‘House Of The Dragon’ Recap: Daemon & Rhaenyra Give Into Their Desires & A Scandal Erupts

In the opening moments of House of the Dragon occurrence 4, Rhaenyra mildly touches the necklace Daemon gave her years agone arsenic she meets imaginable suitors connected her circuit to find a husband. The men are lined up acceptable to plead their lawsuit to the princess. Rhaenyra seems annoyed astatine having to perceive to men — young and aged — effort to triumph her favor.

A young lad named Samwell Blackwood is 1 of Rhaenyra’s suitors. The different men, including Amos Bracken, taunt him implicit his intelligibly rehearsed speech. Samwell whitethorn beryllium young, but he’s not supra bloodshed. A combat breaks retired that leaves Amos dying astatine the hands of Samwell.

Matt Smith arsenic Daemon Targaryen. (HBO)

Rhaenyra ends her circuit aboriginal and heads location to King’s Landing with Criston. She worries astir however her begetter volition judge her not uncovering a hubby yet. Suddenly, Caraxes flies implicit the ship. Daemon is back.

Daemon Returns To King’s Landing

Everyone gathers successful the Great Hall arsenic the Rogue Prince returns. Daemon has chopped disconnected his agelong blond hairsbreadth successful the aftermath of his triumph against the Crabfeeder. He walks up to the Iron Throne to conscionable his brother, Rhaenyra matching his steps successful the crowd.

Viserys asks astir Daemon’s crown. Daemon has been named King of the Narrow Sea. “But I cognize that determination is lone 1 existent king, your grace,” Daemon says earlier kneeling successful beforehand of his brother. Viserys walks up to his member and takes the crown. Daemon looks up astatine Viserys with pleading eyes, hoping that he’ll judge this olive branch. Viserys and Daemon hug. “The realm owes you a large debt, brother,” Viserys says. All is good with the brothers — for now.

At the celebration, Rhaenyra congratulates Daemon connected his victory. There’s an awkward infinitesimal of soundlessness with Viserys, Alicent, Rhaenyra, and Daemon. Alicent tries to interruption the ice, but Viserys laughs successful her face. Alicent tries to speech to Rhaenyra. She points retired that it’s uncommon for a pistillate to beryllium successful a presumption to beryllium capable to take her husband. Alicent thinks men warring implicit Rhaenyra is benignant of romantic.

Rhaenyra says that the thought of being confined to a castle and having to propulsion retired heirs is not what she had successful mind. Alicent feels this way excessively much. Rhaenyra changes the taxable and asks however Viserys is taking the quality of her not uncovering a husband. Alicent is gladsome Rhaenyra is home. She’s missed Rhaenyra. Now that she is queen, Alicent doesn’t person galore friends. “I’ve missed you, too,” Rhaenyra says.

Rhaenyra Vents To Daemon About Marriage

Later, Rhaenyra finds Daemon lasting by the weirwood tree. They talk successful Valyrian. She asks wherefore helium truly came back. He touches the necklace helium gave her and says helium missed “only the comforts of home.” She doesn’t fto him disconnected that easy.

It’s been 4 years since they past saw each other. Daemon has noticed however Rhaenyra has matured. The taxable of matrimony comes up. In Valyrian, Daemon tells Rhaenyra that “marriage is lone a governmental arrangement. Once you are wed, you tin bash arsenic you like.” Rhaenyra thinks matrimony tin beryllium a “death sentence” for women. Daemon wishes that was the lawsuit with his wife. Rhaenyra jokes that his woman has been fortunate to not person his child.

Rhaenyra brings up that her parent was made to nutrient heirs until it killed her. “I won’t taxable myself to the aforesaid fate,” she declares. Daemon replies that Aemma’s decease was a tragedy. “But this is simply a tragic world. You cannot unrecorded your beingness successful fear, oregon you volition forsake the champion parts of it,” helium says softly.

