By the one-time gods and the young , if “ The Red Dragon and the Gold ” did n’t have youon the boundary of your chair — especially during its last 20 minutes — you may require to turn back your surroundings and make indisputable you ’re not lurking just alfresco of realityalongside Daemon at Harrenhal . Episode four ofHouse of the Dragongave us swayer making decisions both click and profoundly considered ; it pay us characters both sorry and not take the consequences of their actions ; and it gave us dragon doing tartar things . So many dragons !
We spread out in the gloomy environs of Harrenhal , where Daemon is still doing a pile more “ wandering in my brain castle ” than “ raising an United States Army for my wife . ” His latest dream of the young Rhaenyra ( Milly Alcock , back again ) sees her rising from the Iron Throne and walk toward him , saying “ You created me , Daemon , yet you are now set on destroying me , all because your brother lovedmemore than he did you ” in Valyrian . He slices off her oral sex , and her crown goes clattering to the side , but she keeps talking : “ This is what you always want , is it not ? ” When he startles awake , Ser Simon Strong tells him a raven has arrived . It carry intelligence of Aegon ’s army , which is on the march and has easily hit the support of multiple noble houses along the manner ( “ that sad business with the usurpur ’s son ” was a primal reason why , Ser Simon says ; of path , he does n’t bed that sight was Daemon ’s doing ) . As a resultant role , Ser Criston Cole ’s host has grown considerably , and Ser Simon thinks it ’s unlikely Daemon will be able to raise enough men to front them if they attack Harrenhal .
“ Let ’s see what your Lord Paramount is made of , ” Daemon replies as they head into a get together with the nervously stuttering Ser Oscar Tully , stripling grandson of the sallow Lord Grover Tully , Lord of Riverrun and the highest - ranking noble in the Riverlands . Daemon ’s in no mood to deal with this powerless envoy , and severalise him everyone would be better off if Ser Oscar would rush his inheritance by hastening his grandad ’s decease . A feather pillow would do quite nicely , Daemon suggests . The kid is aghast at the very idea of even considering this , and Daemon — who seems like he ’s finally quick to start on that whole regular army - raise thing — stalks off in disgust .
© Theo Whiteman/HBO
Speaking of , we see Alicent in her chambers , nervously rick a dragon figure over in her hand before accidentally breaking it — a callback to the moment ahead of time in her family relationship with Viserys when she had a broken dragon repaired to soften his heart toward her . It might even be the same design . The Grand Maester enters , sway a special brewage we all accredit as the tea woman in Westeros take to forbid or end an unwanted pregnancy . ( Alicent dissemble it ’s for someone else , but we know the verity . ) Before the Grand Maester leaves , she asks him — since he was there as her husband ’s health rapidly slump at the end — if he thinks Viserys wanted Aegon to succeed him . intelligibly , her clandestine confab with Rhaenyra is weighing heavily on her mind . But if the religious humans has any opinion on the subject , he ’s not going to apportion it , and but tells her he does n’t sleep with . After he leaves , she grimaces and gulps the medicine .
On Dragonstone , the Small Council is indeed in disarray ; the intel on Cole ’s movements is thin , Daemon is MIA , the old humanity are snippy and sarcastic , and Jace and Baela are sarcastic mighty back . It fall to Rhaenys to be the calming voice of cause , but the council does n’t respect her either . At that moment , Lord Corlys enters and he ’s distinctly the most commanding drawing card of the gang , but nobody can represent without Rhaenyra present .
In the Crownlands , we get an up - cheeseparing look at what Cole and society have been up to : stump their path around , menacing minuscule houses into turn the stifle to King Aegon II — and beheading any lords who endorse “ the whore of Dragonstone . ” When Cole receives a missive from King ’s Landing , then say Ser Gwayne Hightower they ’re heading for the coast , Ser Gwayne snobbishly tells him that ’s not the right charge to reach Harrenhal . construction ! They ’re not go to Harrenhal after all . There ’s a new plan afoot — and we learn all about it when we transfer to King ’s Landing , where another dysfunctional Small Council is meeting . Aegon is lose his mind screaming at everyone , but Lord Larys calmly tells him their situation is just fine , even without control Harrenhal . “ I need to beinformedof these thing , ” Aegon bitches . Then Aemond pipes in to tell his comrade that Ser Criston is marching on Rook ’s Rest , and everyone who ’s readFire & Bloodleans in a little closer .
Eve Best and Steve Toussaint as Rhaenys and Corlys. ©Ollie Upton/HBO
For the benefit of everyone in the way ( and the audience ) , Aemond explains the situation : Rook ’s Rest might be a modest castle , but its ruler , Lord Staunton , is on Rhaenyra ’s Small Council — and more importantly , it ’s just across the water from Dragonstone . If Cole take Rook ’s Rest , Dragonstone will be cut off by earth . There ’s an uncomfortable moment as Aegon realizes Aemond and Cole have been strategizing behind his back , while the relief of the Small Council vigorously forfend their eyes from the crony . Aemond switch into High Valyrian to insult him ( “ imbecilic lickspittles ” is sure enough a twist of phrase ) , then goad him into coming up with a better plan . Aegon ca n’t , of row — as the subtitles uproariously reveal , he can barely talk High Valyrian ; Aemond ’s discombobulate , dismissive “ hmm ” in response to this blatant ineptitude is also hilarious — so Rook ’s Rest it is .
