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The House of the Dragon season finale saw Westeros on the brink of war. What’s more, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) lead the House of the Dragon factions. Or rather, Alicents’ son, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney). Creator and showrunner Ryan Condal says Alicent’s power is limited. 

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.]

'House of the Dragon': Alicent (Olivia Cooke) folds her arms
Olivia Cooke | Ollie Upton/HBO

Condal was a guest on the House of the Dragon podcast on Oct. 23 after the season finale aired. Discussing where the season finale leaves House of the Dragon for season 2, Condal cautioned viewers not to put too much stock in Alicent. 

Alicent gave up power when she gave Aegon power in the ‘House of the Dragon’ season finale

Alicent claimed that King Viserys (Paddy Considine)’s dying wish was for Aegon to be named King. This contradicted Viserys’ common insistence that his daughter, Rhaenyra, succeed him. Now that it’s done, Aegon is the one in charge. 

“Because her power is soft power and it’s her ability to put her son in a position to take the throne,” Condal said on the House of the Dragon podcast. “The minute that crown goes on his head, she is giving away I think more than she realizes that she’s giving away.”

Alicent has been a pawn throughout ‘House of the Dragon’

Since she was young, and played by Emily Carey, Alicent hasn’t been in much control of her situation. Viserys chose her for a bride after Aemma (Sian Brooke) died and this all had to do with Viserys and Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans)’s friendship. 

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‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2: ‘There’s Actually Still Hope’ for Rhaenyra, Alicent Friendship, Says Ryan Condal

“That’s the real tragedy of this story,” Condal said. “These two young women who were friends as girls who grew up deeply loving each other, and their fathers deeply loving each other in their own way. How they were forced into this situation by the pressures put on them by the aristocracy and by the patriarchy, by these ancient political constructs around them, and then seeing the result of that almost inexorably throwing them into war against every fiber of their desire and being.”

Could there still be peace?

Both Alicent and Rhaenyra have probably been through too much to make peace now. Even if she lacks direct power, Alicent set a lot of those things in motion herself. 

“We realized any one of these big moments you could point to and say, ‘Well, if that hadn’t happened then surely they wouldn’t have gone to war,’” Condal said. “If Aemond hadn’t had his eye cut out, if Rhaena had claimed Vhagar instead. Even smaller moments. If Viserys had just married Laena or literally anyone other than his hand’s daughter. But what we like about that is that everybody, it feels like anybody that’s paying attention could go back and argue their own point, the war started here.’”

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