‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 4 recap: Dreams, deaths, and dances

Ralph Revelar Sarza

<div><strong>WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Episode 4 of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2.</strong></div><div><img src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240712080716/From%20House%20of%20the%20Dragon%20S02E4.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><p>Unpopular opinion: I like Aegon II. Or rather, the show has made me like him. Despite his flaws, he&#x27;s written in a way that makes me feel both disgust and a strange sense of rooting for him, especially compared to his more menacing brother, Aemond. Tom Glynn-Carney did a fantastic job portraying Aegon — he has effectively showcased his vulnerability multiple times. </p><p>In “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” the fourth episode of the second season of ‘House of the Dragon,’ we even see him confide in his mother about his council’s lack of trust in him, only to be told that he just needs to sit on the throne like a decorative figurehead, serving no real purpose aside from maintaining an image.</p><p>And now, it seems we&#x27;ve lost him — or so the show would have us believe. But before we unpack that pivotal moment, let&#x27;s rewind to the events that led to the gripping dragon battle, a turning point that changed everything for Aegon.</p><div><strong>Dreaming Daemon</strong></div><p>The episode starts with Daemon still grappling with the unsettling presence of Harrenhal in his mind. Once again, he dreams of young Rhaenyra, who accuses him of treason. “You created me, Daemon. Yet now you are set on destroying me. All because your brother loved me more than he did you,” she emotionally declares in High Valyrian. He swiftly decapitates her in the dream before abruptly waking to the arrival of a raven&#x27;s news. It reports that Houses Rosby and Stokeworth have raised their banners for Aegon, with Harrenhal poised as the conquest’s next target.</p><p>Alys Rivers, first seen in Episode 3 and rumored to be a bastard of House Strong, formally introduces herself to Daemon and warns him that Harrenhal is haunted. She offers him a mysterious potion, promising it will bring restful sleep. Instead, the potion triggers unsettling visions, one of which includes seeing his deceased wife, Laena Velaryon, in a hallucination.</p><p>In the Crownlands, Ser Criston Cole’s forces achieve a decisive victory over House Darklyn, staunch supporters of Rhaenyra. He offers the defeated soldiers a chance to switch allegiance to Team Green. When Lord Darklyn defiantly refuses to submit, Cole beheads him. Afterward, Cole receives a raven carrying new orders and informs Ser Gwayne Hightower that they are to march northeast. Despite Gwayne&#x27;s observation that Harrenhal lies to the west, Cole remains resolute in following their current orders.</p><div><strong>What’s the tea?</strong></div><p> In Driftmark, Rhaenys encounters Alyn. He respectfully addresses her as “my lady,” referring to her as Lord Corlys’ wife. Rhaenys corrects him, saying, “Princess, if we&#x27;re holding to formalities.” She gently touches his face and remarks, “Your mother must’ve been very beautiful.” Their moment is interrupted by Corlys’ arrival. It becomes clear that Rhaenys is aware that Alyn and his brother are her husband’s bastards.</p><p>“I know who he is, Corlys,” Rhaenys says. “Alyn’s past is no fault of his. He saved [your] life. He should be raised up and honored, not hidden beneath the tides.”</p><p> “Is this why you came?” Corlys responds. She informs him that Baela has summoned her to Dragonstone and that she intends to assist Jacaerys and Baela with managing Rhaenyra’s restless council.</p><p> At the Red Keep, Grand Maester Orwyle prepares an abortifacient tea for Alicent — the same remedy Viserys had prescribed for young Rhaenyra after Daemon took her to a brothel. Alicent’s pregnancy is implied, given her affair with Cole. She then asks the Grand Maester if he believes Viserys intended for Aegon to succeed him. He reluctantly responds, “I could not know.”</p><div><strong>Dragon drama</strong></div><p> Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone from her covert mission in King’s Landing. Her council and her son, Jace, are visibly displeased with her recent actions. She stresses the importance of pursuing peace before resorting to a dragon-led war. “I inherited 80 years of peace from my father,” she tells Jace. “Before I was to end it, I needed to know there was no other path. And now I do.”</p><p>The primary concern is defending Lord Staunton’s stronghold at Rook’s Rest. Rhaenyra offers to lead the defense, but Jace refuses. Rhaenys then volunteers herself and her dragon, Meleys, for the task. Rhaenyra agrees.</p><p>Meanwhile, Aemond, being the astute man that he is, has been scheming behind Aegon’s back, driven by his brother’s unkind treatment. Aemond is clearly the more intelligent of the two, as evidenced by his confident demeanor and his fluent command of High Valyrian — an area where Aegon struggles. Aegon cannot stand that Aemond outshines him, especially in front of a council that the former finds boring.</p><p>All of this, along with his mother’s advice to just sit still, leads a drunk Aegon to take matters into his own hands and fly Sunfyre to Rook’s Rest.</p><p>Rhaenys swoops down on her dragon, Meleys, unleashing torrents of fire upon Criston’s ranks at Rook’s Rest. Unbeknownst to her, it&#x27;s a cunning trap. After her attack, Cole sends a signal for Aemond, who is hidden nearby with Vhagar.</p><p>As Meleys and Sunfyre clash in a fierce aerial battle, Aemond arrives with Vhagar, commanding an abrupt “Dracarys!” Sunfyre, carrying Aegon, is forced to the ground under the relentless assault. Meanwhile, Rhaenys and Meleys mount a defiant counterattack against Vhagar, pushing the gargantuan dragon to its limits. In a deft maneuver, Vhagar rises victorious from the skirmish, dealing a fatal blow to Meleys, causing Rhaenys to plummet to her death while riding her grievously wounded dragon.</p><p>Criston stirs from unconsciousness, blinking awake to find Aemond with a sword. Nearby, Aegon lies unconscious, with Sunfyre badly wounded from the aftermath of the clash.</p><p>Episode 4 was so impactful that it moved me to tears for creatures that aren&#x27;t even real. As for Rhaenys, a character I deeply admire, her death, while heartbreaking, was portrayed with the dignity befitting a queen who achieved greatness even without wearing the crown. It’s a reminder of ‘Game of Thrones’ at its best — leaving an emotional mark by unflinchingly killing off beloved characters.</p><div><em>Ralph Revelar Sarza is a freelance TV and film critic and a metadata development specialist at The Big Dipper Digital Content and Design, Incorporated, an ABS-CBN company. This review was originally published on the author&#x27;s blog, “<a href="https://www.walphs.com/2024/07/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-episode-4-recap.html"><strong>WALPHS.com</strong></a></em><strong><em>.”</em></strong></div>

<p>Let's rewind to the events that led to the gripping dragon battle, a turning point that changed everything for Aegon.</p>

Let's rewind to the events that led to the gripping dragon battle, a turning point that changed everything for Aegon.

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 4 recap: Dreams, deaths, and dances | ABS-CBN

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‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 4 recap: Dreams, deaths, and dances

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 4 recap: Dreams, deaths, and dances

Ralph Revelar Sarza

Published Jul 12, 2024 03:28 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 12, 2024 03:30 PM PHT

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House of the Dragon

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