House Of The Dragon's Littlefinger Replacement Will Die In The Exact Same Way, And It Can Make Up For A Game Of Thrones Mistake (2024)

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book on which House of the Dragon is based.House of the Dragon has its own take on Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, and they're destined to die in quite similar circumstances. House of the Dragon's timeline means it is distinct from Game of Thrones, but it inevitably still has several of the same character types and parallels between key figures, at least in a broad sense. It's easy to see the connection between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daenerys, for example, as two Targaryen women who believe it's their birthright to rule, or Otto Hightower as the Tywin Lannister-type, scheming away to further their own families and their position to the crown.

One of the biggest character parallels comes with Littlefinger and Larys Strong, aka the Clubfoot. Both of them are true players of the game of thrones, manipulating everyone who comes into contact with them, constantly thinking several moves around, and if they're breathing, there's a good chance they're lying. Of course, it's that exact trait that led to Littlefinger no longer breathing, and it will account for Larys eventually too, who is close with King Aegon II Targaryen heading into House of the Dragon season 3.

When Will Larys Strong Die In House Of The Dragon?

Larys Strong, like Littlefinger, is someone who survives and even thrives amid the chaos. Much like how Littlefinger helped start the War of the Five Kings and then live beyond it, not dying until the end of Game of Thrones season 7, Larys will also be able to make his way through most of the Dance of the Dragons intact after helping to stroke the fires of the civil war, only falling at the very final hurdle.

In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Larys dies when the war is essentially wrapping up. Rhaenyra is dead, and so too is Aegon II. Aegon the Younger - the son of Rhaenyra and Daemon - is to become the new king, and it's only at that point Larys is killed. Based on when it happens in the story and the trajectory of the show, then the Clubfoot will almost certainly die towards the end of House of the Dragon season 4, which is confirmed to be the show's last one.

How Larys Strong Will Repeat Littlefinger's Death

Larys and Littlefinger parallel each other in life, and so too in death. Partly that's because of why they're killed: their scheming ways, various plots and machinations that hurt several others to advance their own ends, finally catch-up with them and come back to bite them. No one would ever be able to trust them again, and killing them is a fitting punishment.

More specifically, Larys will also be sentenced and killed by a member of House Stark, just like Littlefinger was. It was Sansa Stark who ruled that Lord Baelish should die, and Arya Stark who did the killing. In House of the Dragon, it will be Lord Cregan Stark who does both, living up to Ned Stark's rule that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.

Cregan arrives in King's Landing at the end of the war and spends around a week serving as Hand of the King to Aegon III. This mostly involves cleaning up the mess left behind by the Targaryen civil war, and the death of Aegon II. The king had been poisoned by his own men, with Larys suspected of orchestrating it (though he never confirms nor denies this).

Cregan gives those involved the chance to join the Night's Watch or be killed; Larys chooses death, which isn't too surprising, as a man like him would seemingly be unsuited to the Wall. His one request, which should make for a good TV moment too, is that his clubfoot is removed first and buried separately so he can finally be rid of it, something Cregan acquiesces to.

Why Larys Strong's Death Could Outdo Littlefinger's

Littlefinger's death, in isolation, is a great moment. It's very satisfying to see him finally get what he deserves; to be backed into a corner that even he can't talk his way out of. That it's the Starks who bring this justice, after how much hurt he caused them, is also fitting. But the way it got to that point throughout season 7 was, well, pretty terrible. The Winterfell story in that year deserves the same criticism that is mostly reserved for season 8, as the fakeout story of Sansa and Arya's rivalry is badly written, confusing, and illogical.

If done right, Larys' death could be a better moment in House of the Dragon season 4. He may not be quite at the level of Littlefinger, but could get there with time, especially as his influence over King Aegon II grows. He is already rather despicable, and as more characters fall, should only become more loathsome. He is also, so far, one of the show's best written characters (the scenes with him and Aegon a real highlight of the more divisive second season), and if it can carry that through, he should have one of its best death scenes as well.

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House of the Dragon

TV-MA

Drama

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

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*Availability in US

Cast

Matt Smith , Emma D'Arcy , Olivia Cooke , Fabien Frankel , Steve Toussaint , Rhys Ifans , Jefferson Hall , Sonoya Mizuno , Paddy Considine , Ryan Corr , Eve Best , Gavin Spokes , Graham McTavish , Bill Paterson , Matthew Needham , David Horovitch

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Seasons

4

Network

HBO Max

Streaming Service(s)

Max

Franchise(s)

Game of Thrones

Main Genre

Adventure