House of the Dragon - Episode 4

In 'Bachelorette'-esque fashion, Princess Rhaenyra is down to her final two men. Who will win her heart?

In her chambers that night, the princess finds a bag with a change of clothes and a map of her room that leads to a secret staircase. A hungover Daemon is arrested as he returns to the castle, and King Viserys demands to know the truth.”Better her first experience be with me than some whore,” he tells his brother. In the morning, the Hand of the King mulls over the best way to tell Viserys the "discomforting news." She convinces him that Otto is constantly scheming (which he is) and that getting Viserys to marry Alicent was just step one of his master plan to put the Hightowers in power. He says it's because he wants to teach Rhaenyra how to "take what she wants," and the two proceed to make out. It's all part of a weird plan that ends in Daemon bringing his niece to an orgy at the pleasure house. Later, at a party in the garden, Queen Alicent Hightower and Princess Rhaenyra reconcile and admit that they’ve missed each other. Daemon adds that although he wears a crown as "King of the Narrow Sea" following his victory, he acknowledges that his brother is the one true king in Westeros. His [House of the Dragon](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a36342276/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-game-of-thrones-prequel/) ancestor, however... He offers up Craghas Crabfeeder's hammer (which I guess was his weapon of choice, though we never saw him use it) and says to add it to the Iron Throne. Princess Rhaenyra returns to King's Landing early and is shocked to find her uncle, Daemon, back in front of the king. [go to war with a pirate named the Crabfeeder](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a40911484/house-of-the-dragon-episode-3-recap/), then immediately transition to an episode all about finding a husband.

Daemon Targaryen is riding high off of sweet victory in the Stepstones, and Princess Rhaenyra has to figure out who she wants to marry.

I'll take her as she is and wed her in the tradition of our house," Daemon says, adding that he and Rhaenyra can return the House of the Dragon to its proper glory. Viserys breezes in, explaining that it was Aegon "The Conquerer" Targaryen's, and that the last of the Valyrion pyromancers inscribed Aegon's song in the steel. King Viserys thanks Hightower for being a valuable servant to the realm as he plucks the Hand badge off of Hightower's tunic. To save you a Google: Rhaenyra is 18 in the story, and the actress who plays her, Milly Alcock, is 22. Rhaenyra swears on the memory of Queen Aemma that Daemon never touched her, and Alicent buys it. Before the night is over, Otto Hightower receives a report that Rhaenyra and Daemon were seen together at the White Worm pleasure house. A rejected Rhaenyra goes to sit on a bench in the corner of the party. Cloaked in a commoner's garb, the secret path leads her to Daemon, who escorts Rhaenyra out into the streets of King's Landing. Aegon the babe prince might long proclaim, he has two things Rhaenyra cannot: A conqueror's name and a cock." This is apparently a big deal -- big enough to get Hand of the King Otto Hightower sweating. She then realizes the poor taste of saying this to the queen, and winces in embarrassment. "My crown and the Stepstones are yours," he says as he bends the knee.

Rhaenyra and Daemon enjoy a wild night and harsh morning in King's Landing in the latest episode of the 'Game of Thrones' prequel series.

It continues, as Daemon brings Rhaenyra to one final stop on his tour through King’s Landing: a pleasure house on the Street of Silk, “where people come to take what they want.” Surrounded by dozens of individuals in varying stages of undress (not to mention varying positions and permutations while undressed), Daemon and Rhaenyra take what they want: each other. Alas, even now, the heir of it all hangs heavy in the air, as Rhaenyra and Daemon wind up watching a street performance that crudely conveys the King’s perceived dilemma of who will succeed him on the Iron Throne, his public and private promises regarding Rhaenyra’s ascension notwithstanding. Together, passing drinks back and forth, they go out for a night on the town, free from “the burdens of [their] inheritance,” if only temporarily. For the first time since her father announced his betrothal to her best friend, Rhaenyra sees much of her own plight reflected in Alicent. As Rhaenyra bemoans the proposal process, Alicent points out that not everyone in Westeros has the luxury of choosing their own spouse. But the crown comes off in no time at all, as the prince who breaks promises bends the knee to his brother, King Viserys (Paddy Considine), in a very public display of affection, followed by a celebration held in Daemon’s honor.

It's a sad day at the sex party as the Targaryens' family drama continues to make everyone miserable.

