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⚡ Quick Take

• House of the Dragon is back and bloodier than ever for season three, which features a lot of major deaths in a battle for the Iron Throne.

House of the Dragon is back for season three and whoa did it not waste any time diving right into the action. Rhaenyra’s continuous quest to sit upon the Iron Throne and claim her place as her father’s rightful heir and Alicent’s cold, villainous decisions to attempt to clean up her royal messes are at the forefront of this season as battles rage on. As is customary with any story of war and revenge, there will be a lot of bloodshed and big deaths in House of the Dragon season three. So, who ends up losing their life in this conflict between Team Black and Team Green? Here is every major death that happens in House of the Dragon season three. 

Note: We are only counting main and important named characters. Sorry to all the ancillary soldiers and random people who are caught in the line of fire between Rhaenyra’s rage and Alicent’s boneheadedness. 

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What Is HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Battle of the Gullet? (Spoiler Free) Jump To: HOTD Season 3, Episode 1 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 2 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 6 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 8 Deaths House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 Major Deaths Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and His Dragon Vermax HBO

Believing in Alicent’s offer to let her come into King’s Landing and take power, Rhaenyra sends her naval forces, led by the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon, in that direction to control the city. Her wise son Jace strongly advises against this, saying that it is likely a trap. This decision leads to the Battle of the Gullet when the Triarchy shows up and Admiral Sharako Lohar is determined to take the Sea Snake down. Rhaenyra gets word of this and hastily decides that she will ride Syrax into battle; however, Jace comes up with a plan to protect his mother’s life. 

He conspires with Sir Lorent to lock Rhaenyra in her room, and Jace instead rides off with Baela on their respective dragons, Vermax and Moondancer. Unbeknownst to them, Rhaena rides a very untamed Sheepstealer into battle, who begins to burn everything and tries to attack the other dragons. This leads to Vermax being harpooned for a second time. Vermax drowns and Jace manages to unhook himself, but is shot down with several arrows, ending the first episode of House of the Dragon season three with a very major and sad death. Now, Rhaenyra will have to deal with losing two sons in her journey towards the Iron Throne. 

Admiral Sharako Lohar  Ollie Upton/HBO

Sure, she’s not necessarily the most “major” character in this show. But Admiral Sharako Lohar made quite the splash with her appearance at the end of season two, and fans were ready to see more from her. The Battle of Gullet features much bloodshed and fire, much of it fueled by Admiral Sharako Lohar’s hatred of Lord Corlys. She wishes to exact revenge on him, saying that he led the persecution and slaughter of her mates for 20 years. She doesn’t care what the King’s mission is, nor is she Team Green. She is driven by hatred, and after much tense battle and chase, finally gets her one-on-one fight against Lord Corlys.

Interestingly, Lohar’s drowning at the hands of Alyn of Hull was a creation of the show. In George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the Lyseni admiral survived the Battle of the Gullet. His ship was one of the 28 out of 90 not to burn or sink. Lohar’s survival, and the fact that 25 in total hailed from Lys, helped lead the three Free Cities of the Triarchy to go to war with one another two years later.

As the ship splits, it throws Corlys into the sea, a sight that makes his illegitimate son Alyn of Hull incredibly angry. Alyn tackles Sharako into the seas and attempts to drown her before finally stabbing her in the neck. It’s kinda sad because she was lit but she also dug her own grave by going rogue against the Sea Snake.

House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Major Deaths Ser Simon Strong  HBO

After delivering news to Daemon about Jace’s death, Ser Simon Strong returns to Harrenhal. Little did he know that he’d meet his demise at the hands of Aemond, who continues to operate in a state of chaos. Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King’s Landing and to go to Harrenhal to secretly get him and Vhagar away so that Rhaenyra can take the throne and she can finally escape with her daughter, he arrives there in a fiery fashion. Vhagar cooks most of the soldiers and Aemond goes inside to confront a shocked Ser Simon.

He asks for Daemon before telling Simon to draw his sword, which is just plain cruel. Simon is certainly not a fighter and he’s also an older man. Simon comes close and tries to tell him that the army has decamped, but Aemond stabs him and kills the others in the room. However, Aemond is stabbed in the back and collapses in front of an unsympathetic Alys. We already know she wants control of Harrenhal, so she has no inclination to help Aemond. 

