A new House of the Dragon image highlights the childhood bond between the eventual bitter rivals Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. The highly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series is based on portions of George R.R. Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood, which chronicles the history of House Targaryen. From Thrones alum Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, House of the Dragon will follow a similar premise as its predecessor as noble men and women vie for control of the Iron Throne.
At the beginning of House of the Dragon, King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), described as a "warm, kind, and decent man," will sit atop the Iron Throne with Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) acting as his hand of the King. Two of the show's central female characters are Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock/Emma D'Arcy), Viserys' firstborn child and chosen heir, and Lady Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke), daughter of the Hand of the King. Rhaenyra and Alicent's friendship begins during childhood, but as they grow older and political tensions flare, the two eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the looming Targaryen civil war.
Now, a newly released House of the Dragon image previews the childhood bond between these two central female characters. Per Empire, the image shows a seemingly wholesome scene between the two childhood friends in a serene garden as a young Rhaenyra rests her head on Alicent's lap. Check out the new image below:
In a show that will be packed with political unrest and fire-breathing dragons, this image likely represents a rare moment of tranquility. The image depicts Rhaenyra and Alicent's friendship during their younger years as they are portrayed by Alcock and Carey, respectively, while D'Arcy and Cooke will take over the roles later in life. Their relationship will seemingly begin to sour once Lady Alicent marries Rhaenyra's father, King Viserys, and becomes Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, but the bitter rivalry truly begins once the King dies and Rhaenyra stakes her rightful claim to the throne, though her now-stepmother, Alicent, prefers that her eldest son, Aegon, succeed him.
Game of Thrones had no shortage of strong female characters and with Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, a fierce dragonrider with political aspirations, and Alicent, a comely women with a keen political acumen, at the forefront, it appears House of the Dragon will as well. However, whether or not these women truly have any agency or are just pawns of the patriarchy will be one of many important questions the prequel show will ponder through these two complex female characters at the center of the story. The wait for House of the Dragon is almost over, as the series premieres on August 21 on HBO.
Source: Empire