Here it’s all royals and no perspective, and House Of The Dragon is already feeling a little flat as a result even before you get into its determination to treat women as breeding machines and not as human beings. Not to continuously compare the two – although the shared theme tune and Viserys’ repeated incantation of the original book series’ title invite it – but Game Of Thrones gave us a close-knit family of Starks to care about, and a funny, cynical onlooker in Tyrion Lannister, as well as all the serious people jockeying for thrones. Viserys wants peace and quiet; Rhaenyra wants freedom; Daemon wants Rhaenyra (it seems); Alicent wants a little respect. He seems warily pleased to be reunited with his brother, but of course his idea of manly bonding is to ridicule both his wife and daughter. She and Rhaenyra at least reconcile momentarily, which is a rare moment of genuine warmth in a show that often feels chilly, but she’s clearly lonely and isolated too. Martin’s book Fire And Blood, which also sees Daemon teach his niece about sex with instructive brothel visits (in the novel she’s even younger) and which also sees Rhaenyra develop a searing crush on the Whitecloak. Sure, different rules might apply to Targaryen dragon riders, given that it’s her bloodline that’s important and not that of her husband, but if the reason we’re revelling in all this endless sexism is “these books are like medieval history” then, well, any shagging around is bad news for Rhaenyra. What Daemon doesn’t mention is that if it’s treasonous to accuse the heir to the throne of having sex outside marriage (as Rhaenyra claims), it has also historically been treason for a royal woman to have an affair once she’s married: just ask Anne Boleyn. The episode opens with the heir on tour as the noblemen of the realm, too young and too old, make their case to marry her. Well, one dragon anyway, swooping past in an opening scene to remind us that the show has a budget, before soaring away and leaving people to talk in rooms for the rest of the running time. Is he waiting to make it all legal, once he persuades his brother to allow him a second wife alongside the “bronze bitch” he already married? There’s no torture, no murder, just a few boots in the kidney – and on a Westerosi scale, that barely registers as violence at all.

Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) has just returned from a woefully unsuccessful “tour” arranged by her father in which she listens to and rejects an increasingly absurd ...

Whether she realizes it or not, she’ll soon have an even bigger target on her back as heir — and the offense she’s just learned to play, using sex as a pathway to real power, is about to get much more serious. Viserys orders her to marry Laenor Velaryon, who we learned last episode is both an ideal political match, as the son of the Sea Snake Corlys, and a really hot dragon-rider. The former sex worker, now Daemon’s on-again, off-again lover, has gained the nickname of “the white worm” because of her tendency to dress in white and burrow her way into possession of secrets. When she snarks that he’s using her as a prize to assuage his political headaches, he snaps, “You are my political headache!” The revelation that Viserys isn’t as easily manipulated as he’s appeared to be loses its heft, however, given that in this case, Otto is telling the truth: The princess has been dallying with her uncle and has risked tarnishing her reputation. The king, when he’s not using her for sex and childbearing, openly undermines Alicent — a casual slight that becomes much greater when you’re essentially a sexual prisoner who has to behave as though you aren’t. Rhaenyra, self-interested above all else, has a difficult time seeing outside of herself to recognize the way other people are compromised by the political and sexual games they have to play. From the opening moments, where our poor shrimp of a lad has to ask Rhaenyra for her hand despite being far too young for marriage and having never laid eyes on her before, we see sex as a game of politics over desire. Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) clearly sees her as the annoying brat he has to babysit, and he’s at first extremely reluctant to take what she’s offering. She’s far too young to fully understand how Daemon has manipulated her emotionally, to grasp that he’s spent years grooming her as a pawn for exactly this purpose. Rhaenyra, just as she has done from the start, dismisses their opinions, but Daemon has another lesson to teach her about the way the world works. Daemon has several purposes in introducing her to the dusty peasants of King’s Landing.

Daemon plays some nasty games, as Rhaenyra comes face to face with the double standards of royal patriarchy. NOW STREAMING: ...

