House of the Dragon season 2: Where is Otto Hightower and what happens to him in the books

*WARNING - This article contains major spoilers for the House of the Dragon season 2 finale and minor spoilers for Fire & Blood.*

House of the Dragon season 2’s grand finale saw various factions rally their troops as they prepared for an all-out war. However, some fans of the HBO show were left slightly distracted after catching a very brief glimpse of Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who no one has heard from in a long while.

The final episode of the Game of Thrones spin-off’s second instalment saw Team Green and Team Black ready themselves for battle by both land and sea. But in the midst of all the chaos, we discover Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is sitting behind bars - without being told why.

After losing his role as Hand of the King all the way back in episode two, Otto departs King’s Landing with plans of reuniting with his grandson, Daeron Targaryen, in Oldtown. Yet it seems he may never have made it to Oldtown at all.

His plans are to help his family in their war against Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), yet he is notably absent throughout the season. Later on, his daughter Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) tells her brother Gwayne (Freddie Fox) that their father hasn’t responded to any of her letters.

Where is Otto Hightower?

Following the dramatic season 2 finale, showrunner Ryan Condal spoke about Otto in an Inside the Episode video. 

He said: “We find Otto in this cell somewhere, and we don’t know quite where he is or what happened to him.”

That is all he said, however, meaning fans are still scratching their heads over what could have happened to the patriarch of House Hightower.

Where is Otto Hightower at this point in the books?

In George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, Otto embarks on an important mission at this point in the book, meaning the showrunners have clearly got a different plan for the character in the TV adaptation.

Instead of Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), it is Otto who meets with the Triarchy to make a deal in Fire & Blood.

Does this major change to Otto’s character arc signify bigger twists to come? Only time will tell.

What clues has season 2 already given about Otto Hightower’s fate?

In season 2, episode 7, Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) mentions the Hightowers during a council meeting. 

Referring to a plotline that also exists in Fire & Blood, he says: “There is great concern that [Ormud Hightower’s] host is threatened on two fronts by armies allied with House Beesbury.” 

This comes after Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) killed Lord Lyman Beesbury in a fit of rage when the Green Council stole the throne at the end of season 1.

The news didn’t sit so well with Lyman’s grandson, Ser Alan Beesbury, and Alan Tarly. The pair even form an army to seek revenge on the Hightowers.

With a battle between these houses looking increasingly likely, could it be possible that Beesbury and Tarly captured Otto on his way to Oldtown?

House of the Dragon season 2 is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and HBO.