‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 4 Preview Teases First Dragon-on-Dragon Battle at Rook’s Rest

It’s officially, finally, war on House of the Dragon. HBO‘s new teaser for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 confirms that after her little excursion to Kings Landing, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) is convinced that there’s no avoiding a dragon-on-dragon conflict now. That means that the real horrors are about to unfold. Oh, yes, hardcore fans of George R.R. Martin‘s books will know that the gruesome deaths of children Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) and Jaehaerys are just foreplay for the true massacres to come. And the House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 preview seemingly confirms that next week we’re getting the first major battle of the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons: Rook’s Rest. (Seemingly!) So what exactly what does HBO’s official House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 preview tease??

Well, from the jump, it’s all doom and gloom as Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) reflects that just weeks prior, everything was hunky dory because Viserys (Paddy Considine) was still alive. While Alicent needles at her son, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) is getting to work carving a bloody path through the Riverlands. Daemon (Matt Smith) is still seemingly tripping balls in Harrenhal and Rhaenyra is imparting some worldly wisdom to son and heir Jace (Harry Collett), but most importantly we see dragons.

Let’s break down the preview for HBO’s House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4…

What’s In The House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Preview?

The House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 preview opens on a view of soldiers prepped for battle while Alicent Hightower, safe in Kings Landing, opines, “Only weeks ago my Lord husband was alive, and the realm was at peace.” There’s a quickly cut sequence of Aegon playing with his Small Council ball, making it spin, and then more soldiers, on all sides, prepping for combat. Aegon’s hand smashes down on the spinning ball, forcing it to stop. We see him in a moment of pained reflection as Alicent tells him, “You might be half the king your father was.” Then we see a scene between mother and son where Aegon says, “Tread carefully,” but Alicent simply sips her wine and asks, “Or what?”

Then, there’s a montage of Ser Criston Cole and a bloodied Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) as they seemingly fight their way through the Riverlands. Cole says, “All who refuse will have their death” and then beheads someone. Alicent is looking at one of Viserys’s “lego pieces,” i.e. dragon models in the midst of this bloodshed.

Then there is a title card that reads, “On the next House of the Dragon.”

A cocky Ser Criston Cole asks Ser Gwyane Hightower, “Are you afraid, ser?” Ser Gwayne replies, “Worse. I’m rational.” Dragons screech and we get a shot first of Vhagar, Aemond’s mighty dragon, and then what appears to be Meleys, the Red Queen, aka the dragon of Team Black’s Rhaenys (Eve Best). (Note, this is what it appears to be!)

In voice over, Rhaenyra says, “My father believed that I was meant to unite the realm.” A half-dressed Daemon walks into a completely empty throne room. Soldiers advance on a field. Rhaenys, in battle armor, approaches her dragon at Dragonstone. Rhaenyra continues: “I need to know that there was no other path.” As Aegon lashes out, Rhaenyra says, “And now I do.”

More scenes teasing a battle as Ser Criston Cole yells, “Hold to your courage!” There’s a shot of Aegon’s golden dragon, Sunfyre, soaring over Kings Landing. Cole says, “Hold to your wit!”, as an armored Ser Gwayne looks at something in fear. A dragon nosedives towards something and then we see Rhaenyra talking to her son, Jace. “We must send the dragons to war.”

There’s an explosion and fire and then we see Aemond on dragonback. There’s fire everywhere. And finally Rhaenyra’s crown is spinning on the floor as she says, “The horrors I have just loosed cannot be for a crown alone.”

The final shot is of Vhaegar soaring over armies on the battlefield.

What is the House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Release Date?

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, July 7 at 9 PM ET.