Draft:Alicent Hightower

Alicent Hightower is a fictional character appearing in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, primarily featured in Fire & Blood, and its television adaptation House of the Dragon, where she is portrayed by English actresses Olivia Cooke and Emily Carey (young).

Within her respective fictional universe, Alicent became the second wife to King Viserys I Targaryen, having four children with the king. Through several factors and misunderstandings, including her own father's manipulation, she sought to take the Iron Throne after her late husband's death to ensure her family's succession.

For House of the Dragon, the character received critical acclaim from television critics who cited her as one of the series' most complex, understanding, and multi-dimensional characters. Olivia Cooke received praise for her performance as Alicent Hightower.

Fire & Blood
In the book Alicent was born in 88AC and fathered by Otto Hightower, the younger brother of Lord Hightower, the Lord of the Hightower. Alicent had several brothers, including Gwayne Hightower.

When she was thirteen, Otto was named Hand of the King to Jaehaerys I Targaryen, so she and her family joined him in the Red Keep. In Jaehaerys' later years, his health faltered, so Alicent became his constant caretaker: she fetched his meals, helped him wash and dress, and read to him, so much so that Jaeherys mistook her for his own daughter. Jaehaerys eventually died in 103 AC, while Alicent was reading to him.

Alicent stayed at court, as her father continued to occupy the position as Hand under Jaehaerys's grandson and successor, King Viserys I Targaryen. Already early in the reign of Viserys, Ser Otto and Prince Daemon Targaryen were at odds with each other, and the court fool Mushroom has suggested that the quarrel between the two men began when Daemon deflowered Alicent; however, the legitimacy of this claim is questioned.

TV adaptation
Alicent is the daughter of Ser Otto Hightower (portrayed by Rhys Ifans), who serves as Hand of the King, and his late wife. She has several brothers, including Gwayne. Due to her father's work, she was raised in the Red Keep. She is four years younger than her book counterpart and, unlike the original source material, befriends the king's daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen (portrayed by Emma D'Arcy).

Fire & Blood
Alicent marries the King Viserys I Targaryen following the death of Viserys’ first wife Aemma Arryn in childbirth. Alicent initally gets along well with her step-daughter Rhaenyra but after Alicent having 3 sons and 1 daughter and Rhaenyra remaining Viserys’ heir, their relationship deteriorated. House Targaryen began to break up into two factions, the Blacks, led by Rhaenyra and Daemon, and the Greens, led by Otto and Alicent of House Hightower. The factions were named after the dresses Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively wore to the 5th wedding anniversary of Alicent and Viserys. Rhaenyra moved to Dragonstone with her children and husband shortly after.

Following Viserys’ death in 129 AC, Alicent and Otto plan to usurp the Iron Throne and place their own blood on it, through crowning Prince Aegon, Alicent’s eldest son. Any dissenting voices in the Red Keep who supported Rhaenyra’s claim were imprisoned or executed, this included the Master of Coin, Lord Lyman Beesbury.

Lucerys’ death caused by Prince Aemond and his dragon Vhagar sparked the war of succession known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Season 1
Alicent is introduced as the childhood companion of Rhaenyra Targaryen, daughter of King Viserys II Targaryen. Following the death of the king's wife and newly born heir during labour, Alicent's father, Otto Hightower, conspires to have Alicent befriend a grief-stricken Viserys II. He then arranges a marriage between a teenage Alicent and Viserys II, so House Hightower accumulates greater sway over the Iron Throne. Alicent then gives birth to Viserys' eldest son, Aegon II Targaryen. Following Rhaenyra's controversial night in the Street of Silk with Daemon, Alicent defends Rhaenyra and her father, Otto, is replaced as Hand; however, Alicent later discovers Rhaenyra was lying from Lord Commander Criston Cole, who swears loyalty to her.

Years later, Alicent seemingly begins supporting the claim of her son, Aegon II, over Rhaenyra's, and loudly calls into question the legitimacy of Rhaenyra's children — Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey. Shortly before Viserys II's death, she misunderstands his final words as an instruction to install Aegon II as King, and calls a private Small Council meeting to discuss the future of the throne. Still feeling love for her childhood friend, however, she protects Rhaenyra when Otto suggests to have her and her family executed. She attends her son's crowning, where Rhaenys escapes captivity and flies to Dragonstone to warn Rhaenyra.

Season 2
Alicent Hightower will appear in the second season of HBO's House of the Dragon, which is scheduled for a 2024 release date.

House of the Dragon reception
Alicent's characterization in season 1 has received praise for both her development and realistic personality. Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke have received a positive response from critics.

David Caballero for Screen Rant regards the character as misunderstood by fans. "Assuming Rhaenyra is the typical hero, then Alicent's antagonistic actions towards the heiress to the Iron Throne will surely earn her the scorn of fans and critics. However, not everything is as it seems in Westeros, and House of the Dragon will soon make it clear. Alicent is among the show's most misunderstood characters, and while she will commit numerous ruthless acts throughout the Dance, she is far from just an evil stepmother. Indeed, Alicent is a complex and layered character, and it's not an exaggeration to say fans have the wrong idea about her."

In the episode "We Light The Way," Alicent's green dress was the subject of an online discussion of the potential foreshadowing within the show's storyline. In the show, it is revealed by a handful of characters that the members of House Hightower use the color green to call their bannermen to war. Many speculate that Alicent's choice of the color green will signal her actions and the upcoming war in the show, which was present in the novel, Fire & Blood. "Though the color green evokes a sense of security and symbolizes peace, it had a very different meaning for the House Hightower," wrote Sushrut Gopesh for Digital Mafia Talkies. "The color of the beacon on the top of the Hightower, metaphorically, said a lot of things. When it was green in color, it meant that Oldtown was calling its banners for war. Alicent was wearing a green colored dress, and the message was plain and clear."