Throughout early episodes of House of the Dragon, Otto Hightower made it pretty clear that he wanted to wield power and influence. And his manipulative manoeuvring came to fruition in episode 9 of season 1 after the death of Viserys.
Following the death of the king, Otto was a key figure in making sure Aegon was given the Iron Throne before Rhaenyra even knew her father had passed away. But his handiwork began long before the council meeting that led to Aegon’s coronation. Alicent, who sat at the head of the table in that meeting – was manipulated into marrying Viserys by Otto – her father.
And why did he do this?
Because he wanted the Hightowers to be aligned with the Targaryens. He craved the power that was almost tangible while he was Hand of the King. But he knew that Alicent still held some sort of affection for Rhaenyra. So, he needed to find a way to usurp the throne without her realising what he was up to.
Ultimately, he hatched a plan that saw him use his own daughter as a pawn to get what he wanted. And when it came to the meeting of the small council that agreed to make Aegon the new king, Otto was front and centre of it. Maybe not physically, as he sat beside Alicent, but certainly metaphorically.
It was Otto who announced that the king’s dying wish was that Aegon should succeed him as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. And Otto who appeared to have led plans for this very moment which had been a long time in the making.
It was also Otto who took control of the situation after Ser Criston Cole and Lord Commander Westerling drew their swords. And it was he who ordered the Lord Commander to head to Dragonstone – a request that led to his resignation.
Throughout the council meeting, it was clear that Alicent wielded no real authority – her father having determined that she should not be involved in talks about ensuring her son would claim the throne.
Otto was never a figure who was overly popular with fans. He was, from the outset, selfish, deceitful and willing to do anything to gain the power he clearly felt he deserved. Even if that meant utilising his daughter to further his grubby little gains.