House of the Dragon is full of scandals. With Alicent Hightower becoming involved with Rhaenyra Targaryen’s ex-lover and Rhaenyra’s history of controversial relationships, eagle-eyed fans have been anticipating the next big revelation. There’s no telling what could happen as the show has plenty of creative freedom to improvise while following the source material. House of the Dragon doesn’t hold back from portraying infamy and forbidden romance.

One fan theory claims that Jaehaerys and Jaehaera are not Aegon II’s children. Many suspect Aemond Targaryen might be the true father of the pair of silver-haired children. In Season 1, there were signs and subtle indications that could link the two of them together. After all, Aemond is much nicer to Helaena than his brother. However, Season 2 of House of the Dragon seems to have shut down this rumor brutally, with Aemond and Helaena going through separate emotional journeys.

Why Do Fans Believe Aemond Is the Father of Helaena’s Children?

Aemond Used To Be Compassionate and Kind to Helaena

Fire & Blood tells the Targaryen civil war from the viewpoint of a Westerosi historian. While the major events remain intact, details and truths are up to interpretation. It’s possible that the events recounted there might not even be true. Though Aegon II married Helaena and the couple had three children (only two in the show), many fans suspected that Aegon II wasn’t the father of Helaena’s children. Fans argued that Prince Aemond Targaryen might have been the real father of the twins. This theory does have some merit. Aegon II’s dislike towards Helaena is obvious in the show. In Season 1, Episode 7, “Driftmark,” young Aemond and Aegon II discussed their sister while she was playing with a spider. Aegon II thought Helaena was odd and intellectually challenged and didn’t want to marry her. Aemond, on the other hand, said that he would “do his duty” and “keep the blood pure” if Helaena was betrothed to him.

Aemond has shown genuine care towards Helaena on several occasions. He positions himself as Helaena’s protector as well. The two seem closer to each other than Helaena is to Aegon II. During King Viserys’ last supper with his entire family in Season 1, Episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides,” Aemond was angry with Jacaerys after he danced with Helaena. While there has been a lot of bad blood between Alicent and Rhaenyra’s children, Aemond aimed his anger at Jacaerys instead of Luke, who had taken his eye, repeatedly insulting Jacaerys as being “Strong” (hinting that Jacaerys is Ser Harwin Strong’s illegitimate son). It seemed that Aemond cared more about Jacaerys’ dance with Helaena than Luke taking his eye.

It’s not entirely unreasonable to wonder if Aegon II left the responsibility of producing an heir to Aemond since the older prince didn’t want the throne or the marriage in the first place. Aemond is a Targaryen, so if he fathered Helaena’s children, it would count as keeping the blood pure. Arrangements like that aren’t uncommon in the sprawling Game of Thrones universe. House of the Dragon has already shown unconventional arrangements in a political marriage, especially when the relationship doesn’t work out between the couple.

Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon, who is sexually attracted to men. The two had an understanding: they would remain in the marriage out of duty but pursue their own love interests elsewhere. Since Rhaenyra was expected to have children, she sought out Ser Harwin Strong to produce more Targaryen children. Given that such an arrangement is already part of the reality in House of the Dragon, it made sense for fans to wonder if something similar might also exist within Aegon II, Aemond and Helaena’s relationship.

Blood and Cheese Narrows the Focus on Helaena and Aegon

Helaena and Aegon Mourn the Loss of Their Child

The aftermath of House of the Dragon‘s Blood and Cheese tragedy may have debunked this popular fan theory. After Jaehaerys’ death, both Helaena and Aegon II were grieving. Aegon II was suffering from an extreme range of emotions, including rage, frustration, despair, and loss, which he took out on his father’s model kingdom. He also wanted to start a war immediately after his son’s death. Aemond, on the other hand, didn’t suffer from the same grief Aegon II was going through. He did blame himself for coming after Luke on his dragon, which resulted in the child’s death.

However, House of the Dragon didn’t capture Aemond being particularly emotional while mourning Jaehaerys’ death. If Aemond were the true father of Jaehaerys, one would expect him to have been more affected by the loss. Instead, House of the Dragon captured a brief moment of companionship between Aegon II and Helaena on the stairs as they passed each other. It made sense given that they are the parents of Jaehaerys, and only the two of them understand the loss and grief in each other. It’s the first time in the show that Aegon II and Helaena show a genuine bond with each other. It seems Jaehaerys’ death brought them together and confirmed that they are the true parents of the child.

House of the Dragon Addresses Aemond’s Sexual Relationship

It’s Suggested That Aemond Likes Much Older Women

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3, “The Burning Mill” seemingly confirmed that Aemond has never had a sexual relationship with Helaena. The young prince has only been with one person. In the brothel scene, a drunk and emotionally distressed Aegon II discovers Aemond in the brothel. Aegon II insults Aemond, implying that his brother has never been with anyone other than Sylvi, to whom he lost his virginity at the age of 13. Aegon II said:

Even now, my brother will not sample another.