Otto Hightower  HBO

Otto finally came back after being locked away in King’s Landing for a long time. But his return was short because he lost his head to Rhaenyra. After Rhaenyra and Daemon slay their way to the Iron Throne, he goes with a band of soldiers and finds Grand Maester Orwyle, who quickly bends the knee and offers up a prisoner to literally save his own neck. That person is Jasper Wylde, the same man who tried to sexually assault Alicent. But, another man says there is a gift left for him by Lord Larys Strong, yet another prisoner to kill. 

That person is none other than Otto Hightower, whom we haven’t seen in a very long time. We knew that he was replaced as the King’s Hand when Aegon took the throne. After Ser Criston Cole took his place, he left to gather allies in the Reach but disappeared. Last season, we saw him in a dark jail but it wasn’t clear where he was. Well, it seems he was in King’s Landing the entire time, and Alicent didn’t have a clue. 

Otto and Wylde are brought to Rhaenyra. Daemon tells her that she must take their heads to assert her authority, but she hesitates. To be fair, she’s not a soldier like he is and, at one point, she did care for her former best friend’s father. But she finally did what needed to be done and chopped both of their heads off. Predictably, Alicent is captured and she’s brought into the room to see her father’s lifeless body on the floor. Welp! 

House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 Major Deaths Ser Criston Cole

We’ve seen quite a few deaths transpire in the last couple of episodes with City Watch, hired assassins, and more dying. But it wasn’t until episode six when we got another shocking death in House of the Dragon when Ser Criston Cole died. His army is ambushed by Tully soldiers and they fight back valiantly. Roderick and Oscar arrive, and Criston challenges him to a duel. However, Alysanne Blackwell shoots him with three arrows. It’s a death that we don’t love for many reasons.

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HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Butchered Yet Another Amazing Book Moment House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 8 Major Deaths

Somehow, the finale of House of the Dragon is in the world and season three is a wrap. We know that the series will have a fourth and final season, and that we had to go into it with more demises. The Battle of Tumbleton brought plenty of deaths, but that wasn’t the only place that it happened.

The High Septon

Determined to have the High Septon’s blessing as the true Queen, Rhaenyra pays his holy abode a visit with Alyn and a full escort in tow. But that does not sway the High Septon from sticking to his decision to not do as she wants, especially in light of the news about Aegon being alive.

She calls the High Septon a traitor and orders Alyn to kill him, and he hesitates because harming the High Septon is basically damning your soul to Hell. Rhaenyra is able to influence Alyn, saying his Old Valyria blood answers to higher gods. Alyn kills the High Septon and the others kill the holy men around him. 

Ormund Hightower HBO

Ormund Hightower met his fiery death at the battle in Tumbleton in the season three finale. After convincing Ulf the White to turn on Rhaenyra’s forces, Ormund and Ser Roderick get into a one-on-one battle. He manages to lob Roderick’s arm off, but gets a sword up his butt in return.

Ulf burns many of Daemon’s forces, then redirects his dragon’s attention to Orumund, showing that he has no loyalty to anyone but himself. It remains to be seen if Daeron is alive or dead, but we know that Gwayne is looking for him. 

Helaena Targaryen

This is certainly one of the saddest deaths in House of the Dragon overall. When Rhaenyra sends Mysaria away, she crosses paths with Helaena and gives her a dark warning. Mysaria tells Helaena not to trust the queen and that Aegon lives and her unborn child will be a political pawn, just like Helaena feared. Her dreams of having freedom with her children and getting away from all of this chaos (none of which is her fault) were completely crushed.

She finished her needlework, which displays her death as well as Rhaenyra’s potentially fiery ending, and jumped from her window. Of course, Alicent isn’t back yet and will have to deal with the ramifications of leaving her daughter alone to attempt to kill her son. You deserved better, Helaena. 

Roderick Dustin HBO

Ser Roderick went into the battle at Tumbleton fully willing to die for his Queen, and that’s exactly what happened. After forcing his way into the city and allowing forces to flood in, Roderick found Ormun and they got into a swordfight atop a wall. Roderick lost his arm but didn’t lose his wit nor spunk.

Roderick takes his sword and sticks it right up Ormund’s butt, a fitting consequence for a jerk. The duo die when Ulf flies over and cooks them with his dragon.

Tai Gooden is the Features Editor for Nerdist, a fictional villian apologist, and a horror aficionado who is forever waiting for her trip in the TARDIS.

Originally published June 21, 2026.

