Warning: Contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4.

Summary

• House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 marks the start of the real war with an epic, dragon-filled battle at Rook's Rest.
• The episode features incredible dragon sequences and strong character moments, setting the stage for future showdowns.
• The Battle at Rook's Rest rivals Game of Thrones' most iconic battles, with a blend of epic scale and character-driven storytelling.

House of the Dragon season 1's ending. That changes with season 2, episode 4, where the real war really does start, right now, and it is epic.

The Dance Of The Dragons Is An Epic Spectacle That Rivals Game Of Thrones

The Battle At Rook's Rest Is A Stunning Sequence

The final 10-15 minutes of the episode are given over to the Battle at Rook's Rest and, more specifically, to the dragons. As first Sunfyre and Meleys clash, and then Meleys and Vhagar, the Targaryen civil war lives up to the name the Dance of the Dragons, although this is more brutal and ballistic than it is balletic.

We've seen incredible dragon sequences before, of course, mostly in Game of Thrones, but I don't think we've ever seen anything quite like this.

We've seen incredible dragon sequences before, of course, mostly in Game of Thrones, but I don't think we've ever seen anything quite like this. Seeing these beasts fight it out in daylight, and often staggeringly close-up, is a sight to behold. There are a few shots in here that made my jaw drop, like Meleys tearing open Sunfyre, Vhagar trampling over soldiers on the ground, and then Vhagar's jaws clenching around Meleys' neck. It looks incredible, with huge credit to director Alan Taylor and the show's VFX team for how they pulled it off.

The spectacle alone is impressive, but what's more important is that there's real substance to go with the style. This isn't just dragons fighting, it's people too, and there are strong character moments underpinning the action. That's true of Aegon drunkenly flying into battle to prove himself, of Aemond's decision to try and kill Aegon, and of Rhaenys accepting her fate and sacrificing herself. Even Criston Cole, the most loathsome man on TV right now, comes out of it a stronger character.

The Battle at Rook's Rest may not quite hit the same ridiculous highs as, say, the Battle of the Blackwater or the Massacre at Hardhome, but that it deserves to be in the conversation is a feat in and of itself.

Game of Thrones had its fair share of battle episodes, and they helped build its reputation as one of the biggest and best shows in the world. The Battle at Rook's Rest may not quite hit the same ridiculous highs as, say, the Battle of the Blackwater or the Massacre at Hardhome, but that it deserves to be in the conversation is a feat in and of itself. And just like those, the reason for that is how it blends epic scale with a strong character foundation, and that's why this will long be ed.

The Build-Up To The Battle At Rook's Rest Is Worthy Of The Payoff

There's A Lot Of Good Character Work In House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 4

The Battle at Rook's Rest may turn this into a great episode, but it's a very good one before then, with some excellent work from a number of the show's best and most interesting characters. Daemon Targaryen's Harrenhal visions and encounters with Alys Rivers continue to fascinate me. I love that he gets another scene with Alcock that, of course, connects his story back to Viserys once again, and the brief return of Laena Velaryon is nice too.

The atmosphere and sense of foreboding we get at Harrenhal is great, and it does a good job of contrasting it with some humor when Daemon and Simon Strong meet with lords from throughout the Riverlands. Matt Smith is really starting to shine, getting in some wisecracks and showing his dark side but also, certainly in this episode, some layers of vulnerability too. The scene of Daemon-as-Aemond is a little on the nose, but it is effective.

Elsewhere, Tom Glynn-Carney continues to show he's one of the best parts of House of the Dragon's cast, and the scene with him and Alicent is almost as brutal as the dragon fight it sends him to. He and Aegon facing off at the Small Council meeting, too, is an excellent prelude that further lays the groundwork for their big showdown later on.

I particularly liked the Small Council scene with Rhaenyra's return, as I felt a bit of Alcock's Rhaenyra coming through in D'Arcy's performance...

Over on Dragonstone, there's not as much of Emma D'Arcy's Rhaenyra, but the scenes they do get are very good. I particularly liked the Small Council scene with Rhaenyra's return, as I felt a bit of Alcock's Rhaenyra coming through in D'Arcy's performance; a fighting spirit, a sort of charming arrogance, that hasn't been seen in a while. After a long wait for him to find out, I would have liked to see Jacaerys' reaction to Aegon's dream, because it'll be interesting to see if and how it impacts him going forward, especially as he's already growing bolder.

On the whole, this was the best episode of House of the Dragon season 2 so far, and stands alongside season 1, episode 8, "The Lord of the Tides," (aka the one where Viserys dies) as the very best of the show. I expect there'll be a few calmer weeks again after this, but the highs of the payoff should linger throughout.

New episodes of House of the Dragon season 2 release Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO and Max.