WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8!After going from best friends to enemies as teenagers, Alicent and Rhaenyra finally make genuine amends in House of the Dragon episode 8. In an effort to put aside their grievances for Viserys’ sake, Rhaenyra gives a heartfelt toast to Alicent, to whom she apologizes and thanks for sticking by her father’s side. Alicent returns the compliments by saying she and Rhaenyra are both mothers who have more in common than they admit, with the toast ending as Alicent shockingly says Rhaenyra will make a fine queen. The problem, however, is how long this truce will last; Aemond's "Strong boys" speech caused a physical fight between their sons just moments after the Queen and Princess forgave one another, with the King dying later that same night.
Initially, Rhaenyra and Alicent forgiving one another was a way to respect the old King Viserys’ wishes and give him one final dinner where his family was at peace. However, their words of regret turned out to be sincere, revealing the love that teenage Alicent and Rhaenyra had shared as best friends was still there deep down. Alicent and Rhaenyra forgiving one another in House of the Dragon episode 8 also implies that the entire war had the potential to be avoided. In addition to her father Otto, Alicent was the figure most passionate about keeping Rhaenyra off the Iron Throne and crowning Aegon instead. As such, Alicent’s comment that Rhaenyra will make a good queen indicates that she was finally able to accept her as the next ruler, which would have meant letting Aegon off the hook and maintaining House Targaryen as a unified front. But, House of the Dragon episode 8’s ending proves this reconciliation is only brief.
Why It's Too Late To End Alicent & Rhaenyra's Rivalry
Despite such heartfelt apologies, Rhaenyra and Alicent’s rivalry will resume after House of the Dragon episode 8. With the King dead, the matter of succession is no longer a waiting game, and moves will have to be made to ensure that either the greens or blacks rule on the Iron Throne. Alicent may have briefly leaned toward letting Rhaenyra ascend the Iron Throne, but her misunderstanding of the dying King Viserys’ last words caused her to return to the path of stealing the crown.
Even if King Viserys Targaryen hadn’t accidentally told Alicent about Aegon’s dream, the Princess and Queen’s rivalry would have resumed due to the animosity between their children. Alicent had spent the past 16 years instilling resentment and enmity in her children against Rhaenyra’s sons, with the nature of the boys’ arguments extending far beyond the manipulations of their mother. Alicent will always choose her own children and Rhaenyra will do the same, meaning they’ll be involved in the feuds of the next Targaryen generation either way.
Did Viserys' Final Words Accidentally Cause The War? Why Alicent Changed Her Mind
Alicent seemed intent on letting Rhaenyra rule until she visited Viserys in House of the Dragon episode 8's ending. While on the milk of the poppy, Viserys mistakes Alicent for Rhaenyra when his wife comes to give him his “tea,” as his daughter had snuck into his room the night before to discuss Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy. Thinking that he’s speaking to Rhaenyra, Viserys says he does believe in Aegon’s dream of the Prince That Was Promised, his sacrifice, and the threat in the North. Viserys then states, “You are the one. You must do it.” This was meant to indicate that Viserys still believes that Rhaenyra is the one who must ascend the Iron Throne and carry the burden of Aegon’s prophetic dream, but Alicent mistakenly thought the King was referring to their son Aegon.
Alicent interpreted Viserys’ words as meaning that Aegon II was the “promised” prince that must ascend the Iron Throne and unite the realm against Rhaenyra’s moral darkness. After everything that just occurred at House of the Dragon episode 8’s dinner, Alicent thought Viserys was declaring Aegon as his rightful heir in his dying words. So, in response to Viserys saying “you must do it,” Alicent accepts her duty, meaning she’ll go forward with usurping the crown. Had Viserys not mistaken Alicent for Rhaenyra, and had Alicent not misunderstood which Aegon was being discussed, then perhaps Alicent would still have been content with letting Rhaenyra become queen. It’s this grave mistake, however, that justifies her actions to crown Aegon after Viserys' death and begin the Dance of the Dragons.
Do Rhaenyra & Alicent Meet Again After Viserys' Death?
Following their reconciliation, Rhaenyra and Alicent made plans to meet again – but this was before Viserys’ death and the misunderstanding of his last words. George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book reveals that Alicent and Rhaenyra will eventually meet again in House of the Dragon, but only under disastrous circumstances. Since Rhaenyra will be ruling from Dragonstone while Alicent is ruling with Aegon in King’s Landing, the two House of the Dragon characters aren’t likely to see each other again until the war is nearly over. In fact, it could be at least another year after House of the Dragon episode 8 when Rhaenyra and Alicent confront one another face-to-face. This would be when Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing from Aegon, but spares Alicent for the love that Viserys once had for her. Alicent is then held captive throughout Rhaenyra’s short reign, with neither character forgiving the other for the atrocities committed during the Targaryen civil war.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.