Things are getting more exciting every week for HBO’s House of the Dragon. As the story of the House Targaryen progresses to new heights, many conflicts and wars arise resulting in broken trust and severed friendships.
Milly Alcock, who portrays Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, believes that fans pitting her character against Emily Carey’s Alicent Hightower is ridiculous and ironic. House of the Dragon is set two centuries before the events in Game of Thrones, where viewers witness the rise and fall of the Targaryen empire and the foreboding civil war called Dance of the Dragons.
Rhaenyra And Alicent’s Relationship Dynamics In House Of The Dragon
Rhaenyra and Alicent were introduced in the pilot episode as inseparable best friends until King Viserys I Targaryen, father of Rhaenyra, chose to marry Alicent after his first wife died during childbirth. This caused a rift in the two young women’s friendship, and they both find themselves at odds now more than ever after Alicent gave birth to Viserys’ children.
In her recent interview with Nylon, Alcock talked about the relationship between her character Rhaenyra and Alicent. She also discussed how the misogynistic practices of Westeros caused all this rift and that both characters are victims of poor choices made by men.
“I think it was all kind of written on the page, and Emily [Carey] and I understood very quickly what this relationship meant, and that we really needed to display their unconditional love for each other when we see them. Especially in the first couple of episodes — so that when the demise of that friendship inevitably happens, the audience cares. Because I think the irony that I’ve kind of found over the show coming out, is that House of the Dragon highlights yes, the patriarchy, yes, misogyny, but also the internalized misogyny that these two women are forced to face. They’re forced to be put at odds with one another by the choices by men.”
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The actress also pointed out that it’s “ironic” for fans to choose sides and pit the two characters against each other when clearly, they are the ones suffering the consequences.
“But what I found quite hilarious is that the fan base is also putting the actors, the young Alicent and the young Rhaenyra at odds with each other, and choosing who’s better, also by decision of mostly men. So I think that it’s really just f***ing ironic.”
Their friendship will remain in a tumultuous situation, with Rhaenyra still the heir, and Alicent’s children will have a stronger claim to the Iron Throne. Westeros will demand a man on the position, and this will further sever their friendship apart.