Not only that, he turns around and (metaphorically) kills the messenger, recognizing that Otto’s reporting of this incident is, at least in part, fueled by his own desire to see his blood (his grandson Aegon) on the throne. And so it goes that Hoes of the Dragon Episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea,” uses sex and perception to shake up the dynamics of its central cast. Both parties involved take decidedly different tacks to the accusations: Rhaenyra swears on her mother’s life that nothing happened (a lie, but not a total one, since we pick up on the fact that Daemon couldn’t get himself up to do the deed), while Daemon himself gloats to Viserys in the throne room that he did deflower his niece. This is where we see the full extent of Daemon’s plan: come back with gifts and contrition, then bed Rhaenyra and force Viserys to let him marry her, thus giving him access to the throne. He takes her to a pleasure house, where Alcock’s lips curl upwards at the sight of men and woman taking pleasure in each other’s bodies. For an heir apparent who’s been stuck in procedure and tradition for years, such a move feels like the one thing she’s managed to do for herself. The more the night goes on, the more Daemon’s outing with Rhaenyra feels deliberate — both a chance to free his niece from the confines of her position and a way to undermine his brother’s rule. But the illusion is shattered with a small actor’s troupe, who playact her family story and all but predict Aegon will take the throne as Rhaenyra, being a woman is too “feeble.” Aegon, meanwhile, has two things needed to rule: “A conquerer’s name, and a cock.” By the weirwood tree, the two bond: Daemon purrs at her that “this is a tragic world,” and one must not be afraid of it. They’re too old, or too young, or too impetuous — two of them break out in a fight, and the victor is a boy no older than twelve. [Emily Carey](https://thespool.net/tag/emily-carey)) has given birth to Viserys’ ( [Paddy Considine](https://thespool.net/tag/paddy-considine)) son, Aegon, sure to present a real threat to Rhaenyra’s ( [Milly Alcock](https://thespool.net/tag/milly-alcock)) claim to the throne — despite Viserys’ entreaties otherwise, provided she takes a smart, strategic partner to wed. Just in time, it seems, for Daemon to emerge from his victory, sporting a makeshift crown and a close-cropped haircut (thank god, this wig looks a bit better on him).

Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) has returned victorious from the Stepstones where he's defeated the corsair prince they called the Crabfeeder. He's gotten ...

I figure things will just continue to get more shocking and terrible as we continue, and a bit of uncle-niece making out in a pleasure house is the least of our concerns. I also continue to have a tough time really connecting with any of the characters outside of Rhaenyra, though Viserys is sympathetic in his own way, as is Alicent, and Daemon is certainly fascinating. Hightower is finished as Hand, but his grandson is the only male heir, and his daughter is queen. Ultimately, the king tells her that her choice in the matter is now once again out of her hands. Perhaps this is a subtle way of taking all that back, having Rhaenyra read the blade’s inscription and, as a fluent speaker of Valirian, find no such double meaning. Viserys is aghast at the thought and reminds his brother that he’s already married. Her intentions become clear quickly enough, and the knight tells her “no”—he’s sworn a vow of chastity as a Kingsguard, for one thing, but surely he also knows what kind of consequences such an act could carry. Rhaenyra calls off the rest of the tour a full two months early and heads back to King’s Landing. Here’s the thing about getting all hot and bothered like this and then being left unsatisfied—and also being a beautiful princess. The two make their way out into the lively nighttime streets of King’s Landing and into a fever dream of paupers and whores, eyeless fortune tellers and yellow-cloaked guards, firebreathers and drunkards. The note shows a secret passage in her room that leads out to a staircase behind the walls that she never knew about. First, we must hop onto the back of a dragon—Syrax, perhaps—and go find Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock).

A blonde girl and a blonde man in regal dress stand in a garden. Credit: HBO. > Entertainment ...

The boy gives Mysaria a handful of money, and just like that we know who our White Worm is. "I learned that the skin trade could only take me so far in this life." Later we get our answer courtesy of a hungover Daemon, who wakes up in a bed belonging to his former girlfriend, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). "Apologies for the late hour, my lord," a soldier says to Hightower. We won't go over all the grisly details from that night, but the sequence of events is still important. Crucially, though, after Daemon abruptly disappears, we see a young boy watching as Rhaenyra leaves the brothel looking for him.

'House of the Dragon' Episode 4: Sex! Deceit! We discuss what happens between Daemon and Rhaenyra in "King of the Narrow Sea."

According to co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, in a featurette that aired after the episode: “Ultimately, his impotence in the scene is a reflection of the fact that he knows, deep down, that what he’s doing isn’t right.” It was how unaware she was that the act was all about her uncle messing with his brother, the king, and the line of succession for the Iron Throne. * Was Rhaenyra taking notes during her trip to the pillow house? (Again, not something I expected having to state for the record.) But as someone who covered Game of Thrones throughout its run and who has read plenty of Martins’ work, I’ve made my peace with the fact that It was about how she clearly has an attraction to Daemon, and how he played the long game with that, for his own gain. [House of the Dragon](https://tvline.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) depicted the scene that readers of George R.R.

Episode 4 of House of the Dragon starts with Rhaenyra listening to a number of different suitors as they step forward and pitch their claim to be her ...

