17 details you might have missed in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4

Episode 4 of House of the Dragon Season 2 contains many hidden details, linking it to the book’s continuity. This episode sees the return of familiar faces, the introduction of new characters, and symbolic moments that hint at future events.

Willem Blackwood has grown up

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Willem Blackwood reappeared in Episode 4, returning memories from Season 1, where he vied for Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage. Willem dueled with Jerrel Bracken, establishing the Blackwood-Bracken rivalry in House of the Dragon.

Benjicot Blackwood gets namedropped

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In this episode, Willem mentions his nephew, Benjicot Blackwood. Ben, known as Bloody Ben, is part of “The Lads,” a group of young Riverlords destined to face Borros Baratheon in the Battle of the Kingsroad.

Fans expected to see Benjicot during the Battle of the Burning Mill in the last episode, but his absence left many wondering about his fate. This mention suggests we will soon see him alongside his cousin, Alysanne Blackwood, an essential character in the series.

Read More: The new House of the Dragon Season 2 opening credits explained

Oscar Tully makes a lore-altering appearance

Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

This episode also introduces Oscar Tully, the heir to Riverrun and another member of The Lads. Oscar is the grandson of old Lord Grover Tully, who currently rules Riverrun. In Fire & Blood, Oscar Tully was the great-grandson of Lord Grover, not his grandson. Daemon Targaryen suggests to Oscar that he kill his grandsire with a pillow to hasten his inheritance.

In the books, Oscar had a brother named Kermit and a father named Elmo. Oscar’s name and those of his relatives are humorous nods to the Sesame Street characters. The show has likely condensed the characters of Elmo, Kermit, and Oscar Tully into just one character, Oscar, so we may not get to see all the Muppet Tullys.

Read More: New photos from the first two episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2 show a grieving mother, the Iron Throne, and scheming duos

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The symbolism of the dragon figurine

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In Season 1, King Viserys dropped a dragon figurine, part of his model of Old Valyria. Alicent had this dragon repaired and given back to Viserys. In Season 2, Alicent drops the same figurine on the ground, causing its repaired wing to break off again. This symbolizes the fate of Sunfyre, whose wing would be ripped off and broken in the Battle of Rook’s Rest at the end of the episode.

Rhaenys confirms Alyn as Corlys’ illegitimate son

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A detail that many may have missed is the conversation between Corlys and Rhaenys at the beginning of the episode. Just before this, Rhaenys looked at Alyn’s face, saying his mother must have been beautiful. She says this because she knows that Alyn is Corlys’ bastard son, which she relays to Corlys in her conversation with him.

However, unlike her character in Fire and Blood, she seems pretty accepting of Alyn, claiming that his past was not his fault. It is also a stark contrast to Catelyn’s treatment of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.

Alicent and Rhaenyra both drink Moon Tea

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In this episode, Alicent drinks Moon Tea to avoid getting pregnant after sleeping with Criston Cole. Many people noted that she drank the concoction many days after her encounter with Cole, leading them to believe that this was the equivalent of an abortion. People also noted that Alicent drinking Moon Tea is similar to Rhaenyra drinking the potion in Season 1 due to the same man.

Rhaenyra reveals the prophecy before Meraxes’ skull, mirroring Viserys

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The skull of Meraxes, seen in Episode 1, bears the mark of a scorpion bolt through its eye, as Meraxes was the first dragon felled during Aegon’s Conquest in the Dornish War. Using dragon skulls as backgrounds during important prophecies is a recurring motif. Viserys told Rhaenyra Aegon’s prophecy with Balerion’s skull in the background. When Rhaenyra shared it with Jace, Meraxes’ skull was in the background. It foreshadows Jace’s eventual fate in the Battle of the Gullet.

The deaths of Dragonriders

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Jace and Luke once asked Rhaenyra to let them fly as messengers in season 1, which led to Luke’s death. Similarly, Rhaenys asked Rhaenyra to let her fly into battle and met a similar fate.

Read More: Biggest moments from House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4: The Red Dragon and the Gold

Daemon’s visions

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Daemon Targaryen experiences visions at Harrenhal similar to Daenerys’s in the House of the Undying. His visions refer to the book continuity more than the TV series. A black goat appears in his vision, symbolizing witchcraft.

