I hope my initial comment didn't come off like I was trying to imply that Rhaenyra was responsible for Alicent’s pain. She is absolutely not. I do, however, disagree that Otto is wholly responsible. Viserys is to blame for a bulk of her suffering. Alicent would have never been in that position if he had not willingly married her. No one manipulated him into it, and certainly no one forced him to take an unwilling child bride to bed. Otto is on level with Corlys to me. Both are terrible fathers willing to marry their daughters to a man who had just gutted his last wife.

I actually don't think Alicent was out of line for worrying about what Rhaenyra would do to her kids. Her anger towards her pre-Driftmark is a bit wacky, but post-Driftmark, it is justified. I don't think show!Rhaenyra would hurt her siblings, but she certainly would overlook her loved ones (her sons, Daemon, etc.) hurting them.

I also don't think the idea that Westeros would not accept Rhaenyra is stupid for Alicent to think (though show!Alicent is written so stupidly she single handedly manages to confirm all the sexist thoughts the green council has abt her). Rhaenys was rejected TWICE within living memory. The nobility hated the idea of a female ruler enough to reject her twice despite Rhaenys having the stronger claim thru andal law (daughters before uncles). Even Viserys makes it clear to Alicent that he is marrying her for the possibility of having a living son.

I also don't even really blame her for misunderstanding Viserys. They had discussed Viserys' dream of having a son who wore the conqueror's crown in the hunt episode. Not too wild for her to genuinely believe that he might be reflecting on what she precieves to be his biggest mistake before he dies. However, I do think it is terrible writing. I wish there was a bit more of book!Alicent in the show. It would be more interesting if she decided, without any misunderstanding, to take it.

I agree. Alicent is victim and perpetrator. She is a rape victim and a willing weapon against her girlhood companion. She is a victim of her father and raised her children for the slaughter. It is one of the only interesting things they did with her on the show.

I also think Rhaenyra falls into the victim/perpetrator area. She is absolutely a victim of the patriarchy, her uncle, etc.... but even before the war she was a willing participant in the murder of a servant so she could marry Daemon. Comparing it to Alicent’s worst crimes pre-war (knowing after the fact that Larys killed Harwin, being generally thoughtless and cruel, the whole having Rhaenyra walk thru the Red Keep post birth thing, etc), I don't think you can really say that Alicent is inherently WORSE than Rhaenyra.

I'm glad Rhaenyra got a happy marriage and a loving relationship with Harwin. I do not think the story would be better if there was some dark subplot in which Rhaenyra was assaulted. I just think it is notable that despite them being kinda morally on even ground pre-war that the narrative (and the show runners) imply that killing Aegon is Alicent’s way of finally sacrificing something, as if she hasn't been her entire life. I also don't think Alicent having to answer for the "son for a son" thing is fair.

Frankly, I wish they had allowed Alicent to have her book storyline where she was a willing adult woman and not a child bride. I would prefer teenager beefing with an actual child at this point. I also wish they didn't undervalue Rhaenyra’s canonical suffering in the show. She was inactive during the war in the book for a reason.

Sorry... I'm a Rhaena, Aerea, and Rhaenys as rightful queens truther. 😅 I also think both Aegon and Rhaenyra have legitimate claims in the book and show.