Olivia Cooke, who plays Alicent Hightower, has given a candid update on the once-close friendship between Alicent and Rhaenyra Targaryen. In an interview with Pop Base, Cooke explained why their bond may never be repaired.
Quick read:
- Olivia Cooke has confirmed that Rhaenyra and Alicent’s relationship is beyond repair
- They do possess some love for each other as former best friends
- However the passage of time will not allow their relationship to go back to how it was
Beyond saving
Cooke was honest about the current state of their relationship:
“I think it’s really hard. There’s an element of her love for Rhaenyra that is preserved from when they were girls and their best friendship, but I think there’s too much water under the bridge. It is beyond saving. They could never go back to who they were, and they can never have a simple relationship again. It’s marred by betrayal and death and too much time having passed.”
While a lingering affection from their childhood remains, Cooke believes the years of betrayal, political rivalry, and devastating losses have made reconciliation impossible.
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A tragic story
The former best friends’ relationship has become one of the most emotionally complex elements of the series. What began as a deep, loving bond between two young girls has been shattered by ambition, grief, and opposing sides in a brutal civil war. Cooke’s words highlight how the passage of time and accumulated pain have turned their story into a heartbreaking tragedy.
This perspective adds depth to Alicent’s character as Season 3 continues, showing her internal conflict between lingering love and the realities of war and power.
What this means for the rest of Season 3
With their relationship described as “beyond saving,” fans can expect continued tension, emotional confrontations, and no easy resolution between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Their fractured bond remains a central emotional core of House of the Dragon, reminding viewers that some wounds run too deep to heal.
















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