Queen Alicent wears green to the wedding in House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon Episode 5 set up the Targaryen Civil War otherwise known as the Dance of the Dragons. It was mainly because of the change in Queen Alicent and her opinions. Throughout the episode, her allegiance and loyalty to Princess Rhaenyra wavers as she hears rumors and secrets from all over the castle. It ends with her wearing a beautiful but sinister green dress at Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor Velaryon’s wedding celebrations. So let’s explore exactly what happened.
Otto Hightower leaves a message for Alicent
Early in the episode, we see Otto Hightower leaving the Red Keep after being relieved of his duties as Hand of the King. However, we knew he was up to something and would only use the situation to upset Rhaenyra in Alicent’s eyes. He told her to prepare Aegon for the Iron Throne as the kingdom would never accept Rhaenyra as queen. He left a tearful Alicent in the rain who already questioned Rhaenyra’s promise of innocence.
Lord Larys Strong stirs the pot
Add to that, Lord Larys further pushes Queen Alicent over the edge, forcing her to seek out the hard truths. He tells her about the tea that was served to Rhaenyra the very night of Daemon’s return by the Grand Maester himself. The tea was obviously a precaution in case Rhaenyra was pregnant. Moon tea has already been used in the Game of Thrones franchise to abort unwanted pregnancies. In his facial expressions themselves, you can see how his wedding ring was changing. She was losing faith in her dear friend and was even more hurt that she had lied to her.
Queen Alicent talks to Ser Criston Cole
She finally mustered the courage and determination to ask her sworn protector Ser Criston Cole. Meanwhile, Ser Criston and his marriage proposal to Rhaenyra have been rejected. He felt betrayed, dishonest and regretted his actions. So when Queen Alicent asked him about Rhaenyra and Daemon’s banter on Silk Street, he confused it with a question of his own integrity. He leaked information about him and Rhaenyra and the night they spent together. It was the final nail in the coffin. Alicent, feeling betrayed, blind and bitter, ends up giving in to her father’s advice. She decided she would go against the king’s decision to make Rhaenyra his heir.
Meaning of the green dress
Since that time with Ser Criston, the queen had been busy otherwise. His absence was even noticed by King Viserys. Alicent was most likely thinking things through and composing herself for what was to come in the future. Finally, during the wedding celebrations, Queen Alicent makes a grand entrance wearing a beautiful green dress that symbolizes something much deeper. We hear from behind the scenes, from none other than Lord Larys Strong, that the Hightower’s beacon shines green as the Old City calls its banner to war.
For those who have read the books, they will know that the civil war is between two factions: the greens and the blacks. Greens are those who sided with Queen Alicent and Aegon Targaryen while blacks are those who supported Princess Rhaenyra’s claim. In essence, Queen Alicent has declared war on House Targaryen, specifically her husband Viserys and Princess Rhaenyra. The Targaryen colors are red and black. Green, on the other hand, is the farthest from these two colors. This naturally means that she is no longer on their side and reports her flight. With her newfound sense of self-preservation, it won’t be long before Queen Alicent takes her next step.
