Warning: The following article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4.
Early in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4, Grand Maester Orwyle delivers Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower a mystery concoction. So, what potion does Orwyle give Alicent in House of the Dragon‘s latest installment, and who is it really for?
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Is Alicent Hightower Pregnant in House of the Dragon Season 2?
The potion Grand Maester Orwyle presents Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4 is called moon tea. It’s the Westerosi equivalent of birth control, and can both prevent and abort unwanted pregnancies.
We’ve already seen moon tea on-screen twice before, both times in House of the Dragon Season 1. King Viserys I Targaryen has a dose sent to his daughter, Rhaenyra, when he suspects her of having sex with her uncle, Prince Daemon, in Season 1, Episode 4. Meanwhile, in Season 1, Episode 8, Alicent orders serving girl Dyana to drink moon tea after she’s sexually assaulted by Alicent’s son, Aegon.
Related: House of the Dragon: Who Is The Prince That Was Promised?
Alicent procures House of the Dragon‘s latest batch of moon tea under a similar pretext, claiming it’s for an unnamed highborn lady. That said, Alicent’s awkward exchange with Orwyle – not to mention the fact we see her drink the moon tea in private after he leaves – makes it clear she’s lying. Alicent is definitely pregnant, and she’s trying to avoid a scandal.
So, who’s her baby daddy? That’s even more obvious: it’s Ser Criston Cole. Alicent and Cole have been knocking boots since House of the Dragon Season 2’s first episode. Any child they have would be illegitimate and a source of shame, which explains why Alicent sent for some moon tea!
Does Alicent Fall Pregnant with Criston’s Baby in the Book?
No, there’s no suggestion that Alicent had (or almost had) any kids out of wedlock in House of the Dragon‘s source text, Fire & Blood. What’s more, the book doesn’t mention a romantic relationship between Alicent and Criston, either. So, even if she did have an off-the-record bun in the oven at some point, Cole didn’t put it there.
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Why such a major disconnect between the show and the book? Presumably, because Fire & Blood is a faux-historical tome, not a conventional novel. As such, House of the Dragon co-creators George R.R. Martin (who also wrote the book) and Ryan Condal had to invent new material (including the Alicent/Criston pairing) to flesh out parts of the story glossed over on the page.
House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.
