Will Otto Hightower return in House of the Dragon?
You didn’t think that when Aegon dismissed Otto that was the last time we’d seen the Kingmaker in House of the Dragon, did you? He got a mention in the most recent episode, but will we get to see him in the series?
The latest episode saw Aemond acknowledge that he needed a Hand. This was Lord Larys Strong’s attempt to get the position, but Aemond saw through it. Instead, Aemond decided that he needed his grandfather back.
Otto had been a sound choice for Hand of the King for the longest time. He knew how to send the right message to the people, and he knew what would backfire. Aegon was just too young and naïve to listen. Aemond may be younger, but he is more focused on war and victory to know who can help the best.
Otto Hightower isn’t responding to people in House of the Dragon
Ser Larys was supposed to send a raven to Otto. There’s no way he would have gone against an order from Aemond, so we can assume he did it. However, he didn’t hear anything back.
As Alicent and Gwayne talked, they both acknowledged that they hadn’t heard anything from Otto either. The man left King’s Landing and seemed to just turn his back on it. That likely isn’t the case, but he’s not just going to come straight back because he’s suddenly wanted again.
I wouldn’t put it past Otto to play a bit of a game. He’ll want to find out just how much Aemond wants him on the Small Council. He may also be working on gathering support for the Greens in secret.
Otto does return in Fire & Blood
We do see Otto return to King’s Landing. He’s there are the time Rhaenyra gets to the city and takes over the Iron Throne. Things don’t end well for him, which isn’t surprising considering everything Otto did to get his family on the throne.
It does suggest that Otto will return in House of the Dragon, but his return is going to be relatively short-lived. That’s a shame for those who love his political mind—he’s a bit of a Tywin Lannister—but probably great for those who hate him.