5 burning questions for House Of The Dragon episode 7

It can be hard to have sympathy for Alicent sometimes. She’s cold, haughty, and holds a grudge like it’s her job. That hasn’t made her very popular with fans, and her continuing animosity toward Rhaenyra, who is popular with the audience, doesn’t help. If you look at it from the perspective of what she’s been through, her behavior makes a lot more sense. As a teenager, her father pushed her into a marriage with an old man. Even as he rotted away next to her, she did her duty, remained faithful, and gave him three children. She didn’t choose it, but she made the best of her situation. All the while, she had to stand by and watch her best friend flout the rules and do whatever she pleased. That’s why Alicent is still pissy with Rhaenyra 10 years later. It was never about that one indiscretion, it’s about what she views as a double standard.That’s not going to change as long as Viserys is on the throne. The real question is, what is Alicent going to do about it? She hasn’t gone back to wearing Targaryen red and black after debuting that symbolic green dress at the wedding banquet. She has been gathering supporters and training her children for the day when they’ll either have to challenge the succession or become victims of it. She’s prepared for a fight when the time comes. As much as she likes to believe she has the moral high ground, she keeps scoundrels like Criston Cole and Larys Strong in her circle and pretends to be shocked when they carry out acts that ultimately help her cause.