House of the Dragon Season 3: How does the Battle of Tumbleton compare to the book?
Ever since Ormund Hightower (James Norton) took over the town of Tumbleton in House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 3, fans knew the Battle of Tumbleton was imminent.
One of the most infamous battles in George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the Battle of Tumbleton is a resounding defeat for Rhaenyra’s forces, made all the worse by the betrayal of some of her dragonriders. House of the Dragon‘s Season 3 finale gets these broad strokes right, but just like with the Battle of the Gullet, several key details are different from the source material. From missing traitors to new participants, here are the biggest differences between House of the Dragon‘s Battle of Tumbleton and Fire and Blood‘s.
House of the Dragon reverses who’s laying siege to who in the Battle of Tumbleton.
Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO
When the Battle of Tumbleton breaks out in Fire and Blood, Rhaenyra’s forces hold the town, while Ormund’s armies attack. House of the Dragon reverses this. By the time the battle happens, Ormund has a long-established presence in Tumbleton, and it’s Rhaenyra who’s had to weigh whether to attack or not.
The switcheroo offers up several opportunities for House of the Dragon. On one side of the war, it amplifies Rhaenyra’s moral dilemma: Should she attack Tumbleton and risk harming her subjects, or should she take a peaceful approach and be labeled as weak? On the other end of the battlefield, it allows House of the Dragon to explore Ormund’s sadistic side, first with his poor treatment of dissenting Tumbleton residents, then with his wartime strategy of using children as human shields. That plan is a show-only creation, as is much of Ormund’s personality. Martin only provided a sketch of Ormund, just as he does for most of Fire and Blood‘s characters and events. House of the Dragon is simply filling in the lines.
Corlys and Gwayne’s plan for peace is completely new.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Before the Battle of Tumbleton breaks out in House of the Dragon, Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) try to use Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) as a bargaining chip to sue for peace.
Notably, neither Gwayne nor Corlys are present at the Battle of Tumbleton in Fire and Blood. Corlys never becomes a prisoner, and Gwayne is long dead by this point, slain when Rhaenyra took over King’s Landing. Their plan, then, is a show-only creation, although it’s in keeping with the show’s repeated storylines of of people trying their best to stop inevitable bloodshed.
Daemon is not at Tumbleton in Fire and Blood.
Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO
Speaking of people who aren’t at Tumbleton in Fire and Blood, everyone give a warm welcome to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)! The King Consort is nowhere near the Battle of Tumbleton when it goes down in the book. However, his presence here makes sense, since most of the key players on Team Black in the book, aside from Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan), have been cut from the show. The show has consistently cut bit parts from the book and shuffled lead characters into their place, and here is no exception. Because let’s be honest, who are viewers more likely to be invested in: Daemon, whom they’ve followed since Season 1, or someone they barely know, like Ser Garibald Grey?
Daeron and Tessarion get in on the action in Fire and Blood.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Instead of trying to sue for peace like he does in the show, Fire and Blood‘s Daeron Targaryen actually joins in on the fight on his dragon, Tessarion. The show’s take on Daeron is less battle-tested, and even though he wants to take to the skies, Gwayne winds up dissuading him. While House of the Dragon leaves his fate uncertain, here’s hoping the young Targaryen prince can get some airtime next season.
The search for Ulf the White is not in Fire and Blood.
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In an entirely new subplot, Ormund spends a good chunk of the Season 3 finale looking for Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), his final piece on the board for the battle. Ulf being Ulf, though, he had one too many pints with the lads and has wound up passed out in the privy. Fire and Blood may label him a vile turncoat, but at least it lets him keep his dignity!
After Ormund slaps Ulf around for his lateness, Ulf realizes that no matter which ruler he serves, they’ll always see him as inferior. From there, he betrays yet another ally, scorching Ormund in a fiery “screw you.”
Hugh Hammer also betrays Rhaenyra in Fire and Blood.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
On the subject of vile turncoats, let’s talk about Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew). In Fire and Blood, he joins Ulf in turning on Rhaenyra, and he and Vermithor help burn Tumbleton to a crisp. Fire and Blood states that history may never truly know why the Two Betrayers switched sides, although it floats both greed and cowardice as options.
House of the Dragon keeps the greed the motivation for Ulf, but it’s changed Hugh and his motivations completely from the book. A brute in the source material, Hugh is a family man in the show, who’s been trying to make amends with his estranged wife, Kat (Ellora Torchia). That’s why he winds up in Tumbleton. He’s not betraying Rhaenyra or razing armies on dragon back. Instead, he’s fighting to find Kat. When he does find her, it’s too late. As he grieves her loss, could this mark the start of his own turncoat arc? We’re far from the book when it comes to Hugh, so we’ll have to wait until Season 4 to see if he’ll join Ulf in the traitor club.
