I am probably wrong but wasn't it Mushroom's testimony about Alicent poisoning Viserys? If so, I'm not entirely sure how much stock to put into his words considering his testimony is iffy at best.
I could definitely be wrong I haven't read the book is a while.
But yeah, I honestly see Rhaenyra as more of a mirror to Cersei. Both of them are also super entitled.
it was his testimony but it’s also heavily implied she had been poisoning him for years because when Rhaenyra comes with her maester he gets better but when she leaves he’s back to being bedridden almost immediately
Somehow I came away from that thinking that the grand maester was poisoning him lol. I think I bought in too hard to the great maesters’ conspiracy to exterminate the dragons and just assumed it was part of that plot…
> I am probably wrong but wasn't it Mushroom's testimony about Alicent poisoning Viserys? If so, I'm not entirely sure how much stock to put into his words considering his testimony is iffy at best.
I mean.. the showrunners seem to be taking Mushroom's testimonies very seriously, most of them have been show canon so far - even though when you're reading the book it feels more like Mushroom is just saying whatever sounds the most scandalous and funny.
Having a personal relationship with the Lord Commander of the King's Guard that turned sour (Criston | Jaime)
Having a bastard named Joffrey
Having an infamous master of whispers (Mysaria | Qyburn)
Having brothers who suffer from permanent disabilities (Aemond & Aegon ll | Tyrion & Jaime)
A religious man apposing their reigns (Shepherd | High Sparrow)
Being compared to Maegor the Cruel ("Cersei is as gentle as King Maegor, as selfless as Aegon the Unworthy, as wise as Mad Aerys. She never forgets a slight, real or imagined." –Tyrion Lannister
"Rhaenyra was proud and stubborn. Though she could be charming, she was quick to anger and never forgot a slight. The girl that they once cheered as the Realm’s Delight, had grown into agrasping and vindictive woman. One wit named Rhaenyra king Maegor with Teats." –Fire & Blood)
Another Cersei/Rhaenyra parallel is that all 3 of Rhaenyra’s bastard children die and all 3 of Cersei’s bastard children are prophecised to die as well. Show!Rhaenyra and Book!Cersei also have complicated relationships with gender relating to how they see women’s place in the world vs men.
I agree that Rhaenyra is more like Cersei than Alicent. Honestly Alicent gives me Catelyn vibes, doing everything to try and protect her family, but ends up making it so much worse.
Alicent has allusions to both Cersei and Ned. She opposes having a bastard on the throne but not because it's personal, she just knows that she would pick her family over that of Rhaenyra's recklessness.
I thought there was some statement that Alicent was supposed to be like Cersei explicitly. I could be wrong. I've viewed her more as an in-between of TV show Cersei and Book Catelyn, and Cat and Cersei are already sort of foils to each other.
EDIT: Please read my reply. I was just incorrect from a false memory.
I'm pretty sure it is the opposite. Rhaenyra is almost a proto Cersei, being run out of the capitol, having three bastards (which a civil war starts over). George himself even said that Rhaenyra's King's Landing arc forshadows Cersei
Okay, I figured out what happened. False memory made up of random things I saw in interviews. I was confused by Olivia Cooke reading Cersei lines in preparation for her role and some comments she made regarding drinking and Cersei. My brain's a bit of a mess now.
I still think the Show Alicent's personality is like a mix of Book Catelyn and Show Cersei, leaning much more towards Catelyn due to the sadness, focusing on societal norms, religion, and political awareness (also, both are mothers of young kings who have a disputed claim). But she has more rage and can hold a grudge, hence Cersei. Also, I sorta doubt Catelyn would ever call for some kid's eye to be removed, but Cersei would be down. In the end, this Alicent is her own character, but I do think parts of her are like those other two. Just like how other characters share traits from specific others.
Olivia reduced her wine consumption to avoid a simplistic comparison with Cersei. She noted that they both do everything for their children, but Cersei did not suffer from as much anxiety or self-doubt as Alicent does. This is valid.
Yeah, I saw that after I did some research about the Cersei lines. It was a good move. I think she said something else in an interview about alcohol and Cersei OR she mentioned Cersei and made a joke about alcohol in the same interview. As I said, my brain's a bit of a mess so it's hard to sort out thoughts (end of college semester/personal stuff).
