The House Of The Dragon episode 4 trailer teases Targaryen showdown between King Viserys, his daughter Rhaenyra, and his brother Daemon.
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Warning! Contains spoilers for House of the Dragon episode 3

The House of the Dragon episode 4 trailer teases the rising conflict between King Viserys Targaryen and his brother Daemon. The prequel-spinoff of HBO's acclaimed Game of Thrones has already been met with acclaim of its own, with consistently high ratings and positive reviews leading the network to quickly greenlight season 2. The first season will contain a total of ten episodes and will continue to air weekly until the finale on October 23.

Taking place two centuries before Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon follows the beginning-of-the-end of Targaryen rule over the Seven Kingdoms, culminating in a war of succession known as the Dance of the Dragons. Episode 3 introduced Viserys' son, Aegon, who many expect will be named heir to the throne over Princess Rhaenyra, leading to tension between the king and his daughter. House of the Dragon's biggest conflict, however, remains Daemon Targaryen, who is gaining power and allies that could lead him to challenge his brother for the Iron Throne.


The trailer shared by the Game of Thrones YouTube channel shows Daeman making his return to King's Landing, having been named King of the Narrow Sea, presumably for his victory over the Crabfeeder in the previous episode. The episode 4 trailer also shows the heightening tension between Viserys and Rhaenyra, presumably for the king's continued favoring of Aegon. The teaser ends with a dragon attacking a ship, suggesting an escalation of violence between factions. Watch the teaser below:


Daemon's growth in power will heighten the conflict over who will succeed Viserys on the throne, with his time in the series likely limited. House of the Dragon's time jumping makes it hard to gauge how much time will pass between episodes 3 and 4, but since Aegon hasn't appeared to age, it's likely it'll only be a few months, rather than the three years that passed between episodes 2 and 3. Season 1 has already confirmed further time jumps, with the characters significantly aging as the episodes go on.

House of the Dragon hasn't filled the void left by its predecessor, but its gorgeous art direction, intriguing plot, and strong performances make it worth watching. With its smaller cast and more focused narrative, it's very possible the prequel could rival Game of Thrones for high-fantasy excellence. In the end, episode 4 of House of the Dragon is moving its pieces into place, and fans will only have to wait a week to see what happens next.