‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, episode 1: What exactly is Larys Strong planning?

Well. A lot happened in House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 1. But while plenty of the key players were out there making rash decisions and acting on impulse, some of the Red Keep’s biggest snakes were just getting started.

Enter Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), murderer of family members, feet fan, and budding Littlefinger. The royal court’s Lord Confessor didn’t have too much to do in the new season’s first outing — at least not yet — but there was one key conversation that made us think he’s up to no good again.

So what did Larys say, and what might it mean for his future intentions?

What did Larys Strong say to King Aegon?

Midway through the episode there’s a sequence where the newly crowned King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) is holding court in the Great Hall, hearing various requests from the “small folk” while his grandfather and Hand of the King Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) gives him advice. Larys, meanwhile, watches from the side of the hall — and when Aegon is finished, he pulls the young king aside for a quiet word. Here’s the exchange that takes place between them, in full:

Larys Strong: “‘Tis the Hand’s want to keep a firm grip on things. He controlled your father the same way. Viserys had a certain reputation of being pliable.”

Aegon Targaryen: “I am aware.”

LS: “I would think, as we find ourselves standing in a hair’s breadth of war, that you would wish to be viewed differently.”

AT: “How?”

LS: “Otto Hightower was your father’s hand, your grace.”

So…what’s he up to?

What is Larys Strong planning?

Larys’ main goal from the start of House of the Dragon seems to have been similar to Littlefinger’s goal in Game of Thrones: his own ascension. In Season 1, Larys ingratiates himself with Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and arranges for the murder of his own brother and father in order to inherit the “Lord” title for himself. The Red Keep’s chief information extractor (by whatever means necessary), he likes to be as close to power as possible, and have the ear of the higher-ups.

King Aegon II, it seems, it his new target. But as Larys observes in the throne room, Aegon is currently under the thumb of his grandfather, Otto Hightower. Larys has played carefully around Otto, even undermining Alicent at times with him. Our guess is that Larys is trying to manipulate Aegon into getting rid of Otto so that he can make more room for himself on the Small Council.

With Otto out of the way, Larys would likely have an even greater influence over the king.

House of the Dragon Season 2 airs weekly on Sunday’s at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.