WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 8 and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!
Summary
Not only is it shocking that Alicent Hightower sneaks into Dragonstone to meet with Rhaenyra, but she also makes two unexpected choices regarding Aegon’s life and her feelings for Rhaenyra inHouse of the Dragon’s season 2 finale. As the Dance of the Dragons’ story unravels,Alicent and Rhaenyra surprisingly take on reverse arcs. Alicent now betrays her initial ideals and abandons the need to follow the plan always set out for her. In contrast, Rhaenyra now betrays her rebelliousness and compromising nature to follow the path laid out for her that she believes is ordained by the gods.
InHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s ending, Alicent begs Rhaenyra to spare herself and Helaena so they can live anonymously elsewhere. While she prepares for Aemond’s inevitable fate as he leaves for Harrenhal, Alicent initially asks that Rhaenyra spare Aegon. However,Rhaenyra reminds Alicent of her own words: “It’s too late.” Rhaenyra has no choice but to kill Aegon to end the opposition. Despite betraying her morals and duties in motherhood,Alicent accepts that Aegon must die. While Rhaenyra rejects Alicent’s offer to come with her, they’re now agreed as they set out on two very different, dangerous paths.
Why Alicent Is Prepared To Let Rhaenyra Kill Aegon
Alicent Chooses Helaena’s Freedom & Peace Over Aegon’s Life
While she recognizes his faults and that she failed him growing up, Alicent is very defensive and protective over Aegon. He’s her first child and, like herself, has been burdened with the expectations and responsibilities of his duties to the crown and family that he never wanted. He may be a petty, bratty, petulant, and often cruel boy, butHouse of the Dragonhumanizes Aegonto the point where he garners substantial sympathy.Aegon is quite a tragic figure in this story, and Alicent has never known how to properly care for, support, morally guide, or control him.
For this reason, Alicent isn’t as willing to permit Aegon’s death as she would Aemond, whose uncontrollable rage and tyranny make her see him more as a monster. As Rhaenyra points out,Alicent mistaking Aegon’s name for Aegon the Conquerorled her to facilitate this war and usurpation, so she feels responsible for the dangerous and authoritative position that Aegon is now in. Still,she knows that Aegon is not innocent in the war – his faults largely outway his virtuesand he makes cruel and impetuous decisions in his authority.
At this point, Alicent believes that Rhaenyra has effectively won the war due to her army of dragons and dragonriders greatly outnumbering the Greens.
Ultimately, Alicent is no longer naive enough to believe she can protect Aegon when he is the one who stole and sits on Rhaenyra’s throne. Now that Rhaenyra has the upper hand, Alicent has a choice: spare Aegon, continue the war, remain in her prison of a castle, and watch her family die with shame and blood on her hands, or allowRhaenyra to take King’s Landing, kill Aegon, and let herself and Helaena – the only real innocent authority in this war – go free.Alicent must decide between letting Aegon die or condemning herself and Helaena to misery, so she opts for the former.
Why House Of The Dragon Changed The Book With Alicent & Rhaenyra’s Meeting
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 3 makes a big change to Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Fire & Blood story, but with good reason.
Why Alicent Wants Rhaenyra To Come Away With Her
Alicent’s choice in preparing to let Rhaenyra kill Aegon makes sense as a desperate and reluctant decision to save her innocent daughter, but asking Rhaenyra to go away with her is quite surprising. There’s long been atheory that Alicent and Rhaenyra were romantically involvedas teenagers, withOlivia Cooke even admitting that she plays Queen Alicent with her own (non-canon) belief that she and Rhaenyra had kissedat some point. A romantic link made all of their betrayals and feuds far more tragic and devastating, with there seemingly being no way that the two could ever find a happy future together.
Whether their relationship is platonic or does have romantic undertones, Alicent and Rhaenyra’s last truly happy days were together right before Aemma died.
That is, until Alicent suggests that they run away together. Whether their relationship is platonic or does have romantic undertones, Alicent and Rhaenyra’s last truly happy days were together right beforeAemma Arryn died. Rhaenyra even wanted to run away with Alicent and just ride her dragon and eat cake every day, but Alicent reminded her that they have duties in King’s Landing. Now, over 20 years later,Alicent wants Rhaenyra to run away with her and live the life they dreamed of together as teenagers, with Rhaenyra sadly denying her because of the duties she has in King’s Landing.
How Many Children Alicent Has In HOTD (& What Happens To Them)
House of the Dragon’s Queen Alicent Hightower, second wife to King Viserys, bears him children who are key players in the Dance of the Dragons.
Alicent and Rhaenyra have always been confined by the expectations and plans laid out for them, duties to their families, and constraints as the daughters of powerful men and mothers of powerful boys. Reflecting the meaning ofAlicent’s lake scene inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6, they never had the freedom to choose their own paths or peace in life. Alicent offers this opportunity to Rhaenyra in the hopes that they can achieve those dreams of freedom and autonomy they had as teens, knowing it was stolen from them by the limiting expectations of service and power.
What Happens To Alicent After House Of The Dragon Season 2
Alicent Doesn’t Get The Freedom She Wishes For
UnlessHouse of the Dragongreatly departs from George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodbook,Alicent won’t be able to flee King’s Landing as she hopes. In the book, Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing and spares Alicent and Helaena, though they remain in the Red Keep under Team Black’s watch. While Rhaenyra has King’s Landing, Alicent watches Otto be executed,Helaena die by suicide, and Aemond die in a duel against Daemon. She ultimately blames Rhaenyra for Helaena’s death, and stays in the Red Keep when Rhaenyra flees to Dragonstone after a series of dangerous riots in King’s Landing.
Tragically,House of the Dragon’s Alicent Hightower dies alone of winter fever in the Red Keep two years after the war, having grown to hate the color green.
AfterAegon kills Rhaenyra on Dragonstone, Alicent soon sees her son die when Aegon is fatally poisoned by his own men. Alicent is spared during the Hour of the Wolf, when Cregan Stark exacts justice against traitors and criminals in the war, and remains in King’s Landing after her granddaughter, Jaehaera, dies by suicide after marrying Rhaenyra’s son King Aegon III Targaryen. Tragically,House of the Dragon’s Alicent Hightower dies alone of winter fever in the Red Keep two years after the war, having grown to hate the color green.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