Upstairs , Alicent is feel the effects of her anti - pregnancy potion , so of trend this is the moment that Lord Larys — who notes the empty tea vas bring in by the Grand Maester , and immediately clocks what ’s going on here — stops by to see why she was n’t at the Small Council confluence . He update her on what transpired but also pokes her about how worried she must be for Ser Criston Cole ’s safety . “ Ser Criston is the Hand of the King , ” she says stiffly . “ We should all pray for his victory and safe return . ” He also note with involvement that she ’s reading one of Viserys ’ Quran of Westeros chronicle ( looking up the Prince That Was foretell , perhaps ? ) . When Larys require if she think “ the voice of history ” is why he commute his mind , and whether she now doubt her later married man ’s purpose , Alicent can only say “ the import of Viserys ’ intention croak with him . ”
At haunt Harrenhal , a ungratified Daemon roams the Charles Martin Hall , spotting an phantasy of Aemond before bursting into room occupied by a character we ’ve realise previously , but have yet to in reality meet : Alys Rivers . The name means she ’s a mother fucker ( “ Once you get to screw me you ’ll find I ’m not so bad , ” she shrugs ) , and she ’s something of a therapist , desegregate up potions with an easygoing manner as she launches into a example about Harrenhal ’s dark account . When Daemon say she ’s a unknown woman , she says “ I ’m not a adult female at all . I ’m a b bird of Minerva , cursed to live in human configuration . He almost smile ! But when she starts probing into his reasonableness for being at the castle ( she ’s onto his resentment about Rhaenyra being the boss or else of him ) , he call her a enchantress . But he drinks the intermixture she hands him to help him get some much - needed eternal sleep … and comes back to his sens at a mesa with Ser Simon and other human , including Ser Willem Blackwood , who ’s there to lend support to Daemon ’s USA but is visibly confuse by his demeanor , which is both hostile and loopy . At one point , Daemon looks at the woman serving wine-coloured and think he sees Laena , his late second married woman .
Eve Best and Steve Toussaint as Rhaenys and Corlys. ©Ollie Upton/HBO
We cut back to another meeting of man , this prison term Aegon ’s Small Council , who are chatter on about how the Draco are go through a wad of livestock , the money provision is dwindling , and Team Black ’s encirclement has restricted imports , but at least Cole ’s efforts have been admirable so far . “ You birth me , ” Aegon huff . “ You all tolerate me . ” Then he flounces out of the room .
Back upstairs , he finds Alicent shuffling through his cabinets . She ’s look for more of Viserys ’ history books ; Aegon , who ’s definitely not big on reading , allege he had them removed . She can evidence her Logos is in a tizzy , and asks what ’s wrong , more out of indebtedness than business organisation . “ They do n’t care what I imagine , ” he creak . “ What sentiment wouldyouhave ? ” she reply , before reminding him that wear a crown does n’t directly mean he has any wisdom to back it up . At this point , she ca n’t sustain back her weary entertainment that this fractious idiot that she spent her intact living trying to point into power turned out to be such a nookie - up . “ It was my Bob Hope that , once invest , ” she laugh softly , “ you would abide by the burden of your new duties : be mum , and strive to learn from the more studied psyche around you , in the hope that you might be half the king your father was . ” When he asks her what she wants him to do , she merely tells him “ nothing . ” Doing nothing is the right he can do . And she ’s right , of course . Will he listen ? Well …
With 20 transactions leave to go in the episode , Cole ’s army arrives at the seaside castle of Rook ’s respite and prepares for battle . Why yes , Ser Gwayne , they ’re going to assault during the day ! He ’s just as surprised , albeit far less delighted , than the legions ofHouse of the Dragonviewers who wereGame of Thronesfans and suffered defeat and eye strain thanks to that show ’s deep , stand love of extremely dark battles .
Ewan Mitchell as Aemond. © Ollie Upton
But before the scrap breaks out , there ’s a bash of a ( more or less ) more civilized nature to get through : Rhaenyra has returned to Dragonstone , and everyone , especially her son Jace , is fractious about her mysterious absence — especially since they keep receiving worrisome newsworthiness about how massive Aegon ’s U. S. Army has become . Jace gets even angrier when he watch she belong to King ’s landing place to conform to with Alicent . “ I inherit 80 eld of peace from my Father-God , ” she snap back . “ Before I was to end it , I need to know that there was no other path . And now I do . ” The path is this : “ Either I win my claim , or I fail , ” followed not long after by “ there are those who have mistaken my caution for weakness . permit that be their undoing . ” While she ’s eager to cod her own dragon to Rook ’s Rest , the Small Council talk her out of it ; instead , Rhaenys volunteer ( nay , insists ) to ride out on Meleys .
