Cooke said that she and D'Arcy” have “definitely” talked about Alicent and Rhaenyra being “each other's first love,” although by this point “too much has happened and too much time has passed to probably even recognize those fledgling feelings.”
After a time jump of three years, things have not improved between Alicent and Rhaenyra. Now they are stepmother and stepdaughter, and their daily lives include the tension between them. In that time, Alicent has born Viserys' son, who many expect to replace Rhaenyra as heir, but Alicent is not one of those people.
Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower
Alicent doesn't marry Viserys because she loves him; she does it because she was raised to be married off to a powerful man so as to strengthen the position of her house.
In Fire & Blood, however, Rhaenyra is in love with Daemon from a young age. Things change after she meets Criston Cole. Nevertheless, George R. R. Martin's books show that Rhaenyra's first love was Daemon, whereas House of the Dragon has a slower build-up between the two.
In the fifth episode of the prequel "Game of Thrones" series, Criston (Fabien Frankel) reveals to queen Alicent that he slept with her friend and stepdaughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock).
Cooke said that she and D'Arcy” have “definitely” talked about Alicent and Rhaenyra being “each other's first love,” although by this point “too much has happened and too much time has passed to probably even recognize those fledgling feelings.”
We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
Rhaenyra will have two marriages (and two lovers) in House of the Dragon, with six children (technically three by each husband, the suspicion that the first three are by another man is a source of much violence and discord in Westeros).
Those silver-haired freaks went there. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) finally had sex on House of the Dragon. After teasing their deep connection for weeks, making out in a brothel, and flirting their way through King's Landing, uncle and niece at long last did the dirty.
While this is a revelation in and of itself, this sequence also highlights the truth of Daemon and Rhaenyra - he is an abuser and she is his victim, albeit perhaps one who does not see herself as a victim.
Daemon, according to Mushroom's version of the story, takes Alicent's virginity, resulting in Otto, Hand of the King, loathing Daemon. Mushroom further says that Alicent had affairs with Old King Jaehaerys when he was ill and Viserys before Queen Aemma died.
Ser Criston Cole, we have to understand, was never a good guy. He wasn't an honorable knight who went over to the dark side. He merely wore a chivalrous façade. He didn't want Rhaenyra to run away with him because he loved her despite his claims to marry “for love.” Nor was he heartbroken over her refusal.
The intercourse between Alicent and King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) is not intended to be the stuff of fairy tale romance. The intimate scene highlights their wide age gap, his frailty due to a mysterious dermatological condition, and her obvious unhappiness with this particular matrimonial obligation.
In the book, she's nine years older than Princess Rhaenyra, but in Dragon they're meant to be around the same age: 15 years old as of episode 1, then roughly 17 or 18 during episodes 3-5. Emily Carey, the actress who plays young Alicent, is 19 years old.
Alicent hates Rhaenyra because she's in love with Criston Cole and believes the princess betrayed her by having an affair with him. This has never been explicitly stated on the show but was confirmed by Emily Carey, who played the younger Queen Alicent.
Alicent outlived Rhaenyra, but her son lived only half a year after triumphing over his half-sister. Both of his brothers had already died in the war. Alicent's remaining grandson, Prince Maelor, had died as well, leaving only her granddaughter Jaehaera, who married Rhaenyra's son Aegon III.
While House Of The Dragon episode 4 showed Daemon was able to seduce Rhaenyra by kissing and undressing her, he couldn't fulfill the act due to impotence.
According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen, Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle, Prince Daemon, after he seduced her.
In George R.R. Martin's fictitious history of the Targaryen family, we learn that Rhaenyra does eventually have children with her uncle Daemon: two boys named Viserys II and Aegon III, both of whom eventually become king.
Why do Targaryens keep marrying each other? In short, to keep the blood of the dragon as pure as possible.
Ultimately, Rhaenyra has two husbands (not at the same time) and gives birth to six children.
So we spoke about that in great detail and Miguel and Ryan also made it paramount that Harwin very much loves Rhaenyra. He lives his life in service of this love and of his family." Now Corr's time on the series has come to an end, leaving Rhaenyra and their children with one less loving family member.
Rhaenyra has been pregnant with her daughter Visenya since House of the Dragon's latest and last time jump, and it is heartbreaking to see her deal with this loss. The way in which the scene plays out makes it especially disturbing. RELATED: House of the Dragon: Which Dragon is Daemon Singing To?
When finally did give birth to the baby, it is said that the child had a hole where her heart should have been, a tail, and scales for skin—a monster, as her mother had cursed her to be. Upon her death, Rhaenyra swore yet another vow. “She was my only daughter, and they killed her.
It was abundantly clear in the season finale that Daemon truly values Rhaenyra as the queen, and it doesn't appear to be for his own gain. All of his actions indicate that he looks to her as his leader even before she's taken power and has every intention to get her to her rightful throne.