The Truth about Alicent Hightower | Why is she so disliked? | House of the Dragon Season 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- House of the Dragon Season 2 is set to release June 16, 2024. HBO released a Green Trailer and a Black trailer and everyone chose their side. Alicent Hightower is one of the characters I love to hate. Alicent Hightower goes from Victim to Villain in the matter of a few episodes. Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon is the head of the Greens, the Targaryen faction that is usurping the iron throne. In this video I breakdown the character of Alicent Hightower and Why I dislike her so much as a Rhaenyra supporter. Thanks for watching!
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🖤Team 🖤Black🖤🔥
As a kid I empathized with her. As an adult I stopped empathizing with her. Like Rhaenyra said she is hiding behind the cloack of her own righteousness. She is a hypocrite, she is also a crappy mother. If she wanted Aegon to be king she should have focused on making him Kingly instead of the mess he turned out to be.
Right!
Best pov of the conflict I’ve seen.
What about the role of the father here? I think a huge problem about those children is the lack of any fatherly attention. There are some things boys in particular need as they grow up, and that's a father who shows them where the limits are. They have known none of that and I think its difficult for a woman to give boys those things, in the same way its hard for a man give girls motherly moments. Viserys is a terrible father or he seems a terrible father to Alicent;'s children. I think it's a big part of why they've turned out they way they have. It can't be the whole fault of just one person. I have to say I don't belong to Team Black or Green, I just enjoy watching the characters and how they interact.
Viserys was dying for a long time. He was so sick he could barely function. It's no excuse, I'm just saying.
@@663lottyoh please, many people without any father figure turns out pretty good human beings. Most of them don't even have a little speck of riches aegon has being a prince. So that excuse is bullsh*t!!
Allicent is a product of patriarchy. That's not her fault BUT eventually she drank the Kool-Aid and internalized that which is when I believe she became unlikeable (puttin' it lightly). Protect Helaena!! The rest of the Greens blah 🙄
I missed ya GrayArea!
Just like how Rhaenys said “You desire not to be free but to make a window in the wall of your prison.”
That line gave me chills. 👏🏽
@@LadySophiaVelaryonthe weird thing is they never politically motivated aegon they just made him into a pawn against rhaenyra then he became a player but a rather violent one and not so smart player who is very aggressive
Rhaenys can say that because she is literally a dragon rider. Saying that to a woman living in patriarchal society with no direct power of her own, that line was quite hypocritical in my opinion
@@amyra8159Alicent wasn’t powerless. She chose to continue to be used vs using her position as queen to put her dad, the main one who used her, in his place.
Alicent wasn't powerless at all. You saw her in the small council, correct? You heard her say she was the one ruling on succession of Driftmark, right? She had power, and she used it (in part) to harm people while acting like she was morally perfect. You can like a character without erasing their faults or agency.
Alicent is a case of situational corruption. Otto definitely deserves some of the blame. But I think once Alicent got into her position she became jealous and paranoid.
Jealous of what ? Real question
@@constantinmmnbv Really?... 😒
@@blackdragon6 yes tell us
Jealous that Visarys favored Rhaenyra and her children over her and her own. Also that the people, big and small preferred Rhaenyra as well.
Can't wait for Alicent's and Rhaenyra's conversations in king's landing. I think Rhaenyra will visit her quite often for company and comfort even if she's mad at her, that will probably be short lived after the Bitterbridge incident and the tragedy that follows :(
You broke it down perfectly. Alicent can’t be blamed for Otto’s actions from when she was a child, but once she became queen and even more so an adult, she was no longer a pawn being used, but a player. Also, I don’t think alicent is evil, but bitter. Anyhow, It’s HER choices and actions that she made that makes me dislike her. She’s a hypocrite and she’s not a victim; she allowed herself to continue to be used by men even after she was in a position of power. Once she became queen, she could’ve put her dad in his place. She judges Rhaenyra for things that she herself ends up doing in another form. Alicent judged the Targs for their incest, what does she do? Has her son and daughter marry. She judged Rhaenyra for “sullying” herself before marriage, but yet she allows Larys Strong to use her body for his pleasure, for her benefit. Alicents own son r*pes women, has bastards of his own, and is a drunk, and she gaslights and pays off these girls, yet she continues to fan the flames of Rhaenyra being unfit. She herself committed treason by calling Rhae’s kids bastards, she let Otto slide when he committed treason by discussing undermining the king and plotting against the heir. She also kept it hush hush about Larys killing his dad and brother, bc it benefited her. Alicent has no real reason to treat Rhaenyra the way she did, Rhaenyra did nothing to Alicent. Alicent could’ve used her position to unite the two sides of the family, but she didn’t.
Well said
Say it louder for the peaple in the back !!!!!
The best thing I have read
FACTS
Completely agree!! I understand her frustrations like, I think, many of the viewers do. I think she’s so disliked because she’s a hypocrite and, as much as she may dislike Rhaenyra, her kids are less fit to rule that her.
I don't hate alicent im just tired of the pity party with her character and being constantly told to feel bad for her all the times, and im tired of her being a perpetual victim.
just because she was a villian in the books, it’s clear that show alicent is a completely different character. she is a very human and real character. as a woman trying to navigate the political landscape of the patriarchal, feudalistic society of westeros and is a victim of that circumstance. just because she is a victim of circumstance, does not mean she is a poorly written character and lacks depth. i wish people viewed her through a more empathetic lens.
@@myong2206 first off this is exactly my point being told to feel bad for her and like her just because she has more " depth " I never said she was poorly written I just don't like her type of character where she's a perpetual victim, nothing is ever her fault, her life so hard boooo hoooooo I don't find that a compelling character especially when there are characters in this series who's gone through worse and yet aren't constantly throwing a pity party .
@@thatoneblackdude3333 they might make her less sympathetic/victimized as the story progresses... I don't mind the changes they've made to her character and the story as a whole thus far (I know many people do though), and I actually think that starting her off with this more sympathetic narrative could make for some really effective storytelling if/when they decide to turn her into a full-fledged villain. Like, I think the audience might be more invested in her as a villain in seasons 3/4, since we've gotten this backstory and seen her through this lens that makes her more dynamic, instead of just being a villain straight away. I'm sure she'll still be portrayed as conflicted and sympathetic this season, but we've already seen her become more jaded/vindictive, so I could definitely see them leaning into that more and more as we progress through the season. I really think it could make for some compelling storytelling if we get to witness her "fall from grace" so to speak, and watch how she changes as our sympathy for her starts to disappear.... I didn't really word that in the best way, but hopefully it made sense lol
It’s crazy how differently you can perceive things based on the opinions you see the most because I feel the exact opposite. Im honestly on the side of the blacks but I’m tired of everyone giving Rhae the benefit of the doubt in everything whereas Alicent is just “a jealous b*tch.”
@@AdriaNicoo I think it goes both ways people make to many excuses for both girls I just feel it happens more with alicent because of hotds writing m
I dislike Alicent because all of these things that happened were unfortunate its the fact the she behaves like she's pious and does things that arent so pious, she expects Rhaenyra to be completely transparent with her yet she doesn't do the same. She's so resentful of Rhaenyra for things her father did ,for things that weren't in Rhaenyras control that she creates a situation of hate and acts like she's victimized in every situation, this is why people dislike her.
