Recap: The latest episode of House of the Dragon, Season 2, Episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold” takes us futhure into the lore of the Targaryen rule and their subsequent demise.

Recap: House of the Dragon, Season 2, Episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold”

The episode opens with Daemon entering the room of the Iron Throne at the foot-standing young Rhaenyra Targaryen. We hear her accusing Daemon of betraying her. A truth too much for Daemon to hear, instantly striking dream Rhaenyra with his sword. Daemon wakes to Simon Strong, informing him that there has been a raven and that Aegon’s army has now tripled.

Back in Dragonstone

After getting word from Baela of Dragonstone unraveling in the absence of Rhaenyra, we see Rhaenys bidding farewell to her husband Coryls Velaryon. When she meets Alyn of Hull, the man who saved her husband she seems to recognize though never introduced before now. We see her press her husband on why he kept Alyn’s identity from her as Corlys stays elusive in the conversation.

Team Green’s Plans

We see Alicent having called the Grand Maester in need of a special “remedy” for her condition.

We then join a very angry Aegon yelling at his council for losing Harrenhal. While questioning how it could happen he is interrupted by his brother Aemond.  He states that Ser Criston Cole marches towards Rook’s Rest ignoring his brother’s objection.

“This war will not be won with dragons alone, but with dragons flying behind armies of men” as Aemond strides towards the map of Westeros, to point out how this will cut off Dragonstone by land. The rest of the council looks visibly uncomfortable, Aegon struggling to keep up with the plans.

Harrenhal

Daemon has now found himself in the part of the castle housing Alys Rivers, who is mixing up potions. She mentions his dreams and trouble sleeping claiming the grounds are haunted.  Daemon is uneasy about her accusations of why he is there but accepts the potion she offers for sleep. After which we find him waking in the middle of his meeting with the Blackwoods, as a hallucination of Laena Velaryon, is serving them wine.

Rhaenyra Returns

While in the Riverlands, Ser Criston Cole demands his men to prepare for battle to strike in daylight. Rhaenyra has made her way back to Dragonstone.

She enters her council already strategizing for the battle of Rook’s Rest and Jacerys questions her whereabouts. Rhaenyra admits to meeting Alicent in a plea for peace, to know there was no other way and that she must now “win her claim or die”.  Her answer prompts focus on the upcoming battle of Rook’s Rest and their need to act, to send a dragon.

Both Sides Prepare for the Battle

After some thought, Rhaenyra volunteers to go which  Jacerys immediately refuses and volunteers instead. Their arguing only stops when Rhaenyes proclaims that she has to be the one to go,  her dragon, Meleys is the largest they have and a veteran of the battle.

Rhaenyra calls on Jacerys privately to share, Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, the secret her father passed to her, and the importance of their succession.

Now drunk on wine, we find Aegon decided to join the battle, we see him dawn his armor, mount his dragon, and unsteadily fly through Kingslanding.

As Rhaenys is already in her armor, going to meet Meleys, with the words “We’re off to battle again old girl.”

The Battle of Rook’s Rest

Upon seeing Maelys and Rhaenys in the distance, Ser Criston Cole instructs them to do the signal, revealing that Vhagar and Aemond are hiding at a near distance for their side. However, Aemond stops when seeing Aegon and Sunfyre.

Rhaenys and Maelys attack Sunfyre and Aegon. Scratching her chest and wounding Sunfyre, causes her to almost fall. When Maelys attacks again, we see Vhagar and Aemond flying toward them. Aegon’s initial relief upon seeing his brother soon changes as Aemond commands “Dracarys” and Vhagar’s fire hits Sunfyre and Aemond. Rhaenys prepares Maelys for another attack. Both dragons with their riders charge toward each other. They claw, bite, scratch, and breathe fire at each other, interlocked and circling each other in the sky.

Now escaped a second time, We see Rhaenys and Maelys cautiously fly across the debris of battle, Rhaenys scanning for any signs of Vhagar.  Unfortunately, when meeting the Riverlands end, Vhagar comes out from under them attacking Maelys gripping onto her neck. We watch as dragon and rider fall to their death together, watching each other in their last moments.

The episode ends with Ser Criston Cole finding Aemond at the site of his brother’s fall, revealing to him Aegons lifeless body.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon, “The Red Dragon and the Gold” takes us futhure into the lore of the Targaryens and their future demise. Tune into House of the Dragon on Sundays at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on HBO and is streaming on HBOMax.

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