House of the Dragon Episode 4

What date and time will episode 4 of House of the Dragon “King of the Narrow Sea” release around the world for online streaming?

And it was a good way of grounding the time jump.” And the only way to do that is to let time pass…We understand that two or three years’ worth of material has happened in those couple of opening scenes.” – Ryan Condal, via - Philippine Time – 9 AM - India Time – 6.30 AM - Pakistan Time – 6 AM - European Time – 3 AM

Clare Kilner, Geeta V. Patel, Miguel Sapochnik, and Greg Yaitanes have been hired as directors. Co-Creator/Executive Producer, George R.R. Martin; Co-Creator/Co ...

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The fourth episode of the series debuts tonight (September 11) at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. An Encore presentation airs at 10:05 p.m. ET on HBO.

If you’re already an HBO subscriber, [you most likely have access to HBO Max](https://www.hbomax.com/do-i-already-have-access), which is available to stream on Amazon devices, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android devices, and more. ET on HBO and HBO Max. HOW TO WATCH HOUSE OF THE DRAGON LIVE ON HBO AND HBO MAX: [Johnny Loftus recapped the episode for Decider](https://decider.com/2022/09/05/house-of-the-dragon-episode-3-recap/). ET on HBO. Hosted by Jason Concepcion and Greta Johnsen, [the third episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-of-the-dragon-ep-3-second-of-his-name/id1635830141?i=1000578361777) features an interview with young Rhaenyra Targaryen herself, Milly Alcock.

House of the Dragon returns to screens with another new episode tonight. Here's when you can watch episode 4 of the HBO series in your area.

The HBO and HBO Max series airs/streams on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. Are you excited for House of the Dragon episode 4? With conflict aplenty and time jumps in the mix too, viewers are enthralled as they learn more about the Targaryen dynasty and episode 4 is set to be the biggest installment yet. It was already common knowledge that the Targaryen family had experienced centuries of troubles but House of the Dragon is showing audiences the extent of that. On one hand, its success has been inevitable, but on the other, it proves that there is life left in the Game of Thrones franchise in spite of its predecessor’s highly-divisive ending. House of the Dragon returns to screens with another new episode tonight.

If you haven't seen Episodes 1, 2 and 3 yet, there's some spoilers ahead… This Targaryen family drama – set 200 years before the events depicted in Game of ...

He’s now fighting to rid the realm of pirates at the side of Corlys aka ‘The Sea Snake’, the richest bloke around. Even though he’s soon got a new son, by his daughter’s best friend and new wife no less, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) remains next in line to the Iron Throne. The King, fresh from losing his wife and newborn son in childbirth, has controversially selected a new heir – his daughter Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).

Daemon Targaryen stirs up some trouble in King's Landing and boy did this show need that added bit of drama.

He ends it by banishing his sibling, breaking up with his Hand, suspecting his wife of deceiving him in his time of grief, and having to discipline his wayward daughter by marrying her off to a rival House that’s been causing him all kinds of headaches. Daemon hopes his confession will lead to his brother giving him Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage but Viserys surprises him (and all of us) by instead disinheriting Daemon and trying (in his own way) to protect his daughter by marrying her off quickly to the realm’s most powerful House. A bit of planning and a lot of luck? He begins this episode by reuniting with his beloved brother, bro-ing out in front of his wife and daughter, enjoying a hot bath, and getting laid. His spies in King’s Landing reported Rhaenyra’s discretion and he warned the king before the rest of the small council – and all of King’s Landing – could pass their own judgment. On the other, Rhaenyra is clearly in a position of power and Sir Cole obviously struggled with how to say no. Of course, any goodwill Daemon earns is quickly squandered when he f*cks with the reputation of his niece, but even that felt like a calculated move. Instead of talking to her therapist about this deep-seated trauma response, she sneaks out of the castle and goes galavanting around King’s Landing with her mischievous uncle. First, he returns to King’s Landing and ingratiates himself to his estranged brother by revealing he’s won control of the Step Stones and, despite the people there wanting to name him king, Westeros’ true ruler is already seated on the Iron Throne. She ends the episode betrothed (against her will, of course) but relatively unscathed thanks to the plot armor of white privilege. What seems like a harmless fling for her could mean his death, or, at the least, the end of his knightly career. In other words, [this episode of HoTD ](https://uproxx.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-recap-throne-watch-episode-3-recap/)is cosplaying as a later-season installment of Gossip Girl and we are loving it!

