House of the Dragon's Rhaenyra and Alicent’s opposite personalities are the sun-and-moon gravitational pull that makes their relationship the heart of the show’s central conflict. Starting as each other’s closest companions, Rhaenyra and Alicent must contend with their own position in a patriarchal society that view women as merely vessels for male dominion. Let’s take a look at how each woman is shaped by their experiences with abusive men, desire, duty, and motherhood, which ultimately pits them against each other in a fearsome battle for the Iron Throne.

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