Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 4 of House of the Dragon Season 2.
Anyone who thought House of the Dragon‘s second season was moving slowly was in for a welcome surprise in the final 20 minutes of Episode 4.
As Sunday’s installment, the midway point of Season 2, careened toward a wild finish, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) arrived at House Staunton’s seat of Rook’s Rest with his rapidly expanding army—and prepared to spring a trap. Cole’s scheme was simple: lay siege to Rook’s Rest and force Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) to send one of Team Black’s dragons to defend the small and weakly fortified castle. Then, signal to Aemond (Ewan Mitchell)—who would be hiding a short distance away with his behemoth of a dragon, Vhagar—that it was time to attack.
Unfortunately, Rhaenyra fell for the ruse and, after being convinced not to go herself, allowed Rhaenys (Eve Best) to fly to Rook’s Rest with her dragon, Meleys. Everything was going according to plan for Team Green. However, Cole had not accounted for the fact that his king, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), would suddenly show up on the back on his own dragon, Sunfyre, and begin battling Meleys.
Meleys quickly got the upper hand on Sunfyre and it looked like Rhaenys might actually come out on top. But then, Vhagar showed up.
What happened to Rhaenys?
Although Aegon was at first relieved to see his brother riding in, Aemond apparently had no intention of getting him out of the mess he had created. In fact, Aemond’s shout of “Dracarys”—the High Valyrian command for a dragon to breathe fire—seemed purposefully timed so that Vhagar’s flames would hit Aegon and Sunfyre head on, sending them both crashing to the ground.
Despite then having an opportunity to retreat back to Dragonstone, Rhaenys chose to turn Meleys around and re-enter the fray. But while the Red Queen and her rider were able to get a few blows in, the…