It's almost time to watch House of the Dragon episode 4 online. The Game of Thrones prequel is a huge hit for HBO, so much so that the network has already ...

House of the Dragon will focus on a particular part of the Targaryen history: The Dance of Dragons. The beasts remained extinct for a century and a half, until Daenerys Targaryen hatched her three dragons in Game of Thrones. ET House of the Dragon episode 3: Sept. Princess Shireen Baratheon recounted this story in a fifth-season episode of Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon episode 1: August 21 @ 9 p.m. It's almost time to watch House of the Dragon episode 4 online. It's based on Martin's novel "Fire & Blood," which chronicles the rule of House Targaryen from the beginning. ET House of the Dragon episode 2: August 28 @ 9 p.m. Their bloodline is old as House Targaryen, and Velaryon earned his nickname for being the most notorious "nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros." He is a lover (or is he?), a seducer (or is he?), a betrayer (or is he?), a breaker of hearts and a maker of kings … Since Brits also don't get HBO or HBO Max, they will watch House of the Dragon episode 4 on Sky Atlantic and NOW. BST and again at the more reasonable time of 9 p.m.

Tonight we see the first of three episodes directed by Clare Kilner for House of the Dragon! This will be Ira Parker's lone writing effort for the season.

Spoiler coding is required in the Open Chat post prior to the episode official airing (9PM EDT tonight!). Leak discussion IS freely permitted in our This will be Ira Parker’s lone writing effort for the season.

King Viserys, who is celebrating the pregnancy of his new wife Alicent, wants Rhaenyra to marry Jason Lannister to strengthen the relationship between the two ...

[Lord Corlys](https://www.dualshockers.com/who-is-corlys-velaryon-in-the-upcoming-series-house-of-the-dragon/) continues to fight the forces of the [Crabfeeder ](https://www.dualshockers.com/house-of-the-dragon-crabfeeder-craghas-drahar/)with the help of [Prince Daemon](https://www.dualshockers.com/who-are-viserys-daemon-and-rhaenyra-targaryen-in-house-of-the-dragon/). HBO Max released an official trailer for the fourth chapter to give us a glimpse of the upcoming events. [House of the Dragon](https://www.dualshockers.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) finally featured the Lannister family. Fans in the US can watch the show exclusively on HBO Max. Here's the exact release schedule you need to follow for different time zones: Much to everyone's surprise, Daemon and Corlys win the battle, and the Prince kills the Crabfeeder by cutting his body in half.

The third episode of House of the Dragon concluded with Daemon Targaryen winning his battle with the Crabfeeder in the Stepstones. Acting without the King's ...

He has a sickness that is eating away at his body, resulting in the loss of multiple fingers in the third episode. When it comes to a major death in the fourth episode, one character likely comes to mind for all fans: King Viserys. The title of "king," even if used in jest, could put a target on Daemon's back.

Episode 4 of House Of The Dragon (King of the Narrow Sea), lands on HBO Max at 9pm ET (2am BST) on Sunday 11th September 2022 and on Sky TV in the UK at 9pm BST ...

[Binge](https://goto.binge.com.au/c/338476/767630/11099?subId1=whathifi-gb-8706599020677485000&sharedId=whathifi-gb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbinge.com.au%2F) (opens in new tab) is the streaming service to sign up to in Australia to watch House Of The Dragon episode 4 (King of the Narrow Sea) and the rest of the series. It's $19.99 per month and the show airs at 9pm ET/PT each Sunday, just like in the States. It's $17.99/month for the HD version (or $12.99 for SD) but there's a there's a 7-day free trial to enjoy before you need to pay to continue. (Apple users can use a UK phone number but should head to the [Apple ID website](https://apple.sjv.io/c/221109/435031/7613?subId1=whathifi-gb-3966986942633254000&sharedId=whathifi-gb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fappleid.apple.com%2Faccount) (opens in new tab) to sign up, rather than using an app on their device). [HBO Max](https://www.whathifi.com/features/hbo-max-roku-fire-tv-stick-free-trial-and-how-to-watch-from-abroad-all-explained) on your browser or device and enjoy watching House Of The Dragon episode 3 online. There's 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. [HBO Max](https://www.whathifi.com/features/hbo-max-roku-fire-tv-stick-free-trial-and-how-to-watch-from-abroad-all-explained) (US) Upon his return, the ante of the three-way contest to ascend the Iron Throne will be significantly upped. Episode 3 saw our first exposure to an extended battle sequence as Daemon took on the grisly Crabfeeder. House Of The Dragon episode 4 – King of the Narrow Sea – sees us reach the midpoint of the season, and after last week's action, things are already coming to a head.

