Fans of House of the Dragon were left puzzled after Otto Hightower vanished in Season 2, only to reappear in Season 3 as a prisoner in the Red Keep dungeons. The former Hand of the King, played by Rhys Ifans, was discovered by Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) after the Blacks seized the Iron Throne. His mysterious disappearance and subsequent execution have become a major talking point among viewers.
Otto Hightower's Disappearance in Season 2
In Season 2, Otto was dismissed as Hand of the King by Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and initially set out for Oldtown. However, his daughter Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) redirected him to Highgarden to secure the Tyrells' support for the Greens. The last glimpse of Otto in Season 2 showed him behind bars, but the circumstances of his capture were unclear.
Who Captured Otto Hightower?
It was later revealed that Master of Whisperers Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) had captured Otto and held him prisoner. Larys's motivations remained ambiguous, but it is speculated that he intended to use Otto as a bargaining chip if Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) took the throne, potentially currying favor with the Blacks.
Otto's Execution by Rhaenyra
In Season 3, episode 2, Rhaenyra reluctantly executed Otto by beheading him in front of the smallfolk and Alicent. This act was a show of power, substituting for Aegon II, who had been smuggled out of King's Landing by Larys. According to Olivia Cooke, who spoke to People, "She just beheaded my dad. In front of everyone. [Alicent] doesn't know where Otto has been, so for all she knows, he's been held prisoner by [Rhaenyra]. This feels like a very public display of this assertion of power. I think Alicent is just like, 'Okay, well, f*** you.'"
Rhaenyra's Transformation
Emma D'Arcy commented on the pivotal scene, noting that Rhaenyra wielded a sword for the first time: "I think there's a threshold that gets crossed in that moment, for better or for worse." The cast and crew have hinted that as Rhaenyra ascends the throne, she will develop a "religious fanaticism," believing she was predestined to rule according to the Prince That Was Promised prophecy, a belief reinforced by Daemon. This transformation echoes the trajectory of her descendant, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), with potentially damaging consequences.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming on Sky Atlantic, NOW, and HBO Max in the UK and Ireland.
