Let’s talk about [SPOILERS] big death

The Battle of the Gullet has concluded in House of the Dragon season 3, and though Team Black ultimately emerges victorious, Rhaenyra Targaryen pays a devastating personal price. By the end of episode 2, the war has taken another dramatic turn as the fight for the Iron Throne reaches King’s Landing. Along the way, a major character returns after a long hiatus — only to meet their bloody end.

Here’s a look at what happened in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2, and what it means for the Dance of Dragons moving forward.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2 ending explained

Episode 2 opens directly after the season premiere ended with Prince Jacaerys “Jace” Targaryen’s lifeless body floating in the Gullet. As the dragonseeds help destroy any remaining Triarchy ships, Jace’s body is returned to Dragonstone where Rhaenyra’s grief is explosive. She becomes bedridden having lost yet another son — but once Daemon brings news that Aemond Targaryen has left King’s Landing and fled to Harrenhal, her agreement with Alicent is set in motion.

Alicent Hightower and her daughter, Queen Helaena Targaryen, spend much of the episode working to convince the troops of King’s Landing to stand down when Rhaenyra comes to take King’s Landing, and they’re mostly successful. Rhaenyra flies directly to King’s Landing alongside Daemon, Ulf White, and Hugh Hammer to take the throne. As she and Daemon infiltrate the Red Keep, they’re met with some resistance from White Cloaks who Daemon swiftly cuts down.

In the Throne Room, they’re pinned between loyal kingsguard and members of the city watch (Gold Cloaks). Except city watch captain Ser Luthor Largent remains loyal to Daemon and Rhaenyra since Daemon commanded the Gold Cloaks years prior (Ser Luthor even recalls that it was Daemon who gave him his gold cloak). The kingsguard are then forced to surrender. Rhaenyra refuses to take the throne until Aegon II is dead — except the king has already fled King’s Landing with Larys Strong. As Daemon points out, heads still need to roll.

Daemon makes his way to the cells where Lord Jasper Wylde, the Master of Laws, is already imprisoned. But the jailor has a surprise: “If you would, my Prince,” he says to Daemon. “A gift for you, if you ever returned, from Lord Larys Strong.” We don’t see who it is until Daemon brings him to the throne room, but the gift Otto Hightower, Alicent’s father.

Though Rhaenyra hesitates to kill him, Daemon pressures her to show strength in this moment. He hands her his Valyrean steel sword, Dark Sister. She beheads Otto herself with a clean cut — but not before missing and hacking into his back once first. Then, Daemon quickly executes Jasper Wyld. Only after both are dead does Rhaenyra take a few blood-soaked steps to take the throne. That’s when Alicent and Helaena are brought forward after failing to escape the city. The episode ends on Alicent and Rhaenyra sharing a strained glance at one another.

When did we last see Otto Hightower?

Image: HBO

Otto has been largely absent since the early episodes of season 2, so it might be easy to forget exactly what happened to him.

Following Aegon II’s coronation, Otto continued serving as Hand of the King to his grandson, hoping to guide him through the opening stages of the war. The two quickly butted heads. Otto repeatedly argued for patience and diplomacy, while Aegon demanded swift vengeance against the Blacks for the death of his child.

Their relationship eventually collapsed. Aegon publicly humiliated Otto, stripped him of his office, and made Criston Cole the Hand of the King, saying he will be a “steel fist.” Otto then tossed the badge at Cole’s feet. Otto had only one scene after this, which was a conversation with Alicent in which he said he’d return to Oldtown, but she asks him to go to Highgarden to negotiate the allegiance of House Tyrell. As far as any of us viewers knew, he left for one or both of these destinations. Yet in the season 2 finale, we saw a brief scene of him imprisoned in a cell without any context as to how he got there or even exactly where he was.

House of the Dragon’s latest episode confirms it was Larys Strong who orchestrated his capture. (As the Master of Spies, that certainly makes it plausible.) Strong, in some ways, is playing both sides of the war. He secretly kept Otto alive as a political prisoner as one final “gift” after helping Aegon flee King’s Landing.

Why does Rhaenyra kill Otto Hightower herself?

Image: HBO

Otto’s execution isn’t as simple as revenge. It’s a necessary statement about power.

For years, Otto manipulated House Targaryen to place his own bloodline on the Iron Throne. While he’s talked a lot about keeping peace in the realm, it’s clear he’s always had ulterior motives. After Queen Aemma’s death, he essentially orchestrated that Alicent would grow close to the widowed Viserys, establishing a political marriage that eventually produced Aegon II, Aemond, Helaena, and Daeron. Later, Otto spent years undermining Rhaenyra’s claim before personally orchestrating Aegon’s coronation immediately after Viserys died — despite the fact that Viserys publicly proclaimed Rhaenyra as his successor.

In many ways, no single person bears more responsibility for the Dance of the Dragons than Otto Hightower. Yet, in the moment, Rhaenyra still hesitates to kill him.

She spends most of episode 2 grieving Jace’s death rather than lusting after vengeance. She’s also already had to suffer through Luke’s death. With Daemon and the entire royal court watching, showing mercy would just look like weakness. So she does it herself before finally claiming the Iron Throne.

For Alicent to stumble upon the scene in the episode’s final moments feels a bit heartbreaking. Maybe Otto got what he deserved, but just as Alicent and Rhaenyra seemed to have reached a sort of political agreement and rekindled the spark of their once vibrant friendship, suddenly there’s Alicent’s father lying dead on the floor with Rhaenyra looming over them all. How is this moment going to impact the rest of season 3, and the rest of this war?