‘House Of The Dragon’ Episodes 3 & 4: Delivering On The Dragon Front

House of the Dragon Season 2 continues to demonstrate the intimate politics of war. The season started off with two slower episodes that seemed to be preparing us for the quickly building tensions soon to erupt into full blown civil war. (This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1 and 2.) In the next two installments, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) remains hesitant to send her dragons to war and trigger an eruption of violence, as the men of her council push for bloodshed. In King’s Landing, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), furious after the murder of his young son and heir, is eager to go to battle, but finds himself challenged by his council.

It’s difficult to balance a show on the backs of characters motivated to postpone violence within a story that has built an audience prepared for intense action. Rhaenyra’s strong moral compass, while admirable, lengthens the march towards what I hope will be a more exiting half of the season. Her hesitance is certainly justified storywise; as explained by showrunner Ryan Condal, “She sees it as her job as Sovereign to risk herself before she risks the lives of possibly millions of the Realm.” We understand the conceit: Rhaenyra is a good Queen who prioritizes peace over power despite the violent tendencies of the men around her. But the fact remains that I was promised dragons.

Though the season so far has left a little something to be desired, the Episode 4 finale certainly delivers on the dragon front. The stunning action sequence will likely mark a big change in the dynamics we’ve seen so far. 

“You have to regard it as a great emblem and example of how horrible and awful dragon war is and the reason that it needs to be waged with great restraint,” Condal explained, referencing the 14-minute conclusion of Episode 4. The question then stands: Will such restraint be exercised in the next installments, or does the energetic finale mark the beginnings of a thrilling climax?

Co-executive producer Greeta Vasant Patel claimed, “The rest of the season is about embracing reality.” I would guess that accepting the truths unearthed in Episodes 3 and 4 will only mount the burgeoning chaos. And I certainly hope that chaos includes some dragons.