Okay so I've done some research on House of the Dragon lately and I think everyone is sleeping on how manipulative Alicent actually is. Like yes, we see her as this pious, duty-bound woman who's trying to do right by her kids, but what if she's actually been orchestrating Rhaenyra's downfall from the very beginning?

Hear me out because this goes WAY back. Everyone re them as childhood friends, right? But rewatch those early episodes and pay attention to Alicent's reactions. She's always been resentful of Rhaenyra's freedom. While Rhaenyra gets to fly around on her dragon and basically do whatever she wants, Alicent is stuck doing needlework and being the "perfect" daughter.

But here's the thing. I think Alicent realized early on that playing the dutiful daughter was actually her path to power, not a limitation. She watches Rhaenyra act impulsively and make enemies, while she's building relationships and gaining trust. Even as a kid, she's thinking several moves ahead.

The whole thing with visiting Viserys after Queen Aemma died? That wasn't just her father's idea. Otto definitely pushed for it, but I think Alicent was already planning to get close to the king. She saw an opportunity and took it. And she played it perfectly acting reluctant, emphasizing how weird it felt, all while slowly seducing a grieving man who was desperate for comfort.

But here's where it gets really calculating. I think Alicent deliberately chose to have her kids close in age to Rhaenyra's. Aegon is only a couple years younger than Rhaenyra, and she kept having kids to strengthen her position. Every child she had was another potential claim to the throne, another reason for lords to side with her over Rhaenyra.

And the religious stuff? That's not just genuine faith, it's political strategy. By positioning herself as the moral, pious queen, she's creating a contrast with Rhaenyra's more... flexible relationship with traditional values. Every time Rhaenyra does something scandalous (and let's be real, she does a lot), it makes Alicent look better by comparison.

The whole Larys Strong situation is where you can really see how deep this goes. Everyone thinks Larys is just this creepy guy who's obsessed with Alicent, but what if she's been using him from the start? She gives him just enough attention to keep him loyal, and in return he becomes her personal spy network and occasional problem-solver. The fire at Harrenhal that killed his father and brother? I think Alicent knew that was going to happen, maybe even suggested it indirectly.

Because think about what that accomplished, it eliminated Lyonel Strong, who was one of Viserys's most trusted advisors and someone who might have actually been able to keep the peace between the factions. And it created the succession crisis in the Riverlands that would eventually benefit Team Green.

Even her relationship with Criston Cole is strategic. Yes, there's obviously some personal stuff there, but Alicent is smart enough to know that having the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard completely devoted to her is incredibly valuable. She's been building her own power base within the Red Keep for years.

And can we talk about how she handles Rhaenyra's kids? All that concern about their "legitimacy" isn't just moral outrage - it's political warfare. She's systematically undermining Rhaenyra's position by making it impossible to ignore that her heirs aren't actually Laenor's. But she does it in a way that makes her look like she's just concerned about proper succession law.

The really brilliant part is how she's positioned herself with Viserys. She never directly contradicts him or challenges Rhaenyra's position as heir. Instead, she just keeps raising "concerns" and asking "innocent" questions that plant seeds of doubt. She's letting Viserys's own paranoia and guilt do the work for her.

I think she's also been working on the small council for years. Otto getting fired and then rehired as Hand? That wasn't just Viserys changing his mind. I bet Alicent was working behind the scenes to make that happen. She needed her father back in a position of power for the final phase of her plan.

And the timing of everything around Viserys's death is way too convenient to be accidental. Alicent just happens to be there for his final moments, she just happens to misinterpret his last words in a way that s her cause, and the whole succession plan just happens to fall into place perfectly? Come on.

Here's what I think really happened. Alicent has been planning for Viserys's death for years. She's been building alliances, positioning her people, and waiting for the right moment. When it finally came, she was ready to move immediately while Rhaenyra was off guard on Dragonstone.

The really scary part is that I think she's been manipulating her own kids too. Aegon doesn't want to be king, but she's spent years convincing him that it's his duty, that Rhaenyra will kill him if she takes power. She's created this paranoia in her children that forces them to fight for the throne whether they want to or not.

My buddy thinks I'm giving Alicent too much credit, that she's just reacting to events rather than controlling them. But I think that's exactly what makes her so dangerous. She's been playing the long game while everyone else was focused on short term conflicts.

The Dance of Dragons isn't just a succession crisis, it's the culmination of a decades long campaign by one of the most patient and ruthless players in Westeros. Alicent Hightower saw an opportunity when she was like 15 years old and she's been working toward this moment ever since.

And honestly? She might actually win. While Rhaenyra has dragons, Alicent has spent years building the kind of political infrastructure that can survive a war. Even if the Greens lose militarily, the groundwork she's laid could keep her family in power for generations.

What do you guys think? Am I crazy or is Alicent way more dangerous than people realize?

EDIT: spelling

EDIT 2: Just ed that scene where young Alicent is reading to Viserys and she pauses on that age about Aegon the Conqueror. That wasn't random, she was already thinking about her future son's claim even then. This woman has been playing chess while everyone else was playing checkers. Do you agree or disagree?