This article contains major spoilers from House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 5.
Aemond Targaryen finally finds someone he can trust in Alys Rivers, and their unsettling connection becomes one of the most fascinating developments in House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 5. After losing Vhagar’s presence, facing betrayal, and carrying years of resentment inside him, Aemond’s walls begin to crack when Alys sees the wounds behind his ruthless exterior.
Scottish actress Gayle Rankin, who plays Alys Rivers in the HBO fantasy drama, explained that the pair share a rare understanding built on instinct, while Ewan Mitchell, who portrays the terrifying Prince Aemond Targaryen, highlighted how unusual it is for Aemond to seek help from someone else.
Quick read:
- Alys becomes the first person Aemond allows near his vulnerabilities.
- Their bond grows from shared pain, loneliness, and emotional wounds.
- Season 3 Episode 5 hints that Alys may have her own reasons for keeping Aemond close.
Alys Rivers sees the broken side of Aemond Targaryen
Credits: HBO
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Aemond Targaryen has spent most of his life proving that he cannot be underestimated. The second son of Alicent Hightower has built his identity around strength, fear, and control, but Episode 5 strips away that armour when he arrives at Harrenhal injured, haunted, and separated from Vhagar. When mercenaries enter Harrenhal searching for him, Alys Rivers becomes the person standing between Aemond and danger. She drives them away before they can reach him, but the bigger battle is happening inside Aemond himself.
While recovering in the castle, Aemond wakes from disturbing nightmares and immediately points his sword at Alys when he sees her beside his bed. His reaction makes sense because trusting anyone has always been a risk for him. Yet Alys manages to calm him down, something very few characters have ever achieved.
The strangest part of their relationship is how quickly they understand each other. Alys does not treat Aemond like a monster or a weapon. She notices the frightened person hiding beneath the prince’s cruelty. Gayle Rankin described this unusual bond on the House of the Dragon Season 3 Official Podcast:
“But I think there’s something instinctual that they see in one another quite quickly, where they’re like… I actually think I can trust this extremely untrustworthy person.”
Aemond and Alys connect because they both understand loneliness. When Aemond breaks down over Helaena’s prophecy and his family’s fate, Alys offers the comfort he has always craved, recognizing the pain behind his actions and forming an unexpected bond of trust.
House of the Dragon Season 3 reveals Aemond’s emotional weakness
Credits: HBO
Ewan Mitchell also pointed out how unusual Aemond’s decision to accept help really is:
“It’s probably the first time he’s ever asked for help. It took Daemon at least six episodes to ask me for help… Twenty seconds. Who is this? For sure.”
The warrior who commands Vhagar and demands fear from others suddenly finds himself relying on someone else. Losing Vhagar leaves him shaken because the dragon represented his greatest source of power. When Alys tells him about Rhaenyra taking King’s Landing and rumours of Aegon’s death, Aemond accepts the idea that his brother’s downfall is punishment for years of cruelty and resentment between them.
Alys’ words about a mother loving the child who hurt her strike at Aemond’s deepest insecurity and reflect his complicated bond with Alicent. While Alys seems to offer the acceptance he always wanted, her true motives remain uncertain. She may be seeking influence over Aemond, or she may recognize the grief they both carry. When Aemond later saves Alys from attackers at Harrenhal, it becomes clear that their connection is already shaping his actions.