In King ’s landing place , a petulant Aegon ramp around — oh , that ca n’t be good — andHouse of the Dragonramps up its conflict anticipation by intercutting between unlike scene : Rhaenys scram ready to leave alone , Aegon put on his armor and give out to his flying dragon , Cole ’s army approaching the rook at Rook ’s Rest , and Rhaenyra explaining to Jace , who ’s still in a salty mood , about the Song of Ice and Fire . The Targaryen sitting the Iron Throne is n’t just a ruler , she say him — they’re a protector , destined to link up and top the people of Westeros against a vulgar foe ( we ’ve seen ‘ em : Game of Thrones ’ White Walkers ) . This warfare is not just about a crown . It ’s about relieve the time to come .
Then , the battle lead off . And it ’s deserving reiterating : IT IS DAYLIGHT . WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING . As arrow commence to fly and cannons move into place , Rhaenys and Meleys number into opinion , high in the clouds . Cole has look to this and we hear him give the order : “ Make the signal ! ” A chain of mountains of automobile horn blasts begin to fathom as Meleys starts set flame to Aegon ’s army ; deep in the Tree we see … yep , that can only be the passing big precis of Vhagar , with Aemond a tiny figure on his back . But waitress ! Wait wait wait ? Who ’s that flying overhead ? Why , it ’s Aegon , riding Sunfyre , barging right into Cole and Aemond ’s battle plan . “ Idiot , ” Aemond mutters in High Valyrian , and tell an eager Vhagar to wait . Just as annoyed as his passenger , Vhagar fall through his whopping head down to the forest floor and snorts in disgust , melody billowing out of his outrageously oversized nostrils . On the terra firma , Cole is similarly furious , especially when Ser Gwayne shrieks in his cheek about what a dumb plan this is . It’snotthe plan . But it is most certainly what ’s happening , so Cole rides out and rallies his men for battle , act like Aegon ’s arrival was prearranged , rather than the plaguy intrusion it in reality is .
Matt Smith and Gayle Rankin as Daemon and Alys. © Ollie Upton/HBO
While Rhaenys / Meleys and Aegon / Sunfyre do battle in the sky — using fire , teeth , claws , wings , and everything else a firedrake has at its disposal — the men on the ground slowly realize the biggest dragon anyone alive has ever seen , Vhagar , is rising up from behind the tree melodic line . Everyone looks scared out of their thinker except Cole , who is very clearly thinking to himself “ Thank the god ! ” In fact , that ’s exactly what Aegon says when he realizes his brother has come to join the fighting … but his spirit of ease turns to horror when Aemond gives Vhagar the unmistakable monastic order : “ Dracarys ! ”
A shrieking Sunfyre plunges to the earth in the Wood beyond the field of battle ; it happens at a distance , but you have to imagine Aegon is pipe almost as loudly . Meleys and Rhaenys are flying in the other direction when Rhaenys looks back and decides it ’s fourth dimension to go again . From the POV of the men on the ground , you could see just how much of a size difference there is between the two tartar , and the two beast become a swirling musket ball of fire and scaly body parts richly above the battlefield that then briefly thunders to the Earth , slop whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the damage track . We see Cole go down , then the screen fades to black before returning for some slo - minute battle violence . In the aviation , Rhaenys and Meleys share a coup d’oeil before making one last toss over the smolder field . They ’re flying over the castle when suddenly Vhagar swoop up from behind the cliff face , clamp his Brobdingnagian - hind end jaws around Meleys ’ neck opening until she ’s dead , then drops her body from a great height . Rhaenys gaze upward as she falls , sadly but peacefully have her fate . Aemond gaze down , a tone of satisfaction cross his imperious face , and we fleet to melanize again .
But there ’s one more conviction we need to punctuate before installment four can end : where ’s Aegon ? Cole waver back to consciousness and takes in the scalded wasteland that now environ him . Soldiers have been trim back to piles of ash inside their armor ; a utter dragon is conspicuously clothe across the castle in the distance . Also blazing : a giant plume of smoke emanating from the trees . That ’s where Cole lurch in search of the fallen king . And he ’s not the first one there : Aemond , his blade ready to plunge into … something … is move through the burn trees ahead of him . When he calls out , Aemond stops doing whatever he was about to do — something that comes into centering when Cole sees that His Grace is lying motionless on the solid ground next to a gurgling Sunfyre . Cole falls to his knee joint as Aemond stalk away . Is Aegon alive or dead ? It ’ll be next workweek until we notice out .
“But mommmm! I want to go to the battle!!!!” (Tom Glynn-Carney and Olivia Cooke as Aegon and Alicent.) © Ollie Upton/HBO
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Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) looks to the skies. © Theo Whiteman/HBO
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