‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 4 Ending Explained: Did Rhaenyra Have Sex With Both Daemon AND Ser Criston?

HBO‘s House of the Dragon put the rampant rumors to rest and finally explained what the heck happened between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and her Uncle Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and what happened between the princess and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). Readers of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood will know that the book’s pages are oozing with salacious rumors about the teenaged Rhaenyra’s sexual exploits. One account says that Daemon seduced his niece and “claimed her maidenhood,” while the court gossip Mushroom’s version of events has Daemon giving Rhaenyra “kissing lessons” and the like so she could in turn seduce her white knight, Ser Criston Cole. House of the Dragon Episode 4 puts the rumors to bed, literally.

In House of the Dragon Episode 4, Prince Daemon returns to King’s Landing proclaiming himself the “King of the Narrow Sea.” However he quickly diffuses the tensions in court by bending the knee to big brother Viserys (Paddy Considine) and making nice with the family. However, Daemon soon lures Rhaenyra out of the castle using secret passages that lead out to the city. With both Targaryens donning rough spun disguises, they are able to enjoy a night out passing as commoners.

Eventually Daemon leads Rhaenyra to a brothel, where he takes her to a back room. He explains to Rhaenyra that marriage is a duty, but sex is an important source of human pleasure. From there, the stage is set for some good old fashioned creepy Game of Thrones incest. Uncle and niece begin making out…but do they go all the way? Later in the night, Rhaenyra certainly does have sex with Ser Criston Cole, but did homegirl have two men in one night? She certainly swore to Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) that nothing happened between her and Daemon (or Criston). [Insert eye emoji here.]

But what exactly did Rhaenyra do and should she be in big trouble for it? Does Rhaenyra drink the moon tea her father sends her? And more importantly, what does that moon tea signify? Let’s break down House of the Dragon Episode 4…

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON EPISODE 4 ENDING EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE TEA RHAENYRA IS SENT? DOES RHAENYRA DRINK THE MOON TEA?

The final moments of House of the Dragon Episode 4 show Grand Maester Melios (David Horovitch) bringing a specially-brewed tea for Rhaenyra courtesy of her father. Rhaenyra seems confused and the maester explains in delicate terms that this tea is a form of birth control. Whether or not she takes it is left up in the air as the final shot of the episode is Rhaenyra staring at the bottle.

What we do know, however, is that despite what he’s said, Viserys believes his daughter did have sex…with Daemon. He will defend her to outside schemers and threaten to take the eyes out of anyone who saw her, but he definitely believes Rhaenyra lost her V-card. Otherwise he would not send her Moon Tea, Westeros’s preferred form of birth control.

The question, though, is who did Rhaenyra have sex with? Who could have gotten her pregnant?

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON EPISODE 4 ENDING EXPLAINED: DOES DAEMON HAVE SEX WITH RHAENYRA?

I don’t know about you, but the way the scene in the pleasure house is shot feels purposely ambiguous. It’s so dimly lit, it makes the battle scene in “The Long Night” feel bright. There are quick cuts and hands moving offscreen. However it seems that while Daemon does bring Rhaenyra to the pillow house to be publicly seduced — and we’ll get to that in a minute — he does not have it in him to go all the way.

Daemon introduces the idea of “fucking as a pleasure” to Rhaenyra as he takes her through room after room of people enjoying sexy times together. The erotism of this scene is juxtaposed with poor Alicent suffering through what is obviously marital rape with Viserys. She does not want to be having sex at this time with this man, but she has to fake a smile and stare off, glass-eyed disassociating the whole time because he is the king.

Rhaenyra and Daemon kiss at the same time, showing initial shared consent. As they kiss, Daemon explains “marriage is a duty, but that doesn’t stop us from doing what we want and fucking who we want.” The kissing becomes heavier. Rhaenyra wraps her hand around Daemon’s neck and lets him lead her against a wall. He undoes her top and seems to pull down her pants. We can’t see what happens beneath the waist, but Daemon is still clothed. When Rhaenyra turns to face him, he withdraws from her kisses. She tries to kiss him again and again and finally he angrily breaks it off.

We watch him walk off, followed by a confused, cap-less Rhaenyra. A child sees this and skulks off as a spy.

So it seems that while Daemon and Rhaenyra engage in serious foreplay in a public setting — where they could be witnessed by fellow pleasure-seekers and well-placed spies — they do not have intercourse. Daemon seduces Rhaenyra in such a way to cast aspersions on her virtue so that Viserys has no choice but to let him wed his niece, Targaryen style.

However things don’t quite work out that way. One, because Daemon is already married to Rhea Royce, his “Bronze Bitch.” Two, Viserys is horrified by Daemon’s actions. And three, a horny and unsatisfied Rhaenyra decides to take…Ser Criston Cole…

HOW DOES RHAENYRA LOSE HER VIRGINITY IN HOUSE OF THE DRAGON?

Well, if you believe that Daemon stopped short of actually having intercourse with his niece — which was honestly my read of it? — then Rhaenyra officially loses her virginity to Ser Criston Cole.

After Daemon leaves Rhaenyra all horned up and alone, she sneaks back into the castle and lets Ser Criston see her in her page boy disguise. Ser Criston realizes she has slipped out while he’s been standing guard at her door and understandably freaks out. She teases the knight by stealing his helment, forcing him to follow.  Finally she kisses him. He whispers, “Stop,” before letting her lead him closer to the bed. She begins to take off his armor one piece at a time. Once it’s off, he fully embraces the moment.

Kudos to Fabien Frankel for playing this scene with such tenderness because it’s clear Ser Criston is torn. He does not want to break his Kingsguard vows, but he also is clearly in love with his princess. The fact that she initiates things only serves as a greater temptation. Finally Ser Criston succumbs and the two make love in a romantic, soft, tasteful way that undercuts how this is a consensual sex scene. (Though you could say Ser Criston is coerced because he has to do what he’s ordered, but there is enough space for him to revoke consent and he never does.)

So weirdly, it seems Mushroom’s account of events was the right one. Or the version House of the Dragon paid the most attention to in this adaptation.

It’s interesting to think that Rhaenyra was probably emboldened by Daemon’s explanation that they, as Targaryens, can do what they want and take what they want. But will there be consequences for Rhaenyra’s seduction of Ser Criston Cole? Well, this is the world of Game of Thrones, so we’re going to bet yes.