House of the Dragon is living up to its name as a true prequel to Game of Thrones, as is evidenced by the fourth episode. Though the storyline of the Targaryen and the court politics intertwine seamlessly to create a fascinating narrative, there are subtle hints that reveal the history of Westeros.
These easter eggs have ties not only to Game of Thrones but also to author George R.R. Martin’s numerous books about this world. This is a list of some of the details that you may have missed in House of the Dragon Episode 4.
Read more: Top five moments from House of the Dragon Episode 4
The Sealord of Braavos
After his victory at the Stepstones, Daemon mentions that Corlys Velaryon has made his way back home. However, it is revealed during the small council meeting that Corlys is in talks to wed his daughter to the Sealord of Braavos. The Sealord is a title held by the ruler of Braavos, which is one of the Free Cities.
Arya Stark’s fencing master, Syrio Forel, mentioned that he once served as the First Sword to the Sealord of Braavos. We saw Braavos and the enormous Titan statue were seen in the later seasons of Game of Thrones. But we did not see much of the Sealord. Viserys and the small council realize that they need to solve the situation with Corlys to prevent further complications from occurring in the already divided political scenario of Westeros.
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Rhaenyra’s romances
This episode ushers at the beginning of Rhaenyra’s romantic relationships with both Daemon and Ser Criston Cole. The original books only make mention and implications of her romantic relationships with them. The episode displays it quite explicitly instead of beating around the bush. In the books, Ser Criston fell deeply in love with Rhaenyra and was loyal to a fault.
He asked for her hand in marriage, which Rhaenyra had to deny as she was betrothed to Laenor of House Velaryon. If she did not marry Laenor, Rhaenyra feared that Viserys would revoke her claim. Thus, she ended up spurning Ser Criston, giving rise to great conflict and tensions between them. Later, Rhaenyra would marry Daemon, which has already been implied by the trailers and promotional material of the show.
Read more: Who is Laena Velaryon in House of the Dragon?
The White Worm Mysaria and Little Birds
This episode shows the return of Daemon’s consort Mysaria, who rescues him after a drunken night in a brothel. It’s slowly revealed that Mysaria now has a new function, apparently after becoming disillusioned with the life of a harlot from living with Daemon. It seems that she is now an informant for the Hand, Otto Hightower. This seems to signal her transition into the original Mistress of Whisperers. That is essentially the same function that Lord Varys had in Game of Thrones.
Varys had his network of children called Little Birds. These informants were children that nobody would suspect of being spies. It appears from this episode that this use of the children began from Mysaria. The episode shows a young boy in the service of Mysaria ending up in the castle courtyard. Otto Hightower also quotes a source that has ‘never failed him yet.’ This implies that the young children or ‘little birds’ serve not only as informants but also as messengers.
In the original text, Mysaria was dubbed Misery, the White Worm. She played a huge part in assisting Daemon during the Dance of the Dragons. It is quite likely that she will have a similar role in the series. Although her storyline differs very slightly from the original text. In the books, she suffered a stillbirth due to banishment by Viserys.
Read more: House of the Dragon gets its first female director for Episode 4 — Clare Kilner
The Mummers’ play
The play witnessed by Rhaenyra and Daemon appears to be quite different from mummer’s plays that we have seen in Game of Thrones. In GOT, actors, and actresses wore elaborate makeup and costumes. However, it appears that in the olden days, mummers’ plays were conducted slightly differently.
The costumes and makeup are quite sparse, and even the roles of the women (Rhaenyra and Alicent) are played by men. Given that this play highlights how the people seem to prefer a male as their ruler, the choice of actors seems to reflect a different period in the history of Westeros. This is likely inconsequential to the story, but still ranks as an interesting detail you might have missed in House of the Dragon episode 4.
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The Inscription on the Dagger
We once again see the Catspaw Dagger from Game of Thrones, as Viserys shows it to Rhaenyra to remind her of her greater duty. It is revealed that the dagger once belonged to Aenar Targaryen, before passing down to Aegon the Conqueror. The blade bears an inscription of Aegon’s prophecy. Only revealed in extreme heat, it reads: “From my blood come the Prince That Was Promised, and his will be the song of ice and fire.”
This is the first time we’re seeing the Prince That Was Promised mentioned in House of the Dragon. Of course, we know how that pans out in Game of Thrones, and who the prince actually is. House of the Dragon is giving some additional context to the theory. It’s possible it’ll continue to do so over its course.
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Moon tea
It is clear that King Viserys doubts his daughter has been celibate and that she remains a virgin. Therefore, he sends the Grand Maester to her chambers with some special tea. The tea is “moon tea” and is an abortifacient to prevent any unwanted pregnancies as a result of any sexual encounters Rhaenyra may have had.
Moon tea or tansy tea is a medicinal herbal tea used in the Seven Kingdoms, as well as beyond the Wall, to prevent or abort pregnancies. Moon tea is made generally by maesters and woods witches out of tansy, mint, wormwood, a spoon of honey, and a drop of pennyroyal.
Read next: What tea did the Maester serve Rhaenyra at the end of House of the Dragon episode 4?
Foreshadowing
When Rhaenyra and Daemon are in the streets of King’s Landing, an old blind crone asks her if she wishes to know her death. In Game of Thrones, a similar prediction was given to Cersei Lannister by Maggie the Frog, a woods witch who lived near Casterly Rock. Though Rhaenyra stares in fascination, she does not answer. The very next shot shows a wooden dragon’s head breathing fire.
Now, spoiler alert as we’re about to talk about Rhaenyra’s death as it occurs in the books. This scene is not a prophecy in the strict sense. However, it could definitely be a foreshadowing of the gruesome death that Rhaenyra faced in the original text.
Read more: All we know about the Triarchy from House of the Dragon
Well, those are the details you might’ve missed in House of the Dragon episode 4. What did you think about this episode? Let us know in the comments, down!