HBO's 'House of the Dragon' featured a slower Episode 4, but one that dramatically changed the relationship between Daemon and Rhaenyra.

The two then begin to undress each other with Daemon guiding Rhaenyra to a wall and then turning her around with her pants down. (This fallout from her decision seems to reinforce the idea that Rhaenyra made this choice in order to undermine future marriage.) After Daemon leaves, Rhaenyra returns to the Red Keep where she seduces and then completes her night’s quest with her Kingsguard, Cole. Fed up with everyone telling him what to do, Viserys tells Rhaenyra that she will marry the Sea Snake’s son, Laenor Velaryon. [Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint)](https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a40933597/steve-toussaint-house-of-the-dragon-interview/), has not returned to King’s Landing, instead keeping control of the islands and posing to marry his daughter to a noble-born member of the Free Cities—a move that would undermine the power of the Targaryen rule. (This may be an important conviction for the civil war likely to come.) There, disguised as a page, she finds Daemon, and the two of them travel incognito into King’s Landing where a Renaissance-like festival is being held. On her way back to King’s Landing, Daemon’s dragon descends close to her ship, knocking her to the deck and signaling a continued antagonism between her and the King’s brother (although she looks up somewhat smitten by Daemon’s tactic). She then discusses the same fear with Daemon, whose return to King’s Landing she questions. It is clear the episode will hinge on Rhaenyra’s marriage choice—a choice that turns out was never to be a choice at all. Rhaenyra suggests Alicent’s role is simply to produce heirs for the King. Meanwhile, King Viserys I (Padddy Considine) continues to age and develop totally gross-looking legions across his back and arms, an obvious portend for a diseased kingdom on the edge of civil war.

In episode 4 of HBO's 'Game of Thrones' spinoff, Daemon surrenders his crown and spends a night on the town; Rhaenyra's rumspringa doesn't sit well with the ...

He shows her a dagger that once belonged to Aegon the Conqueror, which ties in to the prophecy he mentioned to her back in episode 1. The king refuses to believe it, and accuses Otto of scheming for the throne. This is offered in contrast to the presumptively more erotic goings-on between Daemon and Rhaenyra, who show up to a brothel, ditch their disguises and then proceed to ditch other items of clothing as well. ... and confronts Rhaenyra in the godswood. Otto stammers out the news that Rhaenrya was seen coupling with Daemon "in the bowels of a pleasure den" (Reader, I chuckled). She is then summoned to his bedchamber to lie back and think of Oldtown, as the king makes assiduous, dutiful, yeomanlike love to her. After much to-ing and fro-ing, Daemon can't seem to coax his Caraxes out of the ol' Dragonpit, and abandons Rhaenyra, who makes her way back to the Red Keep. She outfits herself in pageboy drag, skulks through the catacombs and finds her way to Daemon, waiting for her in an inconspicuous hood and cloak that's hilariously conspicuous. Rhaenyra and Alicent get a moment together to admit how much they've missed each other, but not before Rheanyra also suggests that the queen's life of "squeezing out heirs" doesn't interest her. Now that he's conquered the Stepstones, they call him King of the Narrow Sea — but he promptly kneels before Viserys and gives up his crown. But before that, we drop in on what will turn out to be the final date of Rhaenyra: The White-Blonde Ambition Tour. Which is a nice touch, as in the books, Blackwoods and Brackens have hated each other for generations.

Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) and Daemon (Matt Smith) on House of the Dragon Photo: Ollie Upton | HBO. This House of the Dragon review ...

