Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2 has Alicent Hightower remain the dowager queen without a husband, begging the question of whether another marriage is in her future. After being positioned as a sympathetic antagonist inHouse of the Dragonseason 1,House of the Dragonseason 2 has gone a long way to furthering Alicent’s plight. This was showcased byHouse of the Dragonseason 2 episode 6’s ending, with Alicent being removed from her seat at the Small Council by her son, Aemond.
Olivia Cooke, the actor responsible for Alicent inHouse of the Dragon’s cast, does an admirable job of making the character stand out among otherworldly aspects. FromDaemon’s Harrenhal visionsand armies of marching men to what is going on with Rhaenyra Targaryen and the claiming of thedragon Seasmoke by Addam of Hull, it is a wonder that Alicent’s comparatively unspectacular storyline persists as one of the show’s stronger aspects. InHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6, a potential new storyline for Alicent is raised concerning her marital status, raising lots of intriguing questions for future episodes.
The following sections contain spoilers for Fire and Blood, and thus, House of the Dragon’s future seasons.
Alicent Hightower Does Not Get Married Again In House Of The Dragon
Alicent’s Marriage To Viserys Is Her Only Legal Partnership
Despite remaining in a position of political power,Alicent does not remarry inHouse of the Dragon. This is outlined inFire and Blood, the book on whichHouse of the Dragonis based. Alicent remains by the side of her children throughout the Dance of Dragons and outlives the fighting and bloodshed. Alicent eventually was confined to her room in the Red Keep during the reign of Aegon III, the unfortunate winner of theTargaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons.
Even after this, Alicent was not remarried. She also never had any more children, with Aegon, Aemond, Helaena, and Daeron being her only offspring. Given that Alicent died shortly after the end of the Dance of Dragons due to an illness known as the Winter Fever, her life after being married to King Viserys I was without another partner besidesHouse of the Dragon’s Criston Cole, with whom her relationship was kept under wraps.
WTF Is Going On With Alicent & Criston Cole In House Of The Dragon Season 2?
Alicent Hightower and Ser Criston Cole have an unexpected relationship in House of the Dragon season 2, and it reveals a lot about both of them.
Why Doesn’t Alicent Hightower Need To Marry Again In House Of The Dragon?
Alicent Does Not Remarry For Several Reasons In House Of The Dragon
In the world ofGame of Thrones, marriage bonds are one of the primary methods of securing political power. Alliances are often built on marital pacts, meaning Alicent’s remarriage would surely be a benefit to the Greens as they vie for power against Rhaenyra and the Blacks.This possibility was raised inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6, with the Small Council suggesting Alicent offer her hand to Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken, for his support against Rhaenyra. Alicent shoots down the possibility, leading many to wonder why she does not need to marry again.
Alicent is the dowager queen/queen mother, which automatically gives her a much stronger position of power than simply being the wife of a high lord…
For one, Alicent remarrying may not be being pushed as severely due to respect of King Viserys. Given that she was the spouse of the most recent king before Aegon, it could be seen as improper or disrespectful to Viserys' legacy if Alicent married someone else. Secondly, Alicent is the dowager queen/queen mother, which automatically gives her a much stronger position of power than simply being the wife of a high lord in Westeros.
Finally, the Greens have better candidates for marriage. Jaehaera, the surviving daughter of Aegon and Helaena fromHouse of the Dragon’s Blood and Cheese sequence, would be better suited for a marriage pact than Alicent. Jaehaera is much younger and thus could guarantee a long life with her suitor in the future, as well as the possibility of providing many children. InFire and Blood,Alicent is depicted as slightly older than she is inHouse of the Dragon, but her age could still factor into why her marriage to another lord is not the strongest of ideas.
Alicent Not Marrying Again Is Similar To Cersei Lannister
Another Comparison Between Alicent & Game Of Thrones' Cersei Is Drawn
SinceHouse of the Dragonseason 1, similarities between Alicen Hightower andGame of Thrones' Cersei Lannister have been raised. Both were once wives to the king of the Seven Kingdoms and afterward became dowager queens/queen mothers to their children. Similarly, Cersei was one ofGame of Thrones' primary antagonists, something Alicent is to those who support Rhaenyra and the Blacks inHouse of the Dragon. Now, another similarity has been found, with neither Alicent nor Cersei remarrying after the deaths of their ruling husbands.
Cersei and Alicent also engage in illicit sexual affairs with members of the Kingsguard, Jaime and Criston respectively.
InGame of Thrones, Cersei did not remarry after the death of Robert Baratheon. While she was pushed into marrying Loras Tyrell, the death of Tywin Lannister saw her granted more power in King’s Landing, leading to Loras' arrest by the High Sparrow on Cersei’s orders. Eventually, the death of Cersei’s remaining son, Tommen Baratheon, saw her become queen, where she openly engaged in incestuous relations with Jaime without remarrying.
No, Alicent Isn’t House Of The Dragon’s Version Of Cersei
Alicent Hightower is being compared to Game of Thrones' Cersei Lannister. However, Alicent is a very different antagonist from the GOT villain.
As outlined earlier, Alicent is similar in that she does not remarry. The comparisons between Cersei and Alicent may be somewhat unfair given the former’s outright evil nature and the latter’s more complex characterization, but their similarities are evident. Going forward, it will be interesting to see if the Small Council attempts to push Alicent into remarrying, as they did with Cersei inGame of Thrones. If so,House of the Dragonseason 2 may only further the strong development of Alicent Hightower.
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.