Alicent is a judgemental moralist, points fingers at everybody and distorting reality to adjust to her own purposes
I felt for Alicent, until her jealousy turned her bitter and angry. This grudge helped fuel the war.
Yes, girl needed some therapy and maybe then she'd have more agency over her own life instead of just staying bitter and mad.
we can argue that a lot of targaryens just need therapy fr
So stoked to see u dropped a video. I search for you constantly!! 🎉
More to come!
I love the segment about Otto pushing for Rhaenyra to be named heir!! It's so frustrating that he pushed so hard then worked so hard to usurp her when it was his idea to put her there in the first place!!
The one thing i hated was tbat viserys didnt step in to accept the marriage between helena and Jace. Obviously the dance likely wouldnt gave happened or would have happened differently but viserys was well within his rights to accept that offer.
He messed up in regard to marriage 3 times in 10 episodes lol
@@naturallyti6256 right?? That man was not made to be king lol. But that’s okay we still love him even if he fucked up about as bad as you can fuck up lol
@@jesseandersen4055i don't like him at all,he doomed rhaenyra when he didn't make it a law that the eldest regardless of gender is the heir
Don’t stone me yall, but Alicent is one of my favorite characters of HoD. She is just so messy and dynamic of a character and I love whenever she’s on screen. It’s because she’s so bitter and jealous of Rhaenyra that lends to her awful ways and terrible decision making, but then she never openly owns up to it like a Cersei that makes her so slimey. She’s fake asf, and insecure, and it shows in all her actions. I can’t wait to see her in this upcoming season!
Same! Like I love Daemon but I don’t try to be like Daemon is innocent. I know hes awful but he’s still my fav.. it’s like that sometimes🥰
Yeah, it's entirely possible to love characters who do shitty things while recognizing that their actions were wrong or misguided. It's very weird to me that people try to erase negative aspects of characters they like. People are messy. That's just how it is. For example, one of my favorite scenes in GOT is Cersei's demolition of the Great Sept of Baelor. It was a terrible thing to do. It was evil. Admitting that doesn't mean I can't like Cersei as a character.
Hey Cersei was my favorite character in GoT 😂 Hate Allicent though
I very much love to hate her!
Yes! My fave characters are definitely this, like you just have to have the popcorn ready when they're on screen 🍿
I'm sorry I can't feel sorry for Alicent Hoetower, after how malicious she was to Rhaenyra and her kids, making her get up after labor and bleeding all over the place...yeah Otto manipulate her but she still had a choice but Alicent keeps getting walk all over the men in her life.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Eventually she does have a choice.. and none of the choices she makes make any sense.
I thought “Hoetower” was a typo, until I thought about it. 😂👍🏽
Alicent was making a play honey. She was playing the game while Rhae was having strong babies! Rhae has been weak and sloppy since day one. Alicent is very Marjory Tyrrell. And I loved her!
Alicent is not Margaery. That's tantamount to blasphemy, and Margaery deserves better.
When Viscerys was on his deathbed, Alicent hearing what she wanted to hear started all the bullshit that followed.
Tbf, the small council would have installed Aegon regardless of what Alicent thought about it. It's ridiculous for her to think Viserys would change his mind about his heir, which he maintained for like 20 years, at the literal last minute of his life. What annoys me is that it's obvious she interprets that in accordance with her own wishes, but people use it as evidence for Aegon as the rightful heir. It goes way beyond straining credulity.
That's just what she tells herself to make herself feel better. She only heard what she wanted to hear. In the books she wanted Rheanyra to die in childbirth
Please remember her kids wernt treated fairly by Viserys. He had obvious favorites, and literally earlier that day walked for the first time just to show he favored Rheanyra... Believing VIserys GAF about her kids helped her convince herself it wasnt all for nothing... She didnt just give every bit of her life for nothing.@@JC-gn7lq
Viserys had a probably prophetic dream that his son would sit the throne. He told Aemma about it in episode 1 and he told Alicent about it in episode 3. In that context, Alicent's interpretation of his final words is reasonable.
Regardless, certain lords would never accept Rhaenrya. War was inevitable.
Uh huh, "team black" people say this all the time to convince themselves that that's what she's doing because it couldn't possibly be that she's never heard "the song of ice and fire", oh yea, I'm sure she was all privy to that info, so of course she heard Vis on his deathbed mention Aegon being king and immediately thought "oh, you know what, I can totally misconstrue his words on purpose to really screw over Rhaenyra", that'll show her. Get outta here with that cope.
Great point! Why would Raenera trust alicent w/her sexual exploits after she hid such a huge thing from her about her father that affects her in so many ways
I don't see how Alicent thought it was her business or thought Rhaenyra wouldn't be reluctant to confide in her given the way Alicent approached the conversation. I mean, you come at me that way, I'm not telling you shit 😒
Emily and Olivia are excellent in this role, though
@@JC-gn7lq That too! Your point justified btw she went behind the princesses back questioning ppl
@@JC-gn7lq I think if she had been more empathetic, Rhaenyra might have talked with her.
Alicent is one of my favorite characters, because she is so complex, but sometimes she needed to have more tact and warmth. Would have helped eith Aegon as well. Until Episode 9 in the carriage we don't see her being loving with him, just anxious and stressed out and sometimes hitting him.
I really dislike the scene where Otto kicks him. He looks around to make sure no one sees him and then kicks him. That is just mean. No wonder he is screwed up.
@@danika9411 she has zero empathy shown btw she couldn't imagine how she would feel if Raenera was bedding her father! Lol
@@TheRealWattz No she has empathy. That Rhaenyra could choose her own husband is her doing. That Viserys send Daemon help is also her doing.
I think she was very young, just 14 when she was send to the king and 15 when she married and got pregnant by a 40 year old man. She is shown to dissociate when she is with him and that she can't ever refuse him, even if she is tired and doesn't want to. That is martial 🍇. I think Otto and Viserys messed her up. Otto for using her for his ambitions and Viserys for not being a good husband and 🍇ing her.
She probably has some trauma. She is also shown with signs of postpartum depression after having Halaena.
So I think she doesn't generally lack empathy. She was traumatized at a young are. And unfortunately she passed it on. She just barely starts to undo it in episode 9 a bit and by the looks of the green trailer, she will continue to do so in the coming seasons.
She is the queen of the seven kingdoms, she has a lot of power but she never uses it for good, despite her claims of godliness.
She is either being a weak puppet manipulated by others, even when she thinks she's in charge, or she's acting out of petty jealousy and spite.
The goat 🐐 is back. Happy you spoke on this topic👏🏾
I don't hate Alicent at all. She is not a saint, but not a monster either. What throws me off about her is how she is quick to talk about duty and sacrifice but doesn't live that. I mean, the r*ped maid scene? The fact that she sucked as a mother? It's how she firmly believes she is different, but in actuality she is not.
She watched Bursburry got killed by Criston,lord Cassuel get hanged, nothing,lords in the court blackmailed,nothing.
@@МерлинФюсеиноваthats what makes her so complex and intriguing as a character she destroys and betrays herself for family for her children. Alicent deep down is confused on what is right. She doesn’t know anymore. Her internal dilemmas are fascinating.
