Game of Thrones prequel series: House of the Dragon

[IATT]

It does feel a bit far fetched or maybe the execution isn’t being completely upfront with it but IMO it’s the influence and word of her father really engraining the idea that it’s either aegon or rhaenyra to the throne. they tried to sell it more in the scene where Aegon was beating his meat out the window and got caught alicent telling him to ready TF up cause ****’s bout to go down.

I get the beef after she would have had a male child.. at that point she’s being realistic, to a degree

But I’m talking before that.. when she would have dug her heels in

So she finds out ole girl basically got plan B.. but she also found out about Criston

I could see if she was overly invested in her dad’s position, but that didn’t seem to be the case

 

[danikerhino]

It’s not just about wanting her own kids on the throne. It’s about survival. Whoever ascends the throne in theory has to wipe out any challengers to the throne. That’s what Robert Baratheon basically did. Even though he didn’t condone killing kids (at least the Martell/Targaryen kids) it was done on his behalf because there couldn’t be any Targaryens left to challenge his claim. It’s why Daenerys and her brother fled to Essos. Cersei/Joffrey did a similar thing when they found out about Robert’s bastard kids. Had the majority of them killed. Any potential challenger can gather enough people to their side to oppose the claim to the throne. Rhae is the officially named heir but she’s a woman and her kids clearly aren’t from her husband. It weakens her position. Alicent is the king’s wife, has Targaryen kids but because Viserys named Rhea as his successor, he inadvertently put crosshairs on Alicent and her children’s back because Rhae has supporters who would back her claim. That’s what Otto told Alicent when he was fired as Hand.

You'd think she knows Rhea enough to not be like that. Realistically, it seems like a situation where Alicent would actually "butter up" to Rhea as opposed to challenging her. Rhea hasn't shown an ounce of vengefulness in her character thus far and Alicent if anything is pushing her buttons.

 

[danikerhino]

It does feel a bit far fetched or maybe the execution isn’t being completely upfront with it but IMO it’s the influence and word of her father really engraining the idea that it’s either aegon or rhaenyra to the throne. they tried to sell it more in the scene where Aegon was beating his meat out the window and got caught alicent telling him to ready TF up cause ****’s bout to go down.

This is what's lost in this situation. Like in Daenerys's rage, there's little explanation to back up Alicent's extreme behavior. I'm sure the book goes more into it, but it's up to the tv series to also show how it gets to this point so it doesn't leave viewers questioning her reasoning.

 

[nice jahb]

How y’all are missing the multiple infractions caused by Rhaey-bae to Alicent is baffling to me.

1. Lying to her best friend
2. The lie causing banishment of her father
3. Ripple effect of the lie causing her to lose her only trusted allies (Rhae and Otto)
4. Corrupting the best King’s Guard
5. Corrupting the city watch captain and fathering 3 of his kids
6. The eldest of those sons will one day take the throne that by every law in Westoros should go to her son, whom she had to sleep with a decaying king to create.
7. Rhae’s husband out here piping boys down left and right, knowing that everybody knows he ain’t sniffed her coochie.
8. The King having no backbone to stand up to his daughter and heir. Just hanging around to watch Aegon train.
9. Her only friend is Larys. Would you want that jabroni as your friend drinking your wine and smoking your smoke? I’m good.
10. Cole is her sworn shield but their alliance is built on a “common enemy,” which we all know, that ain’t no friend. Strong ally to have though.

Just my 2 (or 10) cents.

 

[IATT]

She went from being a sweetheart to a spiteful ****.

With a blatant discomfort with all the stuff her father was pushing her to do

I get when she learned about the plan b and if she didn’t learn about criston.. but she learned about criston pretty quick

So no clue why she would have beef until she figured out how things would go with her son vs ole girl and maybe daemon

 

[danikerhino]

How y’all are missing the multiple infractions caused by Rhaey-bae to Alicent is baffling to me.

1. Lying to her best friend
2. The lie causing banishment of her father
3. Ripple effect of the lie causing her to lose her only trusted allies (Rhae and Otto)
4. Corrupting the best King’s Guard
5. Corrupting the city watch captain and fathering 3 of his kids
6. The eldest of those sons will one day take the throne that by every law in Westoros should go to her son, whom she had to sleep with a decaying king to create.
7. Rhae’s husband out here piping boys down left and right, knowing that everybody knows he ain’t sniffed her coochie.
8. The King having no backbone to stand up to his daughter and heir. Just hanging around to watch Aegon train.
9. Her only friend is Larys. Would you want that jabroni as your friend drinking your wine and smoking your smoke? I’m good.
10. Cole is her sworn shield but their alliance is built on a “common enemy,” which we all know, that ain’t no friend. Strong ally to have though.

