Would it be an episode of House of the Dragon without an uncomfortable, borderline unnecessary scene? Probably not. The penultimate episode of season 3 just premiered on HBO, and the first 10 minutes feature a very troubling sequence. If you’re anything like me, you were likely watching it with your jaw on the floor, wondering how on Earth this would turn out. Well, it’s revealed this disturbing scene is not real…but it still goes on for too long.
Let’s back up a bit. In last week’s episode, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is sent to Harrenhal by Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) in a very unexpected, silly plan to get Alicent to kill her own son, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). Rhaenyra has been determined to locate the prince, but it isn’t until Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) figures out the answer through her dreams that the queen learns where he is. And instead of sending an army there to slay Aemond, Rhaenyra believes it’s best to trick him out of hiding. So off Alicent goes.
Aemond and Alicent have sex… in a vision or daydream?
We don’t get to see Alicent’s Harrenhal journey unfold in season 3 episode 6, but season 3 episode 7 shows her arriving at the castle. What comes next is highly unexpected and really, just gross.
Aemond is surprised to see his mother, and after an embrace and words of encouragement and regrets from Alicent, the two begin kissing. But it’s not just a long peck this time; this time, it’s a heated makeout which leads to a full-on sex scene on a bed. This lasts a few very uncomfortable seconds until Alicent suddenly turns into Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), who is on top of Aemond telling him: “In this moment, I will give you a son, Aemond.”
When Aemond comes to and realizes who’s actually on top of him, he pushes Alys off, clearly disturbed by what’s going on. “What have you seen?” Alys questions, but Aemond doesn’t answer and instead leaves the room. So, what the hell just happened?
Well, first thing’s first: Aemond and Alicent don’t actually have sex, thank goodness. It appears that Aemond is trapped in some type of vision, possibly brought on by something Alys does or gives him, in which he sees himself having sex with his mother. When he snaps out of it, he realizes he’s having sex with Alys instead. Could this all be a strategy by Alys, something she’s doing to ensure she becomes pregnant with Aemond’s heir? It definitely seems that way, but we have more questions than answers right now.
In any case, House of the Dragon does film a scene in which a mother and son have sex, and I’m grossed out. My main question after watching the episode is: why? It’s been hit over our heads multiple times now that Aemond has a weird relationship with his mother (and his family in general) and Ewan Mitchell has said that his character has “a drop of an Oedipus complex.” (I’d argue it’s more than a drop!). Aemond already kissed his mother in the season 3 premiere, and so I say to the writers: WE GET IT.
They’re really putting Olivia Cooke through the wringer this season, aren’t they? First an unwanted kiss from her son, then a sexual assault attempt, and then a sex scene with her son? Ugh.
It’s the summer of mother-son sex
If you’re a fan of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and watched The Vampire Lestat, you’re probably looking at me like, “Hold my beer.” This is because we’ve already seen mother-son sex scenes on TV this summer, and that came between Lestat (Sam Reid) and Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle) in the third installment of Interview With the Vampire (titled The Vampire Lestat).
In a season from Lestat’s point of view, we learn all about his relationship with his mother, who he had ended up turning into a vampire. The two characters reunite in the show, and viewers were likely shocked to see them begin to hook up. Lestat keeps it a secret that Gabriella is his mother, but later on their incestuous relationship is exposed, and it’s obvious people don’t approve of it. But the rules of vampires blur the line a bit here — at least, a bit more than a mortal relationship of, say, Alicent and Aemond.
It’s all icky to me personally, but The Vampire Lestat (and Lestat himself) attempts to argue that because Lestat and Gabriella are no longer human, Lestat views his mother as dead. As he explains it, “It’s a complicated, multifaceted set of circumstances.” Louis (Jacob Anderson) does not understand, and most viewers probably don’t either. But there’s more nuance in this example.
With The Vampire Lestat concluded and only one episode of House of the Dragon season 3 left, we’re hoping this mother-son sex trend is over for now. Give me time to scrub my eyes from tonight’s episode at least, HBO!
As for where Aemond and Alicent go next, well, Alicent poisons her son and leaves Harrenhal, believing she’s killed him. But I don’t think Aemond is going to go down that easily.
Be sure to catch the House of the Dragon season 3 finale on Sunday, August 9, on HBO and HBO Max!
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