King Of The Narrow Sea – As the fourth episode of House of the Dragon begins, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) receives visitors. She talks to Lord Dondarrion (Paul Leonard) and asks if he thinks her great-grandmother was as beautiful as they say. She says the man is older than her father so it is unseemly for him to put himself forward as a contender for her hand. The Princess is surprised when they put a child, Willem Blackwood (Alfie Todd), in front of her next. Jerrel Bracken (Gabriel Scott) continues interrupting and ridiculing the boy as he makes his pitch. When the two pull out swords, the Princess tells Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) that they’re leaving. Willem stabs and likely kills Jerrel just before they leave. On the ship, Rhaenyra asks Cole how her father will take it. He asks if she is talking about ending the tour two months early or how she rejected every suitor. A dragon flies overhear and rocks the boat causing Rhaenyra to hit her head, but she insists she is fine.

When she returns, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) goes in front of King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine). Daemon says they named him King of the Narrow Sea after they smashed the Triarchy, but he knows there is only one true king. Daemon tells him that the crown and Stepstones are his. After taking the crown, the King tells his brother to rise and embraces him as everyone begins clapping. Viserys admits the realm owes him a great debt. Later, Rhaenyra overhears the King and Daemon talking about who was mother’s favorite. Viserys says their mother didn’t follow traditions and he wasn’t a great warrior. Rhaenyra congratulates him on his victory before Alicent (Emily Carey) offers him a tour of the gallery. The King finds that funny because Daemon has no interest in tapestries. The Princess says she’d like to see them. Alicent sits next to her to ask about the tour. She admits she has few friends lately because everyone looks at her as the Queen.

Rhaenyra says she missed her too. Later, she approaches Daemon to ask why he came back when he seemed so content on Dragonstone. She thinks it is more than just wanting to taunt her father. He claims he only returned for the comforts of home. Rhaenyra didn’t think he was particularly comfortable in this home. Both think the other has matured. She complains about her father trying to sell her off to whichever lord has the biggest castle. Daemon thinks there are worse things to be sold for before reminding her that marriage is only a political agreement. She doesn’t believe that is true for women. Rhaenyra says his wife is fortunate that he hasn’t put a baby in her. Daemon doubts a child could grow in such hostile environs. The Princess mentions that her mother was forced to make heirs until it killed her. When she says she won’t let that happen to her, Daemon admits what happened to her mother was a tragedy. He goes on to say this is a traffic world. You cannot live in fear or you’ll forsake the best parts of it.

She wants to live in solitude and not fear. Meanwhile, the King is told that they’re being rebuked for passing over Lady Laena for Queen Alicent. Viserys doesn’t think the Sea Snake would still be upset over that. Mellos (David Horovitch) suggests smoothing things over with Corlys, but Lord Beesbury (Bill Paterson) thinks his pride is the least of their worries. Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) tells the King that his brother has sent disturbing word from Oldtown. Corlys has supposedly engaged in negotiations with the Sealord of Braavos. He intends to wed his daughter Laena to the Sealord’s son. If House Velaryon entered into an alliance with the Free Cities, they would have to seek their own marriage pact. Later the Princess tells Cole goodnight. She finds a dragging that might be a map. Then, she finds a hidden door and follows it until she joins Daemon who takes her to a shadier part of town. Alicent helps the King bathe and looks at his hand.

She asks the servants to leave them. Rhaenyra watches a performance that reenacts her father’s decision to name her heir to the throne. She gets mad when they walk her, but Daemon admits many of these folks believe Aegon should be the heir because he is a man. She says their wants aren’t important, but he suggests otherwise. Rhaenyra wishes to be free of the burdens of her inheritance for one night. She steals something from a street vendor before running away. The Princess continues running until she bumps into Ser Harwin. Alicent learns that the King has requested her presence, but she doesn’t seem eager to go. The King has sex with her while she lays emotionless on the bed. Daemon takes the Princess to the brothel. He tells her this is where people come to take what they want. He tells her that having sex is a pleasure for a woman and a man. He kisses her. Daemon says marriage is a duty, but it doesn’t stop them from doing what they want or sleeping with who they want.

Daemon teases Rhaenyra before stopping and leaving. When the Princess returns, Cole immediately checks on her. She stops him from alerting the Lord Commander. She grabs his helmet to lure him into her room. She begins untying her shirt only for Cole to tell her to stop. Once his armor is removed, they have sex. Otto learns they’ve received word from the White Worm. When Daemon wakes up in the morning, he asks Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) if he is her prisoner. She claims she is his protector. After he calls her a wh0re, she insists she has left that life behind. He is told he can pay for the room on his way out. Otto approaches the King because he has concerning news he’d like to share before the council convenes. He tells him that the Princess was spotted in a pleasure house and she was carrying on with her uncle. They were engaged in behavior unbecoming of a Princess.

The King wants him to speak it plainly. Otto explains that Daemon and Rhaenyra were seen together in the bowels of a pleasure den. The King keeps pushing him until Otto says they were coupling. Alicent overhears him. The King doesn’t want to believe it. He asks for the spreader of the rumor to be brought before him so he can take their eyes. Otto reveals that this one has never led him astray and several of the servants have admitted to seeing her leave. The King still refuses to believe it. He accuses Otto of trying to destroy her reputation only for Otto to deny it. Viserys asks if he wants his blood on the throne so badly that he is willing to destroy his. Otto is forced to leave. Criston Cole tells the Princess that he has a message from the Queen. When she goes outside to confront Alicent, she is asked about what happened last night. Rhaenyra insists she hasn’t seen her uncle in years so he took her into the city for some fun. Alicent admits her father accused her of sleeping with Daemon in a pleasure house.