ET on HBO and HBO Max in the U.S. But House of the Dragon has a schedule to stick to. Rhaenyra’s consecutive moments of sexual awakening serve as the climax of the episode as much as Daemon and Corlys’s war in the Stepstones did last week. At the same time though, continually jumping forward in time means that some moments have to be brought to the forefront more quickly rather than being allowed to simmer in the background for episodes at a time. There’s a lot to enjoy in “King of the Narrow Sea” even outside of the exchange of carnal knowledge, but let’s get to that first. And that refinement arrives in episode 4 “King of the Narrow Sea.” A crucial message is imparted on Rhaenyra in the only way it could have been. Truth be told, she still is something of a child, having spent most of her life locked away in the Red Keep, gossipping with Alicent and reading stories about mythical maidens and martyrs. Surprisingly, however, the proclaimed “King of the Narrow Sea” removes his crown, hands it to his brother, and acknowledges him as the one true king. The realm is secure, his wife is dutiful, and most importantly: his brother is back. The issue, however, is that Game of Thrones’ prurient moments were frequently sloppy and unsensual in execution at best and downright exploitative at worst. Not only does the act, you know, feel good, but procreation is kind of a big deal in a political landscape dominated by inherited dynasties.

Most of this week was dedicated to the royal family and its “queer customs.”

We talked last week about the conflict between love and duty as a persistent “Thrones” theme, but what happens when love is the duty required of you? [the premiere](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/arts/television/house-of-the-dragon-premiere-recap.html) (more on this in a minute), “House of the Dragon” is ultimately about the decline of a convoluted, deeply inbred clan whose power is enabled by their access to the world’s most fearsome weapons. It was a bitter reminder that even when Rhaenyra isn’t being forced to “squeeze out heirs,” as she put it awkwardly to the heir-squeezer-in-chief, Alicent, her womb still belongs to the realm. That was Jefferson Hall also playing Tyland Lannister, the more conscientious twin of the ridiculous Lord Jason. Rhys Ifans, who first won wide notice as a goofball roommate in “Notting Hill,” has been highly enjoyable as the Machiavellian Otto. (The next family nameday party should be fun.) Which meant that for all her ill-advised sneaking, drinking and fornicating, Rhaenyra survived another week as heir to the Iron Throne. True to the maximalist tendencies of “Thrones” storytelling, the strategy seems to be that if you’re going to make a soap, you might as well make it as operatic as possible. The inbreeding is key to the downfall as probably the primary cause of the Targaryen madness described by the coin-flipping maxim. But “he’s got a strange moral compass of his own,” the actor said. For all the squeamishness the age differentials and so on inspire, we’re all checking modern moral standards at the door, to a certain extent, if we want to go along with this story. That was Alicent on Sunday night, winning the Understatement of the Week award. (“The hour is quite late …” Alicent protested, but the king gets what the king wants.)

Rebecca Onion: Laura! Last week we marveled at the fact that Daemon, despite obviously being the troublemaker on this show (and also being named Daemon), had ...

I think his goal is both to compromise her and to make her want him, laying the groundwork for his pitch to Viserys that he marry her. Daemon knows that Rhaenyra is attracted to him, so he takes her on this educational little tour of how the other half lives and thinks, culminating in a tour of a whorehouse to get her worked up enough to succumb to their mutual attraction. I sense that Daemon, for all that he wants to marry Rhaenyra for her position and to have sex with a niece he thinks is hot, also has some desire to protect her from this scenario, which he thinks may end with her head on a pike, and is trying to give her more evidence that people aren’t with her, to convince her she needs him by her side. And I forgot about the “lying to Alicent” Rhaenyra did!! Clearly, he was willing for plenty of his men to suffer and die rather than share credit for victory over the Crabfeeder. Viserys was pretty mean to Alicent, laughing at her for offering to show Daemon her new tapestries, and then later on that night having sex with her while his open sores were weeping. Her reaction to seeing the play that Daemon takes her to in disguise, where citizens of “the realm” (which, that’s cheesy as hell, I agree) boo her effigy on stage and clearly want her brother to take the throne instead, is to say, basically, “They will have to get used to it.” She has no evidence, except for the fact that she wants it and that her father is still behind her, and by now she should know that Viserys doesn’t make good decisions. Regardless, I do agree that Rhaenyra seducing Ser Criston was extremely selfish and short-sighted, and maybe the worst thing she’s done so far. People go on and on about how ill-suited Viserys is for power, but this made me think that Rhaenyra is equally so, just in a different way. Rhaenyra marrying Daemon would suit him very well, both because he’s attracted to her and because he wants power, and he might be able to get that by making her fall in love with him (or, I guess, just activating the pre-existing chemistry they seem to have with one another—and yes, I know I’m typing that about uncle-niece incest, but I think it’s the show’s fault, not mine). She wants to be queen, but she doesn’t want to accept any of the responsibilities that come with it.

