Alicent’s lake scene in House of the Dragon season 2 episode 7 reminds me of a very popular painting, and it tells us so much about her arc

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon season 2 — (Image credit: HBO)

The penultimate episode of House of the Dragon season 2 saw Team Green remain divided as King Aegon painfully recovers from his injuries and Prince Aemond sits on his throne, all while Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower went missing from the castle to do some soul-searching. But despite only taking up a small amount of screen time this week, Alicent’s journey to the lake actually holds a lot of meaning and tells us a lot about her arc.

Warning, major spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7 follow, so make sure you are all caught up with the series before reading on.

Just like we saw in the trailer, episode 7 includes a rather brisk but very emotional scene where Alicent leaves King's Landing with a Knight of the Realm to protect her, goes to the Kingswoods, and then proceeds to walk into a lake wearing her white undergarments and float in the water. This may seem quite random at first glance – maybe the queen has lost her mind after all? I wouldn't blame her. But upon further inspection, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this scene is very reminiscent of one of my favorite paintings, Ophelia by John Everett Millais, and the story behind it. Both feel eerily similar to Alicent’s story so far, and maybe even her fate.

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The story of Ophelia

Daisy Ridley as Ophelia in the 2018 movie Ophelia — (Image credit: IFC Films)

You have probably seen the Ophelia painting before, or at least a version of it. But in case you haven't, Ophelia is a popular Pre-Raphaelite work, depicting the tragic death of the main female character from William Shakespeare’s story Hamlet. In the picture, we see a woman with long red hair, wearing a light-coloured dress, lying drowned in a lake surrounded by foggy water and bright flowers. The similarities between this and Alicent’s swim in the lake are overwhelming, despite the small factor that Alicent didn't drown. And it looks like I am not the only one, as right after the episode dropped, many fans made the same link. But what is even more eerie is the story behind it.

alicent hightower our very own ophelia. #hotd pic.twitter.com/CeiH8SIGONJuly 25, 2024

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia is introduced as a young noblewoman from a neighboring state who falls in love with the heir to the Danish throne, Hamlet. However, she is torn between her father, her brother, and Hamlet, with all of them constantly telling her what to do and trying to control her. Remind you of anyone? However, after Hamlet mistakenly kills her father, she is driven to madness and runs to the woods where she drowns in a body of water. Some say she was standing on a branch and it snapped, plunging her into the lake, but others say she was driven to kill herself over Hamlet’s actions. Although this isn't exactly how Alicent’s lake scene plays out, there are some undeniable parallels between the two that tell us a lot about the queen dowager’s state of mind at this point in the season.

What does this mean for Alicent?

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower House of the Dragon season 2 — (Image credit: Sky/HBO)

Much like Ophelia, Alicent’s whole life so far has been controlled by and revolved around men. After her mother's early passing, Alicent was kept under her father Otto Hightower’s tight thumb, and he instructed her to seduce King Viserys after Rhaenyra’s own mother died at the start of season 1. From her mid-teens onwards, Alicent’s meaning in life was whittled down to birthing heirs and acting on her wifely duties. Then when her husband died, the crown passed to her oldest son Aegon (due in part to her mishearing Viserys dying words), who embodies everything she has suffered from; misogyny, male arrogance, and entitlement.

To make things worse, her daughter (Ageon’s wife) now lives out her same fate, and her other son Aemond has just kicked her out of the Small Council, reducing any power she had left. Oh, and the kick in the teeth came in last week's episode, where her brother told her that her other son Daeron Targaryen, the only child she didn't raise, has grown into a kind and capable man, making her feel more incompetent as a mother, the only real purpose she has ever had. In hindsight, everything in her life has been leading to this moment.

Just like Ophelia, Alicent heads to nature to cleanse herself of the filth of her own life. She even remarks "nothing is clean here,” while sitting in her castle before she heads out to the lake. This journey is much more meaningful than you’d think. The fact that she has left Kings Landing for the first time since season 1 episode 3 (when she last had her innocence) and chooses to strip herself of her green clothes, which symbolize her house and her responsibilities, and bathe in the clear water, is very powerful.

But, unlike Ophelia, I don’t think Alicent wants to die at the lake. As anyone who has read George R.R. Martins's works will know this is not yet her time to go. But I do think a part of Alicent did die in episode 7, and that is her loyalty and duty towards Team Green. The way her family has treated her has completely killed her spirit, and she now has nothing left.

In my opinion, this is a huge turning point for Alicent, and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see her supporting her family as fiercely anymore. She may even rekindle her friendship with Rhaenyra – or seek out a whole different life entirely. It remains to be seen, but what is clear is that, just like she was drifting in the water, Alicent is currently drifting in her life.

House of the Dragon season 2 continues weekly on HBO in the US and Sky and NOW in the UK. For more on the show, check out our deep dives on: