Why Larys Strong Is Really Helping King Aegon
The reason Larys Strong is assisting King Aegon in getting well has come under closer scrutiny in House of the Dragon season 2. During the Battle at Rook’s Rest in the climax of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4, Aegon lost control of his dragon. Aegon hasn’t been around House of the Dragon as much since then while he heals from several fractured bones, armor that melted into his skin, and serious burns from the dragon fire.
Aegon was shown trying to move while in excruciating pain by the time of House of the Dragon season 2 episode 7. This was interrupted by the Master of Whisperers, Larys Strong, who insisted that the king must push himself to recover from his injuries as soon as possible, despite the pain it evidently causes. This scene, as well as a similar one earlier in the season, begs the question of why Larys is so committed to helping King Aegon, and what implications this could have on House of the Dragon season 3 and beyond.
Summary
- Larys Strong is shown helping Aegon as he knows he can manipulate him to further his own power.
- Aemond cannot be manipulated like Aegon, meaning Larys needs the latter back in power.
- Larys’ dedication to Aegon stems from ambition, though some scenes indicate Larys may see Aegon as a kindred spirit of sorts due to their shared disabilities.
Larys Strong Knows He Can Manipulate Aegon, But Can’t Trick Aemond
Larys’ Motives Stem from Manipulation & Trickery
As is frequently the case with people in the world of Game of Thrones, Larys Strong’s assistance to Aegon is not entirely selfless. Instead, knowing that he can control one but not the other, the Master of Whisperers is trying to force Aegon to reclaim his throne from his brother Aemond, the prince regent. In House of the Dragon season 2, Aegon has shown some kindness, but he is notably less knowledgeable, intelligent, and capable of handling political problems than Aemond. Aegon is an incompetent ruler who depends more on the advice of others to carry out his duties.
Naturally, this gives Larys additional authority because she is a member of the Small Council. Conversely, Aemond is much more headstrong than his brother and will outright ignore counsel in favour of doing what he thinks is right, or simply what he wants to do. Larys discovered this in House of the Dragon season 2 when he tried to worm his way into the position of Hand of the King. Under Aegon, this might have worked. However, Aemond shot Larys down by calling him a toad and told him to send word to Otto Hightower as the Dance of Dragons continues.
Does Larys Actually Care About Aegon at All?
Larys’ Actions May Have an Undertone of Genuine Care
It remains to be seen if Larys truly cares for Aegon, given that the majority of his acts are motivated by advancing his personal interests. Episode 6 of Season 2 of House of the Dragon may have made a hint about this. In this episode, Larys visits Aegon’s quarters soon after Aemond chastises him for playing the Hand of the King. Though there is a hint of emotion in the scene that Larys Strong rarely displays, this is where Larys first begins pressuring Aegon to recover and reclaim his throne.
Larys further demonstrates that he could feel something for the king when he helps Aegon during the Fall of King’s Landing later in the Dance of Dragons.
Larys begins tearfully telling Aegon about his own disabilities, specifically how his family reacted to the birth defect that saw him born with a deformed foot. Larys explains how his disability has led people to underestimate him his entire life, and how Aegon will now be in a similar position. This is one of the few times in House of the Dragon that Larys has shown any semblance of emotion, potentially hinting that he does care for Aegon slightly more than he would others due to their now shared experiences with disability.
What Does Larys Strong Really Want from Aegon?
Despite Larys’ Emotion, He Still Only Wants One Thing
Even though Larys’ sobbing breakdown with Aegon revealed a heart beneath the cunning façade, at the end of the day, the former still desires power from the latter. Like Littlefinger in Game of Thrones, Larys is primarily concerned with improving his political position, as evidenced by the poignant moment between him and Aegon, which focused on the various ways people like them must seize power when the opportunity arises. Larys’s contacts with Aemond also make this clear.
Larys Strong probably wouldn’t have helped Aegon as much if Aemond had agreed and assigned her the position of Hand of the King. It was only after Aemond diminished Larys’ power in the Small Council that the latter visited Aegon and began to push him to recovery. It remains the case that Larys would not care about Aegon if Aemond had proved more malleable concerning Larys’ increased power, proving that his dedication to helping King Aegon stems almost entirely from personal gain in House of the Dragon.