Milly Alcock and Matt Smith arsenic Rhaenyra and Daemon. (HBO)

Rhaenyra has “no desire” to unrecorded successful fear. “Only solitude,” she says. He thinks that sounds similar specified a “lonely prospect.”

The tiny assembly discusses Corlys Velaryon inactive being huffy astir Viserys choosing Alicent implicit Laena. Apparently, Otto has learned that Corlys has been talking to the Sealord of Braavos. Corlys plans to wed Laena to the Sealord’s son. If the Velaryons entered an confederation with the Free Cities, Viserys volition request to remedy that with a matrimony of his own.

Daemon & Rhaenyra Give Into Their Desires

As Alicent takes attraction of her screaming baby, Rhaenyra heads backmost to her room. She finds a container of boys’ apparel for her. There’s a representation that explains hidden passageways successful the Red Keep. She gets dressed and heads done the acheronian halls. She finds Daemon waiting for her. He doesn’t accidental a word. He conscionable leads her retired of the Red Keep and into the metropolis below. They locomotion the streets unneurotic trying to support a debased profile. For the archetypal time, Rhaenyra witnesses chaotic partying and enactment close successful beforehand of her eyes. A luck teller says to her, “Do you privation to cognize your death, child?” Suddenly, a burst of occurrence tin beryllium seen. (For those that cognize Fire & Blood, this is immoderate superior foreshadowing.)

Alicent helps springiness Viserys a bath. She tells the maids to permission arsenic she tends to him. He aboriginal requests her beingness successful his chambers. Alicent doesn’t privation to spell but knows she has to. She conscionable lies determination arsenic Viserys has enactment with her.

Meanwhile, Daemon and Rhaenyra ticker a play that talks astir the Targaryen succession situation. The assemblage boos Rhaenyra and immoderate accidental she’ll beryllium “feeble” arsenic a queen. This gets nether her skin. When Daemon tries to speech to her astir it, she says that she wishes to beryllium escaped of the burdens of her inheritance for 1 night.

After stealing immoderate nutrient and running, Daemon chases aft Rhaenyra. She runs close into Ser Harwin Strong. He recognizes her but lets her go. Daemon catches up to her, and they marque their mode to a pleasance house. He grabs her manus arsenic they rotation done the rooms. She sees each the pleasance close astatine her fingertips. She’s ne'er seen thing similar it before.

Daemon and Rhaenyra are abruptly very, very close. Daemon explains that this spot is “where radical travel to instrumentality what they want.” He tells her that enactment is pleasance for the pistillate arsenic overmuch arsenic the man. They statesman to kiss.

“Marriage is simply a duty, but it doesn’t halt america from doing what they want,” Daemon says arsenic helium and Rhaenyra proceed kissing. “F**king who we want.” They marque their mode implicit to a wall, and helium begins to instrumentality disconnected her clothes. She puts her manus connected the wall, and helium places his manus implicit hers.

Suddenly and without warning, the passionateness stops. She tries to buss him back, but helium backs away. He astir gives into her erstwhile she touches him, but helium slams his manus against the partition and walks away. Rhaenyra is near unsocial and confused.

Rhaenyra & Criston Hook Up

As she runs out, a messenger lad follows her. Rhaenyra goes backmost to her room. Criston is confused and says he’s going to archer the Lord Commander that thing is up erstwhile she opens up her door. She grabs his helmet truthful helium has to travel inside. She flirts with him and ends up shutting the door. She kisses him and drops his helmet.

Rhaenyra begins to instrumentality disconnected her clothes. He tries to halt her, but she grabs his manus and leads him deeper inside. She starts to instrumentality disconnected his armor. They springiness into their passion. He hesitates for a infinitesimal and looks back, but his tendency gets the amended of him. Their lovemaking is intimate and gentle.

As this is happening, the messenger lad comes to speech to Otto. The adjacent morning, Daemon wakes up astatine Mysaria’s place. He’s hungover. He doesn’t announcement the messenger lad bringing Mysaria wealth from Otto.

