In House of the Dragon, there are characters like Daemon Targaryen who are brutal and cold-blooded individuals, while King Viserys Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon are powerful leaders in their respective households. Then there's Queen Alicent, who is one of the more complex female characters alongside her childhood friend turned rival Rhaenyra.

Alicent may seem like just another sweet and elegant woman, but like her father and House Hightower, there is more to her than meets the eye. Alicent is written as vengeful, petty, and overly protective of her children. It’s clear that House of the Dragon wants to set her up as the show’s Cersei figure, but does it succeed at doing that?

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Alicent's Ambition

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When viewers first see Alicent in the early episodes, she seems like one of the more pleasant characters due to her friendly bond with Rhaenyra. She also expresses kindness and sympathy towards King Viserys after the emotional loss of his wife due to complications from childbirth (which is likely why he chose her as his next queen). However, once Alicent becomes queen, she slowly transforms into a calculating and ambitious ruler.

In Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister was always forward and direct in her actions. She would speak her mind and kill anyone who stood in her way, so that she could take her place on the throne. She was the one who told Lord Ned Stark the famous line: "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." This proved Cersei's determination to be the best ruler of the seven kingdoms.

Alicent may not be as cold or ruthless as Cersei (at least not yet), but she has slowly revealed her dark and rebellious side over the course of the first season. Every time there are signs of tension, Alicent bites her fingernails, which are revealed to be red, peeling, and messy. One example is when she sees her brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower, get knocked down in the tournament by Prince Daemon in the pilot episode. Another example of tension is when Alicent is uncomfortable and displeased as Viserys makes love to her late one evening.

Alicent also becomes annoyed by Rhaenyra's dismissive behavior when Alicent and Viserys are married. Rhaenyra disapproves of the marriage, feeling that her place as heir to the throne is being threatened and undermined, while Alicent believes that Rhaenyra is being selfish. However, Alicent is the one who can be viewed as evil, like Cersei, because she chose to be deceitful by not telling Rhaenyra beforehand that she was going to marry her father, the King. However, this proves that Alicent's goal is to gain control at the top to make House Hightower proud.

Alicent's Defiance

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Alicent has also become more defiant, especially towards King Viserys. When Rhaenyra's marriage to Laenor Velaryon is being celebrated, Alicent interrupts Viserys' speech by appearing in a green dress (the Hightower family's color which signifies war). This symbolizes that she is at odds with Viserys for firing her father Otto from his position as Hand of the King. Alicent also gives Rhaenyra a half-hearted congratulation for her matrimony to Laenor. Alicent's actions during this celebration show that, like Cersei, she is learning to stand up for herself and express her true feelings towards others through physical expression.

Alicent's true turning point is in episode seven, when she is older and bears more responsibility both as queen and as a mother of three. When her second-born son, Aemond, loses his eye while fighting with Rhaenyra's children (Luke and Jace Velaryon) after claiming Vhagar (the biggest dragon in Westeros), Alicent attempts to cut an eye out of one of Rhaenyra's children — but places a cut on Rhaenyra's arm instead. Alicent's violent behavior even surprises her father, especially when Otto tells her that he didn't believe she was capable of taking extreme action. This proves that Alicent's capabilities are unpredictable, meaning that Rhaenyra and Viserys need to watch their backs.

Alicent's growth also further shows that she deeply cares about her children and their succession, much like how Cersei loved and did everything she could to keep her kids by her side. Unfortunately, Cersei was unable to protect her children. The snobbish Joffrey and sweet Myrcella were each poisoned, while the more passive Tommen took his own life. The consequences of Cersei's actions negatively impacted her kids and the pressure they endured. Aemond started out passive like his mother, but when he claimed Vhagar, Aemond became more villainous and ambitious to be a bigger man and will likely intend to claim the throne in the future. Alicent will need to make sure Aemond is mindful of how he behaves and fights with others so that he doesn't lose another eye.

Aegon, Alicent's firstborn son, is like Joffrey in the sense that he acts very irresponsibly, harassing women and drinking too much wine. Alicent is very stern towards him because she wants her eldest son to know his place and take his duties more seriously.

Can Alicent Become More Violent In The Future?

House of the Dragon Emma D'Arcy Olivia Cooke Rhaenyra Alicent

Alicent is very much like Cersei due to her ambition to conquer the throne and to have her children lined up to succeed her. However, while Cersei was a cold-blooded murderer who showed no mercy toward her enemies, time will tell if Alicent is willing to kill. Like Cersei, Alicent does have people loyal to her who will be able to carry out her dirty business. Ser Criston Cole is a skilled fighter who has devoted himself to his queen, while the deceiving Larys Strong had his own father and brother killed in order to please Alicent and have Otto return as Hand of the King.

Alicent will undoubtedly be a driving force who determines how this season (and the next one) goes and will have more dramatic confrontations with the Targaryen family. As Cersei did in the original series, Alicent will fight for her position to control the future of Westeros.

House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO and HBO Max.

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