It's not easy being a Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3, especially if you're siding with the Greens. Sure, you could say the Blacks have their own set of troubles as well, but at the very least they get to rule the Seven Kingdoms for the time being.
On the other side of the coin, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) has been on the run after his own brother tried to kill him; Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) is a demoralized prisoner whose mental health is very worrying; and Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) has spent years separated from his immediate family while acting as the ward of a madman.
To top things off, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) hasn't been having the best of times either. He was stabbed and nearly killed back in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2, and has remained confined to Harrenhal ever since—much like Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) before him. To add insult to injury, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) ordered Aemond's mother, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), to kill her own son.
Rhaenyra argues that if she were to send soldiers to put an end to Aemond, he would simply flee the scene and find another hideout. With that in mind, the assassin should be someone he trusts, explaining why Alicent is entrusted with this mission.
Fans were curious to discover whether Alicent could be relentless enough to kill her own son, and while the answer is a shocking but astounding "yes," there's a reason for it.
Alicent poisons Aemond after finding out he tried to kill Aegon
When Alicent arrives in Harrenhal, she is accompanied by Ser Adrian (Barry Sloane), who she claims helped her escape King's Landing. While the show doesn't explicitly state it as such, it is implied that Alicent wanted Ser Adrian to execute the plan so she wouldn't have to get her hands dirty. Unfortunately, nothing ever comes easy in Westeros, and Aemond kills Adrian, claiming that he can "trust no stranger" in Harrenhal.
Alicent then has no choice but to spend time in Harrenhal, talking with Aemond and trying to understand just who exactly Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) is. However, it is made clear that she intends to complete Rhaenyra's mission. As such, Alicent goes back to Ser Adrian's body in an attempt to find a dagger, only to find poisonous flowers, nightshade, instead. At that very moment, she comes up with a smart yet twisted plan to kill her son.
Alys tries to warn Aemond that his mother wishes him harm, but these words are ignored. Either Aemond doesn't believe Alicent would hurt him, or he simply decides to ignore the red flags because... well, let's just say he has a weird thing for his own mom. Whatever the case, it all leads up to the point at which Alicent creates a wine with the nightshade and takes it right to Aemond's chambers.
A key thing to notice is that—before Aemond ever gets the chance to drink the poison—he admits to having attempted to kill his brother, Aegon. Perhaps this was the straw that broke the camel's back, pushing Alicent over the edge and convincing her that Aemond simply couldn't be allowed to live. Granted, she had already prepared the drink by this point, but maybe she would've backed out if it wasn't for her son's confession.
Is Aemond really dead?
Audiences then see a poisoned Aemond collapse right in front of Alys yet again, similar to the events of episode 2. However, the witch simply decides to walk away instead of helping him.
So, does that mean that this is the last we'll ever see of Aemond? Well, if the source material is anything to go by, it is very unlikely. (Plus, he shows up in the trailer for episode 8). Furthermore, the Vhagar plotline remains unsolved for the time being, meaning there has to be more to Aemond's story. Despite that, it has been twice now that the "terrifying" soldier has almost met a very underwhelming end.
You're losing your edge, Aemond.
Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Aemond reacts to his own mother nearly killing him, and whether he'll want retribution. After all, this assassination attempt wasn't present in George R. R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood, meaning we're in uncharted territory. Fortunately, it won't be long before we discover how this tale unfolds.
The finale of House of the Dragon season 3 will premiere on Aug. 8, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max.
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