House of the Dragon

The clause moderate raider from House of the Dragon . Asshowrunner Ryan Condal discusses the shocking deathin theHouse of the Dragonfinale , season 1 outlined the upshot leading up to the Targaryen Civil War . By the finale , Queen Rhaenyra and King Aegon II are quick to channelize into warfare over their claim to the Iron Throne .

However , King Aegon in reality has little to do with the feud within his family . It is his female parent Alicent Hightower who builds the tension within the Targaryen theater , holding a grudge against her ex - friend Rhaenyra for many years . From plotting to being unwilling to forgive Rhaenyra for lying , Alicent make some tough decisions throughout the first season that leave to this war .

Leaving Rhaenyra In The Dark

It ’s hard to blame Alicent for the union between her and Viserys since it was her forefather ’s plotting and Viserys ' ultimate conclusion that lead to the union . However , she hide her suit of Viserys from Rhaenyra before the married couple .

After their marriage , Rhaenyra feel bewray by her friend and Fatherhood , which caused a serious rift in their friendship . While Rhaenyra might not have been happy about the marriage no matter what , Alicent may have been able to avoid such antagonism between the two former protagonist had she been fair about her outgo metre with Viserys in the first place .

Holding Her Command Over Rhaenyra

After the marriage , Alicent was the queer of the Seven Kingdoms and had the gamey command over the mass under the king . This included her word holding more weight than even the heritor , Princess Rhaenyra .

Instead of attempt to connect with Rhaenyra and state her desire to still be on equal terms with her friend , Alicent holds her position over the princess ' school principal . This is made obvious when she commands the bard to leave in " Second of His Name " even after Rhaenyra demands that he stay on play . Though she seemed to want to reconnect with her acquaintance , this made it clear she could and would nurse her own power over Rhaenyra if and when she chose .

Forgiving Criston (And Not Rhaenyra)

After Alicent lay off Ser Criston from taking his own life and deliver him from his grief and sorrow , Criston becameone of Alicent ’s greatest ally . Both of them bonded over their equal hate for Rhaenyra .

She take to forgive Criston for having an affair with Rhaenyra , which she thought was immortal because he showed bully self-reproach for his conclusion . However , though he was as much to blame for the affair as the princess , Alicent chooses to forgive him while still holding on to her grudge towards Rhaenyra . Though Criston showed more serious-mindedness , Alicent should have debate Rhaenyra ’s attitude if she confessed to something like this .

Spreading The Bastard Gossip

Alicent ’s hatred grow as Rhaenyra ’s family did . Some of Alicent ’s shadiest burnsare reference the fact that Rhaenyra ’s Logos are likely prick - yield and look more like Ser Harwin Strong than their don Laenor Velaryon .

Not only did she make her belief of Rhaenyra ’s sons screw , but she fight these demeaning thoughts on her child . These rumor , regardless of the truth behind them , are one of the chief reasons her nipper originate up detest their nephews . Alicent ’s spitefulness towards Rhaenyra straightaway begins the war within the Targaryen family .

Planning To Place Aegon On The Throne

When Aegon was a sister , Alicent did n’t seem very concerned with placing her Logos on the throne . However , as her hate for Rhaenyra suppurate into something more diabolical , she start putting it into Aegon ’s head that he should be king .

People might argue that Alicent had a variety of centre before Viserys died , shown in the way she seems to need to make indemnification with Rhaenyra during their family dinner in " The Lord of the Tides . " However , at this point , she had already been raising her son to conceive he is the rightful heir and should devise himself to govern in his baby ’s place .

Demanding An Eye For An Eye

One of Alicent ’s key mannerismsis her love life for her syndicate , especially her children . However , this can be expressed in toxic ways . When Lucerys takes Aemond ’s eye defend his older brother , Alicent demand that Viserys take Lucerys ' eye in revenge .

This is one of her bad decision throughout the whole series because she exhibit in front of the whole motor hotel that there is a water parting in the Targaryen category , which leaves them vulnerable to possible enemies . It also demonstrate to Rhaenyra that she in truth could n’t be trusted , and her hate had evolved into ferocity .

Not Putting An Effort In With Aegon

Most of the time when Alicent is seen with her honest-to-god Word , it is when she ’s holler at him for his behavior and demand he focus on the bigger movie . What the audience does n’t see is her trying to push him to win and change his behavior .

While Aegon did seem to have a character that is prone to selfishness and arrogance , he also did n’t seem to have anyone that attempt to guide him in the right direction . alternatively , those around him are more content to control him once he rules . Had Alicent made the active decision to seek to guide him instead of just scolding him , she might have made a more appropriate conclusion placing him on the Iron Throne .

Going Against Viserys' Wishes

One of the mostheartbreaking details about Viserys ' deathis that his last words come out a war . However , the incrimination can not be put on the king in his delirious state . When Alicent see him mouth about Aegon , she start to close and interprets his mutterings as him wishing for Aegon II to be Martin Luther King .

While this may seem like an honest " mistake , " Alicent was well cognizant her husband was suffering from a lot of pain , was under the influence of drug , and had not been in his right creative thinker . However , she chose to use his words to apologise her own agenda . By utilizing his last intelligence to make it appear as if she ’s doing something moral , she ’s really last against his repeatedly said desire for Rhaenyra to be queen .

Forcing The Lords Of The Kingdom

Alicent is not actively seen forcing any lord to swear dedication to Aegon . However , she sit on the Green Council and is intent on force Rhaenyra to submit to Aegon , prove she expects all the other lords to follow the princess in this meekness .

When Ser Criston kill Lord Beesbury for speak out against her , she seems broken but does n’t take any activity to criminate him for killing a lord of the region . This decision suggest that they ’ll recur to violence and scare tactic to get other lords to agree with them assume the throne .

Plotting The Coup

Aegon II ends up on the Iron Throne by the remnant of season one , but he ’s not the one in control . Despite her differences with her father , it was both of them that worked to usurp Rhaenyra ’s throne and replace her with Aegon .

Alicent seems tear at clock time throughout the years as to whether or not Aegon should take Rhaenyra ’s championship . However , during the coup d’etat , she goes as far as to practice panic attack tactic and interlock Princess Rhaenys up in her way to prevent her going away . This decision solidify her decision to take over Rhaenyra ’s locating , at all toll , even start up a war .

Next:10 Memes That Perfectly Sum Up Queen Alicent From House Of The Dragon

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Alicent and her son Aegon alongside an image of her holding a knife up to Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon.

Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra and Emily Carey as Alicent in House of the Dragon

Alicent Hightower is pregnant in House of the Dragon episode 3.

Alicent talking to Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon.

Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon in House Of The Dragon episode 10

Aegon in knight’s armor in House of the Dragon

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower lunging at Rhaenyra with a knife on House of the Dragon

Alicent talking to Prince Aegon in House Of The Dragon.

Viserys, drugged and bedbound from his failing health, on House of the Dragon

Alicent in a Small Council meeting, looking confused and upset, in House of the Dragon

Alicent Hightower at the coronation in House Of The Dragon Episode 9

House of the Dragon