It’s a way of showing the difference between duty and pleasure, as well as how stifling and passionless some arranged marriages can be. Unlike something like Rings of Power, which repeats the same information repeatedly and sacrifices good storytelling for good visuals, HOTD is easily winning this “fantasy war”. Viserys is conflicted over what to do and eventually brings Rhaenyra in to see him so they can talk. Back inside, Alicent is summoned to see Viserys in the middle of the night, where he ends up having sex with her. He takes the title from the Hand, pointing out he can’t trust Otto’s judgment anymore, leaving the man shocked and incredulous. Viserys calls her his “political headache” and goes on to decide they should set up a wedding to Ser Laenor Velaryon. Viserys kicks him and demands the truth. In the aftermath of this, Daemon and Rhaenyra talk about their changed fates in this world, including the latter’s numerous suitor proposals. Lord Corlys has engaged in negotiations with the Sealord of Braavos. Speaking of power, Viserys gathers the small council in the throne room where they have bigger problems afoot. He drops one of his own, “Add it to the chair.” It’s unclear right now what sort of game he’s playing (if any), and you could cut the tension with a knife.

Daemon Targaryen rides high off of sweet victory in the Stepstones, and Princess Rhaenyra has to figure out who she wants to marry.

I'll take her as she is and wed her in the tradition of our house," Daemon says, adding that he and Rhaenyra can return the House of the Dragon to its proper glory. Viserys breezes in, explaining that it was Aegon "The Conqueror" Targaryen's, and that the last of the Valyrion pyromancers inscribed Aegon's song in the steel. King Viserys thanks Hightower for being a valuable servant to the realm as he plucks the Hand badge off of Hightower's tunic. To save you a Google: Rhaenyra is 18 in the story, and the actress who plays her, Milly Alcock, is 22. Rhaenyra swears on the memory of Queen Aemma that Daemon never touched her, and Alicent buys it. Before the night is over, Otto Hightower receives a report that Rhaenyra and Daemon were seen together at the White Worm pleasure house. A rejected Rhaenyra goes to sit on a bench in the corner of the party. Cloaked in a commoner's garb, the secret path leads her to Daemon, who escorts Rhaenyra out into the streets of King's Landing. Aegon the babe prince might long proclaim, he has two things Rhaenyra cannot: A conqueror's name and a cock." This is apparently a big deal -- big enough to get Hand of the King Otto Hightower sweating. She then realizes that saying this to the queen is in poor taste, and she winces in embarrassment. Just look at him: He's married to a lady in the vale, and we haven't even seen her yet.

In House of the Dragon Episode 4, "King of the Narrow Sea," sex and power prove to be more inextricable than ever.

The king thanks him for his service to the Crown and relieves him of his responsibilities — and then he has a Maester take a morning after potion to Rhaenyra, just for good measure. Though Rhaenyra has sworn to Alicent that nothing has happened between Daemon and her, and though Alicent has assured the king that the prince only said what he said out of spite, Viserys isn’t entirely convinced. [Game of Thrones](https://collider.com/tag/game-of-thrones/) universe, and [House of the Dragon](https://collider.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) is no exception to this rule. And so, King Viserys calls Lord Otto to the Small Council room for the last of a series of unpleasant conversations. In true Targaryen fashion, Daemon asks Viserys for Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage, but the king won’t have it, especially since the prince already has a wife waiting for him in the Vale — a wife to whom he should return right away. Will Daemon do as he is told for once or will he pull a completely unexpected stunt just like the last time the king banished him to the Vale? Instead, he bends the knee to Viserys and relinquishes his crown of bones, earning back his place in court [in Episode 1](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-1-episode-1-recap-the-heirs-of-the-dragon/) — but then her uncle-turned-lover chickens out at the last minute and runs off on her. Contrary to what the episode’s title suggests, Daemon isn’t holding on to his title of King of the Narrow Sea. She drinks cheap booze, has fun with acrobats and fortune-tellers, and watches a satirical play that reveals a lot about what the people truly think of having an heir as their future queen. [Emilia Clarke](https://collider.com/tag/emilia-clarke/)) and Jon Snow ( [Kit Harington](https://collider.com/tag/kit-harington/)) walked so that their Targaryen ancestors could fly. The topic has been orbiting the show’s main plots ever since Episode 1, insinuating itself through the horror of Queen Aemma’s (Sian Brooke) fate, Lady Alicent’s (Emily Carey) rise to the king’s side, and even Prince Daemon’s ( [Matt Smith](https://collider.com/tag/matt-smith/)) retreat to Dragonstone.