With HBO’s House of the Dragon season two episode four, the Dance of the Dragons has officially begun. Episode four picks up in the aftermath of Queen Rhaenyra’s failed attempt to persuade Queen Dowager Alicent to acknowledge her mistake and stop the bloodshed. Rhaenyra now believes she has no choice but to allow dragons to enter the war. The initial clash between dragons during the Battle at Rook’s Rest results in a tragic loss for the Blacks and injury to King Aegon.

(Full recap follows which means there are spoilers ahead!)

Before we get to any dragon action, we head to Harrenhal and observe as Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) experiences another disturbing vision. A young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) tells him she realizes he’s set on destroying her, and he reacts by cutting off her head. Which continues to talk.

A raven arrives with news King Aegon’s army has taken Rosby and Stokeworth castles. Their men have joined Ser Criston Cole’s army, tripling its strength. It is assumed that they are marching to Harrenhal.

Prince Daemon expects to be greeted by Lord Grover Tully, but instead, it is his grandson Oscar Tully, heir to Riverrun. Oscar is meeting on behalf of Lord Tully who is on death’s door. When Daemon suggests Oscar put the current Lord Paramount out of his misery, Oscar’s flustered and resists. (George R.R. Martin named the Tullys after The Muppets.)

Daemon realizes that Oscar’s useless. He orders Ser Simon Strong (Sir Simon Russell Beale) to summon the Blackwoods who have already declared for Team Black.

Elsewhere, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) travels to the docks and meets Alyn (Abubakar Salim), the man who saved her husband. She finds him attractive and is touching his face when Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) interrupts. Rhaenys knows of Alyn’s past but doesn’t hold it against him. (They don’t reveal what happened.) The talk turns to matters at hand, and Rhaenys says Baela has summoned her to Dragonstone. Baela and Jace are having a difficult time keeping the small council together during Queen Rhaenyra’s absence.

Over at King’s Landing, Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) hand-delivers a potion to help Alicent abort a pregnancy. Alicent wonders if he believes King Viserys wanted Aegon to succeed him. Grand Maester Orwyle claims it was never brought up, so he couldn’t say.

Meanwhile, at Dragonstone, Baela informs the small council that Ser Criston’s army is traveling at night in the trees. The assumption is that they are heading to Harrenhal. It’s obvious the council has no intention of following the lead of Baela or Jace. They hold Baela responsible for not killing Ser Criston when he was first spotted on the march.

The council’s upset Daemon hasn’t responded to their ravens requesting a progress report. It’s pointed out that Aegon’s army is on the march in the Crownlands, and that Rhaenyra doesn’t have an army to match it.

“This council is rudderless,” says Ser Alfred.

Princess Rhaenys reminds the council she’s doing her best, but Ser Alfred doesn’t think it’s Rhaenys’ place to lead their efforts. Fortunately, Ser Alfred’s put in his place by the arrival of Lord Corlys. Rhaenys is certain Rhaenyra has a good reason to be absent and that their Queen is trying to end this conflict before it escalates.

While Rhaenys is still hoping for peace, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and his men are slaughtering those aligned with the Blacks. The men of House Darklyn are his latest conquest, and their dead bodies are scattered around Duskendale. Those who survived the battle may live if they bend the knee to King Aegon. Lord Darklyn refuses, and before his head’s separated from his body, he asks, “Is there no honor left in this world, Cole? Sacking your queen’s own castles and putting her people to the sword?”

Lord Darklyn spits at Ser Criston’s feet and calls him a Kingmaker who doesn’t deserve the white cloak. He promises Cole will share a fate similar to his own.

Lord Darklyn’s men bend the knee and join Ser Criston Cole’s army. A raven arrives, and after reading the message, Criston tells Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) that their next target is in the northeast – not the direction of Harrenhal.

King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is furious Prince Daemon’s taken Harrenhal, but Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) points out that castle’s more crippled than he is. The castle’s in ruins and Larys controls its funds, which is likely driving Daemon crazy. Rhaenyra’s trapped on Dragonstone and Ser Criston is sacking the Crownlands. Things are going well for the Greens, but King Aegon wasn’t kept in the loop and hates looking a fool.

Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) reveals Ser Criston Cole’s next target is Rook’s Rest. It’s small and belongs to Lord Staunton, a member of Rhaenyra’s council. Once it falls, Dragonstone will be cut off by land. Aemond believes the war will be won by men, with only support from dragons.

“No! Have him turn back. I want Harrenhal back!” declares King Aegon, joining his little brother at the map and moving pieces. Aemond pays him no mind and confesses he and Cole have been exchanging messages. King Aegon’s furious his brother’s working behind his back, but again, Aemond doesn’t care.

