As the Dance of the Dragons begins in House of The Dragon, Alicent Hightower has become a vital player in the show. The once meek and sweet Queen has become sharp, power-hungry, and protective of her brood, more than ever.She is a formidable woman who is definitely going to be someone to watch out for in upcoming episodes. First played by Emily Carey and then by Olivia Cooke, the leader of Team Green has caught Twitter’s attention, which has led to the creation of some seriously funny tweets about Rhaenyra Targaryen’s former best friend.
Alicent’s Marriage Plans
At the start, Alicent’s and Rhaenyra’s relationship was a beautiful friendship between two young women, but Otto’s power grab and Alicent’s submission to his manipulation led to a rather big crack in the dynamic between the Princess and Lady Hightower.
The first betrayal was Alicent’s secret courtship with Viserys, which hit Rhaenyra hard since her best friend and father were going to be together. It was awkward and laughable when one thought of it in a lighter vein, and how Alicent must have felt.
Alicent’s Green Flag
After hearing about Daemon and Rhaenyra’s relationship, and her flagrant disrespect for all the rules that Alicent had to abide by, something shifted in the Queen. She no longer wanted to be good and obedient but chose to display her war colors proudly.
She made quite the entrance at Rhaenyra’s wedding to Laenor, and definitely made everything about herself. Whispers about her green dress, her words “stepdaughter” and interrupting the King’s speech were heard through the Kingdoms.
Alicent Or Aemma?
Poor Alicent had felt insulted and shortchanged almost every step of the way, but when Viserys called her Aemma by accident and told Ser Harold to leave her be, Alicent was enraged and insulted.
It definitely made for an embarrassing scene for her, but fans of Team Black enjoyed seeing Alicent suffer a bit for her bitterness and anger with this small taunt by Viserys.
Alicent’s Attack
Alicent came to blows with Rhaenyra in episode 7, and fans still can’t believe that her attack, with the Catspaw dagger nonetheless, on how she felt the future heir to the Iron Throne went unpunished.
It was an unhinged moment for the Queen, because she actively ignored the King’s commands, and attacked his daughter over a children’s brawl gone wrong. It brought forth an unpredictable side to her, and fans are shocked and awed by her ability to wriggle out of it all.
Alicent Adapts To The Queer Customs
When questioning Rhaenyra about her relations with Daemon, Alicent mentioned Targaryen customs and how odd they could be, but to angle for the Iron Throne and rule it, even she bent to them and accepted them with her children.
Alicent betrothed her two children to each other to become stronger, and have a political advantage. She judged others for doing it but did away with it when it came to her own deeds.
Alicent’s Eye For An Eye
Alicent’s bloodlust when Aemond was hurt was almost out of control, so when she demanded that Rhaenyra’s child have an eye cut out to compensate, some fans might have thought that she was joking.
Alas, she was very intent on the plan and Ser Criston was ready to do the deed too. Rhaenyra quickly retreated, protecting her kids from their step-grandmother who was intent on hurting them.
Viserys’ Disregard For Alicent’s Children
It was clear that Viserys cared for Aemma only, and Rhaenyra was his first priority as their daughter. He wed Alicent but did not offer the children he had with her the same preference as he did with the Princess.
This made Alicent, who was one of the most powerful Queen Mothers, furious. She had put up with all the rules of the land but Viserys just did not care for anyone as much as his firstborn daughter.
Alicent’s Whispers
The parentage of Rhaenyra’s children was heavily discussed, and Alicent in particular had a bone to pick. She could not let go of the fact that Laenor was not the father, and she passed on the vitriol to her very young children.
When Aemond was questioned about who told him this, Alicent was shivering in her boots. She thought she could commit treason without consequences, but the greens only shuffled around the blame as well as they could, which was hilarious.
A Friendship Lost
Otto Hightower’s machinations and Alicent’s consequent seductions led to their House becoming stronger, and Alicent lost the one true friend she had. Rhaenyra and her were tight, and they could have been wonderful allies to each other in the future. Their fabled friendship could have been something beautiful.
Funnily enough, they were comparable to Barbie characters in their childhood but became quite ghoulish to each other in their youth.
Alicent Does The Most
It’s no secret — Alicent has been a quiet agent of chaos throughout House of The Dragon. From the bombshell she dropped about her marriage to Viserys to her infamous wedding entrance, to the fuss she created about Rhaenyra’s babies, she was always looking to create trouble.
She does whatever she can to secure her place at the Throne, even if that means attacking her old friend with a knife. Alicent propels the show with her need to do everything at once.