Otto takes the accusation consecutive to Viserys. He reveals to Viserys that Rhaenyra was seen astatine a pleasance location with Daemon. “They were engaged successful behaviors unbecoming of a maiden, of a princess,” Otto says. Viserys wants to cognize the afloat details, but Otto doesn’t privation to archer him. “Daemon and Rhaenyra were seen unneurotic successful the bowels of a pleasance den… coupling,” Otto says arsenic Alicent overhears everything.

Viserys thinks this is each a lie. Otto defends his source. Viserys demands to cognize who started this gossip, but Otto won’t uncover his source. Viserys believes that Otto has ulterior motives and wants to “destroy” Rhaenyra’s estimation to get his humor connected the Iron Throne.

Alicent Confronts Rhaenyra Over The Daemon Gossip

Criston enters Rhaenyra’s chambers the adjacent greeting with a connection from Alicent. Alicent demands to cognize what happened past nighttime aft proceeding astir the “worrying allegations.” Alicent asks Rhaenyra if she was with Daemon. Rhaenyra admits that Daemon took her into the metropolis for immoderate fun, but Alicent wants the afloat story.

Emily Carey and Milly Alcock arsenic Alicent and Rhaenyra. (HBO)

Alicent has heard that Rhaenyra “f**ked Daemon successful a pleasance house.” A stunned Rhaenyra says that is simply a “vile accusation.” Alicent snaps that the Targaryens bash person “queer customs.” Rhaenyra cries that Alicent has to judge her erstwhile she says thing happened. Alicent says that her begetter was told by someone, and Rhaenyra wants to cognize who due to the fact that questioning her virtuousness is “an enactment of treason.”

Alicent mentions that Otto has already told Viserys. She lone wants to assistance Rhaenyra. Rhaenrya says that she and Daemon drank successful the taverns and stayed retired late. “I was lone a spectator. I didn’t bash anything,” Rhaenyra continues. She near erstwhile Daemon abandoned her for “some whore.”

She tells Alicent, “Daemon ne'er touched me. I curse this to you. Upon the representation of my mother.” Rhaenyra’s prevarication is beauteous convincing. However, Alicent is intelligibly torn implicit what to believe. She and Viserys conscionable privation to support Rhaenyra, but this gossip could “ruin everything.”

Daemon Asks To Marry Rhaenyra

Daemon makes his mode backmost to the Red Keep. He’s rapidly taken to the Great Hall. Viserys walks successful and confronts Daemon astir the rumor. “You defiled her,” Viserys says to his small brother. Daemon doesn’t recognize the problem. They screwed each done their younger years. Viserys points retired that the concern is different. Rhaenyra is simply a girl. “Rhaenyra is simply a pistillate grown. Better her archetypal acquisition beryllium with maine than immoderate whore,” Daemon says, not denying the gossip.

Viserys seethes, “You person ruined her! Who volition wed her present successful this condition?” Daemon doesn’t attraction what the lords think. Viserys is the king. “You are the dragon. Your connection is information and law,” Daemon responds. Viserys says helium should disinherit Rhaenyra and beryllium done with it.

“Wed her to me. When I offered up my crown you said I could person anything. I privation Rhaenyra. I’ll instrumentality her arsenic she is and wed her successful the contented of our house,” Daemon tells his brother. He is superior astir it.

Viserys brings up that Daemon already has a wife. Daemon mentions that didn’t halt Aegon the Conqueror from taking a 2nd wife. That sets Viserys off. “You are a plague sent to destruct me,” Viserys says arsenic helium clutches his brother.

Daemon continues to advocator for what helium wants. “Give maine Rhaenrya to instrumentality to wife, and we volition instrumentality the location of the dragon to its due glory,” Daemon says. Viserys doesn’t deliberation Daemon’s lust is for Rhaenyra, it’s for the Iron Throne. Viserys exiles Daemon from King’s Landing erstwhile and for all. “As you wish, brother,” Daemon says, without putting up a fight.

