In the midst of the brutal Dance of the Dragons, House of the Dragon has delivered one of its most unexpected treats: the chaotic, oddly comedic road trip between the deposed King Aegon II Targaryen and his cunning Master of Whisperers, Larys Strong.
The official House of the Dragon Season 3 podcast hosts Jason Concepcion and Greta Johnson praised this unlikely pairing as one of the season’s standout elements.
Quick read:
- Larys and Aegon have successfully escaped King’s Landing
- Their storyline is the most or the only comedic element of the show
- Strong praise has been given to Larys’ resourcefulness despite being cunning
The desperate escape to Braavos
After Rhaenyra’s forces take King’s Landing, Aegon, badly injured and stripped of his crown has no choice but to flee. Rather than bend the knee and pretend to submit, he teams up with the club-footed, manipulative Larys Strong for a dangerous journey, believed to be headed toward Braavos.
In the 1st episode of Season 3, Aegon and Larys are stopped by Rhaenyra’s men and asked to bend the knee to the queen. Larys immediately agrees and bends the knee while Aegon hesitates and refuses.
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Despite hiding his identity for the first few moments, Larys for some reason immediately gives away that the man with him is indeed Aegon Targaryen and hence won’t pledge fealty to Rhaenyra. Instead of lying, he directly asks the guards to take them to Rhaenyra as hostages, ultimately saving their lives. This was deemed as a clever move by the fans by Larys who came up with a solution to keep Aegon alive.
Credits: HBO
Host Jason explained why this “Midnight Run” became their only option:
“I think it was the only move left available to them if Aegon was not going to be able to do the very simple thing of pretend to be somebody else and just swear to the queen.”
A surprising buddy comedy in Westeros
What makes this pairing so entertaining is the sharp contrast between the two characters. Aegon is impulsive, bitter, and physically broken. Larys is calm, calculating, and endlessly resourceful. Together, they create a tense yet darkly funny “odd couple” dynamic as they navigate survival on the run.
“Larys is quite clearly one of the most resourceful characters we’ve ever seen… It’s a wonderful two-hander that you know that’s just like I’m very hopeful this would be one of the great two-handers in the kind of history of Game of Thrones.”
The show cleverly uses their journey for both tension and much-needed comedic relief, watching a former king reduced to hiding and scheming alongside one of the most dangerous men in Westeros has proven surprisingly watchable and memorable.
Larys Strong: The ultimate survivor
Larys’ resourcefulness shines throughout their escape. From arranging secret passageways to masterminding their getaway, he continues to prove why he’s one of the most dangerous players in the game; even when stripped of his official title and power base. Their partnership is built on pure necessity and mutual self-interest rather than loyalty, adding layers of suspicion and dark humour to every scene.
