Warning: SPOILERS for House of the Dragon Episode 9 - "The Green Council" - And Future EpisodesThe Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), unveiled the full scope of his plan in Queen Alicent Hightower's (Olivia Cooke) belief that Viserys' dying wish was to name Aegon as his true heir.
Alicent was shocked to learn that the Small Council has been working all along on a plot to usurp the Iron Throne from Rhaenyra in favor of Aegon. Further, murdering Rhaenyra and her children was always the key to Otto's plan. When Lord Lyan Beesbury (Bill Paterson) declared his loyalty to Viserys and Rhaenyra and named the Green Council traitors, Ser Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) quickly killed him. Alicent and Otto then raced to find Aegon because whoever reached him first could influence the future King toward their side. Cole and Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) were the ones to return Aegon to the Red Keep so that Alicent could counsel him not to listen to Otto and have Rhaenyra killed. Alicent's victory over her father meant Otto could not implement his scheme to send the Kingsguard to murder Rhaenyra and her family at Dragonstone.
How Long Was Otto Planning To Make Aegon King?
It's a safe bet that Otto has been plotting to make Aegon King since he was born in House of the Dragon episode 3, but the Hand of the King was likely scheming for this outcome long before this. After all, Otto advised Viserys not to name his daughter, Rhaenyra, his heir because the realm would reject a female ruler, just as the Great Council chose Viserys to be King over his cousin, Rhaenys, the "Queen Who Never Was." Otto also maneuvered young Alicent to get close to Viserys while he mourned the death of Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke), hoping the King would take his daughter as his next wife, which is exactly what happened.
Like Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), Otto dreamed of elevating his house to the realm's highest seat of power, the Iron Throne. In spite of Viserys stripping him of the Hand of the King role for ten years, Otto gained even more power and influence upon his return to King's Landing as Viserys grew sicker and sicker. The Hand of the King never wavered from his desire to install his grandson. Aegon, as Viserys' successor, even though Alicent doubted anyone but Rhaenyra would succeed the King.
Why Otto Would Never Accept Rhaenyra As Queen (When Alicent Would)
Otto Hightower is a product of Westeros' patriarchal society, and he works to maintain this status quo, so the Hand would never accept Rhaenyra as Queen. Especially not when he has maneuvered his own family (so obviously) to be in a position to succeed Viserys as King. After all, Aegon is Viserys' firstborn and trueborn son, and, in Otto's mind, this trumps Rhaenyra's claim (which he never felt was valid, to begin with). Meanwhile, Alicent wants to reconcile with Rhaenyra deep down, even after years of feuding. Alicent simply feared that Rhaenyra would put her children to death if she becomes Queen because they would be a threat to her claim (and they are, especially fueled by Otto's schemes).
At his core, Otto does not want to change anything about the realm's culture or the system of primogeniture the succession as King is based around. The Hand of the King never ed Viserys naming Rhaenyra as his heir, although he never publicly said so while the King lived. Instead, Otto schemed against Rhaeyra, spied on her, and looked for any way he could invalidate the Princess' claim to the Iron Throne so that Aegon could become King instead. But Rhaenyra certainly gave Otto plenty of reasons to steal the Iron Throne from her by obviously lying about Ser Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan) being the father of her sons when everyone knows Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) was their true sire.
Is Otto Hightower House of the Dragon's Real Villain?
Ser Otto Hightower is certainly ruthless, and he has no moral objection to having Rhaeyra, Game of Thrones because the prequel lacks a purely evil black-hat villain like the Night King, but Otto has no real redeeming virtues. He doesn't even seem to love his daughter and grandchildren, and Otto sees them more as a means to his ends of making House Hightower the true power of the Seven Kingdoms.
House of the Dragon is filled with morally grey characters who perform wicked deeds they feel are justified to further their ends. Yet, Otto's lack of remorse and willingness to have people who stand in his way murdered, Lord Caswell (Paul Hickey) and Mysaria the White Worm (Sonoya Mizuno), certainly makes him a villain who will be very hard to rehabilitate in the eyes of the audience, even if Otto ever expresses regret and turns over a new leaf. But in a show filled with horrible people, Otto ranks high among House of the Dragon's worst villains.
What Will Otto Do Now That Aegon Is King?
Otto remains the Hand of the King to Aegon II Targaryen. With Rhaenys' escape to warn Rhaenyra that the Hightowers stole the Iron Throne, Otto will counsel Aegon to prepare for war. But Otto must also attempt to establish the same kind of influence over Aegon that he had over Viserys, which will be more difficult if Queen Alicent opposes him. After all, the young and unqualified King Aegon is malleable and desires the love and affection of his mother, while showing warmth is not Otto's strong suit. Regardless, Otto's job as Hand will be to secure the Lords of Westeros' for King Aegon in the war to come with Rhaenyra, eliminate anyone opposed to Aegon and who s the Princess' claim, and to establish new alliances with Rhaenya and Daemon's enemies, such as the Triarchy.
What Happens To Otto During The Dance of the Dragons?
Warning: SPOILERS For Future Episodes Of House Of The DragonUltimately, Otto will lose favor, power, and influence as the Dance of the Dragon continues. Each victory by Rhaenyra's forces will weaken Otto in the eyes of King Aegon II. Eventually, Otto will be deposed as Hand of the King and replaced by Ser Criston Cole. Aegon will also be critically injured, which will require Aemond to rise and lead the Greens as Protector of the Realm. Otto will be forced to return to Old Town and raise an army to march north after Rhaenyra and Daemon capture King's Landing. However, Otto will be defeated in battle and beheaded by Queen Rhaenyra. At least, that's a brief summary of events as described in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood. House of the Dragon doesn't always adhere to the text and enriches what happens, so it's safe to expect some surprises and more depth and nuance regarding Ser Otto Hightower's final fate.
House of the Dragon airs Sundays @ 9pm ET on HBO and streams on HBO Max.