Warning: this article contains spoilers for the season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon.
Viewers were thrilled to see House of the Dragon return on Sunday, June 21, 2026, after a two-year gap following season 2, but one unexpected moment quickly became the main talking point online. HBO has confirmed the new run is an eight-episode third season, and the premiere wasted no time plunging fans back into the political and personal horrors of House Targaryen.
The Game of Thrones spin-off first arrived in 2022 and has remained hugely popular ever since, in part because of its willingness to lean into the unsettling and unpredictable side of Westeros.
Past episodes have already delivered plenty of disturbing material, including Daemon Targaryen’s eerie visions and the dream sequence involving his late mother, Alyssa.
But during the latest premiere, it was a tense exchange between Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell, and Alicent, played by Olivia Cooke, that stunned audiences. The scene ended with mother and son kissing on the lips, leaving many fans baffled. The moment has been described by viewers and critics alike as one of the most uncomfortable beats in the series so far.
Alicent appeared visibly shaken in the aftermath, though she did not pull away, instead offering an uneasy smile once he stepped back.
Incest is hardly unfamiliar territory for the Targaryens, of course. Aemond’s brother Aegon, portrayed by Tom Glynn-Carney, is married to their sister Helaena, played by Phia Saban, and the pair share children.
Even so, many fans said this latest moment crossed a line for them, and social media quickly filled with reactions from viewers processing what they had just watched.
“This is definitely the most disturbing scene in House of the Dragon..,” wrote one viewer.
A second penned: “Man..that was very awkward to watch…i was speechless….”
The feelings were mutual all-around it seemed, as another wrote: “that was f*****g gross and unnecessary.”
Others just couldn’t believe what they were seeing, as a fourth shocked fan posted: “When I thought I couldn’t be surprised by the GoT world, this happens, WTF!!!”
The cast has also addressed the scene. Speaking to PEOPLE, Mitchell explained: “Yeah, it’s kind of shocking. “But then also, I just recognized a tremendous challenge and an opportunity to show Aemond in a new light.”
He went on to say: “It’s quite a difficult pill to swallow, isn’t it? Kissing your mom on the lips, especially in that way,” before telling the publication that his character ‘never felt like he was loved enough by his mom and his family around him,’ adding that ‘it’s what a kid needs to develop a balanced view of themselves’.
Mitchell said Aemond’s actions come from a ‘skewed perception’ and a ‘strange way of showing love’.
He also praised Cooke, describing working opposite her on that sequence, and on every other scene they share, as a ‘masterclass’.
House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and streams on HBO Max.