Who will Rhaenyra marry? Will Viserys break his promise? 5 burning questions ahead of House Of The Dragon episode 4

We got a time jump of six months between the first and second episodes. Then we skipped ahead another three years. Now it looks like we’re fast-forwarding again. In the preview for “King Of The Narrow Sea,” there’s a line about the king’s son being three years old. So it looks like we’ll be heading at least a year in the future this time. The baby Alicent was carrying is an infant now. Looks like she’s managed to do her one job—ensuring the future of the Targaryen royal line. This may be the last episode we get to see Emily Carey and Milly Alcock. So let’s relish them while we can, before their older counterparts step in and take over.

Viserys had a tough act to follow when he first came to power. His grandfather, King Jaehaerys the Conciliator, reigned over a peaceful and prosperous kingdom for many years. After his death, King Viserys not only inherited the crown, he also inherited the goodwill of the people. He hosted balls, tournaments, and hunting parties, and generally kept the people happy. But underneath all the revelry, the foundation of his rule may not be as solid as it appears.As we’ve seen in the episodes so far, Viserys has a good heart but he’s not well-suited to politics. He’s guileless, quick to appease, and easily manipulated. He’s not great at making hard choices, often ignoring problems (like his brother Daemon) rather than confronting them directly. A soft king can only last so long before his shortcomings become glaringly obvious and people start taking advantage. Which is already happening. How much longer can he keep his council in line? Or his brother? Or his daughter? How can he rule a kingdom without its respect?

At the end of the previous episode, “Second Of His Name,” Viserys vowed to Rhaenyra on her mother’s memory that he would not replace her. But can he really keep that vow? The king is already feeling pressure on several fronts to go back on his declaration and name his young son Aegon as the heir instead, and as previously mentioned, he’s not immune to manipulation. Naming the kid Aegon was a power move in itself (whether it was Alicent or Otto’s idea we don’t know), bringing to mind the number one Targaryen king, Aegon the Conqueror. It’s safe to say that the Hightowers aren’t the only folks uncomfortable with the idea of bending the knee to Queen Rhaenyra in the not-too-distant future. Are the small folk ready for a female ruler? Will the king bend to tradition or stand by his daughter? Will he even have the choice before the throne itself cuts him to pieces?

There’s no maiden in the kingdom more eligible or powerful than Rhaenyra Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone. Jason Lannister took his shot during the hunting party, and there will be more where he came from. Viserys has given his daughter permission to make her own choice, but she doesn’t seem eager to do that. Probably because it involves entertaining offers from every noble house with an unmarried son from the coast of Dorne to the Wall. But as Lyonel Strong pointed out to the king, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look closer to home. No, not Ser Criston Cole, who seems to be the only man who’s caught Rhaenyra’s eye. He’s sworn to the Kingsguard and therefore unable to marry. Maybe that’s why she finds him so appealing.Lord Strong’s top contender is actually Ser Laenor Velaryon, last seen torching the Crabfeeder’s men on dragonback at the end of the previous episode. He’s handsome, age-appropriate, wealthy, and has Targaryen blood. Marrying him would also appease Laenor’s father, the Sea Snake, who’s still feeling slighted by the king’s choice to marry Alicent Hightower over his daughter, Laena. Sure, Laenor is Rhaenyra’s second cousin, but at least he’s not her two-year-old half-brother. Speaking of relatives, there’s another dark horse candidate to consider. Daemon is on his way back to court, triumphant in victory. And he may already have a reward in mind for his service to the crown.