House of the Dragon's Larys Strong actor, Matthew Needham, explains Clubfoot's shocking decision in episode 6. As the second show in the Game of Thrones fantasy franchise, House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before its parent series and chronicles the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. The prequel show introduces dozens of new characters, both major and minor, vying for control of the Iron Throne.
Larys, who is known as Clubfoot due to a birth abnormality that causes him to walk with a limp, is one of the show's biggest schemers. Following House of the Dragon episode 6's 10-year time jump, his father, Lord Lyonel Strong, has served King Viserys Targaryen loyally for the past decade, and his brother, Ser Harwin Strong, is Lord Commander of the City Watch. Plus, it is an open secret that Harwin is the father of Princess Rhaenyra's three children. In House of the Dragon episode 6, Larys aligns himself with Queen Alicent and makes the shocking decision to orchestrate the death of his father and brother.
During a recent interview with Vulture, Needham shares some insight into Larys' shocking decision on House of the Dragon. The actor explains how his character's unconscionable actions made Alicent's wish come true and therefore, establish him as her close ally. Read what Needham says below:
He gives her the thing she wants in a way she never expected. He makes himself indispensable to her, really; he ties them together in blood in this extraordinary act of will. To do away with his family like that in order to give her what she wants — to bring her father back, to strengthen that part of the game. Remember, this is ten years after they first met, when he first ingratiates himself into her circle in episodes three and five. Ten years have passed! He sees her as somebody like him: an outsider among the natives. He can tell they have a similar worldview, a similar mind-set he can fixate on. And he’s really useful to her. He’s a man who listens, who watches. He doesn’t have this power like the men on Rhaenyra’s side do. He’s not like Harwin, he’s not this big strong guy. He’s ignored, which is a really dangerous thing to do [to someone] in this world. For ten years, he’s bided his time, waiting for an opportunity. He’s got the patience of a river eroding stone. He’ll wait. I don’t think he’s a chaotic sort of person; I don’t think he’s messy. It’s very, very deliberate. He might seem completely mad, but it’s very methodical.
What's Next For Larys Strong?
Larys' decision to murder Lyonel and Harwin can be traced back to his conversation with Alicent when she rues the absence of her father, Ser Otto Hightower, the former Hand of the King whom Viserys dismissed for scheming (on the advice of Rhaenyra). It is then that Larys decides to eliminate the current Hand and his own father, Lyonel, from the game along with his brother, Harwin. If all goes according to plan for Larys, Viserys will be forced to bring back his former Hand, fulfilling Alicent's wish and proving his usefulness.
As the Queen's closest ally with a shadowy legion of assassins at his disposal, coupled with the fact he's frequently underestimated due to his disability, Larys has emerged as one of the most formable power brokers on House of the Dragon, Just like Littlefinger, who famously liked to keep his foes confused, there's no telling what Larys Strong might do next, especially since his role in the source material is much smaller. Though after murdering his own father and brother, one thing is clear – he's willing to go to extreme lengths to improve his own political position. More scheming is bound to be ahead for him, especially when war breaks out between Alicent and Rhaenyra.
Source: Vulture