Yes, these aspects do make her a fascinating character, and there's nothing wrong with liking a character who is morally conflicted and sometimes makes bad decisions.
Idk telling your kids theyre going to be killed when they arent just so they can have the throne is quite monsterous
@@user-op6kt8pg9y Rhaenyra over the span of 20+ years has not disproven this claim with her actions. Alicent has no reason to believe if it comes down to securing her and her bastards claim that she’d spare people she doesn’t even consider family.
I truly believe that Laerys Strong set it up to look like Alicent summoned Rhaenyra after the baby’s birth… I believe Laerys Strong is the manipulator behind the Dance… like an even worse Littlefinger 🤷♀️
I loved littlefinger so much ❤❤❤
@@Theinfamouskiki411 I am clutching my pearls like Littlefinger clutched at his neck when Arya slit it 😳😉😂
Yeah I'm not sure she actually wanted to see the baby before the afterbirth is out. Though when there is doubt about who the father is, it's "normal" to see the child fast, to make sure that the child is not replaced with a more legitimate looking one.
So that is a thing. She probably didn't expect for Rhaenyra to come herself.
@@danika9411 I also don’t think the show will show Daemon ordering the death a son for a son. It says in the books that Daemon orders it but it’s not in Daemons point of view it’s written by a Maester and given The White Worms stance on the abuses of Children I definitely don’t believe she would carry it out… I think the Clubfoot is behind it all… it’s a hill I’m willing to die on 😂
I read the book when it came out and from what I remember Alicent was much worst in the book she pushed alot for her son Aegon to be on the throne. She was very hateful and spiteful worst. Hoping Raenerya would die on her birth bed. I’m team black never liked the greens. Thank you for the video
Hypocrisy.
That’s the reason. Alicent is a character claiming honour and decency as the way of life, she claims victimhood and yet she plots in the dark and does nothing to stop bad things from happening to the others. She perpetuates her father’s abuse fear mongering on her son. Defending and hiding her son’s depravity while condemning Rhae’s own.
Which btw. Look at how Rhae and Eg turned out comparatively.
Rhae tried with her life to carve out some joy for herself in very disempowering situations.
Eg and Alicent give in and wallow, never trying to find happiness or empowerment outside of the toxic family for the former, or in their position for the latter.
Alicent brainwashed her kids to see Rhaenyra and her “bastard kids” to see them as goblin spawns, the anti-7 if you will.
Even when Rhae in the book gives Aemond V. to her dragon it’s not like some secret plot to make things go her way and look innocent all the while. No, it’s done in the open and everyone knows it.
Moreover let’s not forget that the biggest thing going against Rhae was her mothering “bastards”.
They made lots of changes in the series that made this look 90% the case and makes her look stupid and thus a bad choice for the throne. In the book the Valaryons aren’t black. Rhaenys has dark hair exactly like Rhae’s kids. Moreover we never know what colour Ser Harwin hair are. The only Strong we knew the hair colour of had blond hair. This all considered it makes it highly unlikely that even seeing her kids coming out dark haired she didn’t try over and over to have more with Laenor. Alicent’s own kids all have silver hair despite having 50% chances. Is it that unlikely Rhae was unlucky and had the opposite fortune? No
The greens defaming Rhae and her kids was a campaign to usurp the throne born out of greed.
Not, good intentions for the stability of the realm or some other bullshit. Rhae had 50% support even with them plotting against her. She had never gotten a chance to showcase her abilities to govern and reign to disprove others comments (I’m not counting actions post begging of the war for both sides as then it was War). Her own father didn’t do much, lots of it was administered by the council and he let himself be swayed. Otto did it with twice, saw he wouldn’t be able to do it with Rhae, saw his chance and gaslit his way to it. Rhae had against her that when setting a precedent it’s not enough to be decent or even good you have to extraordinary or it’s not enough.
Alicent whole side rhetoric sounds hypocritical as well. The 7 hate the other religions and try to cancel them out. They hate the Targs and their queer customs, hate their dragons. And the citadel follows with for the most part. Alicent picks and choose when to apply her own belief.
It is no surprise that Rhae appears more genuine.
And let’s not forget that Alicent asked for Luke’s eye. She intended to hurt a kid and was ready to do it her self (so please even if Aegon in the books didn’t hurt children and the blacks did Blood and Cheese, the greens aren’t blameless here yet again. Oh and btw I do believe that even if Rhae didn’t do it and it was Daemon who did, behind her back, she should still face it as her own as it was her own “subordinate” to do it and I don’t believe Daemon will face punishment anyway)
For both Alicent and Rhae there’s an element of fear that they won’t survive if the other wins. Alicent though had already brainwashed her kids by the time Aemond eye was destroyed in the fight she was already on her way to give in completely. She ultimately fell to her father’s fear mongering though, in this moment, when she asked for a child’s eye to be carved out; believing this a point of no return.
Rhae own moment is instead when she looses her child at the end. The fact that she was still thinking about giving up her claim for the good of the people showed that she still believed Alicent’s words and genuine intentions. It also suggests that when she asked for Alicent’s own children to be sharply questioned it was more of a fear tactic to get Alicent to stop with her actions.
Moreover if we were follow through with Rhae giving up her claim, we know the greens, either be it Otto or Larys, would have killed them or tried to, and she would have let them or known a posteriori and not say anything. As she did with Lyonel and Harwin, as she did with the coronation. There’s so many times you can claim cluelessness. The war was inevitable.
Spittin facts🎉
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
What bothers me the most is that she's intent on promoting and enforcing religious fundamentalist rules about gender roles, and she knows (or should know) that those social restrictions are a huge part of why her life has been one of reluctant service and sublimation of her own desires. It's like ppl who think that bc they went through something terrible, other people should suffer through it, too.
@@JC-gn7lq Alicent is the Phyllis Schlafly of Westeros. Iykyk 😂😂😂
Oh I do know, unfortunately
19:13 Rhaenys saying this was so hypocritical herself though, she literally just serves her husband. She says in the show, she didn't want to be Queen, she did it for Laenor (her son who would have succeeded her) and her Husband who wanted recognition and to be remembered. Rhaeneys also serves men, actions speak louder than words. She never campaigns for Baela or Rhaena to inherit Driftmark even when she is pissed off that Luke is a bastard, which would be the true feminist angle. Literally everyone needs to shut up with the feminist angle because Rhaenys isn't one due to her own actions and Rhaenerya doesn't want to make life better for women, she just see's herself as above the rules.
I think what’s different is that Rhaenys LOVES her family. She loves fiercely and unconditionally, which is not the same as serving men and their selfish desires, Alicent just wants idk security? Power? Rhaenys wants acknowledgement not only for herself but everyone in her family
I’ve been waiting for you!!! ❤ Gray Area!! Team Black ❤
Helena and Jace seemed to really like one another she was very happy to dance with him and as far as I know it’s the only time she ever looked happy
Hate ? She is my fave. i def do not hate her. But lets be real. People hate her because nobody likes seen themselves in a true light. They would feel judge so they prefer characters that are unrealistic and do not resemble themselves. It makes them feel better, special. Its pure psychology
Something that people seem to debate on (which I don't even understand, and I think you agree, considering you essentially said it in the video), is that Alicent _genuinely_ believes that Viserys changed his mind on his deathbed and named Aegon as heir...... No.... She doesn't..... That's just what she _wants_ to believe, so she's doing mental gymnastics and cherry picking things out of what he said to make it make sense. I guess we'll see how it plays out in Season 2, but it never came across to me like she _actually_ believed that, and the new trailers have solidified my belief and make it seem like she's even more unsure/hesitant about the whole situation (despite what she actually says), and like she's really struggling with her sense of morality.....
