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.

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.

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).