House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 4: The Pursuit of Honor

With the fourth episode of House of the Dragon’s third season, we have now reached the halfway point. Speaking for the first half of this season, I have to say that the first four episodes are quite satisfactory in every respect. Both the functioning of the story and the fact that the episodes serve the flow cause us to watch episodes that are built on stronger foundations. This being the case, viewers and fans do not have any problems with immersion and can maintain their loyalty to the series.

As is the tradition of the universe, there will probably be dozens of different discussions after this episode. But it is possible for me to repeat for this episode what I said in the first three episodes of the third season. The season is going pretty well. Even though I liked the second season, there was a big reaction, especially from the nerd segment. From there, it became difficult to predict how the series would continue. But Ryan Condal seems to have a firmer command of the material this season. It should also be acknowledged that this is no longer solely a George R. R. Martin work; it is Ryan Condal’s adaptation. If you want to choose a side – although I wouldn’t steer you towards any particular side – I don’t think they are very different from each other.

Living for Dignity

When starting to examine this section, it would be better to start with the Greens section, unlike other sections. Because this time, the episode divided the sides into more halves, and it can even be said that the scenes where the Greens are present are more frequent. Criston Cole and Gwayne Hightower scenes are almost non-existent this season. But especially after the Vhagar and Sunfyre war against Meleys last season, Criston Cole went through a major character transformation. We see that traces of this continue to persist. And, much as I hate to admit it, I thoroughly enjoy these scenes. Although Cole displays virtually every trait one would despise in a real person, watching him suddenly left alone with his philosophical reflections is strangely compelling.

Such character stories, shown within the broad theme of the series, were among the features that made Game of Thrones special. It can even be said that such stories are much better than the main story directly in the Song of Ice and Fire universe. GRRM is a master at writing such flawed characters. As we know, Cole began his story as a sympathetic figure, only for his baser instincts to emerge; now he is undergoing yet another transformation. The scenes with Gwayne are also quite enjoyable to watch. The two characters definitely have chemistry. While their opposites create a conflict between themselves, seeing the differences of opinion between a nobleman and a low-born person is one of the details that contribute to the story and make the universe feel alive.

I am especially happy that we saw stories about the universe in this episode, as well as the general course of the series. House of the Dragon managed to capture this taste. One of the things I complained about most about this series was that it didn’t touch on the universe much. This episode offers a strong response to that criticism. The Cole and Gwayne parts end with the duo coming to Harrenhal and not being able to find Aemond. I haven’t been too sure about Alys Rivers scenes since season two. Yes, they are interesting, but something feels off. Although there is an attempt to show the mystical side of the universe, the writing of the character seems a bit cheap to me. I hope the scenes with Aemond from this point on will make the character more full.

Irreversible Choices

One of the most important parts of the episode is the speech that Daemon makes before Lady Arryn. This speech is a very important event, even without what happens next. Because we can now see that Rhaenyra is sending messages to the lords in the land. There is a difference between being able to dominate and trying to dominate. Rhaenyra is trying to rule now. The gold that Daemon received from Lady Arryn is an important development in terms of being able to relieve the kingdom for a while. As has been explained since the last episode, there is almost no money and moves are being made only to save the day until permanent solutions are found.

Immediately after taking the gold, Caraxes’s move by listening to his instincts leads Daemon to Rhaena and Sheepstealer. You know that House of the Dragon gives more importance to dragons than Game of Thrones. I think the series is quite successful, especially when it comes to giving personality to each dragon. Yes, sometimes the movements can seem a little strange, I admit that, but honestly I like it. The scene ends with Rhaena and Daemon confronting each other. This scene has an important place in the series in terms of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s relationship. We can see that Rhaena has now completely replaced Nettles. This change feels consistent within the series. It is a logical choice to give this role to Rhaena instead of the time it will take to process Nettles. It both makes the character functional and allows for easier moves in terms of scene setups.

On the other hand, I can understand the audience who do not like the differences and react to them. Even though there are parts I agree with, I don’t think Fire and Blood is a book that should be adhered to very closely. After all, as everyone knows now, it is a history book whose writing style is based on gossip and conclusions. It has important points and features that need to be adhered to, but as long as the story is not completely thrown away, there are no parts that will cause much trouble. The discussions between Ryan Condal and GRRM on this issue are also known. To me, this argument is, “You’re changing my work.” It’s a power struggle between themselves rather than their criticism. Condal won this war with the support of HBO. GRRM‘s “It doesn’t tell my story” after Game of Thrones Frankly, his criticism of House of the Dragon does not seem sincere to me.

Ruling Is Not Easy

If I have to mention the Aegon and Larys stories, I personally liked their scenes in this episode. I wonder where the duo will go. Seeing Sunfyre and Meleys’ bodies were nice details. There is already a small tease specifically for Sunfyre, and they did it again in a very blind way. In the TV series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, they make this use of foreshadowing very obvious and this is extremely unpleasant.

Rhaenyra episodes contain very important scenes, as they do throughout the season. In addition to the fact that the character was mentally messed up, the fact that he did not have a council was also one of the good points explained in the episode. It was nice that Orwyle came to the fore and gave ideas of his own. Again, the appointment of Torrhen Manderly as Master of Coin is important for the future of the universe. The character is an important name that will have action at this moment and after the story. It is a good development that they introduced the character to the audience in a small way in the last episode and included him completely in this episode.

A new problem for Rhaenyra is that she realizes that she no longer has all the public support. This is an important situation because the people have not yet decided who they will support. It is fair to say that neither side in the Dance of the Dragons commands unequivocal public support. Even though they loved the late Viserys, it is clear from the current situation how bad a king he was. Here, Rhaenyra chooses violence to assert her authority and makes important decisions for the later stages of the story. Also, gold is one of the main items. Rhaenyra is aware that she will never have legitimacy without feeding the people.

Fighting Against Their Genes

Aside from all the events and developments in the episode, the absolute stars were Ormund Hightower and Daeron Targaryen. First of all, I liked the dynamic of these two. Both the written scenes and the acting performances were on point. There was a criticism I made in the last episode, especially for the character of Ormund, I said that we did not see much of the Hightower culture. The fourth episode was like a cure for my criticisms. Although the character doesn’t exactly have the Hightower profile we imagine, his perspective is definitely that of an Oldtowner. His scenes with Daeron, and as Alicent mentioned, establishing a father-son relationship with Daeron, have important consequences.

The fact that the character is a little mentally problematic, as well as making decisions without making too impulsive moves, creates a unique atmosphere. On the other hand, Daeron acts much quieter and calmer compared to him. He is inquisitive and clearly possesses the Hightower mindset we would expect. First of all, there is the instinct to “act honorably”.

Additionally, Ormund’s speech at the end of the episode was very similar to the High Septon’s speech to Rhaenyra in the previous episode. Scenes explaining how they loathe and hate the Targaryens have been coming back to back for two episodes. This is actually a pretty common theory. The Citadel and Oldtown hate the Targaryens because they are unnatural. They don’t like magic and they hate it. The fact that Ormund had this awareness was a very nice sequence for those who know this theory. I personally liked Daeron, the character writing was strong as well. I probably wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said the character was “a Hightower stuck in a Targaryen body.” Because this dilemma makes me look forward to what the character will do next.

House of the Dragon season three, fourth episode was pretty good. I expected the pace to ease slightly, but the series continues to accelerate instead. I can’t say this season is perfect in terms of its first half, but it is an undeniable fact that it went quite well. I’m already excited for the remaining four episodes.

To read all of Ali Can Bartu Sakarya‘s writings, click here.

For more, follow us on Youtube, X and Instagram You can.