀衡（京本政樹）が清盛を警戒。伊豆では頼朝（岡田将生）が太刀を手に来るべき時に備えていた。その頃清盛の前に謎の女・仏御前（木村多江）が現れる。