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⚡ Quick Take

• The Five Nights at Freddy’s universe is opening a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027.
• The location will be in East Rutherford, NJ, and it is not clear if other locations will pop up in the future.
• The pizza joint will have food, two animatronic shows, and horror games for Five Nights at Freddy’s fans.
• Nerdist’s Take: Five Nights at Freddy’s new Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location will be nostalgic fun for Gen Z.

As an adult, one of the scariest places that you can go is Chuck E. Cheese. There’s a ton of mostly unsupervised children running around with an unhinged amount of energy. Everyone is yelling and there’s a ton of flashing lights, expensive yet cheap games, and food that isn’t great. And, of course, Charles Entertainment Cheese and his weird animatronic band are chilling, too. Perhaps that’s why Five Nights at Freddy’s is so frightening, and why we are a little concerned that a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza is coming in 2027. 

Universal Pictures

According to Variety, this location will be in East Rutherford, NJ. It will mimic the infamous pizza joint from the games as well as the ongoing film franchise. The real-life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will have two animatronic stage shows: one with Freddy and the Fazbear band and the Pirate Cove featuring Foxy the Pirate. Hopefully, they are just there to entertain attendees and not for more sinister reasons. Those who are brave enough to attend can play games, eat pizza, and even play survival horror multiplayer games. 

“The only way this experience succeeds is if it’s created by a team that knows Five Nights at Freddy’s inside and out,” said Atreyu Alcantar, creative manager, licensing & location-based entertainment at American Dream and creative lead for the attraction. “The animatronic show has to be authentic. The food has to be high quality. And above all else, we’re not building a set that looks like Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza – we’re building Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. This experience will immerse longtime fans in the world they’ve imagined for years while welcoming an entirely new audience to discover it for the first time.” 

Nerdist’s Take: A Five Nights at Freddy’s Real Life Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Is Gen Z Heaven

FNAF, as the youths call it, is a relatively newer franchise that got its start in 2014. While there are likely younger Millennials who were playing the game, it probably resonates more with Gen Z. And right now, Gen Z is out and about in the world, hanging out with friends, going to movies, and spending money. This location will give them that nostalgia of their youth, especially if they are elder Gen Z and in their late 20s.

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Even for the younger Gen Z crowd, Five Nights at Freddy’s was a part of their elementary school experience and they have basically grown up with this franchise as their gateway into gaming and horror. So while I, a Millennial who is almost 40, do not wish to go to the weird animatronic pizza place, my almost 17-year-old is excited and will surely end up planning a trip against my will.

We will have to see when the real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza comes to life in 2027 to give us a full Five Nights at Freddy’s experience.

The post FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S Will Open Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza in 2027 appeared first on Nerdist.

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Discovered Materials raised $9 million to fund the hunt for more novel materials to build more efficient chips.

The ability to add Venmo to Google Play comes as people are spending more money on apps and games.

House of the Dragon’s season three finale was a big one that impacted both Team Black and Team Green. Both sides took some major losses, thanks to the Battle of Tumbleton, and those fractures and betrayals will inform big decisions next season. While some deaths gave us great delight, there was one that was rather sad and somber. The death of Helaena Targaryen didn’t happen onscreen in House of the Dragon, but we felt the impact all the same… and so did Rhaenyra. 

⚡ Quick Take

• Helaena Targaryen dies by suicide in the season three finale of House of the Dragon.
• She takes her own life after a warning from Mysaria and continued harassment from Rhaenyra.
• Rhaenyra finds Helaena’s needlepoint work, which contains a bad omen for her own future demise.

In the episode, Helaena was still refusing to eat despite being pregnant. This, coupled with her limited time outdoors and lack of engaging with others, was taking quite the toll on the princess. Her mother Alicent was off to murder her son Aemond (and failed miserably) and Rhaenyra was harassing her about dreams and s**t when all she wanted to do was needlepoint and chill. She dreamed of a life where she could be free from all of this political drama and anger, but that wasn’t meant to happen for her.

Helaena receives a warning from Mysaria to not trust the queen and that Aegon was alive. She said that her child would be a pawn in this fight for the throne, and Helaena takes her words to heart. Of course, Mysaria is upset about being dismissed coldly by Rhaenyra and this is a jab back at her. But she’s not wrong, either. 

