‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 finale: Why Allison’s blue dress is so important

For Alison Hightower (played by Olivia Cooke), green is out and blue is in.

Dragon HouseAs early as Season 1, the Queen Mother adopted green as her signature color, a reference to the green flaming lights of the old House Hightower when war was declared. Since then, green has become synonymous not only with Allison, but also with her son Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Greene-Carney) and his supporters.

However, Allison changes in the final two episodes of season two. The subtle color change in her usual attire is just a hint at her shifting loyalties to Team Green, but this episode takes it a step further. When Allison strips off her coat and swims in the lake in a simple white dress, the meaning is clear. Powerless, weakened and unable to stop the folly of war, Allison abandons the duty she has upheld throughout her life.

She told her old friend and royal rival Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma Darcy) as much in the Season 2 finale, when she traveled to Dragonstone to propose a daring plan to end the war new plan. Alicent says that once her son, Regent Aemond (Ivan Mitchell), flies to the Riverlands, she will hand over King’s Landing to Rhaenyra, the designated heir to the Iron Throne. In return, she asks that she be allowed to move freely with her daughter, Queen Helana (Fia Saban), so that the two can live the kind of burden-free life they never had the freedom to choose.

Emma Darcy and Olivia Cooke in House of the Dragon.
Photo credit: Liam Daniel/HBO

The whole scene is a Dragon House The climax, right down to the tearful moment when Allison agrees to give up Aegon’s life in exchange for Rhaenyra’s victory. But this scene also continues the fashion journey we saw Alicent recount in episode seven. Also missing are any symbols related to the Faith of the Seven, another key element of Queen Alicent’s image. These visual choices by costume designer Jany Temimes help emphasize the change Allison goes through this season: She’s officially ready to give up her power and status.

But why light blue? cannot Dragon House Which color was chosen to represent Allison changing her old habits? Theoretically yes. However, the light blue color actually has a special meaning to Alicent and Rhaenyra’s relationship. Dragon Housemaking it the perfect choice for Alicent’s final transformation.

Light blue actually has a special meaning to the relationship between Alicent and Rhaenyra in “House of the Dragon”.

in the first episode Dragon HouseWhen young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) and Alicent (Emily Carey) are most intimate, Alicent is wearing a light blue dress. Later, as the relationship between the two begins to sour, we see Alison wearing a dark blue dress, and then the Targaryen red and gold. Amid all these changes, the first light blue dress remains the garment most closely associated with Rhaenyra and Allison’s love for each other.

Emily Carey and Millie Alcock in House of the Dragon.
Photo credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

It’s worth noting that this is the same dress Rhaenyra was wearing when she tore a page out of the history book during one of their earliest conversations – the same page Alicent gave to Rhaeny in the Season 1 finale Pull, trying to remind her of their old friendship and ask for peace. This move feels like a precursor to Alicent’s actions in the season two finale, where she once again relies on her connection to Rhaenyra to prevent further bloodshed. Only this time, Allison tries to work with Rhaenyra rather than against her.

Alicent’s light blue dress and cape Dragon House The Season 2 finale brings back memories of that dress from Season 1, and all the feelings that came with it. But they also pointed to Aliscent’s mentality going forward. If she really wanted to live her life as herself, free from the constraints of the responsibilities that were thrust upon her as a child, wouldn’t a return to the queen of her youth seem like the best place to start? (We also see this when Alicent bites her nails at a crucial moment in her conversation with Rhaenyra, a devastating flashback to young Alicent worrying about her nails.)

But Alicent doesn’t just want to free herself. She also wanted to free Rhaenyra, begging her to “come with me” makes for one of the most (destined) romantic moments of the season. Rhaenyra was unable to go, trapped by the weight of war and Targaryen history. However, Allison’s runaway proposal isn’t as unappealing to her as Kriston Cole’s (Fabian Frankel) proposal in season one. The early days, when she and Alicent had sat together under the weirwood trees at the Red Keep chatting about history and cakes and not having to worry about the war or being married to your best friend’s dad. If Rhaenyra ever swapped her black clothes for the gold ones from Season 1 to match Alicent’s new light blue style, then we’d know for sure.

Dragon House Season 2 is now streaming on Max.