House of the Dragon Episode 4 Trailer: Enter Prince Daemon, the New Contender to the Iron Throne

House of the Dragon episode 4 trailer is out. HBO has released a preview for next week's episode of the Game of Thrones prequel series, teasing the continuation of the power struggle, as King Viserys (Paddy Considine) grapples with the dilemma of picking an heir to the Iron Throne. Titled “King of the Narrow Sea,” House of the Dragon episode 4 does not seem to have major time jumps, and implies the involvement of a traitor in the midst. House of the Dragon episode 4 releases on September 12 at 6:30am IST/ September 11 at 9pm ET on Disney+ Hotstar and HBO Max, respectively.

The trailer for House of the Dragon episode 4 picks up right after the large-scale battle against the Crab Feeder, which saw Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) emerge victorious. Having crowned himself ‘King of the Narrow Sea,' he returns to King's Landing, seeking a claim to the Iron Throne. This creates an even bigger challenge for Viserys (Considine), who now has to choose between his daughter Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), his brother Daemon, and his newborn son, Aegon II.

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Previously, in House of the Dragon, the king married Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) — who also happens(ed) to be his daughter's best friend. Understandably, Rhaenyra is upset because her position is now challenged by two individuals, who are not “technically” the heirs to the spiky seat. This also creates a situation where Viserys considers relieving his daughter from court duties. “You are my political headache!” he exclaims in frustration.

The House of the Dragon episode 4 trailer then cuts to Sir Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), sabotaging and filling the king's ears with rumours, to ensure his grandson Aegon is chosen as the heir. Of course, Rhaenyra is the key suspect here, with Alicent by her side for emotional support. “It is not in Rhaenyra's nature to be deceitful. I cannot say the same for your brother,” she says, as Daemon prowls about in a black cloak, sporting a menacing grin. The trailer concludes with a quick shot of a dragon zipping past a ship that's carrying Rhaenyra to an undisclosed location.

Last week, House of the Dragon co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik stepped down from the show. Starting with season 2, he will be credited as an executive producer for the Game of Thrones prequel series, opening gates for Alan Taylor to take over. Taylor — known for his work on Game of Thrones and Thor: The Dark World — will team up with Ryan J. Condal and deliver the upcoming seasons for House of the Dragon, in close collaboration with author George R.R. Martin. Sapochnik has also entered into a first-look deal with HBO, focussing on new projects.

New House of the Dragon episodes air every Monday at 6:30am IST on Disney+ Hotstar in India, and Sunday at 9pm ET on HBO Max wherever available. Season one consists of 10 episodes.