The Red Dragon and the Gold
The episode was written by series co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by executive producer Alan Taylor.
Feeling his council disrespects him, especially after discovering Aemond's secret communications with Criston, Aegon decides to fly to Rook's Rest with his dragon Sunfyre.
Unbeknownst to each other, Rhaenys, Aegon, and Aemond (with Vhagar) converge on Rook's Rest, leading to a climactic battle involving the three dragons.
Daemon dreams of being in the Red Keep's throne room where he decapitates a young Queen Rhaenyra for berating him, though her severed head continues accusing him of treason.
After drinking her sleep potion, Daemon experiences missing time and hallucinates seeing his late wife, Laena Velaryon, during a council meeting.
Ser Criston Cole captures Duskendale and beheads its master, Lord Gunthor Darklyn, who refuses to renounce his loyalty to Rhaenyra and scorns him as 'Kingmaker'.
Criston orders his troops to ride to Rook's Rest, the last Black stronghold on Blackwater Bay, and attack the castle during the day as a surprise maneuver.
Gwayne believes a night attack is safer and cautions a daytime assault might attract Rhaenyra's dragons from nearby Dragonstone.
While meeting with his council regarding Criston's military advances, Aegon is irked that Daemon seized Harrenhal and scolds Larys, the castle's lord, for allowing it.
He is angered upon learning that Aemond and Criston planned the campaigns without his knowledge or authority, including pursuing Duskendale and Rook's Rest rather than Harrenhal.
As Rhaenys prepares to depart, Rhaenyra passes on the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror, the Song of Ice and Fire, to Jace.
The episode marks Condal's sixth writing credit for the series, following "The Heirs of the Dragon", "The Rogue Prince", "Second of His Name", "The Black Queen", and the season premiere.
He previously directed the Game of Thrones episodes "Baelor", "Fire and Blood", "The North Remembers", "The Night Lands", "The Prince of Winterfell", "Valar Morghulis", and "Beyond the Wall".
Condal described the battle sequence as "the biggest thing that [the series] has mounted to date in terms of the size and expense of a set piece."
Milly Alcock once again guest-starred to reprise her role as young Rhaenyra Targaryen after the previous episode, appearing in Daemon's dream sequence.
It earned a perfect 5 out of 5 stars from both Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek and Haley Whitmire White of TV Fanatic.
"[26] James Hunt of Screen Rant rated it with 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising it as "a brilliant installment that evokes Game of Thrones at its most spectacular".
[20] Jonathon Wilson of Ready Steady Cut also gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, and wrote in his summary: "Episode 4 gets the Dance of Dragons underway with real style.
She wrote, "[The episode] starts slowly but builds up steam, finishing with a spectacular battle that ranks up there with the most thrilling moments of Game of Thrones and blows away anything so far in House of the Dragon.
[29][30] Doll noted, "[The episode] changes the course of House of the Dragon Season 2 by finally moving the plot out of its stagnant place in every single scene.
[26][31] Alec Bojalad specifically wrote, "The resulting aerial battle above Rook's Rest in the Crownlands is as awesome and terrifying as its outcome is predictable.
Two dragons perish, at least one dragonrider dies, and countless men-at-arms are either crushed under the beasts gait or vaporized by their fiery breath."
[29] Other aspects lauded by critics included the visual effects,[19][20][29] stunts, acting,[19][26][29] with particular praise for the performances of Best,[30][33][34] Smith,[20][28][35] Glynn-Carney,[20][36] Mitchell, and Rankin.
[36] There was also praise towards Dillon's cinematography, Djawadi's score,[29] Condal's writing,[29][31] Taylor's direction,[26][20][29] with Helen O'Hara noting his skill in shifting between political machinations and outright warfare,[21] as well as Daemon's scenes in Harrenhal,[19][20][29][35] and the increased sibling rivalry between Aemond and Aegon.