RELATED ARTICLE

Every Major Character Death in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 3

After finishing her piece, Helaena jumps out of the window to her death, which we find out about at the end of the episode. Rhaenyra enters her quarters to see the window open and finds what Helaena was working on. The artwork depicts her death and tears but also shows Rhaenyra standing in front of the Iron Throne. There’s fire and blood (ha) and dragons, signaling a horrific end to her reign.

Whether Rhaenyra truly believes this is her fate is debatable because 1) she’s delusional and 2) she could think that Helaena did this as one last middle finger to her. Either way, she will now have to answer to Alicent, who assumes that Aemond is dead and now will return to discover that her daughter and unborn grandchild are dead. 

Ollie Upton/HBO

It is sad that the only way Helaena could find peace and freedom in her life was through dying by suicide. We will have to wait and see what prices are paid when House of the Dragon returns for its fourth and final season.

The post This HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 3 Death Hints at a Bleak Future appeared first on Nerdist.

This post contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon season three, episode eight. If you want to avoid them for now you can instead check out our coverage of episode seven.

⚡ Quick Take

• House of the Dragon‘s season three finale revealed some shocking facts about Alys Rivers’ past.
• Her history with the Children of the Forest and immortal curse dates back to Aegon’s Conquest of Westeros.
• Could Alys Rivers’ long life and relationship with Aemond Targaryen mean they’re the parents of an infamous Targaryen bastard?

HBO

Alys Rivers has long been one of Blood and Fire’s most fascinating figures. Self-taught medicine woman? Woods witch? Greenseer? Enchanting servant with a knack for trickery and wooing Targaryen princes? Dark sorceress? In House of the Dragon‘s season three finale, we learned she is somehow all of that and so much more. She’s an immortal woman more than 150 years old who is also cursed to remain in the Riverlands for trying to cheat death. She tried to use very old magic to save her son from Aegon the Conqueror’s dragonflame.

While that makes her fascinating enough on her own, Alys’ relationship with Aemond One-Eye also suggests she will also play a role in saving the world of men. There’s reason to believe one of the most important players in the Game of Thrones is her son.

Who Was Alys Rivers Before Aegon the Conqueror Came to Westeros?

Alys Rivers has been a mysterious character since she first arrived in House of the Dragon to tell Daemon he will die at Harrenhal. Part de facto maester, part possible witch, and entirely unknowable, the “bastard” woman of Harrenhal has somehow been aware of events that should have been impossible to know. That included things that hadn’t happened yet. She also knew the castle, its grounds, and its history intimately. And she helped Daemon see the vision of the prophecy of Ice and Fire, one she also knows about, via the castle’s sacred weirwood tree.

You don’t have to be highborn to be a greenseer capable of seeing the past, present, and future through weirwood trees. But during season three, Alys also said she is cursed, and it did not seem to be knowledge that made her say that. In the finale, we found out exactly what she meant when she told Aemond why she’s so alone.

Her curse began roughly 130 years prior when Aegon the Conqueror burned Harrenhal and with it the last King of the Isles and the Rivers. The cruel ruler who built the Realm’s largest castle with torture and the wood of sacred weirwoods was Harren the Black of House Hoare. Aegon also killed all of Harren’s sons, ending the line of Harren entirely… but not right away. One of Harren’s sons survived for a little while after Aegon’s dragon burned him. Alys did everything she could to save the boy because it was her child. She was Harren’s wife and Harrenhal her home. Here’s what she told Aemond about her past:

When the dragon Balerion burned this place, it was to end Lord Harren’s line. But his line was not so easily ended. A child, a boy, lived on. Burned terribly, but alive. His mother would have given anything to save him. She summoned maesters from across the Seven Kingdoms, but to no avail. So, she turned to older cures. She uncovered incantations more ancient than the land. She treated with things that lived in the forest. But none of it could unmake what dragon fire made. And when the boy was gone……she…she tried to go with him.

And that is when she learned the cost. She discovered then she was cursed to live on, to remain within the bounds of the river kings of old, cursed for sharing in Harren’s avarice. Stripped of her name, her title, her castle. And sentenced to serve every ha’penny lord who came here to rule it.

HBO

The history of the Riverlands long predates the arrival of the First Men. When they moved into the region,

they warred with the Children of the Forest, whose own history in Westeros is much older than anyone will ever know.

When the First Men and the Children agreed to The Pact that ended their war, they did so at the God’s Eye lake. It sits near Harrenhal. The island in the middle of the God’s Eye where they signed it, the Isle of Faces, is full of weirwoods. The sacred order created to protect the Isle and its trees are known as the Green Men. They have lived there for thousands and thousands of years. Those strange little men with antlers have also kept eye on Harrenhal’s woods on House of the Dragon.

