Alicent's Color Transformation Explained
45sReveals hidden symbolism in costume colors that fans love to decode, sparking discussion and engagement.
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This video analyzes the costume design in House of the Dragon Season 2, focusing on Alicent's color journey from light blues to green, and the symbolic use of silhouettes. It highlights how costumes reflect character identity, growth, and pivotal moments, particularly in the Season 2 finale.
[00:00]
Alicent's Color Evolution
Alicent starts in light blues and grays, then wears green when engaging in court intrigue. After marriage, she wears Targaryen red and gold, symbolizing her erased identity.
[00:31]
Green as War Symbol
The beacon glows green when Old Town calls its banners to war. From that point, Alicent only wears green, mostly dark shades as an adult to reflect her conservative religious side.
[00:46]
Shoulder Silhouettes
Both Alicent and Rhaenyra gain stronger shoulder silhouettes to show their growth into strong personalities and to create a visual link between them.
[01:02]
Final Scene Symbolism
In the Season 2 finale, Rhaenyra wears a simple gray nightdress and Alicent returns to blue grays, with rounded shoulders, symbolizing a retreat to childhood innocence and their connection.
[01:15]
Season 3 Continuation
In Season 3, Alicent continues to wear blue, showing she is sticking to her decision to step away from loyalty to her house.
Study Flashcards (5)
What color does Alicent wear when she begins engaging in court intrigue?
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What color does Alicent wear when she begins engaging in court intrigue?
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Green
What does Alicent wearing Targaryen red and gold after her marriage symbolize?
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What does Alicent wearing Targaryen red and gold after her marriage symbolize?
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It represents the erasure of her identity as Alicent Hightower, becoming only the queen and wife.
00:14
What color does the beacon glow when Old Town calls its banners to war?
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What color does the beacon glow when Old Town calls its banners to war?
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Green
00:31
Why do Alicent and Rhaenyra gain stronger shoulder silhouettes as adults?
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Why do Alicent and Rhaenyra gain stronger shoulder silhouettes as adults?
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To show they have grown into strong personalities and to create a visual link between them.
00:46
In the final scene of Season 2, why do Rhaenyra and Alicent wear simpler, rounded clothing?
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In the final scene of Season 2, why do Rhaenyra and Alicent wear simpler, rounded clothing?
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To show them retreating to the innocence of their childhood and their connection to each other.
01:02
💡 Key Takeaways
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Alicent's color shift to green
Shows her transition into court intrigue and later her allegiance to House Hightower.
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Erasure of identity through costume
Red and gold symbolize her loss of individual identity as she becomes only the queen and wife.
00:14
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Shoulder silhouettes as character growth
Stronger shoulders visually represent their development into strong personalities and link them together.
00:46
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Final scene costume symbolism
Rhaenyra and Alicent revert to childhood colors and rounded shoulders, showing a temporary return to innocence and connection.
01:02Full Transcript
[00:00] Alicent's color journey is perhaps the most obvious of the season. She begins her life in light blues and grays, but when she begins to engage in court intrigue, she wears green for the first time. After her marriage, Alicent only wears Targaryen red and gold until Rhaenyra's
[00:14] wedding. This represents the way her identity has been erased. She was once Alicent Hightower, and now she's only the queen, only Viserys's wife and mother of his children. Then comes the wedding and the beacon on the high tower. Do you know what color it glows when Old Town calls its banners to
[00:31] war? Green. From this point onwards, Alicent only wears green. She mostly wears dark shades as an adult to reflect her more conservative religious side. Both Alicent and Rhaenyra gain stronger shoulder silhouettes to show the way they've grown into strong personalities and to give them a visual
[00:46] link to each other. However, in the final scene of season two, both characters are changed. Rhaenyra is not in her militant silhouette or Targaryen colors. She's in a simple gray nightdress, and Alicent is back in the blue grays of her youth. This is a genius costuming decision for
[01:02] a scene where, for a moment, both of them retreat back to the innocence of their childhoods and their connection to each other. They feel the same love for one another that they felt when they were young girls. They also have the more rounded shoulders of their younger self. For
[01:15] just one night, they allow themselves to lose some of their burdens of their adult lives. We're already seeing Alicent continue to wear blue in Season 3, showing that she's sticking to her decision in the Season 2 finale to step away from her loyalty to her house.
