'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon': Is Alicent Princess Rhaenyra's future stepmom?
'Game of Thrones' prequel 'House of the Dragon' has had one of the most stellar openings of all time. The series is filled with drama and adventures with twisted and captivating storylines and characters. One of the few star casts' bonds that were highlighted in the first episode was of Princess Rhaenyra and her best friend, Alicent Hightower. Princess Rhaenyra was shown as the only daughter to be alive of King Viserys I, and her mother Queen Aemma of the Targaryen clan. The first episode highlights a lot of political, and some misogynistic aspects, which were apparently very normal back then.
Princess Rhaenyra had always seen it for what it is - distasteful, unappealing, and mostly, disrespectful. As the princess was seen to be opinionated, strong-headed, and inquisitive, on the other hand, her best friend, Alicent Hightower, is shown to be poised, polite, patient, and mostly a little more mature than the princess; but that is of course because of the few years of age gap they had between them.
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However, the two are seen mostly indulging in intellectual conversation, debating, laughing, and watching the celebration which was hosted for the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's about-to-be-born brother. Unfortunately, Princess Rhaenyra's mother, Queen Aemma, dies while giving birth to her son, who was supposedly going to sit on the Iron Throne after King Viserys I, but sadly even the baby prince dies a few hours after he was born.
In the episode, it was shown Alicent’s father, Otto Hightower, asking her to put on a gown of her deceased mother and to go give company to King Viserys I as he is depressed after his wife's and son's death and scheming to put his daughter in power and secure his daughter's future. Although it does contradicts the book, because in the book it is written that in the years that followed after Queen Aemma's death, Alicent caught the eye of King Viserys I Targaryen, whose small council was urging him to wed again. Ignoring all advice from his council, Viserys chooses Alicent as his wife.
They married in 106 AC, despite the whispers of people. Some doubted Alicent's virtue, as rumors began circling that she had given her maidenhead to Prince Daemon, and had later even slept with King Viserys while Queen Aemma was still alive. The notorious Mushroom suggested that Alicent had been more than an aide to the late Jaehaerys. Nonetheless, Alicent was wed to Viserys. While this forestalled other potential marriage-alliances Viserys's small council would have preferred, it was not a completely unwise choice, as the Hightowers were still one of the leading families in Westeros, with close ties to the Faith of the Seven.
May be it is too soon to tell as only one episode of 'House of the Dragon' has been released. However, you can watch the show every Sunday, on HBO or stream it online on HBO Max at 9 pm EST.