I mean, I'm sorry, but she'd have to be extremely gullible to truly believe he changed his mind, and that's not Alicent
Not to mention the fact that for 20 years viserys said rhaenrya was his hier only wavering once when alicent was still a teen and aegon was 2 while he was drunk yet on his deathbed while om heroin im supposed to believe that she believes what viserys is saying, not to mention viserys literally mentions the cold and the darkness which she completely leaves out
My interpretation of that scene is that she did actually believe it. Because at the dinner, I think it was clear that she accepted Rhaenyra as the heir. I don’t think she’d have a reason for putting Aegon on the throne unless she thought it was what Viserys wanted. I mean it’s a bad decision on the writers’ part, to have the whole dance be due to a misunderstanding, but I do think she believed that’s what he said. I think the producers even say as much in the “inside the episode” interviews for that episode.
Ikr. She wants to feel better about usurping the throne and throwing the kingdom under the bus. The king got up from his death bed in all of his sanity to support his daughter one last time but somehow he changed his mind as lord roseberry or whatever his name " I will not believe that he said this on his deathbed, alone, with only the boy's mother as a witness. This is a seizure. It is theft. It is treason, at the very least. I will take no part in this" before he was murdered in cold blood. Alicent's face after that looked like she got slapped across the face.
She needs to make herself believe Viserys changed his mind to live with what she is going to do. She is desperate to morally justify her betrayal of Viserys’s wishes.
Rhaenyra is more villian than Alicent . She literally using her fathers love for her to break rules. She gaslighting the whole realm about her children, Alicent is not perfect, but Rhaenyra is manipulative , episode 7 is episode where Rhaenyra is villian , not Alicent. I think every actor agreed with this. Its not our world, its Westeros, and in their world Alicent is right about everytjing
Alicent is my favorite character. For me she is neither a villain nor a victime, she is a true protagonist of the story, as Rhaenyra, who fight for peace at the climax of the first season. The true antagonist of the story is the war itself and those that push the kingdom into it, mainly Otto and Daemon. And for sure, the story is a tragedy, as Alicent and Rhaenyra fail to avoid the war.
I definitely hate how alicent taught her children to hate their older sister and nephews.
Alicent grew to be Otto Jr. that’s why I don’t like both of them.
The only thing I love about Alicent are the actresses playing her lol.
For real though, I totally agree with you. Even if Alicent truly believes Viserys told her Aegon should be king, the man was dying. He was obviously delirious and could barely speak. He had so many years to change the succession but chose not to.
I love to hate her! And her actresses have made that perfect.
Yall can lie to urself all u want. Otto was right when he said that allicent and her children would always be in danger. Rheynera made her bed when she married Daemon
He has been saying it before Rhaenyra married Daemon, before Rhaenyra even had children. He has been saying it since Alicent had a child
Rhaenrya literally gives not even the slightest indication that shed ever have any of the high towers or viserys' children with alicent killed, that never even crosses her mind
Yeah, nah, once again show v book. Alicent was considerably older than Rhaenyra and barely knew her, not to mention that she had already been pimped out way before to the "old" King! Yep Alicent had a horrible life and forced Helena into another horrible life with her despicable, depraved son. And yes the child, Rhaenyra was a spoilt entitled brat who suddenly found herself with a huge burden upon her young shoulders. Alicent had been groomed for very, very many years, way more savvy and accepting of the role she was meant to play. Power at any cost for the family, House Hightower. Choose a side for the show? Team Black! Truth be told, GoT's Shireen had the right of it. War is just bloody stupid, the small folk are always the people who suffer the most.
I don't think she did anything sexual with Jaehaerys, but it's definitely unusual to have a young noblewoman (noblegirl?) attending to someone outside her own family like she's a nurse.
Their is nothing innocent about Alicent 🤣
Neither is Rhaenyra
@@TheDream6842Straight up. Team Small Folk. Everyone sucks at the end of the story. People are gonna feel so dumb for rooting for one side or the other.
Ty! They need to learn the book lol
I did read the book. Rhaenyra was the rightful heir. Her son ends up on the throne. There's no reason for me not to support her side just bc I know that most of them die and it's a disaster for everyone.
@@JC-gn7lq You can support Rhaenyra's claim to the throne, which I do in a legal sense and the fact that she is a more suitable heir, but not support the ensuing horror that puts her there. No one looks good at the end of this story, even if the throne was stolen from her.
People are out here (with admitted nudging from the show's advertising) rooting for one side of the conflict or the other, when personally I can't condone the actions of either. It gets messy, but is entertaining.
The show took away a lot of agency and personality defects from both Alicent and Rhaenyra, which is kind of a bummer and definitely muddles the fault that can be laid from their specific decisions and not just their parties as a whole. I hope this changes this season as things ramp up. Book wise Rhaenyra becomes more desperate and unhinged while Alicent deflates almost completely.
I get why people might not like her but the show runners, writers, as well as the actors who play alicent and rhaenyra are REALLY going out of their way to tell a more nuanced story. And I think we as viewers should respect and embrace that instead of just writing off characters to hate because it’s missing the point of what GRRM and house of the dragon show runners are trying to do with this show.
There ain’t no good guys,
There ain’t no bad guys,
There’s only blacks and greens
And they just disagree…
Jk team black lol 😂
I don’t dislike Alicent. I dislike her writing. The Greens are the villains that’s just the truth. But they’re supposed to be villains you can make a case for.
The show painted Alicent as this remorseful saint who is delusional about her jealousy and spite. But book Alicent was openly jealous of Rhaenyra as Rhaenyra was of her. They envied and despised each other EQUALLY which made Alicent’s pettiness more understandable or at least less one sided. Show Alicent is just a loser. Which is a waste of her character in my opinion. They seem to be hinting at a more stern, ambitious mindset in the trailer but I guess we’ll have to see what they do with her.
I can always count on you to break it all the way down!!!
@@GrayArea I always need the juice to get there tho ❤️❤️❤️
I dislike Alicent because she poisoned her children against Rhaenyra. Yes, that started with Otto. He's her father not a demigod.
Accept the show proposed marriage between Helaena and Jace. Talk with Rhaenyra for like 20 minutes to realise she isn't a blood crazed maniac nor is Daemon. Hash out a way that everyone swears an oath of nonviolence to each other and that their weight as Prince/princess goes behind this, it becomes much harder to betray someone as a monarch or a claimant when you publically gave your word you wouldn't.
Alicent is a victim who snapped
Team black should have just said "ok, the hightowers did a coup, time to destroy that family" and took their 3 biggest dragons, burned their homeland to the ground, and THEN started their war to get power back. Would also make the point to people deciding whose team to support that usurping the throne will lead to ruin.
Easiest way to get any follower of the faith of the seven to turn against you.
@@DanLanningPRTeamTell that to Maegor, more armies to burn.
