Warning! SPOILERS for House of the Dragon.House of the Dragon leaves Rhaenyra upset, and possibly for more complicated reasons than it initially appears. Only in its second episode, House of the Dragon is quickly moving ahead with its preamble to civil war. The nuptials of Viserys and Alicent are the next step, and their marriage will result in more heirs and more conflict over who sits the Iron Throne.
For Rhaenyra, the fallout from Viserys and Alicent's marriage will most notably be the birth of a son to challenge her position as heir. Already, Rhaenyra's claim as Viserys' heir is tenuous. There is no precedent for a ruling Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and the lords of Westeros will happily supplant her with a male heir if given the chance. That knowledge is certainly one reason why Rhaenyra appears so angry when her father announces his plans to remarry, as is the sting of it happening only six months after the death her mother. But the fact her father chooses her best (and potentially only) friend as his bride is sure to cut deep as well. There's also the possibility that Rhaenyra's feelings for Alicent go beyond friendship, and it's only when confronted with losing her, that Rhaenyra comes to realize the true depth of her feelings.
Across House of the Dragon's first two episodes, there have been hints Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship has the potential to become romantic. The two girls spend nearly all their time together and are frequently shown holding hands. In one scene, Rhaenyra lies with her head in Alicent's lap, daydreaming of a future where together they travel the world on dragonback and eat cake. Alicent actress Emily Carey calls Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship reflective of how young girls share a "tactile closeness" and "emotional vulnerability", comparing it to "having a partner." She goes on to say that these friendships do "toe the line between platonic and romantic", but adds that "at 14, you don't know what those words mean... It's just love." For Rhaenyra, there's little doubt she loves Alicent, but whether she's interrogated the full scope of her feelings is less clear. Still, her angry reaction to Viserys' news—in particular the look of hurt and betrayal directed at Alicent—certainly suggests Rhaenyra's affection for Alicent runs deeper than perhaps even she realized.
Is Rhaenyra In Love With Alicent In House Of The Dragon? What That Would Mean
It is certainly possible Rhaenyra is in love with Alicent on House of the Dragon. She doesn't appear to have a large social circle, leaving her with a real lack of options for developing even a crush. That will change in coming episodes, but at the start, the person Rhaenyra is closest to is Alicent. That said, even if Rhaenyra's affection for Alicent has grown into stronger, more romantic feelings, there's very little chance of her acting on them. Queer relationships do exist in Westeros, but they are rarely tolerated. This is especially true for nobles who are expected to marry and produce children; an expectation that's even greater for royals like Rhaenyra.
Still, having feelings and acting on those feelings are different things, and there's nothing to stop Rhaenyra from continuing to carry a torch for Alicent in the years to come. In fact, if Rhaenyra's anger towards her father and his bride-to-be stems in part from jealousy, that only makes the situation all the more heartbreaking. As House of the Dragon season 1 continues, Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship will only continue to crumble, but it will be interesting to see if Rhaenyra ever acknowledges just how deep her love for Alicent actually was (or is).
New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays on HBO and HBO Max
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