With Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) barely recognizable after his devastating injuries at Rook’s Rest and Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) still recovering from his own brutal encounter at Harrenhal, House Hightower and the Greens appeared to be losing their grip on the Targaryen civil war in Season 3 of House of the Dragon.

But Episode 5 made one thing painfully clear: Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) long-awaited rise to the Iron Throne does not guarantee peace. While the Blacks have finally achieved the victory they spent years fighting for, a much more calculated and dangerous enemy has begun moving behind the scenes.

That threat comes in the form of Ormund Hightower (James Norton), the Lord of Oldtown, head of House Hightower, and one of the most influential figures now fighting to restore Green control over Westeros.

Unlike warriors who seek glory on the battlefield, Ormund’s strength lies in manipulation, ideology, and patience. Rather than immediately challenging Rhaenyra’s forces with dragons and armies, he has chosen a slower, more strategic approach — one designed to weaken her reign from within.

After appearing to submit to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and falsely pledging loyalty to Rhaenyra, Ormund revealed his true intentions. The Hightower lord deceived Team Black by sending a false version of Prince Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) before retreating with his forces to the town of Tumbleton.

From there, he began preparing a campaign that could reshape the entire Dance of the Dragons.

Ormund’s arrival introduces a new kind of villain to House of the Dragon. While characters such as Aemond and Daemon are defined by their connection to violence and dragons, Ormund represents a different form of danger: someone who believes he is fighting for a greater cause.

James Norton described his character as a deeply ideological figure, explaining that Ormund sees himself as a defender of tradition and order rather than simply another player in a political struggle.

“The way to describe him is like a zealot or religious fanatic,” Norton told TV Insider. “He’s sort of fascistic in his view of the superiority of the Hightowers.”

For Ormund, the Targaryens represent everything wrong with Westeros. He believes their Valyrian heritage, their dragons, and their practice of bloodline preservation have corrupted the realm.

His hatred extends beyond politics. Ormund views dragons as unnatural creatures connected to forbidden magic, and he sees the Targaryens as outsiders who have imposed themselves on Westeros for generations.

“He sees the Targaryens, the dragons, and their riders as savages,” Norton explained. “He believes it is a crime to the Iron Throne that they should be sitting there.”

That belief has shaped the way Ormund has raised Daeron, the youngest son of the late King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).

Although Daeron carries Targaryen blood and rides the magnificent blue dragon Tessarion, his upbringing has been heavily influenced by House Hightower values. Under Ormund’s guidance, the young prince has been taught that his family’s connection to the throne must be controlled by the Hightowers.

Rather than viewing Daeron as an independent ruler, Ormund sees him as the perfect figurehead — a Targaryen king who can be controlled and used to restore what Ormund believes is the proper balance of power.

His plan does not rely only on armies and dragons. Instead, Ormund understands that Rhaenyra’s greatest weakness may be the people she is trying to rule.

Since taking control of King’s Landing, Rhaenyra has faced growing unrest among the smallfolk. Years of war, food shortages, and political uncertainty have created resentment toward the new queen.

Ormund intends to exploit that anger.

In Episode 5, viewers saw him begin a campaign of sabotage by funding violence inside the capital. By encouraging attacks against members of the City Watch, Ormund hopes to make Rhaenyra appear incapable of maintaining order.

His strategy is not about defeating her soldiers directly. It is about making the people lose faith in her leadership.

As he explains to Daeron, “A cunning mind can resist the most savage of beasts.”

The message is clear: even the most powerful dragons can be defeated by someone willing to think beyond the battlefield.

By the end of the episode, Daemon realizes that Ormund is responsible for the chaos spreading through King’s Landing. However, discovering the source of the threat does not mean stopping it.

The damage has already begun.

For Rhaenyra, the realization is equally disturbing. After years of fighting for recognition as the rightful heir, she finds herself facing enemies she cannot simply burn away with dragonfire.

“Something stirs against me: something crouched, something formless,” she tells Daemon. “I feel the dread of it. A cold presentiment.”

Her words reflect the growing uncertainty surrounding her rule. The Iron Throne may finally belong to her, but holding it will prove far more difficult than claiming it.

Meanwhile, the conflict is moving toward one of the most important battles of the entire Targaryen civil war.

Both Team Green and Team Black forces are gathering around Tumbleton, where Ormund’s army has established its position. Rhaenyra has sent Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) and his massive dragon Vermithor to prevent the Hightower forces from escaping.

For readers familiar with George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the source material behind House of the Dragon, the events approaching Tumbleton are among the most infamous moments of the Dance of the Dragons.

The television adaptation has already made several changes from the book, but the importance of the battle remains unchanged.

The Battle of Tumbleton is remembered as one of the bloodiest and most devastating confrontations of the civil war. It represents a major turning point, with alliances shattered, loyalties tested, and powerful figures making choices that permanently change the future of Westeros.

Without revealing exactly what will happen, viewers should prepare for betrayal, destruction, and consequences that will affect both the Greens and the Blacks.

House of the Dragon has always shown that the greatest danger facing the Targaryens is not only their enemies — but also their own ambition, pride, and inability to escape the violence created by their ancestors.

With Ormund Hightower now stepping into the spotlight, Season 3 is proving that the war for the Iron Throne is no longer just a battle between two rival factions.

It is becoming a struggle between competing visions of what Westeros should become.

And as both sides march toward Tumbleton, the Dance of the Dragons is about to become even more devastating.