“we’re never getting driftmark alicent back” my brother in christ, we literally hear alicent say ‘it was an ugly thing, I regret it’ because she knows she can be violent when she’s angry, but she doesn’t like that side of herself.
she chooses not to show that side of herself outside of the people she feels justified using it against see here: aegon after he raped dyana, and criston after he was with her when jaehaerys was murdered.
because she denies herself this outlet too often she resorts to self harm. whether that be through picking her skin till it scars, or letting herself be used by a man despite the fact that she believes it is a sin and damns her soul. she dislikes her sons anger for sole fact that it mirrors her own but she can never show that if she wishes to remain seen as a proper lady.
it is clear as day in the scene where the council completely shuts down the very idea of her ruling in her sons recovery (despite the fact that she herself was in almost total control of the kingdom when viserys was on his death bed) because she is a woman, that she is still very angry deep down.
driftmark alicent’s anger is still present, it just manifests differently since she has become disillusioned with the reach of her power.