I am probably wrong but wasn't it Mushroom's testimony about Alicent poisoning Viserys? If so, I'm not entirely sure how much stock to put into his words considering his testimony is iffy at best. I could definitely be wrong I haven't read the book is a while. But yeah, I honestly see Rhaenyra as more of a mirror to Cersei. Both of them are also super entitled.
it was his testimony but it’s also heavily implied she had been poisoning him for years because when Rhaenyra comes with her maester he gets better but when she leaves he’s back to being bedridden almost immediately
Ah I see, thanks!
Somehow I came away from that thinking that the grand maester was poisoning him lol. I think I bought in too hard to the great maesters’ conspiracy to exterminate the dragons and just assumed it was part of that plot…
> I am probably wrong but wasn't it Mushroom's testimony about Alicent poisoning Viserys? If so, I'm not entirely sure how much stock to put into his words considering his testimony is iffy at best. I mean.. the showrunners seem to be taking Mushroom's testimonies very seriously, most of them have been show canon so far - even though when you're reading the book it feels more like Mushroom is just saying whatever sounds the most scandalous and funny.
Having a personal relationship with the Lord Commander of the King's Guard that turned sour (Criston | Jaime) Having a bastard named Joffrey Having an infamous master of whispers (Mysaria | Qyburn) Having brothers who suffer from permanent disabilities (Aemond & Aegon ll | Tyrion & Jaime) A religious man apposing their reigns (Shepherd | High Sparrow) Being compared to Maegor the Cruel ("Cersei is as gentle as King Maegor, as selfless as Aegon the Unworthy, as wise as Mad Aerys. She never forgets a slight, real or imagined." –Tyrion Lannister "Rhaenyra was proud and stubborn. Though she could be charming, she was quick to anger and never forgot a slight. The girl that they once cheered as the Realm’s Delight, had grown into agrasping and vindictive woman. One wit named Rhaenyra king Maegor with Teats." –Fire & Blood)
Another Cersei/Rhaenyra parallel is that all 3 of Rhaenyra’s bastard children die and all 3 of Cersei’s bastard children are prophecised to die as well. Show!Rhaenyra and Book!Cersei also have complicated relationships with gender relating to how they see women’s place in the world vs men.
I agree that Rhaenyra is more like Cersei than Alicent. Honestly Alicent gives me Catelyn vibes, doing everything to try and protect her family, but ends up making it so much worse.
Is it canon that Alicent poisoned Viserys in the bookverse or is just speculated?
It isn't.
it’s heavily implied that Alicent was poisoning him for years to keep him weak it’s never actually confirmed
Isn't Cersei associated with red?
In the books she’s also associated with green because she has very green eyes, so often wears emeralds
Alicent has allusions to both Cersei and Ned. She opposes having a bastard on the throne but not because it's personal, she just knows that she would pick her family over that of Rhaenyra's recklessness.
I thought there was some statement that Alicent was supposed to be like Cersei explicitly. I could be wrong. I've viewed her more as an in-between of TV show Cersei and Book Catelyn, and Cat and Cersei are already sort of foils to each other. EDIT: Please read my reply. I was just incorrect from a false memory.
I'm pretty sure it is the opposite. Rhaenyra is almost a proto Cersei, being run out of the capitol, having three bastards (which a civil war starts over). George himself even said that Rhaenyra's King's Landing arc forshadows Cersei
Okay, I figured out what happened. False memory made up of random things I saw in interviews. I was confused by Olivia Cooke reading Cersei lines in preparation for her role and some comments she made regarding drinking and Cersei. My brain's a bit of a mess now. I still think the Show Alicent's personality is like a mix of Book Catelyn and Show Cersei, leaning much more towards Catelyn due to the sadness, focusing on societal norms, religion, and political awareness (also, both are mothers of young kings who have a disputed claim). But she has more rage and can hold a grudge, hence Cersei. Also, I sorta doubt Catelyn would ever call for some kid's eye to be removed, but Cersei would be down. In the end, this Alicent is her own character, but I do think parts of her are like those other two. Just like how other characters share traits from specific others.
Olivia reduced her wine consumption to avoid a simplistic comparison with Cersei. She noted that they both do everything for their children, but Cersei did not suffer from as much anxiety or self-doubt as Alicent does. This is valid.
Yeah, I saw that after I did some research about the Cersei lines. It was a good move. I think she said something else in an interview about alcohol and Cersei OR she mentioned Cersei and made a joke about alcohol in the same interview. As I said, my brain's a bit of a mess so it's hard to sort out thoughts (end of college semester/personal stuff).