When fans discovered that Criston Cole and Alicent Hightower were sleeping together in Season 2 of House of the Dragon, many were stunned. Safe to say, fans are curious to know about the nature of Criston Cole and Alicent Hightower’s relationship in light of the fact that Alicent was wed to King Viserys I Targaryen before his demise.
So why is Alicent Hightower having a sexual relationship with Criston Cole in House of the Dragon Season 2? Here is an explanation of their relationship.
Why is Alicent Hightower sleeping with Criston Cole in House of the Dragon Season 2?
The series didn’t show any specific reason as to why Alicent Hightower is having a sexual relationship with Criston Cole, her bodyguard. However, it can be assumed that the two’s negative feelings about Rhaenyra may have sparked the connection.
Both Alicent and Criston harbored grievances against Rhaenyra, fueled by both perceived and real slights, as per Winter is Coming. Alicent, who wed King Viserys at a young age for the sole purpose of childbirth, felt a deep sense of betrayal when she got to know Rhaenyra had not only slept with Criston Cole but also engaged in numerous affairs. This animosity only intensified after an altercation broke out between their sons, Aemond and Lucerys, where Lucerys injured Aemond’s left eye.
As for Criston, he was deeply in love with and slept with Rhaenyra. However, after she turned down his proposal, he felt humiliated. Criston eventually told Alicent he slept with Rhaenyra and attempted to kill himself, only to be stopped by Alicent. Thus, he always felt indebted to her for her mercy.
Since then, they’ve probably felt that they could only be honest with each other. Furthermore, with Viserys’ death, Alicent felt liberated. This combined with her anger and hatred for Rhaenyra, influenced her decision to sleep with Criston. Stung by Rhaenyra’s rejection, Criston sought solace in a relationship with Alicent, a choice tinged with bitterness.
In a Collider interview, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal shed light on Criston and Alicent’s connection. He revealed, “It’s a brand new relationship. We don’t specifically get into, intentionally, when and where it started. Part of that is the fun of leaving it up to interpretation by the viewing audience.”
He continued, “But it’s certainly a new thing, a new romance. And the idea is that these two characters have this very stunted emotional development, particularly in the world of intimacy with a partner.”
It remains to be seen how Criston and Alicent’s relationship will pan out for the remainder of the second season.
