House of the Dragon fans were left reeling after a disturbing incest scene in the season 3 premiere, titled "Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood." The episode, which aired after a two-year hiatus, featured the cinematic Battle of the Gullet and Rhaenyra Targaryen's advance on King's Landing, but it was a quiet moment between Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and his mother Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) that sparked outrage.
The Controversial Kiss
During the episode, Aemond kisses Alicent on the lips. She appears terrified but submits, seemingly trying to maintain some control over her Machiavellian son. The scene quickly went viral on social media, with fans expressing shock and disgust. One X user wrote: "This is worse than incest and idk what you call this." Another posted: "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."
A third commented: "That was easily the most uncomfortable kiss I’ve ever seen on TV. There're other ways to show Aemond is damaged." Another noted: "He’s sick and demented. She’s terrified of him." The scene has been described as "creepy" and "scary," with many fans calling it unnecessary.
Show vs. Book
Interestingly, the incest scene between Aemond and Alicent is not part of George R.R. Martin's original Fire & Blood book, which serves as the source material for the series. The showrunners added the moment to develop Aemond's character. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ewan Mitchell explained: "In Aemond's head, it's like he's assuming control of the family. It's like, 'I'm the daddy now.' He's the new leader. I think it leaves the question of, What is the relationship gonna be with Alicent going forward?"
Season 3 Premiere Highlights
Beyond the controversial kiss, the episode delivered on action and plot. The Battle of the Gullet saw the Triarchy, led by Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn), clash with Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) at sea. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) executed her plan to take King's Landing, following a secret deal with Alicent in season 2. The premiere set the stage for a season of escalating conflict.
House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming on Sky Atlantic, NOW, and HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.
