- Primary Subject: House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1
- Key Update: Ewan Mitchell addresses the shocking, intimate premiere scene between Aemond Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, attributing the uncomfortable kiss to an Oedipus complex and Aemond's skewed perception of love.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: June 23, 2026
- Quick Answer: Ewan Mitchell explains that Aemond's intimate scene with Alicent stems from an Oedipus complex and childhood trauma, while his journey to Harrenhal walks into a dragon trap.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1, “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood,” featured several unexpected events, including a controversial moment between Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her son, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell).
Alicent tries to convince Aemond to fly to Harrenhal and leave King’s Landing after striking a deal with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), allowing her to become Queen in exchange for sparing Alicent and her remaining family.
To address this shocking turn of events, Mitchell himself discusses his scene with Cooke.
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. READ WITH CAUTION.
What Does Aemond and Alicent’s Intimate Scene Mean?
Alicent knows exactly how to manipulate her son by playing up his courage and appealing to his desire to defeat his uncle, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).
As she continuously tries to convince him, they end up sharing an uncomfortable, intimate scene where Aemond leans in to kiss his mother on the lips.
Knowing rejection may provoke Aemond and disrupt her plans, Alicent simply accepts the kiss. While Targaryen incest is common in the Game of Thrones universe, a romantic dynamic between a mother and son is rarely seen. So, is Aemond really attracted to Alicent?
“I think maybe a little bit of both, maybe a little bit of an Oedipus complex. I think, you know, Aemond has a very skewed perception of what love is, you know, lacking it when he was growing up,” Ewan Mitchell described to ComicBook. “And so he doesn’t particularly know how to show it. And I think Alicent was so young when she had Aemond and seeing her grow up in this male-dominated world and, you know, him feeling like he should be there for her to a certain extent as well.”
Alicent is the only person Aemond sees defending and standing up for him after he lost an eye in Season 1 and faced slurs about his legitimacy.
“That’s going to, you know, that’s life-altering. And I feel like him in that moment,” he continued. “He never forgets going forward that Alicent was the person who stood up for me and all these other people, they turned a blind eye, for lack of a better word.”
What Will Happen to Aemond in House of the Dragon Season 3?
Aemond eventually agrees to fly to Harrenhal with his dragon, Vhagar, to join Criston Cole’s forces, fulfilling Alicent’s plan to surrender the capital to Rhaenyra.
He also plans to hold a feast in his mother’s honor while dreaming of placing Daemon’s head on a spike.
However, little does he know that Daemon is no longer at Harrenhal and has already left with his men. Instead, House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 reveals that Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), Ulf White (Tom Bennett), and Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) are there waiting with their dragons, Vermithor, Silverwing, and Seasmoke.
Vhagar is known as the largest and most powerful dragon in all of Westeros. However, it remains to be seen whether she can handle facing three dragons at once.
If Aemond delays his departure, he may avoid the deadly trap altogether and arrive at a defenseless Harrenhal instead.
Alicent is revealed to have written a letter to Lord Ormund Hightower stating that Aemond will be joining them, pretending to be her son. However, that may not even happen. Instead, Aemond will spend time with Alys Rivers, exploring a fascinating relationship between the two that is set to become a major part of his story this season.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 is now available to stream on HBO Max, while Episode 2 is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, June 28.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity news!