The hit series "Game of Thrones" already shocked audiences multiple times with incestuous scenes. The spin-off "House of the Dragon", which is also based on the epic fantasy world created by author George R. R. Martin (77), is now causing a stir once again with a particular scene. In the first episode of the new season, there's a kiss that likely triggers discomfort among many series fans. Reactions can be found on social media where viewers express their horror.
Fans React with Shock
In English-language comments on the social media platform X, numerous users show their dismay. One user writes, for example: "I had to rewind three times because I simply couldn't believe what my eyes had just seen. 'House of the Dragon' always finds new ways to leave me completely speechless."
Another account asks: "How did everyone manage to hold back from vomiting?" And yet another user agrees: "That was by far the most uncomfortable kiss I've ever seen on television." There would be other ways to show that a character is internally "damaged". One user judges: "That didn't contribute anything to the plot or to his character. Completely unnecessary and damn uncomfortable. It was only added for pure shock value."
Spoiler Warning: What Happens in the Kiss Scene and What Do the Actors Say About It?
In the sequence now included in the season premiere, there's a kiss between Alicent Hightower and her son, Aemond Targaryen. He leans toward her. She doesn't return the kiss, freezes, and appears visibly horrified. It's a scene that cannot be found in the book source material "Feuer und Blut", reports the portal "Mashable", which also spoke about the incident with Alicent actress Olivia Cooke (32) during an interview day. "He is very dangerous and she cannot reject him", explains the British actress.
Ewan Mitchell (29), who portrays Aemond, attempts to explain his character's behavior. "As a child, he never felt he received enough love, and children need that unconditional love to develop a balanced self-image", says the actor. The character therefore has a "very distorted understanding" of how to show affection. With this moment, he may have also worsened the relationship with his mother, "because that's simply one of the creepiest things he's ever done - and shocking as well". This also shocks the audience.
The eight new episodes of the third season of "House of the Dragon" are being released in Germany through both HBO Max as well as Sky and Wow.
