Otto Hightower from House of the Dragon is regularly compared to Game of Thrones’ Tywin Lannister, but the former show confirms a harsh reality regarding their similarities and differences. House of the Dragon season 2, episode 2’s ending marked a notable change for Otto. After spending so long beside generations of Targaryen as the Hand of the King, Otto was stripped of his title. Otto being replaced as Aegon’s Hand will have major ramifications going forward in House of the Dragon season 2, especially with war brewing on the horizon.

However, amid the many deaths of House of the Dragon season 2 thus far, Otto can count himself lucky as someone who simply gets to retire – at least for a time – until the Dance of Dragons truly begins. Despite Otto losing his position, he has often been compared favorably to Charles Dance’s Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones. While some House of the Dragon book changes have resulted in alterations to Otto’s timeline, the show’s depiction of his politicking, diplomacy, and outright manipulative tendencies match those of Tywin’s, though a harsh reality faces the former.

Otto Hightower Has Long Been Compared To Tywin Lannister

Tywin & Otto’s Similarities Are Somewhat Evident

Firstly, it is worth exploring the reasons why Otto Hightower is regularly compared to Tywin Lannister. In both shows, the two men serve as elderly statesmen. Whether it be surrounded by young, spoiled kings, daughters who just so happen to be queens, or conniving, scheming Lord Commanders of the King’s Guard, Tywin and Otto serve as level-headed voices of political reason. These similarities are prevalent, with House of the Dragon‘s Aegon, Alicent, and Criston Cole being to Otto what Game of Thrones‘ Joffrey, Cersei, and Jaime were to Tywin.

Both Otto and Tywin remain endlessly measured amid their respective chaotic surroundings, pulling the strings using their powerful positions as Hand of the King…

In both shows, these similar characters cause chaos and political problems for Tywin and Otto. The latter is shown to be dealing with Aegon’s somewhat bloodthirsty, vengeful tendencies in House of the Dragon season 2, just as Tywin was shown to deal with those of Joffrey in Game of Thrones. Regardless, both Otto and Tywin remain endlessly measured amid their respective chaotic surroundings, pulling the strings using their powerful positions as Hand of the King. As evident, Otto and Tywin’s similarities are plentiful.

House Of The Dragon Season 2 Proves Otto Is Not On Tywin Lannister’s Level

Otto’s House Of The Dragon Story Proves He Cannot Match Tywin

Unfortunately for Otto, House of the Dragon season 2 is proving that he was never much of a match when compared to Tywin’s intelligence. Although the two share a lot of traits between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, Otto being stripped as Hand of the King is symbolic of this, showing that he has not been able to play the Game of Thrones as well as Tywin did. In reality, Otto is more comparable to a character like Littlefinger, pulling the strings with an illusion of superiority rather than outright power.

Throughout House of the Dragon season 2, and even other times during season 1, Otto has been regularly undermined. In Game of Thrones, Tywin was rarely, if ever, overruled by Joffrey, Tommen, or any of the kings he served. Tywin held an iron grip over the Seven Kingdoms with relative ease, essentially acting as the king himself up until he was killed by Tyrion. If the latter event had not happened, Tywin Lannister likely would have remained in concealed power until Daenerys invaded Westeros, something that cannot be said for House of the Dragon‘s Otto Hightower.