Just my 2 (or 10) cents.

Most of those shouldn't even be her concern. But even with that, her personality still is a far cry from how she used to be and at the end of the last episode while they were still young, she seems to be the worrying type rather than the spiteful type of person.

 

[danikerhino]

With a blatant discomfort with all the stuff her father was pushing her to do

I get when she learned about the plan b and if she didn’t learn about criston.. but she learned about criston pretty quick

So no clue why she would have beef until she figured out how things would go with her son vs ole girl and maybe daemon

That's what I said. They painted her as the delicate worrisome friend, not as a spiteful little ****. There at least should have been another episode with her coming to terms with becoming more combative.

 

[IATT]

That's what I said. They painted her as the delicate worrisome friend, not as a spiteful little ****.

Yea we see the shh with her picking at her nails just being in situations.. or overly caring about shh, like with the tearing of the page





With how it was played, it doesn’t make sense.. to go as far as to demand the child right after birth, level or spite/petty

Hell even from criston, I don’t really get it.. or how it’s being written

 

[HankHill]

Most of those shouldn't even be her concern. But even with that, her personality still is a far cry from how she used to be and at the end of the last episode while they were still young, she seems to be the worrying type rather than the spiteful type of person.

It’s a 10 year time gap. Why would you expect her to have the same personality as an adult Queen than when she was a teenager. We saw her spiteful transformation at the weeding wearing all green and calling Rhae “step-daughter” like they ain’t been calling each other besties all season

 

[carver]

I get the beef after she would have had a male child.. at that point she’s being realistic, to a degree

But I’m talking before that.. when she would have dug her heels in

So she finds out ole girl basically got plan B.. but she also found out about Criston

I could see if she was overly invested in her dad’s position, but that didn’t seem to be the case

She also ****** her dads political career by believing rhae about the daemon situation.

I thought I’d miss young rhae and alicent cause they was killing it onscreen. But the older ones doing their things too.

 

[IATT]

She also ****ed her dads political career by believing rhae about the daemon situation.

I thought I’d miss young rhae and alicent cause they was killing it onscreen. But the older ones doing their things too.

But that’s the thing.. I would have understood if the daemon thing was legit the trigger and her finding out about the plan b

But then we see her find out about the criston thing

Just seems like the whole thing was poorly written or not fleshed out well enough

Maybe they should have had something else or more with daemon that she and criston find out about to drive them to work together and form legit hate

But how things are shown.. Alicent finds out pretty quickly the plan b was because of criston so as far as she knows the daemon thing was wrong.. which means as far as she knows, her dad fumbled the play

 

[carver]

Otto definitely fumbled the play.

 

[HankHill]

Her friend still lied about being a maiden to her. Not only that, but with her guard who had an oath not to have sex. Alicent was pretty much a good two shoes doing her duty and there hasn’t been any benefit to it.

Nothing was written poorly so far, you have a hard time inferring. That’s not the actors or writers fault. I recommend watching the after show if you need things explained out.

 

[IATT]

If it was about the sex and doing the right thing, criston doesn’t turn into her best friend

And it wasn’t that she was a goodie two shoes.. she clearly was having a negative physical reaction to even being in these situations





Bread crumbs were there to eventually turn heel or go crazy and snap.. seeing the impact of sleeping with ole dude.. and then eventually having a son

But they didn’t write it well

She has skin in the game, with multiple family members making plans for her against her will.. plus her finding out the reality of shh was she’s actually in it

 

[danikerhino]

It’s a 10 year time gap. Why would you expect her to have the same personality as an adult Queen than when she was a teenager. We saw her spiteful transformation at the weeding wearing all green and calling Rhae “step-daughter” like they ain’t been calling each other besties all season

It's not about what I expect, it's about making it a believable transition. Most people have certain traits ingrained in them that never changes. For hers, it seems like she was thoughtful and empathetic. Now I'm expected to be convinced that she did a complete 180 based on what's implied on one scene rather than shown. Yes it's probably the building blocks on the road to her becoming the person she is, that much is obvious. I'd just rather have them flesh out more of the circumstances that lead to that. Because if I didn't know how the Targaryen's history, than I would be completely lost to why should turn to such extremes as to completely change herself to the core.

 

[masagipatron]

You'd think she knows Rhea enough to not be like that. Realistically, it seems like a situation where Alicent would actually "butter up" to Rhea as opposed to challenging her. Rhea hasn't shown an ounce of vengefulness in her character thus far and Alicent if anything is pushing her buttons.