In New England lore, black goats are associated with the Devil, and in A Song of Ice and Fire, the black goat was the sigil of Vargo Hoat’s sellsword company. Vargo Hoat eventually inherited Harrenhal.

Daemon’s vision includes three dogs, possibly representing House Clegane’s sigil. The Hound, Sandor Clegane, and the Mountain, Gregor Clegane, served as bannermen to Lord Tywin Lannister, who ruled Harrenhal in the TV series. Gregor Clegane later inherited Harrenhal as well.

This vision hints at the brutal legacy associated with Harrenhal and its various rulers. Both Vargo Hoat and Gregor Clegane were ruthless murderers, adding a dark undertone to Daemon’s vision.

Read More: Dragon Eggs in episode 3 are not definitively Daenerys’ eggs says House of the Dragon showrunner

Criston Cole gets called Kingmaker for the first time

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During the Sack of Duskendale by the Green army, House Darklyn is given a choice: bend the knee or die. As Criston Cole is about to behead the head of the house, Gunthor Darklyn, the Lord contemptuously refers to Cole as “Kingmaker.” This term, used to describe Cole in Fire & Blood, is mentioned for the first time in the show.

Weirwood paste

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At Harrenhal, Alys Rivers gives Daemon a strange concoction to drink, which many believe is weirwood paste. Weirwood paste, made by the children of the forest, is a mystical substance enhancing one’s abilities as a greenseer. In A Song of Ice and Fire, Bran Stark consumes weirwood paste while training as a greenseer with the three-eyed crow. This detail ties back to the series’ mystical elements, adding depth to Alys Rivers’ character and her connection to the ancient magic of Westeros.

Read More: George R. R. Martin says “Rhaenyra the Cruel” episode is in contention with the best Game of Thrones episodes

Aegon and the Adult Tapestries

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One scene shows the adult tapestries on the wall, displayed prominently during Viserys’ rule. When Viserys was bedridden, Alicent removed these tapestries and replaced most of the decorations in the Red Keep with imagery of the Faith of the Seven and the Seven-Pointed Star. Now that Aegon is ruling again, he has restored the adult tapestries.

Read More: David Bowie was the initial inspiration behind designing Moondancer, reveals House of the Dragon showrunner

Parallels between Aegon and Rhaenyra

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The episode also highlighted a common feature between the Green Council and the Black Council. Though Aegon flew to battle in this episode, his council repeatedly urged him not to, for good reason. In this episode, when a dragon is needed at Rook’s Rest, Rhaenyra volunteers to go atop Syrax. However, the entire council urges her not to, as the risk of losing her would make the war void since they were fighting in her name.

Aegon’s struggle with High Valyrian language

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In this episode, we learned that Aegon struggled with speaking High Valyrian, unlike his brother Aemond, who was fluent in it. Unlike other dragonriders, Aegon commanded Sunfyre in English or the common tongue, rather than High Valyrian as other dragonriders did.

House Darklyn and the Kingsguard

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A knight in Rhaenyra’s Queensguard, Ser Steffon, is the son of Lord Gunthor Darklyn of Duskendale, who Cole killed when the Greens sacked the city. House Darklyn was famed for sending knights from its House to the Kingsguard, and their sigil also displays the evidence. The white shields on the sigil display the seven members of House Darklyn who joined House Targaryen’s Kingsguard.

Vhagar’s sneak attack

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As the Battle of Rook’s Rest concluded, most viewers thought Rhaenys had emerged victorious as she flew back to Dragonstone. But, she was surprised by Aemond and Vhagar, who flew upwards from behind the castle and attacked Meleys, killing her. This is similar to Lucerys’s death, with viewers thinking he had escaped before Vhagar flew out of nowhere to kill Arrax. Notably, the first instance was accidental whereas the second was intentional.

Rhaenys’ death parallels her ancestor’s

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Rhaenys’ death in the show is similar to the death of Queen Rhaenys, the wife of Aegon the Conqueror, in the books. Queen Rhaenys died while riding her dragon, Meraxes, during the Dornish War. As a foreshadowing, we also see the skull of Meraxes, Queen Rhaenys’ dragon, just before Princess Rhaenys rides to Rook’s Rest on Meleys.

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