‘House of the Dragon’ Star Explains Aemond’s Disturbing Feelings Toward Alicent

House of the Dragon Season 3 starts with Aemond Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne, but his biggest battle may not be against his enemies. The season premiere explores his complicated relationship with his mother, Alicent Hightower, and reveals a disturbing side of their bond.

One of the episode’s most talked-about moments happens when Aemond, played by Ewan Mitchell, kisses Alicent, played by Olivia Cooke. The scene immediately shocked viewers because of how uncomfortable and unexpected it was. While the Targaryen family is known for its complicated relationships, the moment between a mother and son created a completely different level of tension.

Speaking with ComicBook, Mitchell explained that Aemond’s actions come from a mix of emotions, including his damaged understanding of love and his complicated connection with Alicent.

“I think maybe a little bit of both, maybe a little bit of an Oedipus complex,” Mitchell said when asked if the kiss was about attraction or power. “Aemond has a very skewed perception of what love is, lacking it when he was growing up. And so he doesn’t particularly know how to show it.”

According to Mitchell, Alicent has always been one of the few people who truly defended Aemond. He pointed back to the Season 1 moment when Aemond lost his eye and Alicent was the only person who focused on what happened to her son instead of arguing about the larger family conflict.

Mitchell explained that Aemond never forgot that moment. “His mum is actually the only one defending him in that moment,” the actor said. “He never forgets going forward that Alicent was the person who stood up for me.”

The complicated relationship between them becomes even more important because Alicent is secretly working against Aemond. She plans to open the gates of King’s Landing for Rhaenyra Targaryen, which would put Aemond’s position at risk.

To make her plan succeed, Alicent needs Aemond to leave the capital and travel to Harrenhal. At first, he refuses, but she manages to convince him by appealing to his desire to defeat Daemon Targaryen.

Aemond eventually agrees to leave and promises to hold a celebration for Alicent after defeating his uncle. However, the situation is more complicated than he realizes, as Daemon has already moved away from Harrenhal.

As Season 3 continues, Aemond’s hunger for power will likely become even stronger. Mitchell believes the character is not only chasing victory but also dealing with fear and insecurity.

When asked what Aemond wants most this season, Mitchell explained that the character wants to win the war and find some kind of peace. “I think he ultimately just wants to win the war,” Mitchell said. “I think he wants to end up on a Dornish beach with his mother, sipping on Dornish wine.” However, Mitchell also warned that a desperate Aemond is dangerous.

“A desperate Aemond is one that you don’t want to meet because he’s going to be willing to go to extremities that we didn’t realize he could go to before,” he said.

That warning could become important as the war between the Blacks and Greens grows more brutal. Aemond has already shown he is willing to make ruthless choices, and his need for control could push him even further.

With the Iron Throne now within his reach, Aemond’s biggest challenge may be controlling his own emotions before they destroy everything around him.

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