House of the Dragon’s Most Controversial Scene Confirmed Who Really Started the Targaryen Civil War

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Everyone is eagerly awaiting Season 3, as the first two seasons built up to a major conflict between two sides of the Targaryen family – the Greens and the Blacks. The first season started the rivalry, and the second season intensified it, really exploring the characters and their motivations. Now, as we head into the Dance of the Dragons, many viewers are wondering: who truly caused this Targaryen civil war?

Many believe King Viserys’ unclear statements unintentionally began the war, while others point to Aemond Targaryen killing Lucerys as the true starting point. However, a crucial moment in House of the Dragon that didn’t get enough attention actually revealed who was most responsible for the Targaryen family’s split. It was a defining moment that clearly showed the root cause of the conflict.

Alicent’s Cover-Up of Aegon’s Crimes Was Controversial

Aegon is often compared to Joffrey, and for good reason. Like Joffrey, Aegon could be cruel, but he seemed less confident, which made him appear slightly more sympathetic. However, it’s crucial to consider the environments they grew up in. Both boys were raised by mothers – Cersei and Alicent – who were primarily focused on gaining power, and this had a significant impact on their development.

Aegon’s disturbing behavior was first clearly shown in Season 1, Episode 8, when a maid confessed to Alicent that Aegon had sexually assaulted her while she was serving him. The maid unfairly blamed herself for the attack. While Alicent initially reacted with what seemed like compassion – hugging the girl and telling her she wasn’t to blame – that was the only support she offered. A closer look reveals that Alicent’s kindness didn’t extend beyond those initial words.

Alicent acted quickly, giving Dyana moon tea and gold, but these actions revealed her true intentions. The tea was intended to end a potential pregnancy resulting from the assault, effectively concealing the consequences of Aegon’s actions. The gold wasn’t offered as genuine sympathy, but as a payment to silence Dyana, and Alicent intimidated her to ensure she wouldn’t speak about the assault, either in or out of court.

As a film buff, I was really disturbed by Alicent’s scene with Dyana. It wasn’t just about protecting her son; she completely manipulated the young maid, making her doubt her own memory of the assault. Alicent skillfully twisted things to make Dyana believe no one would believe her because it was just the two of them, and worse, that people would assume Dyana was lying and trying to ruin the Prince’s reputation. It all looked like concern, but it was really just a carefully constructed campaign of intimidation. Honestly, she could have handled it so differently. But the core problem, as I see it, wasn’t just what she did, but her deeply held beliefs and how they drove her actions throughout House of the Dragon.

Many believe the Queen strongly confronted her son, even hitting him to show her disapproval of his actions. But it didn’t change anything, as Aegon relied on his mother to fix his mistakes. He knew Alicent would cover up his deeds – paying off those who knew, ending pregnancies, and protecting his image – no matter the cost. He’d witnessed her consistently supporting traditional patriarchal structures his entire life, and this ultimately drove a wedge between them.

Alicent Was the Real Villain In House of the Dragon

The brief conversation between Dyana and Alicent was actually quite revealing, shedding light on Alicent’s true motivations during the Targaryen civil war in House of the Dragon. Alicent was raised to make excuses for men’s behavior, to dismiss their flaws as simply ‘how men are.’ This likely stemmed from her father, who prioritized power above all else.

Otto Hightower pressured his teenage daughter, Alicent, to gain the favor of King Viserys, ultimately leading to their marriage. This experience, however, instilled in Alicent a lifelong habit of unquestioningly obeying powerful men. She accepted their actions, even when problematic – from her relationship with the much older Viserys to allowing her son’s abusive behavior. Ultimately, Alicent reinforced a system of male dominance by prioritizing her son Aegon’s claim to the Iron Throne over Rhaenyra’s rightful inheritance.

Alicent’s actions weren’t due to any misunderstanding. She was fully aware Viserys intended for Rhaenyra to be queen, and a single unclear conversation couldn’t have changed his mind. She simply used this as a justification to pursue her own goals – placing her son, Aegon, on the throne and gaining power. She strongly believed Aegon, as a male heir, was the rightful successor, following centuries of tradition.

Rhaenyra often broke with what was expected, and as a princess, she could usually get away with it. Alicent, however, didn’t have the same freedom. She fully adopted the strict rules around her, and they became a core part of who she was. This showed up in her strong faith, her respect for tradition, and her insistence on upholding established norms. Alicent always found a reason to excuse the misdeeds of men, even when they were clearly wrong.

Alicent maintained her power by transitioning from Regent to the mother of the King. However, she failed to see that the very system she supported would eventually discard her once she was no longer needed. This is precisely what occurred: when Aegon was injured, the council she had created and the people she oversaw voted her out as Regent, solely because of her gender.

Alicent Hightower was openly told by figures like Ser Criston Cole, Larys Strong, and even her own son, Aemond, that her gender disqualified her from being Regent, despite her having served in that role before. Those same men, whom Alicent sacrificed her reputation and well-being to support, ultimately denied her any real power when they needed to choose sides. While Alicent believed she was fulfilling her duty, she played a key role in initiating the civil war and, more broadly, in undermining the power of women in the kingdom. Her decision to challenge Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne was the turning point, marking the beginning of the Targaryen family’s conflict with itself.

Alicent’s primary motivation for supporting her son’s claim to the throne, instead of Rhaenyra, was simply that Rhaenyra was female, and this prejudice truly ignited the war. Even Rhaenys warned Alicent to be careful, pointing out that Alicent’s strength didn’t come from her own abilities, but from pleasing men and undermining other women. However, Alicent consistently ignored these warnings, enjoying her position of power even if it meant harming other women – a pattern clearly demonstrated by her treatment of Dyana.

By Season 2, Alicent finally began to see things clearly, but it was too late to make a difference. She never attempted a more sensible approach, and if she had challenged the decisions of Aegon, Otto, Viserys, Cole, and others – instead of assuming her gender made her inferior – she might have prevented the devastating civil war. Unfortunately, Alicent spent her time secretly covering up her son’s wrongdoings, which created a dangerous situation for the entire kingdom.

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2025-11-20 21:16