Otto Hightower

Otto Hightower is the Hand of the King and patriarch of House Hightower, a man whose political acumen is matched only by his ruthless ambition. From the very first episode, Otto manipulates events to advance his family's position, sending his daughter Alicent to comfort the grieving King Viserys and engineering a royal marriage that reshapes the succession. He is the architect of the Green faction long before the Dance of the Dragons begins.

Otto operates with the patient, calculating precision of a chess master. He views Daemon Targaryen as a genuine threat to the realm and uses this concern — partly legitimate, partly self-serving — to justify his maneuvers against Rhaenyra's succession. His conflict with Daemon is personal and political, as both men vie for influence over Viserys and the future of the realm.

Despite his scheming, Otto genuinely believes he is acting in the realm's best interest. He sees female succession as a recipe for instability and views the Hightower ascendancy as a force for order. His dismissal as Hand by Viserys is only temporary, and he returns to orchestrate the coup that crowns Aegon II. However, in Season 2, Otto's careful political strategy is overridden by the impulsive violence of younger men — Aemond and Criston Cole — who sideline him in favor of direct military action, leading to his imprisonment and marginalization.