The Game of Thrones prequel hasn’t held back with its X-rated scenes, and they kept the pattern going for the opening episode of season 3.

House of the Dragon’s latest season began last night (June 21), and it saw Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) embark on yet another incestuous relationship.

While it shouldn’t come as a surprise to those in the Game of Thrones universe, there’s no getting past the uncomfortable nature of these explicit scenes.

In this specific episode, Aemond can be seen kissing his mom, Alicent (Olivia Cooke), on the lips.

While the action is enough to send chills down your spine, she can be seen stood stiffly, and while she doesn’t push him away, her eyes are open and she looks disturbed.

She then gives him a tense smile, with the mother clearly caught off guard by his actions, though she seems powerless in questioning him or showing disdain.

There is a new incest scene that has disturbed viewers in House of the Dragon. Credit: HBO

Incest is common in the House of the Dragon

In the Targaryen family, even before Daenerys was in the picture, it’s not only Aemond but his siblings, who seem to keep it in the family.

Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Helaena (Phia Saban), are siblings in the family who are not only married to each other, but they also have kids together.

This doesn’t stop there though, as Aemond’s half-sister, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), is married to her uncle, Daemon (Matt Smith).

The Targaryens are more of a circle than a family tree, with the incest being kept between siblings or cousins.

The family seem to view the idea of incest as acceptable, as long as it’s not between a parent and child – at least we’ve found the line.

Alicent also isn’t a blood Targaryen, having married into the family, integrating her kids into their beliefs and customs to fit in.

However, as her son kisses her, it is clear that she doesn’t want to be in one of the family’s many incestuous relationships.

The Targaryens aren’t strangers to keeping it in the family. Credit: HBO

Season 3 context

For those unfamiliar, House of the Dragon is set over a hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, and it follows a civil war between Rhaenyra’s side of the Targaryen family, and Aemond and Alicent’s side.

The tussle is for the Iron Throne, as Rhaenyra’s side is known as “Team Black” while Aemond and Alicent’s side is called “Team Green.”

Aemond is the de facto king, as he is in charge of Team Green, as his brother King Aegon, has run away.

As you can probably tell, Aemond has always been odd and bloodthirsty, though he is a fan-favorite as he makes things happen while onscreen.

Before he kissed his mother, Alicent was trying to convince him to leave King’s Landing and fly his dragon to Harrenhal, as she secretly made a deal with Rhaenyra to try to end the war.

In fact, Alicent not only promised to open the gates, but she promised to hand over Aegon for Rhaenyra to kill, in exchange for the lives of herself, her daughter and her grandkids.

But Aegon is missing, and Aemond would never agree to cooperate with the enemy, hence why his mom was trying to butter him up and get him to leave to let Rhaenyra in.

Alicent told Aemond he should have been born first so he could have been king, leading to the kiss, but it isn’t clear if this is a romantic gesture.

The character is twisted after all, so it could be a sign of affection or an act to display his power.