*Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season three episode one’ Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) share a kiss in the House of the Dragon season three premiere, and there’s a disturbing reason why, as explained by the showrunner. Are the Targaryens even Targaryens if they’re not committing incest? Much like real-life royal dynasties, they like to keep it in the family – hell, from the very first season, Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) was hooking up with her uncle, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith). Now, there’s a lot going on in the latest episode, ‘The Battle of the Gullet’, but one moment that’s left viewers with their jaws on the floor is when Alicent tries to convince her son to go and take Harrenhal. For context, Alicent has realised the mistakes of putting her sons on the throne, and she’s made a pact with Rhaenyra. Aemond is meant to be away hunting down Daemon, during which Alicent will open King’s Landing to Rhaenyra’s forces and offer up Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney). But her plans are thwarted when she returns home to find Aegon has fled and Aemond is there. She pretends she wants him to go to Harrenhal for his safety and for the war, after which Aemond leans in and kisses her (*shudders*), leaving her horrified. AEMOND JUST KISSED HIS MOM ALICENT?!I had to rewind three times because there’s no way my eyes just witnessed that. House of the Dragon keeps finding new ways to leave me absolutely speechless.#HouseoftheDragon #HOTD pic.twitter.com/iNzMS3suj6 — sanmeyo (@oyemnassxo) June 22, 2026 This is a deviation from George RR Martin’s books, meaning we don’t know exactly why he did that. But House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal was on hand to break it down. House of the Dragon boss explains Aemond and Alicent’s disturbing kiss Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Condal explained that Aemond’s reasoning boils down to season one of the HBO series, and the sexual trauma he experienced at such a young age. “He’s somebody that was traumatised at an early age by his brother by taking him to a brothel long before his brain could probably process what was happening,” the showrunner said. Credit: HBO “As these things do, that trauma then manifests a certain way in his behaviour as an adult. While I don’t think that Aemond is necessarily in love with his mother, I don’t think he’s able to separate the feelings that he has for her from these other male feelings that he experiences.” Condal also highlighted the fact that Aemond was bullied early on for not having a dragon until later, he lost his eye to get one, and he had an unusual relationship with the brothel madam. Also, he told the outlet that “it’s a further commentary on Alicent and her own equipped-ness to raise children at such a young age. We all know that Alicent didn’t do a great job as a mum, but who would have in that situation where you got groomed by your father and married off to a much older man at such an early age?” So while the kiss is a stomach-churning moment, Condal said “it’s really meant to demonstrate how, even though this is a character who seems entirely together and sure of himself at all times, this is a traumatised person.” Aemond “doesn’t have the well-adjusted underpinnings of a modern character who is raised in a society that understands there are things that you can expose children to and there are things that they should not be exposed to until they’re older,” the showrunner added. Credit: HBO Actor Ewan Mitchell elaborated on his thoughts behind the kiss, saying, “Aemond’s trying to read between the lines, see if there is an ulterior motive there. “When I read it in the script for the first time, I just thought, ‘Oh, that’s something. Quite out there.’ I kind of saw it coming with everything that I’ve explored with Aemond and his relationship with Alicent.” “In Aemond’s head, it’s like he’s assuming control of the family. I always think of Ray Winstone from Scum [the 1979 British prison drama from director Alan Clarke]. It’s like, ‘I’m the daddy now,’” he continued. “He’s the new leader. I think it leaves the question of, ‘What is the relationship gonna be with Alicent going forward?’” Mitchell also agrees with Condal’s perspective, telling the outlet, “Growing up, [kids] need that unconditional love from people to develop a balanced view of themselves. “And Aemond’s never really felt like he ever had that love from anyone, really. So he really doesn’t know how to express affection… Maybe there’s a bit of Oedipus complex in there, as well.” For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Featured images credit: HBO Post navigation Next storyPrevious story
