House of the Dragon
admonition : control SPOILERS for House of the Dragon time of year 2 , episode 4 .
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2 , episode 4 is a brilliant installment that evokesGame of Thronesat its most spectacular . The prequel has been smoke for a while now , threatening to catch fire but never quite doing so . It feels like we ’ve long hear claims such as " the tangible war starts now , " without quite get it , despite some big bit like Aemond Targaryen killing Lucerys Velaryon inHouse of the Dragonseason 1 ’s ending . That changes with season 2 , sequence 4 , where the real warfare really does start , the right way now , and it is epic .
Cast
The Dance Of The Dragons Is An Epic Spectacle That Rivals Game Of Thrones
The Battle At Rook’s Rest Is A Stunning Sequence
The final 10 - 15 min of the episode are given over to the Battle at Rook ’s relaxation and , more specifically , to the dragon . As first Sunfyre and Meleys collide , and then Meleys and Vhagar , the Targaryen polite war exist up to the name theDance of the Dragons , although this is more brutal and ballistic than it is balletic .
We ’ve examine unbelievable tartar sequence before , of grade , mostly in Game of Thrones , but I do n’t think we ’ve ever seen anything quite like this .
We ’ve take care unbelievable flying lizard sequences before , of course , mostly inGame of Thrones , but I do n’t think we ’ve ever find out anything quite like this . Seeing these savage agitate it out in daylight , and often enormously close - up , is a deal to behold . There are a few nip in here that made my jaw drop , like Meleys shoot down opened Sunfyre , Vhagar trampling over soldiers on the solid ground , and then Vhagar ’s jaws clenching around Meleys ' cervix . It looks unbelievable , with huge credit to theatre director Alan Taylor and the show ’s VFX squad for how they pulled it off .
As warfare come out in Westeros , dragons will be sent to struggle . Here ’s a verbal description of every dragon in HBO ’s House of the Dragon , channelise into season 2 .
The spectacle alone is telling , but what ’s more important is thatthere ’s real substance to go with the style . This is n’t just dragons struggle , it ’s citizenry too , and there are strong character moments support the action . That ’s dead on target of Aegon drunkenly flying into battle to prove himself , of Aemond ’s decision to try and kill Aegon , and of Rhaenys accepting her destiny and sacrificing herself . Even Criston Cole , the most loathsome human beings on TV right now , comes out of it a stronger type .
The Battle at Rook ’s Rest may not quite collide with the same ridiculous highs as , say , the Battle of the Blackwater or the Massacre at Hardhome , but that it deserve to be in the conversation is a exploit in and of itself .
Game of Throneshad its bonnie share of fight episode , and they aid work up its report as one of the big and best show in the mankind . The Battle at Rook ’s Rest may not quite hit the same nonsensical high as , say , the Battle of the Blackwater or the Massacre at Hardhome , but that it deserves to be in the conversation is a effort in and of itself . And just like those , the rationality for that is how it blends larger-than-life scale with a impregnable character foundation , and that ’s why this will long be call back .
House of the Dragon is set before Game of Thrones , but time jumps left some confused about how long it will overlay . Here ’s the HotD timeline explained .
The Build-Up To The Battle At Rook’s Rest Is Worthy Of The Payoff
There’s A Lot Of Good Character Work In House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 4
The Battle at Rook ’s Rest may turn this into a great episode , but it ’s a very good one before then , with some fantabulous work from a bit of the show ’s good and most interesting characters . Daemon Targaryen ’s Harrenhal visionsand bump with Alys Rivers continue to fascinate me . I love that he gets another scene with Alcock that , of row , connects his account back to Viserys once again , and the brief return of Laena Velaryon is nice too .
The air and sense of premonition we get at Harrenhal is bang-up , and it does a in effect problem of contrasting it with some humor when Daemon and Simon Strong meet with Divine from throughout the Riverlands . Matt Smith is really set forth to radiate , get in some quip and showing his colored side but also , certainly in this instalment , some layer of vulnerability too . The scene of devil - as - Aemond is a small on the nozzle , but it is effective .
House of the Dragon season 2 , episode 3 , introduces audiences to Alys Rivers . Here ’s what we have it away about her in the show and in the book .
Elsewhere , Tom Glynn - Carney continues to show he ’s one of the best parts ofHouse of the Dragon ’s cast , and the conniption with him and Alicent is almost as barbarous as the tartar fighting it sends him to . He and Aegon face off at the Small Council meeting , too , is an excellent overture that further lays the groundwork for their large showdown after on .
I particularly liked the Small Council scene with Rhaenyra ’s homecoming , as I felt a moment of Alcock ’s Rhaenyra coming through in D’Arcy ’s performance …
Over on Dragonstone , there ’s not as much of Emma D’Arcy ’s Rhaenyra , but the scene they do get are very good . I particularly liked the Small Council scene with Rhaenyra ’s take , asI feel a bit of Alcock ’s Rhaenyra get along through in D’Arcy ’s performance ; a combat life , a kind of wizardly arrogance , that has n’t been seen in a while . After a recollective wait for him to find out , I would have liked to see Jacaerys ' reaction to Aegon ’s dream , because it ’ll be interesting to see if and how it touch him function fore , specially as he ’s already growing bolder .
House Of The Dragon Season 2 ’s Remaining Episodes
Episode #
Release Date
5
July 14
6
July 21
7
July 28
8
August 4
On the whole , this was the good episode ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 so far , and stands alongside season 1 , episode 8 , " The Lord of the Tides , " ( aka the one where Viserys dies ) as the very beneficial of the show . I expect there ’ll be a few serene week again after this , but the highs of the payoff should hang around throughout .
New episodes ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 departure Lord’s Day at 9 necropsy ET on HBO and Max .
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Taking home about 172 years before the upshot ofGame of Thrones , House of the Dragontells the tale of the raise of the Targaryens , the only home of dragonlords to live the Doom of Valyria . The popular HBO spinoff show first star Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were supervene upon by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke , who play the quondam version of the characters . Also asterisk in the series is Matt Smith ( Prince Daemon Targaryen ) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra ’s Church Father , King Viserys Targaryen .
