CLINTON LIBERTY As ADDAM VELARYON House Of The Dragon – 2.06 "Smallfolk"

OLIVIA COOKE as ALICENT HIGHTOWER — House of the Dragon Season 2 Promotional Photos by James Minchin

Repeat after me.

Alicent suddenly changing her mind about protecting her son and choosing the "realm" over him is not character development. It is character assassination and humiliation, especially with the way they had Alicent "list" her sins to Rhaenyra, and Rhaenyra fucking mocks her for it. You wanna make her a hypocrite? Fine. But make it make sense. Because they retconned her completely.

Ya'll know if they suddenly had Rhaenyra offering to give up Jace and Joffrey and bend the knee for the "good of the realm" then you'd be rioting in the streets.

Always of the belief Alicent deserved the last word in the driftmark scene. Why on earth, given the context of that scene, should Rhaenyra have gotten to say "Now they see you as you are" unchallenged. As if Alicent is in the wrong. Because what is Alicent in that moment? A desperate mother, seeking retribution for the injustice of her son being permanently disabled without so much as an apology from his attackers? Alicent going 'oh woe is me, what have i become' in response plays into Rhaenyras hands. She should have matched her energy. It should have been the true beginning of a feud. Alicent should have been given the opportunity to remind Rhaenyra "I am what you made me"

"I was happier before I was queen."

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to be loved means to be consumed.

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alicent + protecting her children HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (2022–)