House of the Dragon Season 2 had many twists and turns, but perhaps the biggest took place at the end when Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) strike a bargain, only for Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Larys (Matthew Needham) to escape King’s Landing, setting up complications for Season 3. The scheming Master of Whisperers used his talents to gain favor with Aegon, rising in the ranks quickly, but their rushed escape makes little enough sense. Alicent may have sold Aegon out, but no one knows that. In fact, Larys initiates his plan before Alicent ever sees Rhaenyra. The speed at which he smuggles the King out of the city is suspicious, especially with all the advanced planning required for such a task, suggesting that the cliffhanger is a calculated move on Larys’ part.
While Larys Strong has many secrets, his deviousness isn’t one of them. He is more than capable of having some other scheme under the surface, and he usually does. As a master manipulator and power-hungry lord, Larys is a dangerous character, especially once he positions himself to whisper in the King’s ear, and it seems too much of a coincidence that the story leaves him with more influence than ever. With Larys pushing Aegon’s healing process and jumping at the excuse to leave, House of the Dragon suggests Lord Strong is up to something more than saving the King, but it will be a long time before we know more.
Larys’ Plan Lines Up With His Previous Actions in Season 2
Larys’ escape with Aegon comes suddenly, though not entirely without reason. After hearing rumors that Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) was in a rage after his encounter with Rhaenyra’s new dragonriders, Larys claims that the King is no longer safe in his own castle. But rather than urging the King to put Aemond in his place, he wants Aegon to run. The logic of this argument is sound. Aemond has proven himself a threat to Aegon and is known to act out when angry, but it’s still a flimsy excuse to leave the city entirely when securing a few witnesses would have stopped Aemond. Additionally, Aemond had refrained from killing his brother until then despite the King’s status as an invalid. It would have been easy to kill him shortly after Rook’s Rest and blame his injuries. Even Aemond’s anger is not a foolproof excuse because Aemond is always angry. Larys is quick to decide that fleeing is the only viable option, manipulating the King to do what he wants.
Larys often works several steps ahead, but even he could not account for Rhaenyra’s influx of dragonriders. And, before that turn, Larys was pushing for Aegon’s recovery. He convinced Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) to hurry to get Aegon mobile again, recommending Aegon walk too early and too much despite the pain. This could be motivated by self-interest, as Larys is rapidly losing power while Aemond is in control. After solidifying himself into Aegon’s good graces, Larys should have been set, but the injury through his plan off course, as he could not fool Aemond so easily. Certainly, Larys was anxious to get Aegon (and, by extension, himself) back in control, but he is more devious than that. Regardless, Larys also reveals that he moved his fortune to Essos, which they can live off as they hide. Larys enacts his plan long before there is an imminent threat, raising the likelihood of a deeper motivation.
Why Would Larys Want To Leave King’s Landing?
Larys has been serving the Greens since before the war began, killing his own father to do so. And, now that he is embedded into the Green’s council, there is no benefit for him in derailing Aegon’s rule, so taking the King away from his seat of power seems counterintuitive. However, Larys is always a step ahead, and there are clear benefits to getting Aegon away. Being on the run with Aegon benefits Larys by securing him a better position with Aegon, who not only believes Larys is saving him but will be away from his other advisors and listening solely to Larys. Since he is seemingly unaware of Rhaenyra striking the deal with Alicent or the major threat to Aegon’s life, Larys and Aegon’s escape is too convenient for Larys not to have planned it ahead of time. Larys is no stranger to the long game, and this is yet another step in his plan that will only be revealed in time.