Read more about one of the most fascinating and important places in all of A Song of Ice and Fire with our History of Thrones: Gods Eye and the Isle of Faces.

HBO

The “incantations more ancient than the land” and the “things that lived in the forest” Alys treated with sound like the Green Men, the ageless Children of the Forest, and the deep lost magic that predates the arrival of men. But even those ancient powers weren’t enough to undo what dragon fire had done, and Alys lost her son. Only then—just as Daenerys will one day learn the price of trying to save her dying husband Khal Drogo with dark magic—did Alys learn “the cost.”

Her hubris in trying to cheat death meant she couldn’t die, and despite being at least 150 years old she hasn’t aged since Aegon the Conqueror burned her sons. But eternal life didn’t just stop her from joining her son. Her attempts to cheat the Stranger also cost “Alys” her real name, her title, and “her castle.” Instead of being Harren’s wife (someone we know nothing about) she became Alys Rivers, an immortal with incredible powers bound to the Riverlands she cannot leave. Instead of ruling in her family’s castle, she must atone for trying to defeat death. Part of her punishment for using ancient magic that belonged to the Children of the Forest is serving every lord who comes through the cursed castle. (All of whom die.)

HBO

Alys wanted Rhaenyra to grant her Harrenhal because Alys believes it’s rightful hers. But she doesn’t want to be alone when she reclaims it. She wants Aemond to be her dragonlord and she is Lady of the Water. Even if she can’t leave, she can still rule from there. And they have the dragon eggs, and now it seems the knowledge of the magic needed to hatch them, to do exactly that.

But it might be a different kind of dragon Alys will give birth to who will carry on her legacy.

Warning: We’re going to get into some future spoilers from Fire & Blood. There is no guarantee they will happen on House of the Dragon. But just in case, if you want to avoid them entirely skip ahead.

HBO Is One of the Most Important Figures in Westeros’ History The Offspring of Alys Rivers and Aemond Targaryen?

When Daemon saw the vision of Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy,vd he saw a descendent of House Targaryen. He saw the Three-Eyed Raven. (He’s called the Three-Eyed Crow in the books, but we’re dealing with HBO’s Westeros, so he’s a Raven for now.)

Read more about one of the most fascinating and important places in all of A Song of Ice and Fire with our History of Thrones: Brynden Rivers, The Three-Eyed Raven of King’s Landing

HBO

Before his body was overtaken by the roots of a weirwood tree beyond the Wall, the Three-Eyed Raven was known as Lord Brynden Rivers, also called Bloodraven. Brynden Rivers was a Great Bastard of House Targaryen who remained loyal to the crown during the family’s second civil war. He served as Hand to multiple Kings and went on to become Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Many also believed him to be a dark sorcerer who knew things he shouldn’t. That was partly true because he was a greenseer who could also disguise himself with magic.

He also far outlived his mortal life, living long enough to train Bran Stark so he could help stop the Night King. The albino Bloodraven also lost an eye to a family member and wielded the Targaryen ancestral sword Dark Sister, which currently belongs to the man who might actually be his father.

Now that we know Alys Rivers’ past, everything we know about Brynden Rivers—who developed a sacred bond with the Children—makes him sound like the child of Alys and Aemond. At the very least, he sounds like their direct descendent. His mother was a woman of the Riverlands, but she spent many years in King’s Landing where Brynden was born. Or was he? Was the baby swapped out? Did Alys learn how to leave her cursed chains, take on the form of a Blackwood woman, and head to King’s Landing?

HBO

There are many specifics that seem to make it impossible for her to be Brynden’s actual mother. But not really. When you’re dealing with ancient magic, rules and logic don’t apply. Who is to say what’s possible for a baby born decades earlier to an immortal woman? And this seems even more possible since Fire & Blood tells us Alys gave birth to Aemond’s son, ruled over Harrenhal, was said to have a dragon, and then disappeared from history entirely.

What happened to the boy? What happened to Alys Rivers? We don’t know. But the Three-Eyed Raven—the man who Alys helped Daemon see in his vision—certainly does.

Aemond will one day say Alys “sees much and more.” Just as people will whisper Lord Bloodraven has a “thousand eyes and one.” They will fear his powers that let him see across time and space. They will be right about him just as Aemond was right about Alys.

