Alicent Hightower gets caught in a revolt in "House of the Dragon" season two. Here's what happens to her in "Fire and Blood," the book the show is based on.
Theo Whitman/HBO
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode six.
Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her daughter, Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) get caught up in a revolt in the sixth episode of "House of the Dragon" season two.
Because the incident puts Alicent in danger, fans of the HBO series might wonder what happens to her in "Fire and Blood," the book it's based on.
While some questioned whether the prequel would have legs after the divisive ending to "Game of Thrones" in 2019, fans have devoured "House of the Dragon." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series was watched for 1.23 billion minutes in the week after the season two premiere.
In episode six, the smallfolk in King's Landing have been complaining about the lack of food in the capital city since the start of the second season, and characters, including Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), have struggled to feed their families while the royals have plenty to feast on in the castle.
The citizens' desperation boils over in episode six when they see soldiers escorting a cart full of sheep into the castle to feed the Targaryens and their dragons.
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) uses the situation to try to sway the public's poor opinion of her by sending a fleet of small boats carrying supplies to King's Landing.
This causes chaos streets as people fight over the food.
It just so happens that Alicent and Helaena are praying in the Great Sept when the rioting starts, and the smallfolk target them.
After they get attacked by civilians in the street, Alicent and Helaena escape in the Targaryens' armored carriage and make it out alive.
But here's how Alicent dies in the book.
Theo Whitman/HBO
In the 2018 book, Alicent survives the war and outlives her former friend, Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra gets eaten by Aegon's dragon, Sunfyre, after the Greens retake King's Landing toward the end of the war. Rhaenyra struggled to keep the smallfolk happy because she raised taxes to afford the conflict.
Three years after Rhaenyra's death, Alicent is placed under house arrest because she fails to persuade her granddaughter to kill Rhaenyra's last surviving son.
Alicent remains in a small fortress within the Red Keep in King's Landing but suffers from mental illness because of her isolation. She eventually dies from what's called winter fever around the age of 45.
Although Rhaenyra's forces technically win the Dance of Dragons, as her son sits on the Iron Throne, the book makes it clear that this is not exactly a positive outcome. It's similar to "Game of Thrones" in the sense that there aren't any real winners: it's just about who survives.
Alicent's death is a lonely one, but at least she isn't killed in battle, or eaten by a dragon.
The same can't be said for characters including Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) or Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
"House of the Dragon" season two airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on Max.
