'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 1 Takeaway: Alicent and Criston Cole's shocking affair may spark grim consequences
Contains spoilers and speculation
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 1 premiered on HBO on Sunday, June 16, 2024. The fantasy thriller made an epic return after two years with an episode focused on politics, violence, and an unexpected romantic relationship.
Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) engage in a physical relationship, featuring two intimate scenes between them.
The first includes an intimate moment at the beginning of the episode, followed by another intense encounter at the end when Helaena Targaryen (Phil Saban) bursts into her room after her son's murder.
The relationship has caught everyone off-guard, especially since Episode 1 unfolds shortly after the death of Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine).
What consequences could the relationship have? Let us explore.
Why did Alicent and Criston Cole have an affair?
Alicent Hightower has never experienced love in her life. As a teenager, she was married off to the much older Viserys Targaryen at the insistence of her father, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).
Criston Cole also faced challenges in love, particularly with his relationship with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), which ended poorly for him. Since then, Cole has been the sworn sword for Alicent Hightower.
An important aspect of their relationship is their mutual reluctance, leading them to decide not to repeat their intimacy after the first encounter.
Cole and Alicent's involvement may have started before Viserys' death, given that Viserys had been unwell for an extended period. Throughout the first season, Criston Cole remained a close ally of Alicent Hightower.
Their shared disdain for Rhaenyra Targaryen further strengthens their bond.
Why Alicent's relationship with Criston Cole is hypocritical?
Alicent Hightower and Criston Cole's relationship can be seen as hypocritical, especially since Alicent criticized Rhaenyra for her involvement with a knight while Alicent herself was romantically involved with Cole.
Furthermore, a pivotal scene in the first season showed Criston Cole mocking Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) for his relationship with Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Now that Cole and Alicent are involved, they find themselves without moral ground to defend their previous criticisms of Rhaenyra's relationships.
What could be the repercussions of Alicent Hightower and Criston Cole's relationship?
Queen Helaena Targaryen witnessed her mother and Cole having sex in the final moments of Episode 1, as she fled her room with her daughter following her son's murder.
The relationship between the Queen Mother and a knight is likely unwelcome news for a realm already struggling to maintain stability. However, Helaena is still grappling with the loss of her son. Helaena might choose to keep the secret to herself.
Alicent and Cole did feel guilty about their relationship, and Helaena catching them in the act might prompt Alicent to consider sending Criston Cole away.
If they choose to remain together, they must ensure that their secret remains tightly guarded. Any disclosure could spell disaster for the Green faction as the Dance of the Dragons approaches.
The revelation will bring great shame to the royal family, and houses may be hesitant to form alliances with them.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is streaming on HBO MAX.