Is House of the Dragon‘s Alys Rivers Revelation Canon? Ollie Upton/HBO

Nothing on the show is canon to the books. But this revelation about Alys Rivers doesn’t conflict with the tale told in Fire & Blood. If true, it actually answers many questions raised by the in-world history. It has also raised even more about the real legacy Alys will leave behind when she is lost to history. None are bigger than the child she had with Aemond. Is it possible she bore a powerful, strange Targaryen bastard we already know? Because if she did, he sounds just like his mother and father.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Does HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Alys Revelation Connect to a GOT Character? appeared first on Nerdist.

This post contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon‘s season three finale. If you want to avoid them for now you can instead check out our coverage of episode seven.

HBO ⚡ Quick Take

• House of the Dragon combined two battles at Tumbleton from Fire & Blood into one massive showdown in season three’s finale.
• The show’s version featured major changes

House of the Dragon greatly changed the story of Tumbleton when Ormund Hightower easily sacked the unoccupied market town loyal to Rhaenyra. In Fire & Blood, the Blacks already controlled the city before it was fought over in two major events. Those two infamous moments changed the outcome of the Dance of the Dragons and Westeros forever. And what we know about what happened after the First Battle of Tumbleton might reveal what awaits after House of the Dragon‘s very different version.

What Major Changes Did House of the Dragon Make to the Battle of Tumbleton?

In Fire & Blood, Tumbleton was originally controlled by Rhaenyra’s forces. The river lords and Northern graybeards had taken up residence in the market town not far from King’s Landing. Rhaenyra’s dragonriders Ulf and Hugh were also on hand to defend it from a potential attack. (On the show, they kept an eye on it only after Ormund claimed it.)

Book Ormund was marching to King’s Landing, and Tumbleton was the last town along the path to the capital the Queen controlled. It was far more significant in Fire & Blood‘s story than it was on House of the Dragon. On the show, Rhaenyra could not understand why Ormund wanted it, though she suspected it was a trap.

HBO

The First Battle of Tumbleton in Fire & Blood did not involve Daemon Targaryen and Caraxes, Corlys Velaryon, or Gwayne Hightower, all of whom played major roles on the show’s version. It did heavily involve Ormund Hightower. He commanded the much larger green force and led the attack on the town.

Despite the big advantage in numbers, the Northerners and riverlords held the day at first. Even the presence of Daeron—already named the Daring after turning the tide of a previous battle House of the Dragon cut—and his dragon Tessarion did nothing to slow down the Blacks. Betrayal by Ulf and High did that.

On House of the Dragon, only Ulf turned against Rhaenyra. In Fire & Blood both dragonseeds did. They burned the Black forces before turning their dragonflame on the town. Ulf also did that on the show, but he did it out of anger for Ormund’s abuse minutes earlier. One important thing that remained the same in both versions is that Ormund died during the First Battle of Tumbleton.

HBO

The Two Betrayors’ actions were both similar and different to Ulf’s solo act on the show. The traitors intentionally burned Tumbleton on behalf of the greens. They were burning the Blacks and their loyalists who controlled the town. Ulf only attacked the green-held city out of anger. Dragonflame doesn’t care about “why” something is done. Both motivations resulted in the same horror. Soldiers and citizens died screaming in agony as fire and blood consumed Tumbleton.

When the Greens took control of the city after the Betrayors’ treason, things got even worse. Soldiers began a sack so terrible it was still spoken of centuries later. It was written, “Seldom has any town or city in the history of the Seven Kingdoms been subject to as long or as cruel or as savage a sack as Tumbleton after the Treasons.”

It really was that awful despite Daeron’s efforts pleas to the new green commander, the ineffectual Hobart Hightower. Hobart couldn’t stop the atrocities. The Green forces raped women, tortured anyone they wanted to find hidden coin, and slaughtered people of all ages and sexes. House of the Dragon showed some of this heinous behavior prior to the Battle, but it was nothing compared to Fire & Blood‘s retelling.

HBO

We might still see just how bad things got on the show now that Tumbleton is a smoking ruin. The series might also show how the Greens’ monstrous behavior resulted in them losing both discipline and men. Many soldiers deserted with their newly looted treasures long before the war was over.

