Why Alicent Hightower Is Secretly One of House of the Dragon's Best Characters

Alicent Hightower might look like a passive character next to Rhaenyra, but that passivity is exactly what makes her transformation so effective by the end of the season.

The comparison matters to fans because it reframes how viewers should judge Alicent. Rather than dismissing her as boring or weak compared to Rhaenyra, I would argue her quieter arc actually delivers the show's biggest character change.

Alicent Hightower Lets Things Happen To Her For Most Of The Season

I have explained before how Rhaenyra made plenty of active decisions that revealed her character. With Alicent, "that isn't really the case." She is a passive character for the first half of the season, someone who, for most of the season, "lets things happen to her."

Not Every Character Needs To Be Active Like Rhaenyra

This is not a flaw in the writing. Not every character in every story needs to be an active character the way Rhaenyra is. Sometimes that passive approach "works for a supporting character who undergoes great change from the beginning of the season to the end."

Alicent Changes The Most Of Any Character

Alicent probably changes the most of anyone across the season, and I am not talking about physical change. Alicent ends the season as an assertive queen who starts to understand the game of thrones being played around her.

Alicent's Religious Rule Following Sets Up Her Resentment Of Rhaenyra

To explain how Alicent gets there, go back to her foundation as a character: "this religious girl who follows all the rules." The turning point comes when she finds out that Rhaenyra goes against her religion in pretty much every way and breaks all the rules Alicent has followed.

Why I Don't Blame Alicent For Her Jealousy

That discovery is what makes Alicent resentful, and this is where many viewers turn against her. "It's easy for us to dislike a character who is jealous of someone else," but I don't blame her at all. How would you feel if you were forced to follow strict rules while someone else didn't have to and got away with it?

Do you think Alicent's jealousy of Rhaenyra is justified, or does it make her harder to root for?