Aemond’s relationship with Sylvi seemed to put the scandalous speculation at rest. The kind of emotional vulnerability Aemond showed with Sylvi is unmatched. Aemond represents strength and fear in Team Green. With him riding Vhagar, members of the Blacks wouldn’t attack King’s Landing without detailed planning. Aemond plays a protective role in his family, and in his own romantic and personal pursuits, he looks for someone he could be vulnerable with.

Aemond’s relationship with Sylvi shows that he desires emotional connection and mutual understanding. He’s also loyal to the person he chooses to be in an intimate relationship with. Unlike Daemon and Aegon, who have no problem juggling multiple women, Aemond sticks to one. He simply doesn’t show the same vulnerability as Helaena. While he might be protective of her, it’s highly unlikely that the two of them are involved romantically.

Aemond and Helaena’s Meeting in the Season 2 Finale Sets the Two Siblings Apart

Helaena Gives Aemond an Unsettling Warning

Since the foundation of House of the Dragon‘s source material is a fictional history book that gives gossip and idle talk plenty of credit, the series often has no option but to commit to the facts that make sense in the adapted story. One example was the Rhaenyra and Criston Cole situation, left completely ambiguous in Fire & Blood. For storytelling purposes, House of the Dragon showed in detail why the two parted ways, canonically suggesting that there’s a kernel of truth in the book’s more unreliable sources of information. The same applies to Aemond and Helaena’s forbidden romance — merely suggested in the book, heavily discredited in the series.

The way House of the Dragon depicts the aftermath of Blood and Cheese seemed to be the last straw. However, the final meeting between Aemond and Helaena in the season finale contradicts the theory of their secret romance even further. For one, even though the two were speaking alone in a tower, there was no sign of affection or compassion between them. Aemond asked Helaena to fly Dreamfyre to battle, even though he knew his sister was no dragonrider. Had she accepted his offer, her dragon would likely have inflicted damage on the Blacks’ armies, but there was no chance Helaena would make it out alive. It’s difficult to imagine that Aemond would send his sister to her death if there were any spark of love between them, regardless of how stony and predatory he became throughout House of Dragon‘s second season.

Aegon will be king again. He’s yet to see victory. He sits on a wooden throne, and you — you’ll be dead. – Helaena Targaryen, Season 2, Episode 8.

However, Aemond wasn’t the only one who expressed resentment at the meeting. Without a glimpse of pity in her eyes, Helaena refused Aemond’s demands and confessed that she knew it was Aemond who burned and crippled Aegon II at Rook’s Rest. She added that Aegon would be king again, while Aemond would meet a tragic fate in the God’s Eye. This harrowing Aemond and Helaena moment in House of the Dragon‘s season finale suggests a point of no return between the two siblings, as if, from now on, they would go their separate ways. The cold, heartless words exchanged by the two likely represent an endpoint in their relationship, but nothing is certain in House of the Dragon.

“Helaemond” Might Happen Later in House of the Dragon

With Aegon II Gone, Aemond is Free to Claim Helaena

If there’s one thing fans have learned about Aemond, it’s that he doesn’t let go of grudges or insults easily. Growing up as the only prince without a dragon, Aemond was bullied and insulted by Aegon II, Luke, and Jace. He was determined to have his own dragon one day, and after Laena’s death, Aemond Targaryen claimed Vhagar, despite knowing that the dragon wasn’t his to take. Luke injured one of his eyes in the fight afterward, and every time the two faced each other, Aemond would remind Luke of what he had taken from him. While the show hasn’t seen Aemond take revenge on his brother Aegon for bullying him as a child, it’s unlikely he’d let it go easily.

Since Aegon II suggested that Aemond should branch out in his pursuit of women, Aemond could choose to have an affair with their sister just to spite Aegon II. Helaena is unhappily married to Aegon II. She has just lost a child and is in desperate need of solace. Aemond could offer her companionship and affection, and at the same time, take revenge on Aegon II. This scheme would be easier to accomplish in Season 3 now that Aegon II has fled King’s Landing. Aemond, however, is betrothed to Borros Baratheon’s daughter. House of the Dragon has already depicted scandalous relationships, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the show decides to pursue “Helaemond.”

Interestingly, though never explicitly written out in Fire & Blood, it appears that Helaena dies by suicide on the same day that Aemond dies in battle. It’s unlikely that she would have been able to hear the news of his death by the time she took her own life. However, given that Helaena can predict future events, she has already seen Aemond’s death, and might as well have seen hers. House of the Dragon has plenty of time to tackle the entangled relationships of Aemond, Aegon II, and Helaena. For now, the door to “Helaemond” is closed, but there’s always a possibility of it opening in the future. Fans will have to wait for the events to unravel.