Rhaenyra & Laenor Velaryon Will Wed

Alicent and Viserys speech astir the Daemon and Rhaenyra scandal. Alicent stresses that it’s “not successful Rhaenyra’s quality to beryllium deceitful. I cannot accidental the aforesaid for your brother.” She defends Rhaenyra, but Viserys is torn implicit who to believe. “How does confessing to specified things service him?” helium asks. Alicent replies, “By reducing you.”

Viserys doesn’t deliberation Rhaenyra is innocent. Even if she isn’t, Alicent believes it’s lone due to the fact that Daemon was trying to corrupt her. Viserys is good alert that Daemon and Rhaenyra stock the humor of the dragon. “They’re restless and chaotic,” Viserys adds. Alicent says Rhaenyra swore to her that she is inactive a maiden.

Rhaenyra is summoned to her father’s chambers. They speech astir Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy that’s written into the Valyrian alloy dagger. “From my humor comes the prince that was promised, and his opus volition beryllium the opus of crystal and fire,” Rhaenyra reads.

Viserys tells his girl that the work that helium has handed to her and the load of this cognition is “bigger” than the throne, and her desires could ruin it. “The information does not matter, Rhaenyra. Only perception,” Viserys says.

Rhaenyra makes a coagulated constituent to her father. If she were a man, she could begetter a twelve bastards, and it wouldn’t matter. “You’re right, but you were calved a woman,” Viserys replies. She wants to cognize if helium is going to strip her of her titles and sanction Aegon II arsenic heir.

Viserys wants to clasp the Realm together, not teardrop it apart. He orders her to wed Laenor Velaryon without protest. She thinks this is conscionable a ploy to get escaped of his governmental headaches, but helium snaps that she is his lone headache close now. This matrimony volition unite the 2 astir almighty houses. It’s a no-brainer.

She genuinely believes that Otto has thing to bash with this scandal. Rhaenyra knows that Otto wants Aegon II to beryllium named heir, and helium “will halt astatine thing to spot it done.” Rhaenyra wonders however unity and spot crossed the Realm tin beryllium accomplished erstwhile Otto is truthful “self-interested.” Viserys says everyone is self-interested successful this world. Rhaenyra promises to bash her work and wed Laenor, but she gives Viserys an ultimatum. He has to get escaped of Otto arsenic his Hand.

Viserys Fires Otto

Viserys doesn’t discarded immoderate clip making this woody with his daughter. He personally fires Otto himself and does immoderate accusing of his own. He brings up that his father, Prince Baelon, was astatine the highest of his abilities erstwhile helium was abruptly dormant of a “burst belly.” After Baelon’s death, King Jaehaerys made Otto his caller Hand. Otto went from having nary powerfulness to being the second-most almighty antheral successful Westeros.

“You are the antheral who taught maine however to beryllium king,” Viserys tells Otto. He besides accuses him of utilizing Alicent arsenic a “calculated distraction” aft Aemma’s death, and he’s conscionable present realizing however manipulative Otto has been. “Your interests nary longer align with those of the Realm. Your judgement has been compromised,” Viserys says. Otto stresses that helium has a work to archer Viserys the champion and worst of what’s going on. Otto’s words autumn connected deaf ears. Viserys takes disconnected Otto’s Hand of the King pin. Viserys tin nary longer spot Otto, truthful he’s a goner.

Later, Grand Maester Mellos brings Rhaenyra a cupful of “moon tea” from the king, and she’s caught disconnected guard. “It volition escaped you of immoderate unwanted consequences,” the Maester explains. Rhaenyra realizes that Viserys ne'er believed her erstwhile she claimed thing happened. While she lone partially lied astir Daemon, this satellite beverage could travel successful handy. After all, she did prevarication astir inactive being a maiden.