House of the Dragon's fourth episode drops the battles and politics for a weird family night off for Rhaenyra and Daemon, one that brings the show's ...

[Relationships are reduced to tools](https://www.polygon.com/23322393/house-dragon-houses-characters-explained) and proxy warfare — which makes them all the more volatile, and a family conflict that much more dire. [Game of Thrones](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones), this show is set during a time where people have dragons. This is the paradox every character must wrestle with: Family as a way to fulfill human need, and family as a way to secure power. [House of the Dragon](https://www.polygon.com/house-of-the-dragon) finally starts to bring the compellingly fucked-up family dynamics it has quietly set up to the fore. This isn’t because the king is shooting the messenger (at least not completely), but because Viserys is finally beginning to see that maybe his falling for Alicent was a manipulation, that his loveless nights with his new queen are the product of political gamesmanship. Her father, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) then loses his job as Hand of the King not long after breaking the news of the scandal to Viserys. [House of the Dragon](https://www.polygon.com/23287745/house-of-the-dragon-pilot-game-of-thrones-hbo-fire-and-blood) has a lot of ground to cover, so it’s a bit surprising that it’s able to devote nearly an entire episode to what’s effectively a walkabout. Later, when Viserys receives word of what happened between the two of them, Daemon makes a Hail Mary that may or may not have been the goal all along: Asking for Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage. [House of the Dragon](https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516586&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2Fseries%2Fhouse-of-the-dragon%3Foffer_id%3D5%26transaction_id%3D102c87c7%255B%25E2%2580%25A6%255D4ed39326beedc6012ca%26utm_source%3DVox%2BMedia%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate&referrer=polygon.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F23344676%2Fhouse-dragon-episode-4-review-targaryen) is a family show. (Probably not, though his fondness is likely real.) Was his ultimate goal to seduce her, have her seen in a brothel (mission accomplished), or was he just organically taking her to the place where he spends his days? After [the big spectacle of last week](https://www.polygon.com/23331475/house-dragon-episode-3-daemon-crabfeeder-dragon-battle), and the [kingdom-wide politicking](https://www.polygon.com/23321995/house-dragon-crabfeeder-stepstones-free-cities-explained) of prior episodes, House of the Dragon slows down and narrows its focus to [the three Targaryens at the center](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/23058669/house-of-the-dragon-cast-characters-story-fire-and-blood-targaryens) of its grand story and the people closest to them. Together the pair wander a mass of humanity where street performers, vendors, and sex workers ply their trades, and what begins as a bit of thrill-seeking fun takes a dark and strange turn when Daemon leads Rhaenyra into a brothel, and the two nearly have sex before Daemon, at the last minute, leaves in

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 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.

Here's how Prince Daemon's return to King's Landing and Rhaenyra's big moment with Criston Cole played out in George R.R. Martin's book.

Much of that feeling falls at the feet of Mushroom, and how he goes about telling his tales of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s physical relationship with one another. Clearly, this isn’t how it played out in “King of the Narrow Sea,” but could there be love between Daemon and Rhaenyra? The second of Maester Gyldayn’s sources is “far more depraved,” according to the text: Mushroom, a vulgar court jester with Targaryen tales so salacious, I dare not repeat them all in a publication as prestigious as Vanity Fair. The specifics of Daemon’s immediate arrival are pretty similar between the book and the show, but the aftermath? Gyldayn relies on that latter category to chronicle much of what we saw in “King of the Narrow Sea,” leaving showrunners Ryan Condal and In that regard, the show’s fourth outing, “King of the Narrow Sea,” stands out as the edgiest episode yet.

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.