House of the Dragon season 3, episode 7 turns its attention from open warfare to the quieter danger of manipulation. Rhaenyra Targaryen’s appointment of Torrhen Manderly as Master of Coin has helped fuel anger among King’s Landing’s smallfolk, while Mysaria attempts to appeal to Rhaenyra on a deeply personal level. The episode’s most effective strategist, however, is Ormund Hightower.
Since the Blacks took King’s Landing, Ormund has steadily weakened Rhaenyra’s position. The destruction of the City Watch left the capital feeling vulnerable, and the queen’s popular support has begun to disappear. By the episode’s final moments, it is clear that the threat is no longer limited to the streets: someone within Rhaenyra’s circle may soon turn against her.
There is no spectacular cliffhanger this week, but the episode places several important pieces on the board before the season 3 finale. Here are the key developments and what they could mean for the coming battle.
What is Ormund Hightower planning?
The Greens’ latest manoeuvre is the capture of Tumbleton, a market town close to King’s Landing. With the townspeople held effectively as hostages, Ormund understands that Rhaenyra cannot simply send her dragons to attack without risking the deaths of innocent civilians. That gives his forces time to prepare and puts the queen in an uncomfortable position.
Ormund’s campaign has already turned parts of the population against Rhaenyra, but episode 7 reveals a more ambitious objective. He wants to undermine the queen’s dragonriders as well.
The Greens are badly short of reliable dragon power. Vhagar and Aemond are missing, Sunfyre and Aegon are believed to be dead, and Daeron’s Tessarion is still too young and small to provide a decisive advantage. Persuading even one of Rhaenyra’s new riders to defect could therefore have a major impact.
Ulf the White is an obvious target. His drinking companions may accept him, but Rhaenyra and her council have never regarded him as dependable or respectable. His position near the queen gives him valuable knowledge of her plans, meaning Ormund could use him to anticipate the Blacks’ attempt to reclaim Tumbleton.
Rhaenyra may believe that Ulf and Hugh the Hammer make her position stronger. Instead, Ulf’s betrayal could leave her facing a carefully prepared trap.
Why did Ulf the White betray the Blacks?
Ulf rides Silverwing, and his presence was one reason Rhaenyra felt confident enough to seize King’s Landing. Yet he has repeatedly shown resentment towards the people above him. He struggles with courtly manners, challenges instructions and complains that the newly elevated dragonriders deserve more than simple knighthoods.
That frustration reaches a breaking point when Daemon Targaryen finds Ulf in the city, despite orders forbidding him from going there. Daemon beats him in front of the common people, humiliating Ulf before the very community whose approval matters to him.
Ulf has always wanted greater status, wealth or influence. Ormund offers all three by promising to make him Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark. After Daemon’s public assault, that offer is likely to feel even more attractive.
Will Hugh the Hammer betray Rhaenyra?
In George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, Ulf and Hugh both betray Rhaenyra at Tumbleton. Their actions earn them the name the Two Betrayers. The book does not explain their motives, but the television adaptation has given Ulf a clear reason to change sides. Hugh’s position remains far less certain.
The show presents Ulf as ambitious, while Hugh became a dragonrider largely to protect his future with his wife. That choice has already caused pain: Hugh discovers that his wife believes he abandoned her. Although Hugh has displayed a violent side, the episode has not yet established why he would willingly join Ormund.
One possibility involves Hugh’s dragon, Vermithor. Vermithor and Silverwing have been bonded to one another for many years. If Ulf ordered Silverwing to attack, would Vermithor obey Hugh and strike at his mate? Hugh’s bond with Vermithor may not be strong enough to overcome the dragons’ existing relationship, potentially forcing Hugh to follow Ulf’s lead.
That would be a grim outcome for Hugh, who currently appears genuinely loyal to Rhaenyra. Still, House of the Dragon has repeatedly rewarded suspicion and punished certainty. The coming Battle of Tumbleton may determine whether the Blacks lose one dragonrider, two, or something even more damaging.
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