Helaena Targaryen’s rejection of her mother Alicent’s touch on a few occasions during the first season of House of the Dragon complicated their already complicated relationship.
In House of the Dragon, Helaena Targaryen regularly flinches at her mother Alicent Hightower’s touch, implying a connection between Helaena’s proclivity for prophecy and Alicent’s history of carelessness. In the sixth episode of House of the Dragon, when Alicent pays a visit to little Helaena, Olivia Cooke’s Helaena tries to console her as she talks about bugs. Helaena immediately shook her mother’s hand away to show she didn’t like the unwanted attention. Following the passing of King Viserys, Alicent attempts to console adult Helaena, but she strikes her mother’s hand away. Helaena’s rejection of her mother appears to have a deeper meaning, despite the fact that Alicent clearly struggles to show her children the proper affection.
Helaena’s dragon nightmares may be the cause of her aversion to Alicent touching her. Helaena has regular cryptic predictions and clairvoyance, which could be made worse by touching other people. Helaena dislikes being touched, especially when it comes as a surprise, but when someone she trusts, like Jace or Aemond, touches her, she doesn’t react negatively. It’s possible that Helaena may sense Alicent’s past or future wrongdoings when she touches her, lessening any affection she may have for her mother. The first season of House of the Dragon also raises the possibility that Helaena might be miffed at Alicent for forcing her to wed her evil brother Aegon, who is implied to sexually assault her when intoxicated.
Why Alicent’s relationships with her kids are so tense
How Alicent interacts with her kids and how Rhaenyra interacts with her kids is one of the season one of House of the Dragon’s most obvious differences. Rhaenyra helps her children through their complex tasks in the world by treating them like children and showing them love, sympathy, and compassion. Alicent’s experience as a mother is very different; although she adores her kids, her interactions with them are frequently distant, uncaring, violent, and manipulative. The only child of Alicent who appears to genuinely admire her and want her attention is Aemond, who also happens to be the most volatile and stern of Alicent and Viserys’ children. All of Rhaenyra’s children love Rhaenyra.
These variations may be the result of how Rhaenyra and Alicent were brought up, according to House of the Dragon. Rhaenyra was raised by a loving mother and father who loved her and gave her the necessary training to succeed her father as the heir to the Iron Throne. After Rhaenyra’s mother passed away, Viserys continued to be devoted to her forever. He later showed kindness to his grandchildren and stood up for them right up until the end. Given that Alicent was raised by her manipulative and cold-blooded father Otto Hightower after her mother passed away, House of the Dragon suggests that Alicent’s upbringing was cold and distant. Alicent never learned how to raise her own children properly because Otto used her as his political pawn and criticised her even as an adult.
What will happen to Helaena and Alicent in the future of HOTD?
The narrative of House of the Dragon does not have happy endings for Alicent and Helaena. The Blacks get revenge on the Greens after the House of the Dragon season 1 finale, in which Aemond unintentionally murders Lucerys. Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, the six-year-old son of Helaena and Aegon, is killed in the “Blood and Cheese” assassination, which was planned by Daemon Targaryen. Helaena was had to pick which of her children would perish and see the beheading, which left the Queen devastated and characterized as “crazy” in Fire & Blood. In Maegor’s Holdfast, the bereaved Helaena eventually plunges to her death from the window, bringing an end to her tragic tale.
After Blood and Cheese, Alicent Hightower is heartbroken by Jaehaerys’ passing and the effect it has on Helaena’s mental health. Helaena has become more distant. Alicent is increasingly incensed and spiteful toward the Blacks until Aegon II reclaims the throne in House of the Dragon since Helaena was the only genuine ally she had in King’s Landing when Rhaenyra stole the Iron Throne. Jaehaera, the daughter of Helaena, is the only remaining member of Alicent’s family after the Dance of the Dragons because Aegon is poisoned not long after. Alicent passes away from a disease after King Aegon III Targaryen’s coronation, while Jaehaera, like her mother, dies after falling from Maegor’s Holdfast.