Facts it would have destroyed their fount of power
@@DanLanningPRTeam i could see it turning the maesters against you, but I believe the maesters were always against targs anyway, so honestly no big loss.
@@umitencho didn't work out too well for maegor.
Wasn't alicient sick by rynerya sleeping with her uncle.. but then wedds her two kids together
Thats a better alternative than marry your only daughter to a known bastard
HELENA THE BLESSED
I don't dislike Alicent. Simple as that.
I see Gray, I click Gray, I enjoy the awesome she puts out!
Edit: My opinion on Alicent. I don't think show!Alicent is evil, or bad. I honestly, like show!Alicent. She complex, endearing, charming, ruthless from the learning from her father, bold, and a player of the Game. I like this Alicent, and if it wasn't for the mishearing Viserys, she would have still had a great story, going against Aemond, who would have sparked it off in a different way, and her father's plan. Book!Alicent, o she's the evil stepmother! And that Alicent I do hate!
I have lost all respect for team black fans you guys are just awful
The first 10 minutes are the most biased and ignorant take on the relationship between Alicent and Rheanyra I have ever heard on TH-cam. You guys should stop using modern thinking to analyze a medieval show. That's how to do a perfect analysis. You clearly don't understand the time period the show was set in.
Team Small folks
11:24 this marriage pact is viewed so incorrectly by the fandom. At this point Heleana and Aegon were already engaged, so were Baela and Jace, so this would actually be a total dick move to the Velaryon and is a good indicator that Rhaenerya was not being genuine. but more importantly this is very much a hostage sitution, she isn't offering the marriage to bridge the gap she is doing it so that if the people start to rally behind Aegon because she's a woman or because her children are bastards the Greens cannot act against them without Helaena getting killed. In this proposal she is literally threatening Heleana for the actions of other Lords. Rhaenrya is always threatening to kill Alicents kids, and has a history of killing anyone who stands in the way of what she wants (Vaemond, and Laenor in the books, who she was actually homophobic toward instead of accepting, which is a big reason she killed him, yes it was a hate crime in the books) This is actually a terrible proposition for Alicent who if it were to work would be forced to sit on her hands as her children were killed because of Rhaenerya's children's illegitimacy, as she either couldn't do anything as her son's were killed by Rhaenerya or she could protect her son's and get her daughter killed. Alicent didn't say no to be mean or difficult, she said no because saying yes would further risk her children's lives.
I dont dislike her.
She along with Aemond and even Helaena are the only ones a person in their right could empathized with.
She had every right to be angry at Rhaenyra (Who prove herself untrustworthy and cruel ) and fearful of the fate of her entire family if she doesn't fight against her.
If people want to accused her they should be going both ways.
For Rhaenyra and her are both childish hypocrites. And very guilible.
Both of their families are gonna be almost entirely wiped out by the end because they allow people like Otto and Daemon to whisper on their ears.
I never really understood why people hate alicent. They just use thire pov and not we see .
1st We saw alicent not wanting to go to Vesris to comfort hif after the death of his wife. She doesn't want to but her father made her. We saw the expression on Alicent,s face when Vesris announced thire marriage. People are like. Oh she seduced veseris and she is evil
2nd After her marriage to Vesris she tried many times to make peace with rhaenyra but rhaenyra refused.
We saw her many times defend rhaenyra against her father the council even the king. That is literally tje reason her father was exiled because she choose to defend rhaenyra and yet people say alicent is jealous of rhaenyra
We saw her son being bullied for years
When he finally got a dragon he was confronted by 4 children. Mind you 1 had already planned on harming or killing aemond before the fight. They accused him of being a thief .They attacked him outnumbering him. He picked up the stone to defend himself he he lowered the rock and called the kids who bullied him bastards (Which they are lucerys pulled out a knife and kept trying to stab aemond. Now at that time aemond had already left jace go .Jace and lucerys were free to run away .When .When Jace threw sand in aemond,s eye they had a chance to run away but they stayed just so lucerys could cut out aemond,s eye and everyone is like Oh lucerys was defending his brother. Aemond was going to kill them with a rock but ignore that lucerys actually came whit a knife. They had chances to run away. Aemond was protecting himself to he is the one who was attacked first and yet aemond is the bully
At the aftermath of the fight Vesris came and didn't even care about his 10 years old child who had 1 eye cut out like an hour or less ago for telling the obvious truth.Then rhaenyra was like let's sharply question him so he can tell where ha heard such slanders. Then Vesris literally then threatened anyone who dare tell the truth and was just make your apologies and that's all no body in the room cares about aemond or his lost eye .Alicent demand for .lucerys,s eye. Everyone were like how evil is she. How dare she suggest something like that. If a child can plan on killing or maiming someone then that person is not a child
When ahe asked for the eye Vesris who didn't even comfort her or her son Thire son he then just ordered alicent to let it go. Not even ask. He ordered
Finally alicent was like screw this and takes the knife and was coming for lucerys but she ends up cutting rhaenyra. Then everyone is like she cut the heir how dare she
We saw alicent ask for rhaenyra,s baby. Rhaenyra decided to willingly take the baby herself everyone was like alicent is evil. How dare she ask rhaenyra to come right after giving birth but when rhaenyra forced her sick dying father to come out of hos room to defend her over a lie no body said anything
When he finished defending her over a lie and fell on the chair moaning in pain rhaenyra didn't even rush to help him. Alicent was the one who ran up to him and called the masters. Still alicent is evil
Rhaenyra abandoned her father and flew off to dragonstone for years. Then came back belittle alicent who was there taking care of her father all this years. Alicent is evil
We saw Vesris say ageon will unite the kingdom and alicent of course will believe it thire son .Everyone is like Oh she didn't misunderstand the king's last message and are like he has spent years saying rhaenyra is heir why will she believe Vesris wasn't talking about thire ageon. Mabye because there is something called changing of mind at the last minute. How can you usurp someone's throne and then send them peace terms and refuse to kill them. It's very clear alicent misunderstood the message.
And yet somehow she is the evil one
I can't list all that alicent did that makes her better person
What's with this Alicent hate? Y'all love Rhaenyra but hate Alicent? Y'all are just mysogynists. Alicent is an example of a good wife and good mother. A good woman doesn't sleep around with a bunch of dudes. Even if she does she makes sure she doesn't have bastards. For instance, do you blame Viserys for Rhaenyra having bastards? If no, then you have no right to hate Alicent for Aegon's bad habits.
I can't stand the actress that plays her as a grown woman. I couldn't stand her in bates motel either. But to her credit she and the actor that plays sir Cole must be great actors to cause such emotions from the viewers.
Saw someone shout you out on twitter i was like OOP thats my girl
Daemon should’ve been the heir from the beginning. Rhaenyra should’ve been married to him. Case closed.
With that, Alicent should’ve honored her King’s announcement to the realm rather than a corpse’s ramblings in bed. She knew what she was doing. Team Black all the way.
You know something, I stand on that. Viserys did a dishonor by not having his brother as his hand, but Daemon was the commander of the city, he knew how the people felt about him and the royal family and wasn’t offended and he was battle structured; the only problem was he was hot tempered but that could’ve been dealt with as time went on. Daemon was a better choice for the heir with Rhaenyra being his bride.
