Meet Ormund Hightower, the Dance of the Dragons Warlord in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3

‘House of the Dragon‘ enthusiasts have spent two seasons hearing about a Hightower who remained unseen, but that changes with the introduction of Ormund Hightower. His name has been a part of King’s Landing politics since Season 2, but Season 3 marks his entrance, sword in hand and army at the ready.

For those trying to navigate the extensive Targaryen family tree, Ormund is a name to remember. He commands significant forces, has familial ties to the Hightowers already featured, and his destiny could alter the greens’ entire military strategy.

James Norton has been cast as Ormund Hightower in Season 3 of HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’, as reported by Deadline. Variety was the first to announce the casting news, which was later confirmed by other trade publications.

Norton joins a talented cast that includes Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, and Steve Toussaint, among many returning faces. Although Ormund was mentioned in Season 2 of ‘House of the Dragon’, this casting confirms his long-awaited appearance on screen.

According to the official character description, Ormund is Otto’s nephew, Alicent and Gwayne’s cousin, and the Lord of Oldtown, based on details obtained by Variety. This places him firmly within the Hightower power structure that has influenced much of the show’s political dynamics from the start.

In the source material, Ormund is the nephew of Ser Otto Hightower, who served as Hand of the King to Jaehaerys I, Viserys I, and Aegon II Targaryen during three different reigns. This lineage positions him as a key player in the Hightower claim to power, rather than just a minor lord caught in a war he wishes to avoid.

He also wields the Valyrian steel sword known as Vigilance, a weapon closely tied to his house’s legacy. Such weapons often carry significant weight in Westeros storytelling, and fans are already speculating about the implications of its presence for his character arc.

Ormund is currently leading the Hightower forces in a march on King’s Landing to bolster his house against Rhaenyra, as detailed in his character breakdown. This sets the stage for what could become one of the season’s major military narratives.

In the books, Ormund commanded the Reach forces for the greens during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, supporting his kinsman King Aegon II Targaryen. His army reportedly included a thousand knights, a thousand archers, three thousand men-at-arms, and many more soldiers with less discipline, although not every lord in the Reach chose to follow him.

During the Battle of the Honeywine, Ormund’s forces found themselves nearly trapped between two opposing armies, and defeat seemed imminent until his squire, Prince Daeron Targaryen, arrived on the dragon Tessarion and turned the tide. Ormund knighted Daeron on the spot, dubbing him “Ser Daeron the Daring,” a moment fans of the books have eagerly anticipated seeing adapted.

His campaign eventually led him to Tumbleton, where the Winter Wolves of the north clashed with his forces. Lord Roderick Dustin broke through Ormund’s ranks and, despite losing an arm to Ormund’s cousin Ser Bryndon Hightower, ultimately killed Lord Ormund himself.

Beyond the battlefield, Ormund had three sons named Lyonel, Martyn, and Garmund, along with a daughter named Bethany, all from his first marriage. None of his sons were old enough to join him in battle when the conflict began, with his eldest, Lyonel, only fifteen at that time.

After the death of his first wife during childbirth, Ormund remarried to Samantha Tarly, a woman just two years older than his son Lyonel. That marriage quickly became strained, as Lady Sam’s family ties were with Houses Tarly and Rowan, both of which had sided with Rhaenyra instead of the greens.

Several accounts suggest that Lady Sam began an affair with her stepson Lyonel behind Ormund’s back, a scandal that deepened following Ormund’s death. After his demise at Tumbleton, the fifteen-year-old Lyonel succeeded his father as Lord of the Hightower and took Lady Sam as his lover.

With James Norton stepping into the role and a full-scale march on King’s Landing already hinted at, ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 appears set to give Ormund Hightower a more prominent role than his book counterpart ever had, leaving fans eager to see which storyline will unfold for the Hightower host and its ill-fated lord.