Though the war on House of the Dragon has just begun, the Greens hold the Iron Throne for the time being. They have made some wise strategical moves to get to this position, but they have made their share of missteps along the way that could cause more problems than they realize.
From moments of irrational thinking to trusting the wrong people to underestimating their enemies, Alicent Hightower and the Green allies have made some big mistakes in season 1 of House of the Dragon that could cost them the war.
Otto Spying On Rhaenyra
Alicent Hightower is perhaps the most prominent member of the Greens, but it was her father Otto who maneuvered her into that position for his own ambition. He began as the trusted Hand of the King, but one misstep cost him the king’s trust forever.
After learning about Rhaenyra going into the city with her uncle Daemon, Otto brings the information to King Viserys. But he miscalculates who the king will side with, accusing Otto of trying to delegitimize his daughter’s claim to the throne.
Alicent Turning On Rhaenyra
One aspect of Alicent that Olivia Cooke nails is her love for her children. That is the main motivator behind her actions as Otto suggests their lives would be in danger with Rhaenyra on the throne as she would see them as threats.
However, if Alicent had remained a loyal friend to Rhaenyra instead of turning on her, she could have been one of her greatest allies and seen that Rhaenyra would do no harm to her family. It would have eased Alicent of the responsibility she feels she has.
Alicent Trusting Larys
Though Rhaenyra is named heir to the Iron Throne, there are many willing to side with Alicent. One early ally is Larys Strong who becomes one of Alicent’s greatest allies thanks to his conniving ways, but he also becomes one of her biggest liabilities.
After getting Alicent mixed up in the deaths of his brother and father, Larys begins blackmailing her in sinister and extremely creepy ways. It is only a matter of time before he uses his hold on her to do something truly evil.
The Distrust Between Otto And Alicent
Though Otto and Alicent seem to have the same goal in mind of having her children seated on the Iron Throne, that doesn’t mean they often see eye-to-eye. Otto quickly proved to be an awful father by sending Alicent to seduce Viserys and Alicent has never fully trusted him since then.
Even in the death of Viserys as the Greens attempt to take the Iron Throne for themselves, they are forced to go behind each other’s backs and work in secret because they can;’t agree on the proper methods. A divide like this will surely lead to their downfall before long.
Allowing Aegon To Become An Unfit King
Though there have been several Aegon Targaryens on the Iron Throne throughout the history of Westeros, Aegon II appears to be one of the most unfit. He spends most of his time getting drunk, insulting people, and assaulting innocent women without remorse.
While his family has shown their disapproval, they seem to have put little effort into making him a king. Had Alicent and Otto done more to guide him, he might not have been such a terrible person.
Failing To Secure Princess Rhaenys
Though Rhaenys Targaryen deserved more screen time on House of the Dragon, she certainly made an impression in episode 9 when she managed to interrupt Aegon’s coronation by breaking her dragon out and leaving King’s Landing.
Alicent had previously recognized how great of an ally she would be, but she should have done more to ensure she wouldn’t move against them. Leaving her with such little observation and having unguarded access to her dragon not only lost them a powerful weapon but very publicly made Aegon’s reign less powerful.
Acting Behind The King’s Back
One of the biggest mistakes that Rhaenyra made was leaving King’s Landing and the Green’s capitalized on that mistake. When Rhaenyra returns, she finds that Alicent and Otto are basically ruling with Viserys being too sick.
However, they end up underestimating their king who puts great effort in taking the throne and resecuring Rhaenyra’s hold of Driftmark. It is a substantial blow to the Greens and shows how their arrogance can get the best of them.
Alicent Misunderstanding Viserys’ Wishes
The death of King Viserys is a sad moment in the first season but it is made even more tragic by how it solidifies the war. Thinking that he is carrying on a conversation he had with Rhaenyra earlier, Viserys speaks about the prophecy of the Song of Ice and Fire.
Sadly, Alicent misunderstands and thinks that Viserys is saying that he wants Aegon to be king. Though she is not happy about this, Alicent agrees and sets the war in motion.
Aemond Accidentally Killing Lucerys
While it is understandable that Aemond carries some hatred for his nephew Lucerys for taking his eye, his plans to intimidate him led to a game-changing moment for both families. As Aemond attacks Lucerys as they ride their dragons, both of them lost control of their beasts.
This led to the dragons taking the feud more seriously than their riders which ended with Lucerys and his dragon being eaten. As cold as Aemond may be, he realizes the severity of what he did and draws the first blood in the war between the Greens and the Blacks.
Alicent Attacking Rhaenyra
Alicent is a terrific and complex character who can do some deplorable things but also feels like she has grounded and understandable reasons. However, one shocking moment sees her acting in a way that tarnishes her reputation in the eyes of many.
After the children have a brutal fight, Aemond loses his eye. Alicent demands that one of Rhaenyra’s boys lose their eye as punishment. When she is denied by the king, she attempts to do it herself and ends up cutting Rhaenyra. Even Alicent immediately knows the damage she caused.
