House of the Dragon

Was Otto Hightower a good hand? rhys-ifans-as-otto-hightower-social Image via HBO. Editor's Note ...

We see what the common people think of the succession debate when [Daemon and Rhaenyra attend a sordid, comical play](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-episode-4-play-scene-targaryens/) in “The King of the Narrow Sea.” A wise King surrounds himself with people that he can trust, and chooses the best decisions based on the wealth of information at his disposal. Perhaps, Otto’s decision to come forward to the King with the details of Daemon and Rhaenyra's affair had good intentions; an embarrassing familial scandal could discredit House Targaryen in the eyes of their allies. In last week’s episode, [“The King of the Narrow Sea,”](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-1-episode-4-recap-king-of-the-narrow-sea/) Viserys fired Otto after receiving word that his brother, Daemon (Matt Smith), and his daughter, [Rhaneyra (Milly Alcock)](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-milly-alcock-who-plays-young-rhaenyra-targaryen/), were having [an incestuous affair](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-targaryen-incest-daemon-rhaenyra/). This allows the Iron Throne itself to become a mockery; if it can be [passed between any number of successors](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-targaryen-rules-of-succession-explained/), then what does that say about the unity of the House of the Dragon? [In the pilot episode](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-1-episode-1-recap-the-heirs-of-the-dragon/), “The Heirs of the Dragon,” Otto is the first one [ to approach the King’s council](https://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-council-meetings/) with his concerns about Daemon. [ensuring that House Hightower](http://collider.com/house-of-the-dragon-house-hightower-explained/) will become even more powerful in the coming years. Otto’s greediness cost the King what could have been the first major victory of his reign. This allows Daemon to show his bravery when he tracks down and executes Drahar, earning him the nickname “The King of the Narrow Sea.” Ironically, Otto’s personal resentment towards Daemon only He sends Alicent to the King when he is grieving, and suggests to him that he should choose his personal happiness over the good of the realm. [House of the Dragon](https://collider.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/), Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) serves as the Hand to King Viserys I (Paddy Considine). Otto’s intentions are clear; he wants to see his grandson sit on the Iron Throne,

Rhaenyra and Laenor are to be wed, which means more trouble for anyone and everyone who wants the Iron Throne in 'House of the Dragon.'

In Episode 5, we can expect to learn that he may not be long for this world, which means the throne will soon be up for grabs. House of the Dragon Episode 5 makes its debut on Sunday, Sept. The Velaryon navy and the Targaryen dragon fleet are about to unite, but despite the political power their union presents, Rhaenys, Laenor’s Targaryen mother, is nearly certain that Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne will result in violence. We are officially halfway through the Game of Thrones spin-off. And for those viewing in the U.S, Episode 5 will be available to stream on HBO Max at the same time, so that would be as early as 6:00 p.m. [the events of last week’s episode](https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-episode-4-release-date-time-plot-trailer-hbo-schedule).

"King of the Narrow Sea" turned the Targaryen family upside down. Where do our lead characters stand heading into the new episode of House of the Dragon?

So Corlys and Rhaenys are rich are about to have a direct line to the Iron Throne. And even though King Viserys opted not to marry their daughter Laena back in Episode 2, it sounds like the king’s daughter is going to marry their son Laenor. It’s time for Criston to step up and claim his spot as a major part of the plot. With Daemon’s help, Corlys won his war in the Stepstones, which means trade is flowing again and his house is getting wealthier. In the cloak and dagger world of King’s Landing, secrets are a valuable commodity. Well, Otto gets his information about Daemon and Rhaenyra’s erotic misadventure from someone called “the White Worm.” That’s one of the names Mysaria goes by in George R.R. Considering how devoted he is to his work as Hand of the King, he’s probably taking his firing very hard. And then Daemon had the gall to ask Viserys to “give” him Rhaenyra to marry, all while hung over and lying on the floor of the Iron Throne room. Or is he falling for her, and if he is, how tricky could that make things in light of her responsibilities as heir apparent to the Iron Throne? Rhaenyra’s life was already complicated before “King of the Narrow Sea.” She was heir to the most powerful dynasty in the world and was fighting off new challengers to her crown. Just to recap, he came home from the war to King’s Landing and did fealty to his brother the king, spent all of an afternoon joking pleasantly with him, and then spirited his niece into the city at night and tried to seduce her. As for his immediate family, Rhaenyra’s impending wedding to Laenor Velaryon could settle things down a bit, not to mention bring the powerful Velaryon family back into the fold.

House of the Dragon's connection between Aegon's dream and the Prince That Was Promised prophecy changes Jon Snow's story again.

