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House of the Dragon Season 1 is approaching its halfway point, and things are heating up in King’s Landing. The latest episode sees the triumphant return of Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) — though it proves shortlived. King Viserys (Paddy Considine) finds a new reason to banish his brother during “King of the Narrow Sea.” And Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) finds herself in hot water as well. She manages to So, when does House of the Dragon Episode 5 air on HBO?

[Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon Episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea.”]

‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 4 takes a surprising turn

Milly Alcock and Matt Smith as Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon' for our article about episode 5. They're standing beneath a tree with red petals, and Daemon is holding the necklace around Rhaenyra's neck.
Milly Alcock and Matt Smith in ‘House of the Dragon’ | Ollie Upton/HBO

House of the Dragon Episode 4 sees Daemon Targaryen returning to King’s Landing to celebrate the end of the war at the Stepstones. Unfortunately, he doesn’t remain in his brother’s good graces for long. After bringing Rhaenyra to a brothel, rumors crop up about the pair — and they aren’t entirely unfounded. Daemon and Rhaenyra do share a moment during their adventure, though things don’t go as far as the whispers suggest.

That doesn’t stop Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) from telling the king what people are saying. In denial, Viserys defends his daughter — but he’s less forgiving when it comes to Daemon. He banishes his brother from King’s Landing once again. He also insists that Rhaenyra end her courtship, deciding that she’ll marry Ser Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate).

Rhaenyra agrees to this, but she has her own demands. She plants seeds of distrust between Viserys and Otto, suggesting that Otto doesn’t have the realm’s interests in mind. She pushes her father to fire his Hand of the King. And he does so during the final moments of the episode, coming to the same conclusions as his daughter.

That’s sure to shake things up between Rhaenyra and Alicent (Emily Carey), both of whom share a brief — albeit deceptive — truce during “King of the Narrow Sea.” When Alicent approaches Rhaenyra about her father’s allegations, Rhaenyra convinces her they’re false. And Alicent believes her, so much so that she vouches for her with the king.

Of course, Rhaenyra leaves out the fact that she did sleep with someone after her outing with Daemon: Ser Criston Cole (Fabiel Franken). That omission may come back to bite her, especially if Alicent gets wind of it. Hopefully, it doesn’t derail her wedding plans in House of the Dragon Episode 5.

When is ‘House of the Dragon’ on? Episode 5 release date and time

With so much drama unfolding during House of the Dragon Episode 4, episode 5 promises to further increase the tensions in King’s Landing. After all, Rhaenyra’s getting married. And the fallout of what happened between her and Criston Cole promises to create friction, as does Otto Hightower’s firing. So, when can viewers expect the next chapter of the Game of Thrones prequel?

New episodes of House of the Dragon air every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT, meaning the fifth chapter will come out on Sept. 18. Each installment arrives on HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET, allowing those on the West coast to tune in slightly earlier.

Here’s the full release schedule for House of the Dragon Season 1:

  • Episode 1 – Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 2 – Aug. 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 3 – Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 4 – Sept. 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 5 – Sept. 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 6 – Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 7 – Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 8 – Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 9 – Oct. 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • Episode 10 – Oct. 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Episode 5 will take House of the Dragon fans into the second half of the season, and that means some major changes are on the horizon. What can viewers expect next week?

What to expect when episode 5 airs on HBO

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According to HBO’s preview for House of the Dragon Episode 5, the next installment will feature Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding. Like other weddings on Game of Thrones, it promises to get messy. In fact, the promo footage shows a brawl breaking out during the festivities — though it’s unclear what’s causing all the hostility.

The preview revisits the public perception of Rhaenyra’s succession, which could be the cause of all the trouble. However, her romance with Criston Cole could just as easily boil over. The teaser shows the young knight unsheathing his sword, so he’ll be involved in the fight one way or another.

The final moments of the preview also see Otto Hightower telling Alicent that she should prepare Aegon to lead. He reveals that King Viserys will perish soon. However, the show’s been teasing that development for some time, and we’ve seen little follow-through so far.

Whatever happens in the next installment, House of the Dragon fans should prepare to bid farewell to young Rhaenyra and young Alicent soon. We know another time jump is coming, one that will see Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke taking over those roles. And now that we’re at the halfway point, it could happen any time. Fortunately, we’ll get to spend a little more time with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey in episode 5.

House of the Dragon Episode 5 arrives on Sunday, Sept 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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