You probably never even got aware of her big secret.

House of the Dragon is back on the screens with its second season, and its premiere episode seems to have just debunked some of the most viral fun theories surrounding the brand new installment ever since it was announced.

Ahead of the season’s arrival, many had their fingers crossed for Alicent and Rhaenyra making their amends to each other and rekindling their past friendship, though now such a plot twist sounds like something even more fantastic than the show’s numerous fire-spitting dragons.

House of the Dragon season 2 has yet a long run that will unveil more sinister details coming with the inevitable war between the Blacks and the Greens, but it was pretty quick to prove that considering Rhaenyra a villain was a bit early. Surprisingly, Alicent has a bigger reason to be called so.

In the second season’s first episode, titled A Son for a Son, it becomes clear how tables have turned for Alicent since even her team members are gradually turning against her.

One of the scenes catches Prince Aemond Targaryen discussing the Greens’ strategy for the upcoming war with Ser Criston Cole and casually mentioning that Alicent, his mother, “speaks with two tongues,” thus suggesting that Alicent’s unstable position regarding the Greens’ rivals is one of the main reasons to consider her a hypocrite and an untrustworthy team member.

Whether you happen to like Aemond or not, it’s actually one of many scenes that confirm his brilliant shrewdness as he’s able to tell the truth about his mother just by seeing her deeds and her real thoughts through.

The episode makes it clear once again, this time taking a closer look at Alicent herself when, talking to her father Otto Hightower, she mentions that Rhaenyra took Aemond’s eye and just got away with it. She then proceeds saying “What he did, however vicious…”, implying that Aemond’s murder of Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys during a dragon chase is a blatant indication that Alicent doesn’t even consider Lucerys’ death to be full revenge towards Rhaenyra.

However, far away from everyone’s eyes, Alicent isn’t that indifferent and ruthless, as she’s seen lighting a candle in a home chapel and praying for Lucerys’ soul to rest in peace.

It thus becomes clear that Alicent is a far more tricky game player than everyone could ever imagine (except for Aemond), masterfully adapting to whatever happens next. For now, her son might be the only one to figure her out, but things may change radically for Alicent when the second season proceeds to an actual war.