House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 4 Review: King of the Narrow Sea
On House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea,” Rhaenyra takes her courting process into her own hands.
The moment that’s been feared since the beginning has arrived, and it’s quite unsettling.
Incest will never be an intriguing topic that most people wish to explore; it’s merely something the audience must endure. Game of Thrones was notorious for it, and House of the Dragon will be no different.
The incest is used to drive the plot forward and further individual character motives. Daemon is strategic in the way he does and doesn’t seduce Rhaenyra. He instigates the interaction and gets her vulnerable in public, but only goes far enough for surrounding people to believe he defiles her.
Daemon’s retreat without a word indicates his ulterior motives for his actions, proving it the following day. Instead of denying what happened between him and Rhaenyra when Viserys calls upon him, he says it’s true and asks for her hand in marriage. It’s a bold and daring move on his part, especially due to the circumstances.
Viserys is relatively constrained in his blows toward Daemon and is lenient for not killing him on the spot.
The marriage between Daemon and Rhaenyra is inevitable, so part of me hopes their wedding takes place within a time jump.
After “King of the Narrow Sea,” we don’t need to see the two of them interact in that manner again. Insinuations towards the acts will be enough. Before that, though, it’ll be fun to watch Daemon squirm as Rhaenyra is forced to marry another man.
Friends for Life
Alicent is one of the more intriguing characters of the series, and I hope we’ll get to see a different side of her with the time jump into adulthood. So far, her life is pitiful. She’s queen, but at what cost?
Otto pawned her off to Viserys and forced her to have children; she has no friends and is surrounded by people who don’t honestly care for her. Alicent’s life is not glamorous by any means and often feels like we’re watching a hostage situation, yet she still defends Rhaenyra as if her life depends on it. That alone makes her the most interesting.
Even in the moments of silence between the two and the cold shoulder she likely received, Alicent still adores and hopes for the best for Rhaenyra.
Plus, in her fleeting moments of happiness, Rhaenyra always seems to be near, and it can’t be a coincidence.
Where the series continues to fail is the interactions between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Their relationship is fascinating enough to hone the focus on them for an entire episode. It was incredibly upsetting to hear they shared scenes at Alicent’s wedding, but they were cut from the final product.
As much as we all love the battles and gore, an extra ten to fifteen minutes to flesh out their relationship would make all the difference. Critical moments in their dynamic aren’t being shown, and it’s a mistake.
Hand of the King No More
Viserys’ interaction with Otto is one of the most pleasant moments of “King of the Narrow Sea.” Otto strategically threw Alicent at Viserys right after Aemma’s death and has been working overtime to see Rhaenyra’s downfall ever since.
As Viserys says, Otto has been watching every step Rhaenyra’s taken since her induction as heir. Instead of seeking the king’s best interest, he’s been working to garner his own power, and he knows Aegon is his claim to fame.
Viserys is not very observant, but at least he finally opens his eyes and sees Otto for the snake that he is.
While it’s unlikely, there’s still a chance Viserys takes his anger and resentment out on Alicent. Hopefully, he can see that she was not willingly going along with Otto’s plan and spares any ill feelings towards her going forward.
The pacing of the series is marvelous. There has yet to be a dull moment, and it doesn’t feel like that will change. There is consistently so much happening that there’s no time for a dull moment to exist, and it’s lovely.
Stray Thoughts:
- It’s weird how adamantly Rhaenyra denies she and Daemon fooling around, considering the Targaryen traditions. Plus, lying on Aemma’s name?? Rhaenyra must fear total ostracization from Alicent if that’s how far she’s willing to go to lie.
- I am still shocked that Viserys sends Rhaenyra tea that’s essentially plan b.
- The sex scene Alicent and Viserys share is jarring, to say the least. Just like incest, we can do without seeing it in action.
What did you think of this episode of House of the Dragon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.