House of the Dragon (2×04) The Red Dragon and the Gold Review

For our review of the last episode of House of the Dragon, click here.

On this week’s House of the Dragon, the wages of war are now upon us. It was only a matter of time as each side were responsible for a series of minor indiscretions against one another. Eventually, those indiscretions would add up until something was done about it. Stuck in the plotting stage for so long, it was time for Team Green and Team Black to actually strike one another but that battle did not come without a cost (more on that later). After Rhaenyra and Alicent’s secret little conversation at the end of last week’s episode, there was clearly a line in the sand as both have reached the point of no return (though there is undeniably a small part of them that still wants peace). In addition, Daemon had his share of issues to deal with and he would have to deal with him quick as the war approached ever so closer to his doorstep at Harrenhal. Though as lines were being drawn, certain characters would have to learn their place in the grand scheme of things and of course some took that truth better than others.

Speaking of Daemon, still afflicted with premonitions and nightmares, found himself in the midst of the curse of Harrenhal which in this case, dug up all his insecurities and used them against him. Mostly using a young Rhaenrya (Milly Alcock) as an analog, he was faced with the resentment he felt for her for having Viserys choose her over him to be heir. That growing lack of sleep showed as it arguably risked rendering him incapable of mounting an offensive of his own. Meanwhile, Alicent, adamant that Viserys had changed his mind and made Aegon the heir to the throne, she appeared to be having second thoughts which manifested themselves in a way that made her ill as she looked to his writings for answers. As Aegon’s council strategized their own war effort, he found that he was no longer being listened to and that his authority was being undermined by others, led by Aemond, who simply saw him as a figurehead. Fed up, he found his mother who told him to be one, something that his youthful impulsiveness would surely complicate. Alicent had come to terms with her position but she did not want him to take everything she did for her son for granted.

On the battlefield, emboldened by a series of victories, Cole to his misguided arrogance to even higher levels, against conventional wisdom. Rhaenyra’s absence had Dragonstone growing restless as they deliberated about what to do next as Cole continued to mount an offensive while ravaging the Riverlands (Daemon was MIA). Finally knowing where she stood, she decided to strike back through Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys as Cole and his forces looked to strike Rooke’s Rest. Following Cole’s lead, Aegon took Balerion and joined the battle as well. That being said, behind Cole’s arrogance was somehow a plan (that Aegon was not a part of). With the biggest battle of note being in the sky, Meleys laid waste of Cole’s forces while Aemond and Vhagar laid in wait. After quickly dispatching Aegon and Balerion, the crux of the sky combat was between Meleys and Vhagar, with Vhagar emerging victorious. As the episode came to an end, Cole and Aemond came upon a fallen Balerion and the body of Aegon, failing to confirm his death. Either for payback for him having embarrassed him in the brothel or merely to add further ammunition in the battle versus Rhaenyra, the presumed death of Aegon will surely rile up the people of Westeros to their cause, but the loss of Rhaenys should not be discounted either.

Ultimately, choosing to focus on the skies instead of the action on land, be it Cole’s actions off screen or the battle at Rooke’s Rest, there was undoubtedly plenty of potential left on the table. In a solid episode overall, the highlight was easily Olivia Cooke and Tom Glynn-Carney’s performances as Alicent and Aegon, coming to terms with their fates in ways reflective of their positions both defeated and unaccepting of it.

In the end, A Dance of Dragons delivered exactly that as the wages of war are now upon us but they would come at a cost.

still courtesy of HBO

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.