Otto Hightower is captured, imprisoned, and then executed in the show’s later Season 3 storyline, not during Season 2. He’s found in the dungeons, brought before Rhaenyra, and ultimately beheaded after she retakes power.

What Season 2 left him with

By the end of Season 2, Otto is no longer in control at King’s Landing, and his fate is left hanging off-screen. The show uses that gap to set up his return much later.

What happens next

When he reappears, it’s in captivity, and the reveal is that Larys Strong had him held as a bargaining chip. That setup leads directly to Rhaenyra carrying out the execution herself.

Why fans talked about it

A big part of the reaction came from the show changing the books: instead of an off-page end, the series turns his death into a personal, on-screen revenge moment. That made it one of the more discussed twists around the character.

TL;DR: Otto doesn’t die in Season 2; his story is paused there, then resolved later with imprisonment and execution in the show’s next major chapter.