Er, why was Otto Hightower locked in a cell in House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon season two ended on a major cliffhanger, leaving us with more questions than answers, with one of the most prominent being: why is Otto Hightower locked up in a cell?
The final montage scene of episode eight 'The Queen Who Ever Was' featured the major players gearing up for the ensuing battle. We saw the new dragon riders getting dressed in armour, Corlys (Steve Toussaint) heading to his fleet of ships, and Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carey) scurrying away from King's Landing. And in a 'blink or you'll miss it' moment, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) was shown to be locked up in a cell.
So who put him there? And what is going to happen to him next? Here's your 101 on Otto Hightower.
Why was Otto Hightower locked up in a cell?
Ok in order to answer this question we need to do a little rewind to earlier in the season. When season two kicked off Otto thought he was in a position of power, being Hand to the King aka his grandson Aegon.
However, in episode two he was fired from his position by Aegon and so he decided to return to leave King's Landing and head to Old Town where the rest of his family resides, including Alicent's (Olivia Cooke) youngest child Daeron. Alicent encouraged him to travel instead to Highgarden to speak with the Tyrells, and that's the last we see of him.
Later on in the season Aemond asks Larys (Matthew Needham) to track down his grandfather so he can resume his position of the hand. Alicent mentions Otto to her brother Gwayne (Freddie Fox), saying she had not heard from their father despite writing him numerous letters. We all thought he was just ghosting her but turns out it may have been preoccupied, aka locked up in a cell.
So who locked him up? Well right now in the season we don't have any official answers, but there are a few suggestions as to what could have happened.
During season two we find out House Beesbury is waging war on the Hightowers, and so the most likely explanation is he was either captured by them or one of their allies, before making it home.
There's also the very realistic possibility Larys has something to do with it. I mean does anyone trust this man? He was responsible for tracking Otto down and yet does not find him. Instead he's loyal to Aegon and so in perhaps continuing his support for Aegon, Larys arranged to have Otto kidnapped.
What happens to Otto Hightower in the books?
While the TV show won't give us any answers until season three (see you in 2026), we can look to the book Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, which the series is based on, to give us some ideas. Just beware, you may be reading some potential spoilers for the TV series.
In Fire & Blood there is no mention of Otto being kidnapped and locked away. His position as the hand is taken away from Aegon and given to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). Rather than Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) travelling to the Triarchy, it is Otto's earlier efforts that get them to agree to participate in the war, and therefore sets in motion the Battle of the Gullet.
And Otto's story comes to an end soon after the battle, when Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) takes King's Landing and quickly beheads him for being a traitor. Maybe he'll survive longer in the TV series?
House of the Dragon seasons one and two are available to stream on NOW
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