The House of the Dragon took a ten-year jump and brought two significant deaths that will affect King’s Landing in the long term.
The show recently explored how things have drastically changed at King’s Landing with both Rhaenyra and Alicent having kids of their own.
While Alicent spent time training Aegon to be the next King in line, the talk revolving around Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin’s relationship was spreading like wildfire.
Everyone saw that Ser Harwin is the father of Rhaenyra’s kids, and not Ser Laenor. Still, for some reason, King Viserys remained oblivious to this.
The gossip challenged Rhaneyra’s reputation, and the tension around the situation escalated when Ser Harwin attacked Ser Criston Cole for mocking him as Jace’s father.
Ser Harwin’s father, Lyonel Strong, knew the consequences that would follow once the talk about his son’s relationship with the princess and her kids is confirmed.
Therefore, Lyonel Strong wanted to resign from the position of King’s Hand, but King Viserys rejected the resignation. He only allowed him to escort his son to the seat of House Strong, the cursed Harrenhal.
Ser Larys plots the deaths of Ser Harwin and Lyonel Strong
Alicent hated the king’s decision to keep Lyonel Strong. She despised Rhaenyra’s kids and thought she had fewer allies in the kingdom now.
She confessed all of her feelings to Ser Larys Strong, the brother of Ser Harwin, who allied himself with Alicent after telling her the truth about the Rhaenyra-Daemon scandal and her father’s dismissal.
Alicent and Ser Larys knew that Lyonel Strong is in no position to be impartial towards the kingdom after his son’s actions. Alicent missed her father as she wanted someone on her side, someone partial to her.
Ser Larys heard it loud and thought of doing the queen a favor.
He arranged a group of prisoners and promised that he will free them if they manage to kill Ser Harwin and Ser Lyonel Strong, who were on their way to Harrenhal.
In order to make sure they don’t even speak about this, he decided to cut their tongues before sending them on this mission.
The prisoners later burned the castle of Harrenhal down, with Ser Harwin and Lyonel Strong locked in their chambers as they cried for help.
Why did Ser Larys Strong kill his own father and brother?
Ser Larys has a number of reasons to plot the death of his family members. First of all, he saw through Alicent’s wishes. Although she didn’t command him, she wanted Lyonel Strong out of the kingdom.
He did her favor and implied that he was fulfilling her wish. If anyone investigates further, Alicent might be pointed towards, and now she has to keep in check with Ser Larys Strong, who is looking forward to a reward for this.
He may want that reward when Alicent’s son becomes the king, and if he doesn’t get it, he will definitely speak out.
For now, people may want to believe that the curse on the seat of Harrenhal is the reason Lyonel Strong and Ser Harwin died.
Apart from that, Ser Larys was the second son of Lyonel Strong, that too with a twisted leg. Any of his father’s inheritance won’t pass on to him unless his elder brother dies.
So these are some of the benefits Larys would reap from his father and brother’s deaths that will continue to aid him until Alicent’s son takes the throne.
With a cunning mind like that, he should be considered one of the important figures in King’s Landing from now on.
Also Read: House of the Dragon season 1 episode 6 recap & review: The Princess and the Queen