House of the Dragon Episode 4 Review – The King’s Duty?

HBO had found TV gold with Game of Thrones so it pained everyone when they made the trash Season 8. So, just when everyone was starting to get over the atrocious Game of Thrones finale, HBO has enticed us with another royal saga to lure us back into the Game of Thrones Universe. The story of the infamous house that ruled over the Seven Kingdoms before Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark’s rebellion. The house whose people are closer to gods than men. The house that tamed the greatest power the world has seen- dragons. The house our Mother of Dragons – Daenerys Stormborn belonged to: House Targaryen or rather House of the Dragon. The series is a prequel to the events of Game of Thrones. The shows events are set 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen. The prequel focuses on King Viserys I’s rule.

His inability to give the realm a male heir has rendered kingdom in a state unsurety. His heir is to be decided between his brother Daemon Targaryen and his eldest daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen. On paper this seems to be the central conflict of the show, although as these events are taking place in Westeros things will never be simple. The show is based on another book of George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood. The pilot of the prequel became HBO’s biggest debut with gathering as much as 9.986 Million viewers in the first 24 hours. While many judged this success was simply an extension of the fan base that Game of Thrones has left behind but the follow-up episode proved everyone wrong. The second episode of the prequel out did the first when it comes to viewership numbers as there was a 2% growth.

Meaning not only did the show retain its audience but in fact added eyeballs. However, the third episode saw the show’s first linear viewership drop but that was only on cable. The prequel soared high on HBO Max with 16 Million viewers. Apart from viewership records and ratings, episode 3 certainly left us on a note of unsurety as to what will conspire next. I had no idea what is going to happen in Episode 4. I was excited for it after watching it, I’m extremely delighted. So, without any further ado, let’s continue the Dragon Saga. Review Marathon – Episode 1 / Episode 2 / Episode 3.

Episode – King of the Narrow Sea (SPOILERS AHEAD)

Rating – ★★★★1/2

House of the Dragon Episode 4: King of the Narrow Sea!

Episode 4 is titled “King of the Narrow Sea” which is in reference to Daemon after the victory over the Triarchy. The episode starts with Rhaenyra on a tour deciding whom to marry across Westeros. However, she ends her tour abruptly after a mishap. She sails back to King’s Landing where she realizes that Daemon is returning as well. Daemon appears in the court where he gives his crown to Viserys and accepts him as his King. Viserys and Daemon make up. The episode further revolves around Rhaenyra and Daemon’s relation.

Otto Hightower receives a very important message that the Sea Snake is marrying his son to a princess of Braavos (Free City). Rhaenyra knows that Daemon’s return is more than what is seems like. Rhaenyra is happy to seem him but she knows something is up. Daemon and Rhaenyra go out in hiding to visit King’s Landing at night. They enjoy the pleasures the city offers. Daemon shows Rhaenyra the city. They see a play that makes a fun of Rhaenyra for being named heir. Daemon takes Rhaenyra to a pleasure house.

His motive is to make Rhaenyra understand that sex is pleasurable for both man and woman. He is aware Rhaenyra thinks it is something only a man enjoys and that woman gets pregnant. Daemon and Rhaenyra grow intimate. Their chemistry from the last few episodes is finally riling up. However, as soon as they’re going to be engaged in sex, Daemon couldn’t through with it. It is not specified why but I think it is because he finds it uncomfortable to have sex with his niece. He abandons her and leaves. Rhaenyra walks back to the Red Keep.

That is when she is seen by one of Otto’s spies. Rhaenyra returns to her room where she becomes playful with Ser Criston. After a little bit of folling around Rhaenyra kisses him. He is stern at first, as she is the princess but after a while he too engages passionately. They both make passionate love. Otto gets to about Rhaenyra and Daemon. Otto tells Viserys. Viserys refuses to accept this and asks Otto if this is his attempt to discredit Rhaenyra so that Aegon becomes the heir to the throne.

Alicent overhears their entire conversation and later confronts Rhaenyra about the same. Rhaenyra denies everything and promises Alicent that she still remains a maiden. Rhaenyra lies to Alicent on her own Mother. This is interesting because just at the start of the episode we saw Rhaenyra and Alicent’s relationship healing after the turmoil they’ve both been through. Alicent convinces Viserys that Daemon is at fault. Viserys confronts Daemon and asks him to return to Vale. Again a relationship healed at the start and ruined in the end of the episode.

Daemon offers to marry Rhaenyra but Viserys is adamant not to do that. Rhaenyra is called by Viserys where he handles the situation rather well. I mean for someone like him. Viserys tells Rhaenyra that she will marry Laenor Velaryon without protest. Rhaenyra agrees to fulfill her duty as a princess and heir to the throne but she asks Viserys to fulfill his and remove Otto as his hand as he is a snake. Viserys does it as he realizes that everyone had warned him about Otto. He shreds him off this honor. He realizes that Otto is a snake.

The episode ends with Viserys sending a maestor to give Rhaenyra a special tea that may rid her of all the things in her system. That mean Viserys knows that even if Rhaenyra says so, she is not a maiden anymore. However, we don’t see Rhaenyra drinking it so…you never know.

Verdict

House of the Dragon Episode 4 is simply one of the best episodes in the GOT universe. I really like how they treated the moment in a teenage woman’s life where she discovers sex and experiences it for the first time. I love how they intercut Rhaenyra passionately dissolving herself into the arms of Daemon while Alicent is being towered by Viserys, which is clearly against her wishes. The juxtaposition in that scene is superb. I love how they heal relationships at the start of the episode only for them to be destroyed again.

We saw all the love angles we’d predicted like Rhaenyra and Daemon, Rhaenyra and Ser Criston and finally the one we got a glimpse of Rhaenyra and Laenor. I love that Otto Hightower has finally faces some consequences to his deceitful actions. Rhaenyra is still the heir as she is not discredited but I don’t think so that is going to last long. The show at this stage is just where it is complicated enough but not so much that is a mess entirely. However, I really like the direction they’re going.

Milly Alcock and Emily Carey are as usual great. So is Matt Smith and Paddy Considine. After the end of this episode I’m sure episode 5 is going to be big as we are going to have a 15-20 year leap in episode 6. House of the Dragon Episode 4 is the best of the lot. Even if this episode didn’t have any war or dragons the drama or human quotient in the episode is off the charts. Episode 4 of House of the Dragon is amazing. Episode 4 is drum roll please……. 4.5 out of 5 stars. The betrayals and shocks have not kicked in yet but have certainly began. If you haven’t watched it already, check out House of the Dragon on HBO Max or Disney+ Hotstar.

The GOT prequel has an incredible ensemble cast that includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Along with the main cast, the supporting cast of the show includes- Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, Savannah Steyn, and more.

House of the Dragon’s first four episodes are currently streaming on HBO Max or Disney+. New episodes will debut on every Sunday or Monday on HBO and HBO Max or Disney+ Hotstar depending on the region you live in, at 9 pm or 6.30 am.

If you have any questions regarding House of the Dragon, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!