[beyond the Wall after Game of Thrones, Jon](https://screenrant.com/game-thrones-jon-snow-ending-wildling-val-books/) continues upholding his role as the Prince That Was Promised by defending the living from the dark and cold. House of the Dragon reveals that the Targaryen legacy in Westeros was always bigger than the Iron Throne, so as Aegon’s dream foreseeing a Targaryen as the Prince That Was Promised – with such a character’s journey being the song of ice and fire – gives more weight to Jon Snow being the prophesied savior than Daenerys. The first change to Jon’s narrative in Game of Thrones was revealed in House of the Dragon’s premiere, which explained the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror’s Song of Ice and Fire dream. [House of the Dragon](https://screenrant.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) episode 4’s new reveal from Aegon’s prophecy changes the destiny of Jon Snow’s [Game of Thrones](https://screenrant.com/tag/game-of-thrones/) story yet again. House of the Dragon episode 4 has now introduced another layer to Aegon’s prophecy, which gives more power to Jon Snow’s role in the franchise’s larger story.

Valyrian steel is among the most powerful materials in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, and every sword made from it proves it.

She uses it during the Battle of Winterfell and has it in her role as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The longsword stayed in the family for generations following the Dance of the Dragons until Aegon IV the Unworthy, bestowed it upon his bastard child, Daemon Waters; Daemon then used it as an inspiration to create House Blackfyre. Bittersteel founded the Golden Company and remained in Essos for the rest of his life. Daemon used it during the Dance of the Dragons, killing his nephew, Aemond, with it. Longclaw is House Mormont's ancestral bastard sword, and had been with the house for 500 years before the events of Game of Thrones. Oathkeeper is the second longsword made out of Ice. He gives one to his son, Jaime, who ultimately gives it away, and gifts the other to his grandson, Joffrey, as a wedding present. In the show, Jaime reclaims Joffrey's sword and keeps it. Many swords made out of Valyrian steel appear in Game of Thrones, often belonging to some of the most prominent characters. Ned takes Ice to the capital, losing it after his arrest. The ancestral two-handed greatsword of House Stark, Ice is massive in size. [Game of Thrones](http://screenrant.com/tag/game-of-thrones/) prequel [House of the Dragon](http://screenrant.com/tag/house-of-the-dragon/) may not prove as popular as the original show, as [viewership has been declining](https://screenrant.com/house-of-the-dragon-episode-3-viewership-drop/), one thing is clear: Valyrian steel is one of the most powerful materials in the world of both shows.

It's always possible that the series flashes back to the younger versions of Rhaenyra, Alicent, and others down the road, but we cannot count on it. New actors ...

Once you do just that, be sure to come back for other updates you do not want to miss. Be sure to share right now in the comments! It’s certain to at least give you a smile. It’s always possible that the series flashes back to the younger versions of Rhaenyra, Alicent, and others down the road, but we cannot count on it. I want to do something very intimate and personal Speaking to

It's that time again! Watch our roundup of video reviews, breakdowns and reactions for House of the Dragon's fourth episode, “Second of His Name”!

[Burlington Bar](https://www.youtube.com/c/seanmichaelloftus/videos). [Blind Wave](https://www.youtube.com/c/BlindWave/videos). Here is [part two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poX8OGEeLPw). [The Normies](https://www.youtube.com/c/TheNormiesGroup/videos) are a bit short of members this week, with only three reactors, although that makes them a bit more focused too: [Alt Shift X](https://www.youtube.com/c/AltShiftX/videos), with his exhaustive, neatly-produced videos. They’re especially fun to watch this week, as we witness several people not knowing how to react to that incestuous brothel scene.

While the absence of many secondary characters does hinder the overall variety of drama this week, the continuing dynamics between Rhaenyra, Viserys, and Daemon ...

To hammer the scene home, Rhaenyra’s sexual exploration is juxtaposed with Alicent being taken by Viserys, with shots highlighting her lifeless expressions as well as Viserys’ increasingly grotesque physical ailments. George RR Martin places heavy emphasis on the concept of the unreliable narrator, with characters continually providing different accounts of key events, and Fire and Blood is written as if from the perspective of the Citadel’s Maesters, where the finer details of the political intrigue are mired in ambiguity. In both narrative and theme, this episode is the shake-up that I was waiting for since the premiere. Daemon, however, refuses to go through with the act, leaving Rhaenyra to relieve her sexual frustration by inviting Criston Cole into her bed. Mid-way through the episode, Daemon smuggles Rhaenyra out of the Red Keep and the two explore the slums of King’s Landing. The pomp and silent cockiness that Daemon exudes in these early scenes with Viserys is hilarious, though it is a shame he does not get any interactions with Otto Hightower, especially when Episodes 1 and 2 did such a great job at establishing the passive-aggressive rivalry between the two.

Some scenes from House of the Dragon season 1, episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea”, feel very familiar to those who have watched Game of Thrones.