Not a great idea.
I was JUST thinking last night, that I hadn't seen a new video from you in a while, and was aching for new content. This was such a pleasant surprise to wake up to 😊 Gimme more juice, cuz the Night is LONG 😂❤
But is it dark and full of terrors? If so, the fire burns them all away 🐉🔥
@@JC-gn7lq well of course, but the _juice_ makes it so much easier to get through 😆
LOVED the nuance in this take ! So yeah, Alicent has become an objectively bad person, she's become manipulative, vengeful, bitter, delusional, oportunistic, a usurper/traitor etc... So yeah as a person she's definitely not likeable, the point is that that's not the whole story and never that simple. What I don't get is some people's lack of empathy towards what brought her to become this, her molding into this. So yeah no way you can be team green but i just think it's important to acknowledge that it's easy to be badly influenced by your experiences, without condoning that behavior ! I guess I'm just team "justice for enyone who's been fucked over somehow" 💀
I hate alicent a lot...she's so indecisive...she doesn't have any control but she thinks she have all control...
So, Ned was wrong about Robert's heir apparent?
Ned & Alicent were identical in their cause.
19:55 No she was signed up for the game of thrones the day Aegon was born, because the entire realm including Rhaenrya assumed he would be made Heir, that was the deal that Otto signed her up for in the first place, to be Queen and her son to be King, because Rhaenerya wasn't made the heir to challenge gender roles or because Viserys loved Aemma, that's why he feels guilty to change it later which he even admits that was his intention. No he did it because he knew Daemon his heir at the time was too reckless and impulsive to take the crown. Alicent and her children were made to play the game of thrones the day Viserys started looking for a second wife, which while expected was not nessisary if he wanted Rhaenerya to be his undisputed heir, he could have married a woman too old to have more children or just not have had more children. No. Alicent did not start this game of thrones, Viserys did.
10:44 how did Aemond start the fight, he literally claimed a Dragon and when he got back Luke and Jace were waiting to fight him, ffs Luke brought a knife. Aemond got attacked. In the scene where Alicent demands an eye Rhaenerya also demands Aemond who just lost an eye, a perminent disability, be tortured for information about the bastardy comments, and Viserys threatens to cut out his son's tongue. Alicent snapped but acting like Rhaenerya did nothing wrong and that Aemond the child who has been bullied by Jace and Luke and even his own brother is somehow at fault for being attacked with a knife is next level crazy. Even the cast said Alicent was in the right here.
I’m so glad you’re back. I literally started reading the books waiting for you
I’m back back!! But I’m glad u started reading the books! its definitely an experience
It is hard as a book reader to compare fire and blood alicent and house of the dragon alicent because their raised to power is different, she was age down, she was made Rhanerya one and only friend because apparently in a castle with more than 600 people living and serving at all time they couldn’t find other people. They stripped alicent of her responsibility in the war and the pre war because she was young, and so clearly being lead on by the neck by her father which is so opposite from what it was said in the book.
Their relationship how they seem to making them be “force” and “pull” apart from each other by this evil men around them because they don’t have a single working cell in their head or spine to stand for themselves as queen and heir princess.
However, my biggest issue with Alicent is the obvious mess of the writers from episode to episode. Alicent in one episode is so distraught then she is involved in all the evil done to bring down to Rhanerya, but then they are hugging each other, and praising each other. Alicent uses her authority in 23 years to shut Rhaenrya up in front of the court so Veamond could speak and disrespect Rhaenrya in front of everyone. Told Daemon and Rhanerya that she will be deciding the fate of Driffmark only for otto to sit the throne instead. In episode 9 she broke my head, same as episode 6.
I swears this girl has multiple personality disorder because in one episode we see 3 different Alicent.
She is so hypocritical and a neglectful and abusive mother, and absentee queen.
Which her book wasn’t. Maybe a hypocrite but not the other two.
Alicent is one of my most hated female characters I’ve ever seen.
First here love you Gray
Alicent is 🚮 Team Black 🖤
Alicent just sounds like a hater! That's straight facts
Alicent brainwashed and turned her children against Rhaenyra’ kids. These are the grandchildren of her husband whom she claims to care for. She is bitter and jealous because she didn’t have Rhaenyra’s courage. She was a crappy mother and was complicit in the decision to kill the Blacks…no matter how much she tried to protest. She knew her son was not fit to be king, yet she kept the news of Viserys death a secret to allow Aegon to be crowned. No, I do not like Alicent-she turned into her father.
Your points for Alicent dislike are made from POV of a modern watcher, with some hints of Westeros politics and traditions. Alicent is a member of House Hightower very close to the Faith of the Seven, and was raised with the believes and religion, which also includes gender role differences and deeprooted sense of duty = her hatred of bastards, stems from this upbringing (same as Catelyn). Alicent did not stopped liking and trusting Rhaenyra (she also stood by her and told Viserys to trust Rhaenyra and not Otto) because she was ,,soiled,, but because she lied to her about it, swore on her dead mother. How can she trust her with her children's lives after this? Your point of her feeling jealousy because Rhaenyra slept around or lives her best is very unlikely, she sees that Rheanyra did not her duty and still is protected by her father, who ignores his other children( I would like to know your view on Viserys and his faults as a father, in my opinion Aegon could be a good person if not for his father's mistreatmen, Alicent plays role in his character as well, but Viserys and his uninterest did a big part). This is what I like about HotD, because your prefenrence also stems from your experience (for example: in a family the golden child will be on Rhaenyra's side, while the golden's child sibling will like Green more or in a workplace let's say person that is well liked only for his charisma and sense of humor (Black) and boss of that person that is not well liked just because he is hard working and wants same thing from his employes (not a Karen, mind you) (Green).
The content ive been genuinely missing😭
Team black the rightful queen
The pretender
@@TheDream6842 We're not discussing Aegon
I dont like Alicent because she is a self rightious moralistic hypocrite!
The high sparrow is probably a bastard of her bloodline LOL
@@GrayAreaI hadn't even thought of that. Good point 😅
When are we doing another HOT🐉D live stream, Gray?
I remember talking about Alicent. I was sympathetic to her because she was thrown into a situation that was for the benefit of others. She was basically pimped out by her father for political advancement. I also get why she was upset when she found out Rhaenyra lied to her and the resentment she had towards Rhaenyra because of the lack of consequences of Rhae's actions.
Now, as sympathetic I am, I also think she is a calculated hypocrite. She is bitter and spiteful because of the decisions that were made for her and what she gave up to marry Viserys. However, she fails to acknowledge that her hatred is due to her own insecurities and failures. She created an environment where even the children were at odds. Although I get Rhaenyra lied, I wouldn't have trusted Alicent either. Her father was involved in exposing Rhae to Viserys. Viserys clocked what he was up to and fired him. She was a terrible mother to her kids and looked at them as politicial advantages, just like her father viewed her. She married two of own her kids but had such a problem with Rhaenyra and Daemon. She's willing to cover up for her own children but yet scold Viserys for protecting his.
