House of the Dragon: Larys Strong’s foot fetish, explained

That’s right, folks: in House of the Dragon Episode 9, we learn Larys Strong has an insatiable foot fetish – so, if you really want to know more, let’s dive in.

In the world of Game of Thrones, every sexual proclivity is on the table. This is a franchise where incest isn’t just considered to be normal, but even romantic, especially with the reception to Rhaenyra and Daemon.

So, let it be said from the outset: a foot fetish is incredibly tame, and if we can handle half of Game of Thrones’ really uncomfortable sex scenes, this should be a walk in the park.

Without further ado, let’s talk about Larys Strong, the Littlefinger of House of the Dragon with a simple sexual kick.

House of the Dragon: Larys Strong has a foot fetish

In Episode 9, Larys Strong keeps a keen eye on Otto and Alicent’s efforts to find Aegon in King’s Landing. As we saw with the murder of his brother Harwin, he’s a schemer looking to curry favor with the Queen, and he once told her: “You will reward me when the time is right.”

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Alicent later finds Larys in her chambers, wishing to tell her how Otto managed to find Aegon first – but at a price. Is it money, or the promise of power under her son’s stewardship of the throne? No, he just wants to see her ordinary feet, with each tease – the removal of shoes, and then her stockings – seen as payment for more information.

After revealing Otto’s web of spies, he suggests Alicent should kill her father to prevent any further interference. Alicent asks if it’s something he could organize, and for obliging such a deed, she places her feet up on the couch. What does he do next? Well, he masturbates, of course! Enjoy feeling grossly uncomfortable.

House of the Dragon: Why does Larys Strong have a foot fetish?

While one doesn’t need to justify their sexual fetishes, Larys Strong’s kink is easy to work out – his nickname is “Clubfoot”, after all.

As per George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, he’s known as the “Clubfoot” because his foot was twisted at birth, causing him to have a limp throughout his life. So, he gets aroused by the sight of a well-turned foot.

Episode 9 makes a point of focusing on the affected foot, pointing inwards as he walks. His role is being expanded for the show compared to the book, as there’s nothing in Fire & Blood about a foot fetish.

In an earlier interview with Entertainment Weekly, Needham spoke about bringing the character to life, saying: “It’s a hard one because the enjoyable parts I find in this character – in the books, anyway – is the mystery box element of him, where you’re not entirely sure why he’s doing what he does.

“It’s why it makes interviews quite hard, because I’d love to maintain that slight mystery box aspect of him. If you start explaining away things, it suddenly becomes less interesting. But that was something I was always interested in: the man who’s out of focus, and then he slowly comes into focus. I don’t know if he’s fully in focus yet.”

House of the Dragon Episode 10, the Season 1 finale, will be available to watch on October 23 in the US and October 24 in the UK.