Aemond knows his big brother’s attention lies elsewhere, not in making serious decisions affecting the kingdom. However, if he’s got a better idea, he should speak up. Aegon butchers his reply in High Valyrian and Aemond moves on, continuing to overrule his brother. Daemon will remain pre-occupied trying to handle Harrenhal while the Greens strengthen their army in the Crownlands. Once they’re ready, they will move on to the Riverlands.

Later, Larys visits Alicent in her chambers and notices the potion container, which explains the reason she was absent from the small council meeting. They discuss Ser Criston’s wins and that Dragonstone’s attention is divided. Larys is curious why Alicent hasn’t been herself recently, and she points out she’s newly widowed and the kingdom’s at war. That’s enough to make anyone alter their behavior.

Larys notices she’s reading Viserys’ history books and asks if it’s those books that led to King Viserys changing his mind about his heir. Alicent replies no one knows what Viserys was thinking in his final hours. Larys follows up with the pivotal question: does she now doubt Viserys’ intentions?

Alicent briefly pauses before admitting supporters on both sides will think what they want. War has come and many will die. “The significance of Viserys’ intentions died with him,” says Alicent.

Daemon continues to suffer from visions and can’t get a peaceful night’s rest at Harrenhal. He follows himself, but looking much like Aemond with an eye patch, through the castle’s halls. His path leads him to Alys Rivers who inherited the duties of maester. Alys notes that Daemon’s sleep has been troubled. She believes the castle’s cursed because Black Harren chopped down weirwood trees. Weirwoods are heart trees that are “imbued with the spirits of those who lived long before he came.”

Daemon calls her a strange kind of woman; Alys laughs and says that’s because she’s actually a barn owl. She gets under Daemon’s skin when she speaks of Rhaenyra, and then suggests he’s there to make his own claim on Harrenhal.

Alys hands him a drink which he, foolishly, sips. Hours pass without Daemon remembering them, and he finds himself in a meeting with Ser Willem Blackwood he wasn’t aware he’s attending. Ser Willem is committed to fighting for Queen Rhaenyra; he even vied for her hand years ago. However, Daemon becomes distracted when he sees his deceased wife, Lady Laena, filling cups around the table.

Daemon snaps back to reality as Ser Willem indicates that as soon as Daemon uses his dragon to wipe out the Brackens, the Blackwood army will join him.

Over at King’s Landing, the small council and King Aegon learn the Crownlands are upset dragons are wiping out their livestock. The Crown doesn’t have funds to pay the farmers, and their resources are dwindling because of the blockade. On the bright side, Cole’s doing well in battle.

King Aegon declares that he’s bored and leaves the meeting. He returns to his chambers to find his mom looking through cabinets for Viserys’ books. Aegon admits he had them removed, but not destroyed.

King Aegon’s throwing himself a pity party, and Alicent rolls her eyes. He’s upset no one listens to him or asks his opinion. After all, he is the King. Alicent suggests that wearing a crown doesn’t magically give someone wisdom. His council is educated and experienced, and Alicent had hoped Aegon would listen and learn. But, he hasn’t.

Aegon warns her not to speak so boldly, but Alicent has run out of patience. She believes Aegon should have been turning to her and her father, the former Hand of the King, for counsel. Instead, he sent Otto away and ignores her opinions.

Aegon wonders what she wants him to do. He’s shocked by her reply. “Do simply what is needed of you. Nothing.”

Ser Criston’s army has made camp in the forest outside of Rook’s Rest. Criston rides through the men, ordering them to prepare for battle. Ser Gwayne counters Criston’s order, saying they’ll await nightfall to strike. Criston insists they do it now, in broad daylight. Gwayne believes Criston’s lost his mind since Dragonstone’s just across the bay.

Criston doesn’t waver from his decision to attack now.

Meanwhile, Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) returns to Dragonstone, as her council continues to insist that a dragon must be sent into battle. A visibly annoyed Jace tells his mother it’s needed to support the war her men have been fighting in her absence. Rhaenys fills her in on Ser Criston Cole’s wins, and Lord Darklyn’s son, who traveled with Rhaenyra, learns his father was beheaded.

Rhaenyra tells the small council she went to King’s Landing to try to stop the war. Now she knows there’s no other path forward. Mysaria listens from the shadows as Rhaenyra is told Cole is now marching on Rook’s Rest. She’s confused as to why he’d pick that target, and Ser Alfred believes it’s because the castle’s mall and Lord Staunton sits on this council.

Cole is daring them to act, and Jace lends his voice to those demanding a dragon be sent. Queen Rhaenyra declares that she’s going with her dragon, which is met with a chorus of nos. Jace volunteers to go and burn Cole’s lines and then quickly withdraw. Rhaenyra thinks her son is too inexperienced.

Lady Rhaenys is the next to volunteer. Her dragon, Meleys, is the largest and has been to battle before. She will meet Cole.

