Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2.
The Big Picture
- Larys Strong strategically allies with Aegon II for political advantage and to undermine Aemond as regent.
- Larys’s unclear motivations and alliances suggest he may have personal sympathies for Aegon’s plight in his disabled state.
- The alliance between Aegon and Larys could be crucial for Aegon’s survival amidst power struggles and potential danger.
In House of the Dragon, politics can be a strange business, one that gives rise to unique alliances. None seems to be more unlikely than watching Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) helping Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) in his disabled state. Part of this might not be surprising, as Larys has spent so much of his own life fighting against the way others perceive him, albeit in the most brutal manner possible. However, there are also reasons why helping Aegon is less sentimental than practical, serving to curry favor and undermine Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) as regent. With his kingdom on the line and his own family having forgotten him, Aegon now only has Larys to rely upon, which might be just as he prefers. For his entire time on the small council, Larys has always been very mysterious, but now he may also serve as the last refuge for Aegon as defeat inches ever closer.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
- Release Date
- August 21, 2022
- Creator
- Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin
- Seasons
- 4
- Distributor
- HBO
- Main Genre
- Drama
Larys Strong Uses His Image to His Advantage in ‘House of the Dragon’
As terrifying as he is, Larys Strong has arguably been fighting against negative perceptions of himself since the second he was born. His father already viewed the deformity of his son as being an act of sorcery, and in a place as cursed as Harrenhal, he had some reason to feel paranoid about it. We know little about his childhood from then on, but it feels clear that his origin from such a noble family at least opened some doors for the future. With his clubfoot, however, Larys would have a much bigger challenge than most. Unlike the plight of Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) among the Blacks, one driven primarily by class concerns, Larys is always at a disadvantage, as his disability remains very noticeable. Since he is not physically intimidating, he has to find another way to make his potential usefulness clear.
Compared to other advisors, both past and future, Larys is unique. When we first meet him arranging the deaths of his father and brother, he seems as cold as Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), whose own plans have recently turned into dust, through the use of sabotage rather than theatrical imagery. The only parallel to Larys we have in Westeros might be Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) from the original show, who compensates for his dwarfism with witty jokes and pure charisma. Both are well aware that their disabilities cause them to be underestimated, but each uses them to different ends. Whereas Tyrion is funny and likable in the main series, Larys instead seems to be a far more terrifying figure, often appearing nihilistic. This aura has arguably since become the feature that defines him to both the audience and other characters, showing just how successful this strategy has been for him.
Does Larys Have An Endgame With Aegon?
Unlike Mysaria, it would be a mistake to call Larys a committed loyalist to the cause of the Greens, given that he has no fondness for their current claim to the throne. His true goals seem to change by circumstance and not even the actor playing him could actually tell you what his desires are. For so long, it seemed as if he just wanted chaos and death for its own sake, but his commitment towards Aegon makes us question that particular narrative. Larys Strong is not one for empathy, and he would almost drop Aegon in a heartbeat should he ever become a liability, but he certainly seems to feel something for the king at the moment.
For one thing, there are clear political benefits to helping Aegon, which is inherently selfish where Larys is concerned. As regent, Aemond already dislikes the Master of Whispers and his reign is on the brink of collapse in the meantime, so gaining favor with Aegon might help elevate his position. In the seventh episode alone, Larys is already starting to undermine Aemond, such as by refusing to inform him of the rumor regarding Seasmoke’s claim of a new rider. Should the regency be deposed or Aemond be killed, Aegon might one day be able to reclaim his position of power, with Larys at his side.
There are more personal reasons why the Clubfoot might be trying to support Aegon as king. Had he been truly as heartless as he first appeared, he easily could have poisoned Aegon in his bed after seeing his usefulness to be over, given how he had been a bad king and an even worse brother in a short time. The fact that he does not and goes so far as to help him means he might feel some amount of sympathy for Aegon in his crippled state. In many ways, Larys is the only one who can understand the plight of the young king, and he seems determined to nurse Aegon back to full strength through brutal trial and error, likely just at the right time.
Having Larys At His Side Might Change Everything for Aegon in ‘House of the Dragon’
The alliance between Larys and Aegon might seem an unlikely one, but it also could prove crucial to the young king and his survival. As the spymaster for the Greens, Larys arguably has better means to protect Aegon from external threats and murder plots than his own Kingsguard, meaning Aemond would have a hard time finishing the job if he ever felt the need to try. With Aegon in seclusion, he seems to be forgotten by everyone else in the chaos of the war, even his own mother. As Larys notes, people will be bound to underestimate Aegon in his position, meaning he still has the potential to become a political weapon if he ever recovers. The whole reason Aegon went to Rook’s Rest was to prove himself a man and secure his legacy as king. Now, he actually might have the chance, though certainly not in the way he intended.
The alliance between Aegon and Larys also has importance on a military level. The Blacks have always been very close to the capital, only limited by the lack of sea transport, and the imminent battle could decide who controls those lanes. With the rise of the dragon seeds and King’s Landing under threat, Aegon is now a sitting duck. Should the city fall, Aemond might very well leave him for dead and the rest of the council might not have the motive or the means to try to save him, leaving Larys as his only other option for salvation. Given his comfort staying behind the scenes as a grand schemer and that the Blacks view him as being an obvious target, Larys also needs to be concerned with his own survival, so an alliance would be just as crucial to him as it remains to his king. Just as Larys fought so hard to get to where he is now, Aegon might need to follow his example if he ever hopes to survive or escape an occupied capital city where the queen reigns and dragons loom.
The House of the Dragon Season 2 finale airs Sunday at 9 PM EST on Max in the U.S.
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