Can you declare war on a dress? Alicent and Rhaenyra’s aesthetic is not free. If in noble men their appearance is important, in the case of women it means much more than what is seen with the naked eye
It is not a coincidence. In ‘Fire and Blood’ the two sides of ‘Dance with Dragons’ are known as ‘the black ones’ (Rhaenyra) and ‘the green ones’ (Alicent). While in the books this division is established in the celebrations of the fifth wedding anniversary of Viserys and Alicent, when the princess appears dressed in black and red and the queen in green at the fair, the series takes advantage of the pre-wedding between Rhaenyra and Laenor to make that distinction. In the case of Rhaenyra, her wardrobe loses strength, since she is in a wedding dress, she can do little to counteract Alicent’s triumphant entry into the banquet.
The evolution of Alicent
It comes from head to toe – even the collar is colored – emerald green cover (not hope), a color, which is a declaration of war for the Hightower house. In her emblem, the Tower of Oldtown is crowned with a flame that turns this color when the Citadel goes to war.
Alicent in her green dress. /
The evolution in Alicent’s character is very marked in her wardrobe. She begins with light colors, with cold tones, more similar to the green of her house but far removed from the rabid green that she will appear in the future.
Two images of Alicent. /
The hair also hides its meaning. Alicent wears her hair down during the first episode, when she is still an unattached girl. Once her wedding to Viserys is announced, she begins to wear it up or semi-up.
Images of Alicent, young and old. /
There are two major turning points for Alicent marked by the same dress. It is a metallic blue, a hue in keeping with her house. The first time this outfit is seen is when Otto sends his daughter to comfort King Viserys after Aemma’s death. The second, after Otto leaves Landing after being deposed by Viserys as Hand. Two moments that mark the queen’s destiny. This would be Alicent’s way of reaching a middle ground between being a more aggressive color than the one she wears as a child but not going all the way to war green. Her necklace, made up of what looks like dozens of thorns or tiny swords, also point to this change.
Queen Alicent. /
In the case of Alicent, you can see how the colors of her clothing vary depending on her dedication to her husband and the kingdom. Recently married and throughout her first two pregnancies, the queen wears black and red dresses, the Targaryen colors much more often than Rhaenyra, who prefers more neutral tones. At least as a young man.
Alcient, in red. /
Alicent jewelery is generally discreet. Perhaps the most striking, due to its meaning, is the Seven Pointed Star that she wears on her neck, as an adult, after the time jump of ten years. The Seven Pointed Star is the symbol of the Faith of the Seven in Westeros. The Hightowers hold the position of Defenders of the Faith as they have their headquarters in the same place: Antigua. Point and aside deserves the chain ornament on the chest of the dress, very similar to the one used by his father, Otto, when he was at Court as Hand of the King.
Alicent and a detail of her father, Otto. /
Rhaenyra’s hairstyle and jewelry
If the queen speaks with her clothes, Rhenyra speaks with her hair and her jewels. As for her hair, Rhaenyra, unlike Alicent, usually wears it loose or semi loose. Quite a statement of intent, since loose hair has historically been a symbol of freedom. Even the much less impulsive and more thoughtful adult Rhaenyra seems to retain this custom.
Various images of Rhaenyra. /
The princess can only be seen with updos on solemn occasions. The first time that she also wears the corporate colors of the Targaryens is her during the tournament for the birth of her brother. The second, at the ceremony of naming her as her heir.
In addition, the decorations on her dresses say much more. The hawk eye of a Reddit user has managed to guess that the medallions are not free and that the coats of arms of the most important houses in Westeros can be recognized in them.
During this act Rhaenyra wears a Renaissance headdress, a sign of distinction from the nobility. This type of complement can be seen in some portraits of the time, for example, in this example of Anne Boleyn. Before the lords of Westeros Rhaneyra must be sure of herself and her lineage, a true Targaryen someone who deserves the throne more than anyone.
Detail of Rhaenyra. /
The second time Rhaenyra appears with her hair up is at the pre-wedding banquet with Laenor Velaryion. Dressed in white, how could she be otherwise, a red ribbon is intertwined in her hairpiece. A detail for her house, once again, before other houses in Poniente, although finally her appearance is overshadowed by Alicent’s entrance.
Viserys and his daughter at the pre-wedding. /
There is an extremely curious detail in chapter four that some people have reviewed on social networks. At first, Rhaenyra wears a semi-updo very similar to the pendant her uncle Daemon gives her since she feels closer to him. Something that later changes to a braid in which many have seen a pattern similar to that of Criston Cole’s armor.
Images of Rhaenyra. /
Ser Criston and Rhaenyra. /
Regarding the Valyrian steel pendant, you can see how Rhaenyra wears it or not depending on how close she sits to her uncle. What was observed in episode four comes from before, since the princess uses the necklace during the first chapter to take it off when Daemono goes to the Stone Steps and uses it again, precisely, during the fourth episode, while meeting suitors in Bastion of Storms -she gets to touch him on several occasions- until her affection changes towards another man.
Also, as with the but up or red and black, Rhaenyra wears jewelry as a status. Thus, the more solemn the occasion, the more ornate your accessories will be.
Rhaenyra’s jewels. /
The resource of wearing Targaryen red and black is common in the case of Rhaenyra when she wants to strengthen her position as heiress. She wears red when her suitors are presented to her in Storm’s End, the same dress she wears when she reaches a betrothal to Laenor, in the Velaryon household. In Driftmark even her coat is red and gold. Red details she also wears during the hunt to celebrate her brother Aegon’s second birthday. Again, before the eyes of the lords of Westeros.
Images of Rhaenyra in ‘The House of the Dragon’. /
For the rest of the time, especially when she is at court in a somewhat more private setting, Rhaenyra dresses more simply at first, gradually becoming more elaborate in her designs. In this type of environment, the princess prefers much softer and more neutral colors: earth and gold. At most, pale pink or some red detail. As with her hair, Rhaenyra retains a taste for discreet colors as an adult, although it is to be expected that her wardrobe will change, along with her attitude and look towards black and red. Especially the black.
Rhaenyra, young and old. /
The colors of other characters
Not only the queen and the princess use their own colors but this subtle custom reaches their children. While Aegon and Aemond wear her mother’s green, the princess’s children, Jacaerys and Lucerys wear red and black dresses.
Ser Criston with the children of Rhaenyra and Alicent. /
However, as an exception to so much contrasting color, Halaena, Alicent’s daughter, remains in neutral colors, with a dress very similar to another that could already be seen in Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra and Alicent’s daughter. /
To conclude a great detail hunted on the net. Reddit user ‘TheGreatMalagan’ has managed to find out part of the meaning of the runes that he has engraved on the armor of Rhea Royce, the wife of Daemon Targaryen. In this house it is customary to wear these bronze armors decorated with engravings of this type since their settlement is known as Piedra de las Runas.
It turns out that the text, at least partially, is real. It is a fragment of a text known as the Codex Runicus. A text dated to the early 14th century detailing the oldest Norse provincial law on record.
Rhea detail. /
The translation would be something like this:
“If a man wounds another man while the king is in the province, he shall pay a fine for the wound according to law, and forty marks to the king and forty marks for breach of the peace to the wounded”
Taking into account the end of the fifth episode of the first season, it is difficult for the choice of this phrase to be casual, although it has only served to ignore it.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.