Alicent Hightower: The Queen Who Tore a Kingdom Apart

A Major Antagonist in "House of the Dragon"

Alicent Hightower is one of the most complex and controversial characters in the HBO series "House of the Dragon," a prequel to the popular "Game of Thrones." As the Queen Consort to King Viserys I Targaryen, Alicent is a powerful figure in the realm and a major antagonist in the Greens' faction in the Targaryen civil war.

An Ambitious Woman

Alicent is a woman of ambition and cunning. She grew up in the Red Keep as a companion to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king's eldest child and heir to the Iron Throne. Alicent's father, Otto Hightower, was Hand of the King, and Alicent aspired to marry the king and become queen herself.

A Mother's Love

Alicent's love for her children is one of the driving forces behind her actions. She has four children with King Viserys, including Aegon II, who she believes should inherit the Iron Throne over Rhaenyra. Alicent's fierce desire to protect her children and ensure their future leads her to make some ruthless choices.

A Tragic End

Alicent's life takes a tragic turn when her younger son, Prince Aemond, murders Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys Velaryon. This act ignites the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons. Alicent's own son, Aegon II, becomes king but is eventually killed by Rhaenyra's son, Aegon the Younger. Years later, Alicent dies of the winter fever, a plague that sweeps the city of King's Landing.

Alicent Hightower's story is a complex one of ambition, love, and tragedy. She is a character who is both sympathetic and flawed, and her actions have a profound impact on the course of history in "House of the Dragon."