Sorry, but House of the Dragon season 2 has me shipping Alicent and Criston

I know I might be in the minority here, but House of the Dragon season 2 has me fully shipping Alicent Hightower and Criston Cole, and I’m not at all ashamed to admit this. In fact, I feel more than justified than ever in my support for the couple.

In the season 2 premiere, "A Son for a Son," we discover that Alicent and Criston’s relationship — previously one a queen and her bodyguard — has developed into something more in the wake of the death of King Viserys, which leaves Alicent a widow. The two are discovered in bed together in a twist that threw many off. It’s purposefully not made clear exactly when the pair’s relationship became romantic, but it’s clear it's recent.

Many fans have been quick to cringe at the pairing. Some are downright outraged by Alicent and Criston becoming a romantic duo, but come on, people; the writing has always been on the wall! Alicent and Criston have always had a unique dynamic and they make for quite a compelling couple. Their relationship is one that is built on a foundation of mutual respect and shared experiences, which has led them to find comfort in one another romantically.

This romantic relationship didn’t come out of nowhere, so is anyone really surprised the show took the pair in the direction it did? Criston is someone that Alicent once had a crush on in her younger years, as actress Olivia Cooke herself pointed out. “This is someone that she’s fancied since she was a kid that Rhaenyra got to have. He became this loyal guard dog who was always by her side, who protected her fiercely. And then Viserys died and I don’t know, you never see it, but I’m imagining in the throes of grief and despair and also confusion, Criston Cole has always been there, and I think something just blossomed from that,” Cooke told Elle.

Are we really surprised they eventually took things to the next level? He’s always been there for her and it makes sense that their relationship would eventually develop into something deeper with time.

Why Alicent and Criston are good together

Both characters face immense pressure in their roles at court, and they find solace and understanding in each other. Criston's protective nature and Alicent's nurturing qualities create a balanced partnership where they support and uplift each other. These are two characters who, as House of the Dragon showrunner and co-creator Ryan Condal said when speaking with Collider, “don't experience a lot of pleasure, experiencing great pleasure together in a nice way.”

Alicent was forced into an arranged marriage with a man several years her senior when she was still a young teenager, and while they might have been intimate, she never really had the chance to experience the type of passion she’s now found in Criston. This relationship is new to her and she deserves the chance to experience a passionate affair, and it only makes sense that it’s Criston’s arms she has ended up in, and he in hers.

Meanwhile, despite his dutiful honor in the order of the Kingsguard, Criston’s biggest weakness has always been that he has a tendency to fall in love with the women he’s charged with protecting. It’s giving Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard; his job is to protect and serve, but when you spend as much time together as Criston and Alicent do, it’s only natural that feelings would develop. The same occurred in the past when he was charged with protecting Rhaenyra.

Both characters have their flaws, I’m not denying that at all, but I can’t help myself from rooting for the couple and hoping that perhaps they might finally find a slice of happiness, even if just for a moment in time. In a world as ruthless as Westeros, finding solace in unexpected places is both rare and precious. Despite the controversy, it's undeniable that their bond makes sense, given their histories and emotional journeys.

I don't quite know where the rest of the season will take us or what the future might hold for Alicent and Criston, but what I do know is that I personally am going to be rooting for the duo and will enjoy this journey we're on. Because why not? TV is supposed to be fun and what are we really doing in life if we're watching a show full of dragons, betrayal, power plays and murder and not shipping the two most problematic characters?

So I say let your freak flags fly, Alicent and Criston! You might not be the most popular duo in Westeros, or among House of the Dragon fans, but I've hoisted the sails and am ready to ride this ship until it meets what is sure to be a chaotic conclusion.

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