Rhaenyra calls it a vile accusation. Alicent isn’t sure because the Targaryens have queer customers. Rhaenyra denies it and reminds her that questioning her virtue is an act of treason. Alicent says she overheard it when Otto reported it to the King. After Alicent says she only wants to help her, Rhaenyra admits that they drank in several taverns. She asked to go home, but Daemon wants to continue. Since he was the escort, she had no other choice. He took her to a show. She was only a spectator and didn’t do anything. Daemon sank into his cups and abandoned her for some wh0re. She remains adamant that Daemon never touched her. She swears on the memory of her mother. Alicent tells her it was foolish to place herself in that position. It would hurt to think she has been sullied after they’ve done everything to find her a good match. Guard drag Prince Daemon in front of the King. Viserys asks him if he is going to deny it. Daemon wants to know the charge before him first.

The King accuses him of defiling her before kicking him. Daemon doesn’t know why it matters because they slept their way through the brothels when they were her age. They continue arguing as Viserys claims Daemon has ruined her and no lord will wed her now. Daemon asks who cares what some lord thinks when Viserys is the dragon and his word is truth and law. The King suggests he should disinherit her like he did with him. Daemon asks him to wed Rhaenyra to him. When Daemon offered up his crown, Viserys told him he could have anything. He wants Rhaenyra and will wed her in the tradition of their house. Although he is already wed, that didn’t stop Aegon the Conqueror from taking a second wife. Viserys tells him he is no conqueror, but he is a plague sent to destroy him. Daemon promises to return the House of the Dragon to its proper glory if he is given Rhaenyra as a wife. Viserys knows he is lusting after his throne and not his daughter.

He tells Daemon to go back to the Vale and try to save whatever scrap of honor remains in him. He only cares that Daemon is gone from his sight for good. Later, the King admits to Alicent that he hasn’t spoken to his daughter yet. She doesn’t think it is in Rhaenyra’s nature to be deceitful, but she can’t say the same for his brother. The King doesn’t think Rhaenyra is innocent in whatever transpired. Alicent says she swore to her that she remains a maiden and she believes her. When Rhaenyra is taken to the King, he tells her about the dagger that once belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. Before Aegon’s death, the last of the Valyrian pyromancers hid his song in the steel. It says, “From my blood come the Prince that was promised and his will be the song of Ice and Fire.” The King tells her how important her responsibilities are and how they’re bigger than her desires. He reveals that Jaeharys would’ve disinherited her. He reminds her that truth doesn’t matter because perception is more important.

She has exposed herself so they must both suffer the consequences. She believes she could bed whoever she wanted and have countless bastards if she was a man and nobody would care. He says she is right, but she was born a woman. He would replace her with Aegon, but it is his duty to hold the realm together and now sow further division. Her courtship is at an end and she will wed Ser Laenor Velaryon. She realizes she is marrying the son of the Sea Snake to be a remedy for her father’s political headaches. He says she is his political headache. Her married will unite the two most powerful houses in the realm. She asks what he’ll do about the vulture or his hand who perches upon his throne. The King says Otto has served two kings loyally and faithfully. Rhaenyra thinks he wants Aegon to be named heir. She argues that there can’t be unity when his most trusted adviser is so self-interested. The King believes everyone around him is self-interested so it is unavoidable.

She disagrees although she will do her duty as heir and wed Ser Laenor, but he must do his duty as king. Next, The King meets with Otto and tells him how his father died five days after being named the hand of the king. Viserys suggests it was a good day for Otto, but Otto says he didn’t view it that way. The King wonders how long it took Otto to choose himself over his king. He says Alicent was a calculated distraction who talked him through his grief. Viserys believes it was well calculated by Otto who denies it and says the Queen loves him. Viserys believes he has been compromised, but Otto says he must tell him a discomforting truth from time to time. The King tells him he was a faithful servant and they owe him a debt that can never be repaid, but he can no longer trust his judgment. Later, Grand Maester Mellos brings the Princess a tea that will rid her of any unwanted consequences.

 

House Of The Dragon Review

Unfortunately, this was another uneventful episode of the House of the Dragon. Some of the dialogue was more cringy than it was witty although it was going for the latter. Many of the indoor scenes were far too dark making it hard to tell what was going on at points. I keep looking for reasons to care about the characters and what they’re doing, but there really isn’t much being delivered.

Unfortunately, the series is just getting very tedious, especially this episode. Despite being over an hour long, the episode really only covered one or two topics. In particular, it mostly focused on Rhaenyra’s relationship with Daemon which nearly turned sexual, her decision to sleep with Criston Cole, and her agreeing to marry Ser Laenor. The end of the episode saw Otto being relieved of his duties as the King’s hand.

Due to an inability to genuinely connect with the characters, many of the scenes are just dull. It is hard to imagine House of the Dragon will ever reach the quality of its predecessor. The episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of House of the Dragon can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our work at this link.