Viserys is the real problem here. He never should have named Rhae. The moment he did that, he set up all of this conflict. Rhae is entitled and wants the throne. Even if she didn’t show vengefulness early on, the fact that she had been named heir and she’s a Targaryen with a dragon means that she will take the throne no matter what. It’s her birthright in her mind and she is naturally strong willed. Alicent has legitimate Targaryen male heirs according to tradition, her kids have a more legitimate claim than Rhae. But Viserys naming Rhae as his heir screwed everything up.

 

[IATT]

Viserys is the real problem here. He never should have named Rhae. The moment he did that, he set up all of this conflict. Rhae is entitled and wants the throne. Even if she didn’t show vengefulness early on, the fact that she had been named heir and she’s a Targaryen with a dragon means that she will take the throne no matter what. It’s her birthright in her mind and she is naturally strong willed. Alicent has legitimate Targaryen male heirs according to tradition, her kids have a more legitimate claim than Rhae. But Viserys naming Rhae as his heir screwed everything up.

This is all my point, you have legit reasons in the story

But it is poorly written based on the character we know

I would completely get her eventually snapping/drastically changing.. but not how it played out




Hell, if she just cares so much about the rules how is she even ole girl’s friend for as long as she was.. or how does that book scene not turn into a whole thing

 

[danikerhino]

Viserys is the real problem here. He never should have named Rhae. The moment he did that, he set up all of this conflict. Rhae is entitled and wants the throne. Even if she didn’t show vengefulness early on, the fact that she had been named heir and she’s a Targaryen with a dragon means that she will take the throne no matter what. It’s her birthright in her mind and she is naturally strong willed. Alicent has legitimate Targaryen male heirs according to tradition, her kids have a more legitimate claim than Rhae. But Viserys naming Rhae as his heir screwed everything up.

I agree plotwise that Viserys made the move that goes against tradition. But my quarrel is strictly with how the show paints Alicent as a kind hearted, thoughtful young lady to a selfish and brash individual all in the span of a half a episode with nothing in between.

 

[danikerhino]

Damn, the women are really running this ****.

 

[calibeebee]

Show gettin kinda trash imo. Characters having full arcs in 2 episodes? Gonna lose interest pretty quick just watching live birth after live birth and expected to care? Who are these people? What is even at stake anymore? How is anyone supposed to care who sits on the throne?

Like is a lowly peasant supposed to keep track of all the babies and incest and bastards by diff people? The people of the council can’t even keep track. Everything coming off the rails, and not in an interesting way. They need some likeable characters for sure. There isn’t a single one to root for.

 

[IATT]

I agree plotwise that Viserys made the move that goes against tradition. But my quarrel is strictly with how the show paints Alicent as a kind hearted, thoughtful young lady to a selfish and brash individual all in the span of a half a episode with nothing in between.

yup.. Alicent clearly doesnt want any of it.. hell she even makes subtle comments which reflect on her relationship with her own father

I get her eventually getting there after a couple dominoes fall.. between her marriage, family pressure, her being well aware how much her friend wants the crown, opening her eyes to the schemes of others once it became known she was marrying the king and biggest of all having a son

 

[jaypesoz]

Agreed Alicent's heel change felt a little, not rushed, but "sped up."

I don't think another episode to show her struggling would've hurt but it's not a big deal either. If anything, it'll just be debate material for another week about her.

 

[a-friend]

Most of those shouldn't even be her concern. But even with that, her personality still is a far cry from how she used to be and at the end of the last episode while they were still young, she seems to be the worrying type rather than the spiteful type of person.

What? Everyone one of those should be her concern.
Not even a little bit either.
S like 1-10 is life or death in Kings Landing.
She should be just the way she is, for every reason dude listed.

 

[a-friend]

Viseryis and Alicent and Rhaneara are they only ones I know, though.
Felt like I just got all the Cristons and Larys and Ottos down and the 3-4 of the main characters are swapped out, 10+years passes, 3-5new Kids or babies or Descendants to the THRONE are added and GOD DAMN man just like that.........Every time somebody mentions a name that isn't Viseryis or Alicent or Rhaneara, I have to go google that **** and see who TF ****** like DAEMON are. Struggling to Put a name to a face during every episode, Man F Word this S word.

I will come back in 6weeks when this Season wraps and I can watch it whole.

 

[IATT]

What? Everyone one of those should be her concern.
Not even a little bit either.
S like 1-10 is life or death in Kings Landing.
She should be just the way she is, for every reason dude listed.

then they need to play the character differently from earlier

she needs to be like Angela from the office

when ole girl tears that page out of the book.. they need to show her complaining to people.. whenever ole girl is doing sh she shouldn’t be doing, she needs to be tattling

she was well aware her friend was a free spirit and didn’t really care about the rules

but they played it as the only time she legit felt comfortable, was around ole girl