The Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon shocked audiences with one of its most unsettling moments: Aemond Targaryen leaning in to kiss his mother, Alicent Hightower, on the lips. The scene drew gasps and squeals of disgust at the Taormina Film Festival screening, but actor Ewan Mitchell has now explained the reasoning behind it. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Mitchell revealed that the kiss is not about romance but about power, dominance, and Aemond’s attempt to assume control of the family.
Quick read
- Aemond kisses Alicent to assert dominance.
- Mitchell says it’s about “assuming control of the family.”
- He compares Aemond to Ray Winstone in Scum.
Reading between the lines
Mitchell told EW: “Aemond’s trying to read between the lines, see if there is an ulterior motive there. When I read it in the script for the first time, I just thought, ‘Oh, that’s something. Quite out there.’ I kind of saw it coming with everything that I’ve explored with Aemond and his relationship with Alicent.” The kiss is framed as a test — Aemond probing his mother’s loyalty and intentions, while simultaneously asserting his own dominance.
Credits: HBO
“I’m the daddy now”
Mitchell explained that in Aemond’s mind, the kiss symbolizes his takeover of the family: “In Aemond’s head, it’s like he’s assuming control of the family. I always think of Ray Winstone from Scum. It’s like, ‘I’m the daddy now.’ He’s the new leader. I think it leaves the question of, What is the relationship gonna be with Alicent going forward?” This comparison underscores the prison‑yard mentality Aemond adopts — staking his claim as the new patriarch of the Greens after Aegon II’s flight from King’s Landing.
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Implications for Alicent
The kiss leaves Alicent in a precarious position. Already isolated by the chaos of war, she now faces a son who sees himself as her superior. The moment raises unsettling questions about how their relationship will evolve: will Alicent resist Aemond’s dominance, or will she be forced into submission under his new role as “daddy”? The show uses this shocking gesture to highlight the twisted dynamics within the Green faction, blending political ambition with disturbing family tension.