I feel bad for her because was a victim of circumstances, but she then became a villian because of her circumstances.
speaking just about the show, alicent was defo groomed, but as soon as she became an adult herself, she knew what moves she was planning and executing. she was just trained to be "proper" about it unlike ser criston who was unabashedly crude and therefore is easier to dislike. she as a mother groomed her own children into having a black hatred of rhaenyra. it's clear in the show that aegon as a child wasn't all that malicious towards rhae and her children, and that aemond was really mainly bullied by aegon himself before the whole eye thing incident. i'm more inclined to believe that all the children would have grown friends if they were all raised by rhaenyra without any influence from the hightowers, criston cole or even daemon. the only thing rhaenyra did wrong to her children is not tell them about their real father while he was alive. it's not their fault they were illegitimate, but they should have known.
furthermore, rhaenyra wanted jace and halaena to be married in the show, and at least in the show it seems that the two kids would have been happy with each other without any problems.
even if you take alicent's side, she raised the wrong son to be king. aegon never showed any real promise while aemond was always the more intelligent and warrior-like, and even thought the idea of marrying halaena was a good thing. but no, alicent kept grooming aegon even after finding out about the gr*apes and the dragonseeds in fleabottom. i think aegon in the show would have gladly supported aemond had alicent made the decision that he was more fit to be king. but she just kept pouring that poison down his ear and created a monster. meanwhile, rhae's kids are quite well-adjusted, considering they've known low-key that they are strong boys and not true velaryons.
They are bastards idk why you’re disputing that. She was not married to their father. I love this channel but I think you’re mad biased when it comes to valyions
The reason I don't like her is because she's a hypocrite. Also I believe she knew what she was doing when she was visiting Vyserous. Willam the black was told to attack the Brackens by Daemon but he didn't have to be so brutal about it. Alicent was told to visit the king but she didn't have to be so good at seducing him if she didn't want to advance herself in that way. I don't believe she had zero agency.
I love Alicent. But that may be because Im a Olivia Cooke fan since Bates Motel so she can do no wrong so I'm biased.😂 BTW You have such a beautiful voice.g
Damn. People hate Alicent more so than Daemon. Someone who is objectively more evil descended, spiteful, and hateful. But everyone loves him. We’re cooked 😂.
Alicent is not evil or naturally cruel. She is a massive hypocrite and allowed herself to be drawn into conflict and was integral in starting the war due to misplaced anger.
Alicent became what she thought she needed to in order to survive. If she had kept her friendship with Rhaenyra and encouraged her children's relationships with Rhaenyra's, if she had agreed to the match of Helaena and Jacaerys, if she had been a better mother, yes, things would have gone much differently. I wouldn't say any of it is strictly Alicent's fault, and she is not as bad as she thinks she is, (she also hates herself for mostly the wrong reasons.) But yes she has wrapped herself in a cloak of righteousness that she uses to hide even from her own conscious, and has allowed a terrible life to warp her as a person. She does not know how to go back and fix her mistakes.
Whether she plays the game of thrones or not, her children's lives are at stake, and Daemon being mutilated by Team Black proves that, all because Rhaenyra sired bastards and tried to claim them as rightful heirs. Not unlike Cersei putting Joffrey on the throne. Is Rhaenyra the rightful heir? Sure. Are her kids? No. She and everyone else is right to fight that. Daemon didn't need to loose an eye, and she was right to fight for him. She's right to fight tooth and nail for her kids, because the knife fight is the turning point for her, she knows when push comes to shove, they will murder her children (the rightful heirs according to traditional Westerosi Law) and that's why she wouldn't marry Jace to Helaena, that's not a wise move for her family. And, none of these women, including Rhaenyra and Rhaenys are fighting to break the status quo, they're still just fighting to put their own sons, including bastards, on the throne.
That was typical of medieval Europe. Women were seen as chattel and brood mares in medieval Europe. Matilda, daughter of Henry I left home at 6 to be married to a man of 40.
I love me some Gray Area 🤗🥰🫶🙌 she gives me juice to get me through the long night and gets me all fired up ready for the summer ❤️ yes yes and hell yes!! 👏 👏👏👏🫰🔥
Season Premiere gonna have the streets rocking
The reason why I don't like Alicent is the fact that she hides behind purity and the role of a mother to actively hurt Rhaenyra and it makes sense that she does so, she thinks every woman HAS to go through the same as she did, she's deeply bitter about the fact that she didn't had a choice (true) but also calls Rhaenyra "Spoiled" As if she isn't the queen and every order she gives is a command and a lot of those we're to make Nyra's life hell. She is trying to always undermind Nyra's children despite her son begin the bully, then indirectly the cause of the dead of Harwin ( a man that Rhaenyra clearly loved) and then TRIED to removed the eye of Jace and hurted Rhae and did thag get her in trouble? NO OFC NOT. Its just the cycle of abuse trying to impose it into Rhaenyra because she is deeply bitter. I can't wait for Crispy Cream video because GOD I HATE THAT MAN. Amazing video ❤
OMG! I so missed your commentary. Here's one for you...why would the 7 be ok with brother and sister marrying each other???? Alicent, being so pious, thinks it is ok for her children to marry each other? Stop lady, just stop. Now she has an out of control son on the throne that threatens all of their lives. What a way to gamble your family's lives at the expense of your hatred for Reynera.
Honestly, I love Otto character because he moves the plot. I don't like Alicent tho, because she is just a pawn, but even when she grows in position (even higher than her father's) she is still a pawn. Also, she does medieval Only fans then she badmouth Rhaenyra, at least Rhaenyra was chasing her own pleasure, for Alicent, she is the one giving pleasure and to a fucking nobody like girl get a grip, the creepy foot guy doesn't want to give you info use your position, throw him in jail.
Also, her comments about the queer customs of Targaryena when she too conforms to them anyway but out of spite.
Her comments about the strong bastards, when her son has his own bastards. At least Rhaenyra's Bastards had been well fed, educated, and well cared for. Unlike Aegon's who are beating the shit of each other in flea bottom.
She poisoned her children against their own sister based on the words of her father, whom she knows had other plans.
I think Alicent was as ambitious as her father because right in S1E1 she was telling Rhaenyra " Aren't you worried about your position? " this was when Rhaenyra wasn't even a choice to be in line.
Lets remember that, in the book, Alicent was 18 years old (a GROWN ass woman) in the books when you married Viserys
Alicent was old enough to understand what her father intended to achieve by sending her to Viserys's chambers. She didn't seem comfortable with the idea. She didn't have to follow her father's suggestion, especially since she knew it was inappropriate and risky - it's not like she would be going against societal norms. I understand Otto held authority as a parent and manipulated her, but I dislike how spineless she was. Then later, she became a complete hypocrite, being angry with Rhaenyra for risking her maiden reputation by sneaking out (when she technically did the same by secretly seeing Viserys at night) and not telling her the full truth, while she herself couldn't say anything about seeing Viserys for months! Also, Rhaenyra was eventually able to start forgiving Alicent's betrayal, meanwhile Alicent became consumed by jealousy, hatred, self-victimization and blind to her own wrongdoings.
Agreed, but remember in the first 5 episodes, she would chew her fingers, that a sign of abuse, so as a child yes she was abused emotionally and manipulated, but when she grew up, she knew better.
Cant feel sorry for Alicent. At first, you can feel sorry for her, sure. She was a child, given to bed an old man BUT she accepts that fate and that role.
