'House of the Dragon' Fans React to "Gross" Mother-Son Kiss: "Out of Everything in the Incest Dragon Show, This One Made Me Jump"
The actors said the scene was added for the show and not in George R.R. Martin’s source novel.
- The House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere aired Sunday, June 21, 2026, featuring Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen kissing his mother, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower—a scene absent from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.
- Ewan Mitchell explained that Aemond lacks unconditional childhood love, resulting in a 'skewed sense of how to show affection.' Mitchell noted the advance has 'burnt bridges with his mum' after the shocking moment.
- Olivia Cooke said the scene was 'explicit on the page,' adding that because Aemond is 'very dangerous,' Alicent 'can't reject him' during the encounter. Cooke noted the shocking nature required minimal additional performance work.
- Fans expressed immediate shock online, with critic Glidus saying, 'Eew, Gross, Yuck!' The moment sparked intense conversation despite the show's history of depicting incest.
- New episodes of House of the Dragon Season 3 stream every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max, continuing exploration of Targaryen family conflicts throughout the season.
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16 Articles
That 'House of the Dragon' Kiss, Explained: Showrunner & Actor Reveal Why That Mother-Son Moment Happened in Season 3 Premiere
HBO Max A really uncomfortable moment unfolded during the season three premiere of House of the Dragon, which aired on Sunday (June 21) on HBO Max. Fans have been waiting a while to see the Battle of the Gullet episode, but a moment that happened before the spectacle has grabbed attention. Aemond kisses his mother Alicent in an uncomfortable moment While in a tense moment together, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and his mother Alicent (Olivia …
Internet horrified as Aemond Targaryen kisses his mother Alicent in House of the Dragon S3: Taking incest to next level
House of the Dragon season 3 premiered in India on JioHotstar on June 22. The scene that went viral features Ewan Mitchell and Olivia Cooke.
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