The Season 3 premiere of House Of The Dragon featured a scene that quickly became a major topic of discussion among viewers. In the episode, Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell, kisses his mother Alicent Hightower, played by Olivia Cooke, on the lips during a private conversation.
The moment leaves Alicent visibly uncomfortable. She does not pull away, but her reaction suggests surprise and unease. After the kiss, she gives Aemond a tense smile, making it clear that she is unsettled by what has just happened. The scene adds another layer of complexity to the relationship between the two characters.
The Targaryen family is known for relationships between close relatives, a tradition that has been shown throughout both House Of The Dragon and Game Of Thrones. Aemond’s siblings, Aegon and Helaena, are married and have children together. Rhaenyra Targaryen is also married to her uncle, Daemon Targaryen. However, relationships between a parent and child are considered unacceptable even within Targaryen customs, making this scene particularly shocking.
Unlike the Targaryens, Alicent was not born into the family. She became part of House Targaryen through marriage. While she encouraged her children to follow Targaryen traditions, her reaction in the episode suggests she is uncomfortable with being involved in such behaviour herself.
AEMOND JUST KISSED HIS MOM ALICENT?!
— sanmeyo (@oyemnassxo) June 22, 2026
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
Set more than 100 years before the events of Game Of Thrones, House Of The Dragon follows a civil war within House Targaryen over control of the Iron Throne. The conflict is mainly between Rhaenyra’s faction, known as Team Black, and the faction led by Alicent and her family, known as Team Green.
At this point in the story, Aemond is effectively leading Team Green because his older brother, King Aegon, has disappeared after suffering severe injuries. Earlier in the episode, Alicent tries to persuade Aemond to leave King’s Landing and travel to Harrenhal. Unknown to him, she has secretly made an agreement with Rhaenyra in an effort to bring the war to an end.
As Alicent tells Aemond that he should have been born first and become king, he suddenly kisses her. The episode does not clearly explain whether the action comes from romantic feelings, emotional confusion or an attempt to assert power and control. The moment is left open to interpretation, adding further tension to an already complicated political and family conflict.