She reminds me of those catholic queens that were terrible to everyone because they were miserable and unhappy. But did every awful act in name of God.
That's exactly what it is. GRRM based the Faith of the Seven on Catholicism.
"It does not mean that this is the way it has to be."
YES. Every single tradition we have was started by someone at some point, and people just kept doing it for whatever reason (usually bc it reinforces power structures). People make this shit up, and people can change it. It's not the only way to do things. There are always alternatives. We can choose something different, and personally, I believe we're obligated to do so when traditions are harmful. It's usually difficult to do so bc people who benefit from certain traditions feel threatened, but that's not a good reason to keep things the way they are forever.
And why do you talk like the boys weren’t bastards and you really just said aemond started the fight you didn’t see them hit him first you use to make good content but you to biased towards the blacks to enjoy your content
I am BLOWN AWAY how GREAT YOU ARE at breaking things down! You've brought up so many things that I've missed things in going to rewatch the entire 1st season because of all the things you've brought to my attention. You've just become my favorite Game of Thrones and House if the Dragon channel! I wish I could subscribe 10 times so you could get 10 times the credit!
17:39 He literally said "Aegon" as his last words, was she supposed to know that he was talking about a prophetic dream he never told her about? Hello? it was completely reasonable that his final words to Alicent, the mother of his son Aegon, think that he was referring to his son Aegon. Why on earth should that not be the conclusion she jumps to? Damn it was the conclusion the entire realm jumped to the day Aegon was born. which only happened because as you blatantly ignored Alicent was with him at his death bed when in fact it was Rhaenrya who up and left knowing full well he could die any day now.
Why would Alicent believe the rumblings of a man who was drugged and in such pain? She believed what she wanted without any consideration for the circumstances.
@@catseye1009 Because by all rights it’s what should have been her sons by right of every single Law of the country. Given that Rhaenerya claiming the throne is very likely a death sentence for her sons to ensure her legitimacy, it is very plausible that on his death bed, a terrible father realized that he wanted his sons to live.
@@Stay_ZeroseThe kings decree is the law. Not the traditions and desires of his subjects. Even the authority of the Lord’s paramount comes from the king.
The Starks, for example, are the wardens of the north, but they do not own the north, the king does. even the castle of Winterfell belongs to the king. the Starks can only occupy it with the crowns authority. When the king visits it is he who sits at the head of the table, not the Lord.
Targaryen’s have also had no issue in the past of destroying those who try to dictate which traditions they should obey.
Ask the old school faith militant about their attempt to dethrone the Targaryen’s for their incest marriage customs. They were destroyed and the royal family still practices incest. The faith of the seven meanwhile was forbidden from ever raising the faith militant again. No longer allowed to take up swords.
Visarys had no obligation to respect Andal traditions of male inheritance. To a dragon king, the traditions of his subjects are suggestions not law.
The kings word however IS law and the greens are nothing but traitors and oath breakers. Alicent, took the dying kings ramblings about the song of ice and fire ( a prophecy that she doesn’t even know about because it’s only told to the next in line for the throne) and she hears what she wants to hear and breaks the oath of her house.
Aegon had no right to the throne because the sitting king deemed it so and he vigorously defended his daughter’s claim and never wavered for 20 years.
@@roxas12590 The kings word is paramount untrue but that doesn’t mean that the king can do whatever he wants because failure to keep good faith with the lords and ladies of Westeros could very literally cause a complete collapse of his kingdom. A poor power hungry leader, Aerys collapsed the empire because the people didn’t let him burn people alive without consequences. He wasn’t able to let his son runaway with Lyanna. If royal decree by the king was paramount than the Blackfryes are the rightful leaders of Westeros and the Targaryens were illegally occupying the throne. If the kings word is law than Maegor was justified in all of his cruel actions because he is the king.
No a kingdom is run by order which is what allows the kingdom and family name to go on. A person simply change the entire function of succession just because they had a position of power.
Aegon is the true heir to the throne. Point blank because the King doesn’t get to change the rules upon which everyone voted on in and in favour of because he feels guilty that his wife died.
@@Stay_Zerose comparing Visarys to Aryes the mad king is a disingenuous bullshit comparison. Naming a female as heir is not comparable to the atrocities he committed.
The mad king abused his authority but the ruin of his house was long in the making, and the Targaryen’s had grown weaker with every generation after the dance of dragons. An incident instigated by an outside house, the scheming Hightowers.
There is no vote in monarchies and again all Lords derive their power from the Crown. Even the Lords who sit at the kings table are counselors, not legislators or authorities. They can counsel the king and he is free to ignore them.
There was no threat to Targaryen rule before the dance of dragons because no Lord or group of lords or host was going to stand a chance against what at that point was a house that had 17 dragons under Targaryen control.
Aegon conquered six of the seven kingdoms with only three.
I’ve already shown you clear examples that the dragon kings are not obligated to obey Westerosi customs. To quote Daemon “ you are the dragon your word is truth and law”
All Lord’s paramount, including the Hightowers, swore an oath to his the kings chosen heir. There is no debate the throne belongs to Rhaenrya.
Otto is the real villain here. I almost feel sorry for Alicent. She never really had anyone looking out for her. In many ways she is just a creature of her own circumstances which she is ill equipped to handle. She is not likeable for sure, but not truly evil.
Alicent committed treason when she started wearing the green dress showing where her loyalty lies. To say she was a child at 16 doesn’t take into consideration the average life span at the time. Otto killed Baelon, Viserys’s brother, to get the job of the hand. He had his wife Aemma and her baby after birth killed. He poisoned Viserys by poisoning the throne and continued to as Aegon II and Aemond came of age. Do you think it was all a coincidence?
I been gone since game of thrones ended which I was not happy about
😊 I'm pretty sure you didn't like it either but you're back and so am I so thanks I'm looking forward to your next post
I like how Oldtown always had a problem with the brother sister marriages, but Alicent having her kids marry each other was fine. 🙄
It's very easy to hate Alicent, just as easy as it was to hate Catelyn Stark. But in the end despite their actions being bad they were always justified by the context.
Helaena couldn't marry Jace for many reasons:
1-he's a bastard
2-It doesn't make Aegon's claim invalid, he can still press for his claim. It would just give Rhaenyra an hostage.
Alicent poisoned the mind of her children. Okay but Aegon was there bullying his own brother with the Strong boys, all this poisoning didn't work. Up until Viserys decided to show his favoritism towards Rhaenyra at Driftmark while his son lost his eye in a fight that BAELA started.
Rhaenyra is definitely capable to kill her children, because she doesn't care about the law, but won't abandon the throne for any reason as you said. She made 3 obvious bastards and name them heirs, and killed the other person who tried to speak the truth and his family lost their tongues. But everyone was fine with it as you said lol.
And everyone who has eyes can see that these boys are not Laenor Alicent doesn't need to feed any rumors at court.
So Rhaenyra:
-Fired her dad isolating Alicent in King's Landing
-Had bastards that would inherit what normally should be Alicent's son throne.
-Asked to torture her son.
But sure Alicent should be a feminist queen in medieval Westeros, in a family where everyone only thinks about their little selves, because Rhaenyra inheriting means that women would be getting rights, as it was proved by the few queens who inherited in real life because feudalism is not an intrinsic patriarchal setting. How clever.