Alicent can't mother. And Helaena, poor Helaena. The citizens in the street, crying for her and her son, care more for her pain than her own family. Her baby's death is being used as a political tool and she has no one. That said, the actress, Phia Saban, is amazing. I really hope her career takes off.
A small detail, but I love how all of Alicent's children grieve in a different way and she is unable to connect to none even though she loves them. Helaena is scared, she feels invaded, she doesn't want people to see her misery and try to touch her, but Alicent insists that she appears publicly because of her duty as a queen. Aegon too is horrified by the idea of showing his son's corpse to the world, but Alicent again ignores his wish for privacy and fails to provide him physical affection; she sees him crying but can't even give him a simple hug. Aemond is not different, as he feels safer opening up and being vulnerable to a prostitute than talking to his own family. They are all right in front of her, begging to be seen as the children that they are, but Alicent can only see them as pieces in a big political business - the same way Otto saw her when she was a child.
I offer a different opinion on Alicent's inability to connect and mourn with all of her kids. Alicent never wanted her children in the conventional sense. She has spent her entire life hiding beneath a mask of righteousness, piety... duty. Alicent gave Viserys children because she was supposed to. She all but admits her agenda and disappointment with its lack of efficay the night Aemond loses his eye... the night we see the true face of Alicent Hightower. I believe that her focus was always Viserys and allowing the continued manipulation of his rule through her father. I believe Alicent is also very jealous of the fact that Rhaenyra, for all her faults does fiercely love and connect with her children. Alicent did all the right things and didn't get the power she wanted. Now, with Viserys dead and her son on the throne with her father as hand all *should* be well.... Except instead she's got a dead grandson, a daughter who is now lost to reality and a son fighting a war with his sister and his own inner demons all at the same time.... SMH.... and let's not even mention the other son who thinks she's an idiot and simp. She sacrificed her whole family for her own desire for rule.... how could she possibly be the one to console them? She did it *TO* them! So in the end she runs to the one place where her power actually means anything. She got Ser Christen to be a queen's side piece after all...
@@TheeCuteness I agree! To me this is exactly what makes Alicent's character so interesting, specially when seen as a parallel to Rhaenyra and her children. From the westorosi point of view, Alicent is right and Rhaenyra is wrong: Alicent gave her life away in order to play her role as queen consort. She treats Aegon, Aemond and Helaena as king, prince and princess instead of as sons and daughter. She loves them, she knows she is making them suffer, but she doesn't know any other type of family dynamic because that's how Otto raised her. She can't bring herself to relate to children that were forced upon her when she herself was still a child - this is visible in her relationship with Helaena, who had to suffer the same fate as her mother because of her decisions. This is what Alicent thinks love is, because all the men who supposedly loved or supported her (Otto, Viserys, Larys and now Criston) have hurt her and controlled her life. Love is labour, sacrifice, unhappinness. Rhaenyra's narrative went on the complete opposite way. She did everything "wrong" - had bastard children, respected her gay husband's sexuality, married the man she loved even if it was seen badly, fought for her right to be queen even though women can't rule - and she is happy. She loves her children and they love her back. She hugs Jace while he tells her of Stark's and Arryn's support because she values their dynamic as mother and son more than their position as queen and prince. Her maid doesn't leave her room when she is attacked by Arryk, her sworn protector killed his own family and the person he loved the most to save her life, Mysaria loses her chance to run away to warn Rhaenyra of a possible intruder - everyone in team Black either genuinely likes her as a person or respects her claim to the throne (see Rhaenys and Corlys). Meanwhile the maid and the knight who saw Blood and Cheese enter the castle remained silent and didn't even try to stop them.. I truly think these scenes are direct parallels meant to show what happens when a woman follows "the right path" but isn't allowed to do what makes her happy. Alicent is literally a queen, but she is still the same powerless child being controlled by her father's political game - and she dragged her children to the same place as her even though it ruined her life.
Have you noticed Alicent never gets physically close to her children, at the council meeting after Jaeherys' death, she goes to Aegon's chair but doesn't embrace him, just touches his chair. When she sees Helaena later and moves closer to her, Helaena pushes her away, and then at the end of the episode when Aegon is crying Alicent walks away. Stark contrast to Rhaenyra and Jace who embraced in the first episode and then her playing with the little ones in episode 2
Alicent has no warmth to her. She loves her children, but sge is not a warm and nurturing person. While I liked young Alicent, I really don't like her as a mother. All of her children seek comfort somewhere else. Aegon rages and cries alone, Helaena is by herself and Aemond goes to an older pristitute to talk and get a feeling of warmth. She failed them. ( Of course Vizzy T failed them as well )
I always thought Alicent saw herself in her daughter and that was the only reasons she sometimes tried but gave up very fast when she got not the wished reaction.
I think Alicent is herself like her children.. She was never given any warmth by her father who basically used her as a tool for political machinations. She spent most of her young years married to an old man who never really showed any affection towards her. She was taking care of him most of the time. I think just like her children she just never learned to process strong emotions or provide comfort and warmth. Ofcourse this doesn't excuse her attitude towards her children. She clearly loves and cares for her Children. But I don't think she actually knows how to provide them with emotional support.
Considering how Alicent was raised by his father Otto, and practically used as a pawn herself, I can understand why she's rather distant with her kids. She doesnt know what normal parenting is. All she knows is how to plot and scheme to get the advantage. She loves them but she doesnt know how to be a mother to them
That scene where young Alicent dissociates as she's having sex with Viserys still haunts me. I can't imagine what it was like for all those girls back then, being married off to gross old men and having to sleep with someone you have zero attraction to. 😢
My poor Helaena. She honestly went through so much and she was the most innocent of all. She wasn’t even aspiring for the throne but she suffered so much anyway
The fact Alicent is not even hugging both of her children who are still grieving of their dead son really shows how horrible mother she is. Also, Alicent, that's your great grandson, for God's sake! Don't just fucking Crispin Cream all the time
I don't think Alicent is a good mother either, but in fairness to her, she WAS a child bride herself. She was not mature enough to nurture children of her own when her father thrust the queenship upon her for his own political ends.
Yeah, she loves her children, but I can see why it would be almost impossible for her to feel connected to them the way she probably should. Rhaenyra was a bit older and was able to have her children under her own terms. And the men in her life were all seemingly involved in what ways they could be.
Like idiots they decided that he doesn't exist. Like they decided to add that criston was in bed with alicent when it happens. Not like it happened in the books. Helena didn't even beg yo give her life
In this timeline, he's not been born yet. You see him in the family tree during the opening. Like Daeron I believe he'll make an appearance later in the season. As is currently stands Aegon has no heir, Maelor will most likely be born towards the end of the season rectifying that.