Over at King’s Landing, King Aegon continues to drink and pout. Suddenly, he makes a decision and rises from the table with purpose.

Jace confronts his mother privately, and she finally tells him Aegon the Conqueror’s “The Song of Ice and Fire” dream. While Rhaenyra tells the story, we’re shown Lady Rhaenys getting on Meleys and King Aegon, in Aegon the Conqueror’s Valyrian steel armor, preparing to ride out on Sunfyre (while still drinking).

“The Targaryen who sits the Iron Throne is not just a king or a queen. They are a Protector. Ordained to lead the Seven Kingdoms, to strengthen them, and to unite them against a common foe,” says Rhaenyra. Viserys believed until his dying breath that she was meant to be the Protector. To unite the realm, she has to send the dragons to war. Rhaenyra tells Jace the horrors unleashed are for more than just a crown alone.

The battle for Rook’s Rest begins and arrows rain down from the castle’s walls. Cole’s army is 1,500 strong and in the open field on the approach to the castle as a dragon is spotted high above. The men scatter and head for the trees. Ser Gwayne rides up to Ser Criston near the tree line as Criston gives the order to have the Darklyn men move forward to divide the dragon’s attention. (Basically, they’re cannon fodder.)

Criston insists it’s all going to plan and orders the signal to be given now.

Rhaenys and Meleys approach the field and begin burning Criston’s army. The signal reaches Prince Aemond and Vhagar hiding in the woods, not far from Rook’s Rest. He’s about to command Vhagar to fly when King Aegon and his dragon Sunfyre fly by. Instead of joining his brother, Aemond orders Vhagar to wait.

It’s only as Sunfrye appears over the battlefield that Ser Gwayne realizes Ser Criston’s secret plot. However, Criston is equally shocked that it’s King Aegon flying overhead. Criston rides the line, urging the men of House Targaryen to hold strong now that their King has joined them. He orders them to advance while still confused over Aemond’s absence.

Rhaenys orders Meleys to attack as Aegon shouts, “Dracarys!” Meleys is hit with fire and reacts by attacking Sunfrye from underneath with her much larger claws. Sunfrye plummets toward the ground, recovering just feet above the earth. Blood pours from his open wounds as he takes to the sky again, only to be caught up in Meleys’ jaws.

Vhagar finally enters the battle. Her massive body, which seems too large to lift off the ground, causes men on both sides to freeze. Meleys and Sunfrye are still locked in battle when Rhaenys realizes Vhagar is approaching. Aemond shouts, “Dracarys!” and sends fire directly at both dragons. Aegon screams, “No! as flames engulf them.

Sunfrye plunges to the ground, screaming in pain. Meleys remains able to fly and Rhaenys looks over her shoulder at Vhagar flying over where Sunfrye went down. Rather than flee to safety, Rhaenys orders Meleys to attack, aware the odds are against her.

Soldiers watch as Vhagar grabs Meleys with a giant claw and holds her in place while blasting her with fire at close range. Meleys gets in a few licks, and from the ground, it truly appears the dragons are locked in a fiery dance in the sky.

Suddenly, Vhagar hits the ground, killing men and knocking out Criston Cole. More men are squashed beneath Vhagar’s gigantic feet as she takes off.

Meleys and Rhaenys emerge from the smoke. Rhaenys looks over the battlefield and into the sky, and then flies over Rook’s Rest. She’s unaware Vhagar’s hiding on the other side of the castle. Vhagar grabs Meleys on her neck, teeth tearing through her skin. Vhagar only lets go after Meleys takes her final breath. Vhagar drops Rhaenys and Meleys on the castle, destroying part of its wall.

Ser Criston comes to with ashes falling around him and near the burning bodies of his men. His horse was killed, and he can only watch from a distance as his surviving men enter Rook’s Rest.

Criston makes his way on foot to where King Aegon fell. Prince Aemond is already there, and when Criston calls out to him, he sheaths his sword. (Was he going to finish off his brother?) Aemond picks up the Valyrian dagger (so integral to the Song and Ice and Fire) as Sunfrye’s burned body quivers in pain.

Ser Criston drops to his knees when he sees King Aegon lying motionless next to the dragon. Prince Aemond simply turns and walks away.

• House of the Dragon Season 2 Character Descriptions
• Showrunner Ryan Condal Talks Dragons and George R.R. Martin’s Fantasy World
• House of the Dragon Season 2: Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith and Harry Collett Interview
• House of the Dragon Season 2: Olivia Cooke, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Fabien Frankel Interview
• House of the Dragon Season 2: Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, and Bethany Antonia Interview
• House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 10: “The Black Queen” Finale
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 “A Son for a Son” Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel” Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 “The Burning Mill” Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 “Smallfolk” Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 “The Red Sowing” Recap
• House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 Finale Recap