House of the Dragon season 3 has finally arrived, but it is not some major twist that has viewers talking. Instead, a brief yet deeply uncomfortable interaction between two key characters has exploded online, leaving fans divided over whether the HBO series crossed a line.
The prequel series has never shied away from addressing the Targaryen family's controversial intermingling. However, the latest episode featured a moment so unexpected that it turned off several viewers.
Highlights
- A shocking season 3 moment left House of the Dragon fans deeply unsettled.
- Viewers expressed disgust online after an unexpected interaction between two characters.
- Fans threatened to quit while showrunner Ryan Condal defended the controversial moment.
Fans quickly admitted to being unsettled by the controversial scene, which few saw coming, and some even threatened to boycott the show because of it.
Spoilers ahead!
House of the Dragon season 3 features one of the show’s most disturbing scenes
Image credits: HBO
The third season premiere primarily follows the Battle of the Gullet, a bloody naval clash between the two rival House Targaryen factions. While the battle claims the lives of several key players, the episode’s most shocking moment takes place elsewhere.
After Aegon II flees King’s Landing, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) finds her other son, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), sitting on the Iron Throne. She desperately tries to get Aemond to leave the capital following her deal with Rhaenyra.
Image credits: HBO
However, Aemond refuses to follow his mother’s instructions and defies her with a kiss. Previous seasons established Aemond's emotional struggles, stemming from a lack of maternal affection during childhood.
As a result, the kiss, which implies that Aemond harbors romantic feelings for his mother, caught many viewers off guard. Despite the Targaryens’ history of controversial familial romance, the moment drew criticism, especially since it isn’t present in the source material.
Horrified fans threaten to quit House of the Dragon after season 3 premiere
Image credits: HBO
Clips from the episode highlighting the kiss quickly went viral on social media. On X, many fans expressed disgust over the scene and disbelief at its implications.
Some viewers argued the scene served no narrative purpose, while others threatened to boycott the remaining episodes altogether.
“After this scene, I have lost all interest in HOTD,” one person wrote.
Image credits: HBO
Another user said, “Aemond manages to have the worst scenes ffs this is disgusting even for the Targaryens.”
“Ewww, I'm gonna throw up!” a third simply added.
Because the moment does not exist in George R. R. Martin’s source material, several viewers criticized showrunner Ryan Condal for adding it to the season 3 premiere
House of the Dragon boss defends season 3’s most controversial moment
Image credits: HBO
Despite the backlash, Condal defended the decision to depict Alicent and Aemond kissing.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he explained that Aemond's actions stem from trauma caused by an experience involving his older brother during a childhood visit to a brothel.
"As these things do, that trauma then manifests a certain way in his behavior as an adult,” he said.
Image credits: HBO
Condal further explained that while Aemond is not necessarily in love with his mother, he struggles to separate his feelings for her from his other carnal desires, which stem from his childhood trauma.
Actor Ewan Mitchell described Aemond's actions as the result of a lifelong lack of unconditional love, which prevented him from developing a balanced sense of self.
“He really doesn't know how to express affection.... Maybe there's a bit of Oedipus complex in there," Mitchell added.
House of the Dragon is currently streaming on HBO Max.