House of the Dragon season twohas only droppedtwo episodes so far , but both Team Green and Team Black have alreadybeen through the emotional wringeras the Dance of the Dragons heats up . At the nerve center of the vortex is Alicent Hightower ; as the Dowager Queen and female parent of King Aegon II , she ’s one of the most powerful people in Westeros , but that does n’t think she has any sense of control .
io9 spoke to Alicent herself — Olivia Cooke — as part of a late House of the Dragon press day , and take her about a specific moment inlast Nox ’s installment , “ Rhaenyra the Cruel . ”
It ’s an natural action - packed sequence ; we see Alicent ( once again ) being used as a political cat’s-paw by her father , Hand of the King Otto Hightower ( Rhys Ifans ) , and made a focal point of the grim funeral extravaganza surrounding her hit grandson . Then , we see Alicent apportion with the immediate fallout after her father is fired as Hand of the King by her petulent Word , King Aegon ( Tom Glynn - Carney ) .
Cole (Fabian Frankel) and Alicent (Olivia Cook) in House of the Dragon season two episode “Rhaenyra the Cruel.”Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
At the end of the episode , Alicent — who ’s been less than impressed with the behaviour of both Aegon and his untested brother , Aemond ( Ewan Mitchell ) — maintain Aegon sit down alone , sobbing his eyes out . Instead of moving to comfort him , she watches him for just a beat , then taciturnly exits the room . “ I think Aemond and Aegon specifically hold the mirror [ up ] to the element of herself that she despises , ” Cooke said about Alicent ’s response . “ And I consider his vulnerability in that mo , and his ineffectuality , just repulses her . It really does . I think she look everything that ’s debile in him [ as the same as what ’s ] incredibly weak — and [ that ] she ’s trying to get a lid on — in herself . I opine that was it . But he ’s grieving as well , and she does n’t want to be face with that so now . She wants her son to rule and she want to have breed a loss leader . And she has n’t at all . ”
io9 also got a fortune to ask Cooke about a character who ’ll before long be arriving in House of the Dragon time of year two : Alicent ’s crony , Ser Gwayne Hightower ( Freddie Fox ) . “ [ Their family relationship is ] is estranged . It ’s really estranged . She did n’t grow up with him ; he was brought up in Oldtown , she was brought up at court , ” Cooke teased . “ I imagine it ’s Alicent , again , do-or-die for connection and community , and trying to forge that in a direction that just is n’t possible because they do n’t have a apportion nomenclature . I think that causes her a mickle of annoyance , especially seeing how well - adjust he is , and how well - aline he is because he ’s been away from this environs . ”
House of the Dragon discharge new episodes Sundays on HBO and Max .
Want more io9 news ? Check out when to expect the latestMarvel , Star Wars , andStar Trekreleases , what ’s next for theDC Universe on picture show and boob tube , and everything you require to know about the future ofDoctor Who .
AegonGame of ThronesHandHouse of the DragonOlivia Cooke
Daily Newsletter
Get the near tech , scientific discipline , and culture word in your inbox daily .
newsworthiness from the futurity , delivered to your nowadays .
You May Also Like
