Why Alicent Refuses To Let Helaena Fly Her Dragon Into Battle

Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon’s season 2 finale and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!

Alicent Hightower vehemently rejected having Helaena use her dragon in battle during House of the Dragon season 2’s finale, and the family matriarch had a very good reason. “The Queen Who Ever Was” saw Prince Aemond ready to go on the offensive after destroying Sharp Point out of retaliation for Rhaenyra’s actions in finding bastard dragonriders. To face Rhaenyra’s newfound forces, he turned to his sister, Helaena, for help, but both she and Alicent were against the idea. The House of the Dragon‘s season 2 ending further confirmed how broken Alicent’s family truly was.

House of the Dragon still has plenty of excitement to come before we see any winner of the Dance of the Dragons. That said, “The Queen Who Ever Was” set a lot into motion for House of the Dragon season 3 and beyond regarding the Targaryen civil war’s most impactful events. While Team Black, Team Green, and their respective allies are approaching battle, Alicent’s own family has officially fallen apart. Though Aegon fled King’s Landing, his relationship with Aemond was essentially ruined. Aegon may have thought Helaena was on his side, but Alicent rightfully put a stop to that.

Alicent Doesn’t Want Helaena To Be Corrupted Like Aemond & Aegon

Alicent Is Very Protective Of Her Only Daughter

Alicent has four children in House of the Dragon: Aegon, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron. The oldest, Aegon, took over the Iron Throne when King Viserys died, which subsequently jumpstarted the conflict with Rhaenyra, who believed she was the rightful heir. Whereas all but Daeron were raised in King’s Landing, Helaena has always seemed different from her brothers. She has a dragon named Dreamfyre, so it made sense that Aemond wanted their help in battle. That said, Alicent refused Helaena’s participation in battle because she wouldn’t allow her daughter to become corrupt like Aemond and Aegon.

Despite her royal upbringing and being married to Aegon, Helaena has stayed out of the brutal politics wrapped around her family since before she was even born. In fact, House of the Dragon has proven how much Helaena struggles in the public eye or the presence of the smallfolk. Aegon and Aemond, on the other hand, have learned to embrace their inherited power in different ways. As king, Aegon quickly became impulsive, letting the power get to his head. Aemond has made more calculated decisions, but his corruption has resulted in complete disregard for the consequences of his actions.

Alicent Fears For Helaena’s Life Above Her Other Children’s

Alicent Views Her Children Differently

Alicent’s refusal to allow Helaena to fly Dreamfyre into battle also showed how she views her children differently. Allowing Aegon to marry Helaena and the pain it had caused after Jaehaerys’ murder obviously spawned a lot of guilt within Alicent. As a mother, she clearly felt partially responsible for what Helaena was thrown into, and it has been evident that Alicent puts her daughter’s life over her other children. Based on what House of the Dragon has shown through two seasons, it seems to go in order of Helaena, Daeron, Aegon, and Aemond regarding the preference of her kids.

Aemond’s interaction with Helaena in “The Queen Who Ever Was,” which resulted in Alicent stepping in, reiterated how protective she is of her only daughter. Alicent is also aware of how different Helaena is, not just with her personality and interests but also with her perception of the war. As a mother with highborns, she likely already came to terms with the danger that comes with her sons’ statuses within the realm. However, she sees no reason to allow her daughter to follow that same fate, especially if Helaena has no experience or interest in riding to battle.

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Helaena’s Warning To Aemond Targaryen & What It Really Means

Helaena Targaryen warns Aemnond Targaryen of a grim fate that awaits him in House of the Dragon, proving how strong her dragon dreams have become.

Does Helaena Fly Dreamfyre In The Book?

HOTD Is Following The Book For Dreamfyre’s History

While Helaena made it clear to Aemond that she had no interest in killing the innocent in battle, there’s also the fact that she rarely serves as a dragonrider in House of the Dragon. Unlike Aemond and Aegon, who hardly passed up a chance to show off their dragons, Helaena hasn’t been seen riding Dreamfyre in the show. In George R.R. Martin’s books, Helaena did fly with Dreamfyre, but it didn’t happen during the Dance of the Dragons, meaning it may not even happen in House of the Dragon‘s future seasons.

Instead, Helaena’s power will likely come from her prophetic visions, like the case of her revelation to Aemond that he will die in battle. Though not a new occurrence for the Targaryen bloodline, prophetic dreams weren’t an aspect of Helaena’s book arc. The power certainly adds an intriguing element to the character, even if it drives a deeper wedge between her and Aemond. It’s unclear how closely House of the Dragon will follow Fire & Blood, but Alicent is at least trying to give her daughter a more hopeful fate.