Warning: SPOILERS ahead for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4!

Summary

• House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 breaks a series record with a 9.7 out of 10 on IMDb.
• The episode features the first Targaryen battle in the Dance of the Dragons, marking a proper start to the civil war between the Greens and the Blacks.
• The score shows how the series is now on par with Game of Thrones, teasing the high levels of quality to expect in future episodes.

House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 has broken a series record with an incredible IMDb score that rivals some of the highest praised Game of Thrones episodes. The latest entry in the prequel series saw the first real battle between Targaryens in the Dance of the Dragons. This results in an attack by Aemond and Vhagar, ending with Aegon's dragon, Sunfyre, falling, while Rhaenys and her dragon, Meleys, are killed. House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4's ending marks the true start of the war, opening the door for more major fights in future episodes.

The episode was met with acclaim from audiences, as evidenced by the IMDb page, where House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 sits at a score of 9.7 out of 10 based on 26,000 reviews. This puts the episode on par with many of Game of Thrones' top-rated episodes, including "Blackwater" and "The Lion and the Rose." It also means the prequel has the potential to be just as engaging as its parent show as the war continues to develop.

What House Of The Dragon’s IMDb Praise Means For The Rest Of Season 2

Season 2 Will Have To Build To An Epic Finale

Season 2, episode 4, titled “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” is only the first major battle between dragons set to transpire during the Targaryen civil war. However, its brutality with the deaths of two dragons and one major character shows how huge a toll the war is going to take on both sides as it continues to escalate. With the war still in its earlier stages, it seems the battle at Rook's Rest is going to be the least destructive one the series ends up adapting.

This episode also featured a major death in Rhaenys, while Aegon was heavily injured after Sunfyre fell. This means other House of the Dragon characters are likely to be wounded and killed in the coming episodes of season 2, even if that means some familiar faces end up perishing in the process. Rook's Rest proved the war could easily result in the deaths of major characters at any point in time, making the back half of season 2 even more dangerous - but also more likely to have memorable episodes.

Since Rook's Rest is only the start of the civil war, the rest of season 2 could set the stage for House of the Dragon season 3, featuring battles that escalate the conflict to an even higher point. Doing so would not only reflect the brutality of the battles, but also show how everything will continue to build despite the major death and destruction that's already arrived. With plenty of potential for how the show can develop from here, it seems reasonable that larger battles garnering just as much praise are on their way.

Source: IMDb