The House of the Dragon season 2 finale releases Sunday, August 4 at 9 pm ET on HBO and Max.
House of the Dragon
Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
Cast: Gavin Spokes, Graham McTavish, Bill Paterson, Matthew Needham, David Horovitch, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Jefferson Hall, Sonoya Mizuno, Paddy Considine, Ryan Corr, Eve Best,
Date of Release: August 21, 2022.
Four seasons
HBO Max on the network
George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal are the authors.
Directors: Andrij Parekh, Geeta Vasant Patel, Alan Taylor, Greg Yaitanes, Miguel Sapochnik, and Clare Kilner
Runs the show: Ryan Condal
House Of the Dragon Season 2 Cast Guide: Every New & Returning Character
The ensemble of House of the Dragon is made up of gifted actors who vividly capture the complex family relationships at the pinnacle of the Targaryen dynasty. The first of many planned Game of Thrones spinoffs is called House of the Dragon. The prequel centers on the pinnacle of House Targaryen’s dominance, whereas in Game of Thrones, House Stark largely held the lead. Season 1 planted the foundations for the disastrous Dance of the Dragons civil war, which split House Targaryen and continued into Season 2.
Based on the “fake history” book Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, House of the Dragon includes the ancestors of familiar Game of Thrones families like the Starks, Baratheons, Tullys, and Lannisters, deciding which Targaryen claim they support during the civil war. However, some of House of the Dragon’s most major families weren’t featured in the Game of Thrones story, with House Hightower and House Velaryon seeing the heights of their powers during the prequel series’ timeline. There are also more Targaryens and dragons than ever during House of the Dragon, making the family’s conflict all the more devastating.
During House of the Dragon season 1, King Viserys I Targaryen’s succession became a complex dilemma, putting to the test whether the realm would rather see bloodshed than a woman on the Iron Throne. Now, House of the Dragon season 2, set to be released on June 16, 2024, will delve into the action-packed Dance of the Dragons conflict, with major battles, dragon fights, and more on the way. Much of the main cast return for season 2, with some exciting new additions.
Summary
- Season 1 of House of the Dragon sets the stage for the Dance of the Dragons civil war within House Targaryen.
- The House of the Dragon cast retains many of its characters from the late episodes of Season 1.
- House of the Dragon season 2 will delve into the action-packed conflicts of the Dance of the Dragons with familiar and new cast members.
| Name Character | |
| Emma D’Arcy | Rhaenyra Targaryen |
| Olivia Cooke | Alicent Hightower |
| Matt Smith | Daemon Targaryen |
| Ewan Mitchell | Aemond Targaryen |
| Tom Glynn-Carney | Aegon II Targaryen |
| Rhys Ifans | Otto Hightower |
| Steve Toussaint | Corlys Velaryon |
| Eve Best | Rhaenys Targaryen |
| Fabien Frankel | Criston Cole |
| Harry Collett | Jacaerys Velaryon |
| Phia Saban | Helaena Targaryen |
| Bethany Antonia | Baela Targaryen |
| Phoebe Campbell | Rhaena Targaryen |
Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
Date of Birth: June 27, 1992
Actor: Emma D’Arcy, an English actor born in North London who made a major impression in House of the Dragon season 1, plays Rhaenyra Targaryen. They had previously acted in drama films and BBC series, but this was their first Golden Globe nomination. In the television series Wanderlust as Naomi Richards and Truth Seekers as Astrid, D’Arcy had a prominent role. They starred in the motion pictures Misbehaviour and Mothering Sunday.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
| Film/Show | Character |
| Wanderlust (2018) | Naomi Richards |
| Misbehaviour (2020) | Hazel |
| Hanna (2020) | Sonia Richter |
| Mothering Sunday (2021) | Emma Hobday |
Character: The eldest child and daughter of the late King Viserys I Targaryen is Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. The battle of the program is set years before Viserys’s first son, Aegon, is born when Rhaenyra is named heir to the Iron Throne. When Alicent Hightower, the daughter of the Hand of the King, marries Viserys and gives birth to Aegon, Rhaenyra’s heir apparent, the two become enmity-inducing rivals. Initially, they were childhood closest friends. Even as season 2 approaches, many still view Rhaenyra as the legitimate ruler. She leads the “Blacks,” a faction that is opposed by Aegon, Alicent, and the “Greens.”