Essentially, the graphic scenes in Game of Thrones were used to set the show apart from other similar works of high fantasy, something that its successor, House of the Dragon, does not have to worry about. As such, more than shock value or a gimmick to emulate Game of Thrones, the “King of the Narrow Sea” sex scenes represent redefining moments for the House of the Dragon plot. [House of the Dragon season 1, episode 4,](https://screenrant.com/house-dragon-season-1-episode-4-ending-explained/) on the other hand, had three significant sex scenes, all of which were central to the episode. For example, House of the Dragon’s episodes 2 and 3 did not feature any sex scenes or nudity. [House of the Dragon has many time jumps](https://screenrant.com/why-house-dragon-has-so-many-time-jumps/), a narrative trick that was rarely used in Game of Thrones, but that is essential for the stories of Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Alicent. Not only that, but two out of the three House of the Dragon episode 4 sex scenes were highly uncomfortable.

House of the Dragon is now four episodes deep, and the Game of Thrones spin-off is a huge hit. The series has already been renewed for a second season, ...

She explained, "Rhaenyra is at an age where she can't tell the difference between platonic love, romantic love, and lust because she hasn't lived long enough and gone through those experiences ... So, that was our first time walking through the brothel, and he's guiding her through the room with all of these other bodies. It feels like someone's opened Pandora's box and you're kind of just looking through the looking glass. I think that she understands that there's a feeling here [with Daemon], but she's not quite sure where it lands, and how to behave with it and navigate it." We had an intimacy coordinator, and we worked with her through the rehearsal process and blocked it out months before." Alcock added, "I don't really know anyone who's kind of gone through what I'm going through ... [House of the Dragon](/category/house-of-the-dragon/) is now four episodes deep, and the Game of Thrones spin-off is a huge hit. "I'm trying to not look at it and trying not to engage with it because it doesn't benefit me," Alcock said about being thrust into the spotlight. Alcock added, "There were extras who we had just met who were like, 69-ing for 12 hours ... It's an incredibly difficult space to navigate." "It just makes me incredibly anxious. The series has already [been renewed for a second season](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/house-of-the-dragon-renewed-season-2-hbo/), and its [viewership continues to rise.](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/house-of-the-dragon-viewership-episode-4-hbo-max/) However, instant fame [can sometimes be tough](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/game-of-thrones-nathalie-emmanue-nude-scenes-affected-her-career-f9/) on the actors involved with big shows.

Milly Alcock and Emily Carey will make their final appearance in episode 5, which is set to be one of the bloodiest and most exciting of the season.

Will it be the last appearance of King Viserys as well? [House of the Dragon](https://bolavip.com/en/offside/house-of-dragon-full-schedule-when-the-episodes-will-be-released-20220819-0021.html), the prequel to [Game of Thrones](https://bolavip.com/en/offside/games-of-thrones-what-we-know-so-far-about-jon-snow-spin-off-20220619-0032.html), is already reaching the halfway point of the first season and the tension between the characters is only increasing, as we saw in the last episode. The next broadcast will be the last for two of the main characters: [Milly Alcock](https://bolavip.com/en/offside/milly-alcocks-profile-all-about-one-of-the-main-characters-of-house-of-dragon-20220820-0023.html), who plays the young Rhaenyra, and Emily Carey, who gives life to Queen Alicent Hightower.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON is going to be switching up its cast with a new set of actors coming into the drama series - but why was the actress playing Lady Laena ...

Does she sleep with Daemon?](/showbiz/tv-radio/1664910/House-of-the-Dragon-Rhaenrya-husband-sleep-with-Daemon) [EXPLAINER] According to Fire and Blood by George R.R. [Who plays Laena Velaryon in House of the Dragon?](/showbiz/tv-radio/1661631/Laena-Velaryon-House-of-the-Dragon) There is a total of three actresses taking on the role of Lady Laena Velaryon in House of the Dragon, who will be sharing the part of Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and Rhaenys Targaryen’s (Eve Best) daughter. The first actress was Nova Foueillis-Mose, who portrayed Laena as a child who appeared in the second episode when her parents pushed for her to be wed to Viserys. Why was Lady Laena actress replaced in House of the Dragon?

Paddy Considine (King Viserys Targaryen) · Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother of King Viserys I) · Milly Alcock/Emma D'Arcy (Princess Rhaenyra ...

House of the Dragon is proving its true mettle with each passing week. Based on its success in attracting new fans and satisfying the old faithful, HBO quickly renewed the saga of the Targaryen Dynasty for Season 2. HBO released an official teaser trailer and it reveals King Viserys proposing the marriage between his daughter and the Sea Snake’s son, Ser Laenor, during a visit to House Velaryon’s home of Driftmark. But what can we expect in House of the Dragon Episode 5? But weddings in the Game of Thrones universe are rarely happy, healthy events, especially when Otto Hightower and Queen Alicent are tossing premature dirt on the King’s grave to protect young Aegon II’s ascension once Viserys dies. [House of the Dragon](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-review-hbo-game-of-thrones-prequel), the imposing [Game of Thrones](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-episode-4-stills-spoilers-dagger) prequel series based on George R.R.