The Greens own horrible behavior and lack of leadership left them vulnerable for the Second Battle of Tumbleton. But while we won’t spoil that conflict—not even who led it and fought in it, let alone who won and who died—we do need to talk about what happened between the two events. Because House of the Dragon‘s biggest change to the First Battle also portends another major change.

Warning: If you want to remain completely ignorant of all future events in the story, both from Fire & Blood and how House of the Dragon might potentially adapt them, stop now. We’re definitely getting into major spoiler territory.

HBO

History does not remember Ulf and Hugh’s actions at Tumbleton well. It remembers what they did after the first battle even worse. The two Betrayors refused to march on King’s Landing, which was the entire point of claiming the market town. Hugh then said he should be King and even crowned himself. Meanwhile, the stories about Ulf—furious he wasn’t getting Highgarden as a reward—are so terrible they must surely be exaggerations. He’s said to have started sexually assaulting multiple women every night before feeding some of the women to his dragon.

Whatever is true or not, the Greens had enough of both. Prince Daeron signed a secret order to have each dragonrider killed. They were both set to die right before a surprise attack on Tumbleton.

HBO

Hugh never made it to the field. The caltrops’ plan was already in action when the bells warned of the invasion. Bold Jon Roxton, last seen on House of the Dragon nearly killing Daemon during Tumbleton’s burning, executed Hugh. As for Ulf, he slept through the Second Battle of Tumbleton. The show adapted this to have him miss most of the First Battle while passed out drunk on the privy.

Ulf easily survived the Second Tumbleton because he didn’t fight in it. That didn’t stop him afterwards from claiming he should be King since Hugh was dead. Instead, the caltrops continued on with their plan to eliminate the dragonseed. The otherwise useless Hobart brought the wine-loving Ulf some of the greens’ best casks. A skeptical Ulf refused to drink the fatal offering, so Hobart found bravery he had never before displayed. Not wanting to betray his fellow conspirators, he downed a cup of the poisoned drink. When he asked for a second Ulf happily took three himself. Neither men survived, as Hobart was unable to throw up the poison before it peacefully claimed his life along with Ulf.

Ollie Upton/HBO

On House of the Dragon Hugh did not betray Rhaenyra, he only abandoned his post and dragon at Tumbleton to save his wife Kat. He failed. Ulf the White’s actions caused Kat’s death.

How will the show handle its two dragonseeds when only one’s story has remained (mostly) true to Fire & Blood? Both seemingly still have to die before the Dance of the Dragons comes to an end. These changes hint at how that might still happen: a vengeful Hugh with nothing left to lose could replace Hobart. If he delivers the poisoned wine to the turncloak, Hugh might be willing to down a fatal cup himself to make sure Ulf dies too.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. Yes, yes, he is obviously mad we’re probably not getting Hobart’s amazing death. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’S Biggest Changes to the Battle of Tumbleton appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• House of the Dragon season three’s finale features several major character deaths.
• The Battle of Tumbleton and Rhaenyra’s rage were the primary causes of hundreds (possibly thousands) of people dying overall.
• These HOTD deaths at the end of season three set up an interesting future for season four.

House of the Dragon’s season three finale arrived as quickly as a dragon can BBQ hundreds of people. This season has been quite the whirlwind for Rhaenyra, whose head and heart are very heavy from the crown she wears. Season three, episode eight ushered in immense betrayal and a slew of deaths that set the stage for House of the Dragon’s fourth and final season. So, who won’t make it to try to fight and find freedom another day? Here are the major characters who die in the season three finale of House of the Dragon. 

The High Septon 

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After hearing word that Aegon and Sunfyre are still alive, Rhaenyra goes into full crash out mode once again. She tells Daemon to go forth with an attack on Tumbleton to root out the Hightowers and kill them all. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra wants to assert her place on the throne by going to the Grand Sept to have the High Septon anoint her. 

She arrives with Alyn and a full escort in tow, but that does not deter the High Septon from sticking to his decision to not do so, especially in light of the news about Aegon being alive. She calls the High Septon a traitor and orders Alyn to kill him, and he hesitates to do so for good reason. Harming the High Septon is damning your soul to Hell. Rhaenyra whispers to Alyn, saying his Old Valyria blood answers to higher gods. Alyn kills the High Septon as well as the other holy men around him. 

Ormund Hightower  Ollie Upton/HBO

In an ending that should not have surprised a single soul, Ormund Hightower met his fiery death at the battle in Tumbleton in the House of the Dragon season three finale. After using Ulf the White to be a traitor and turn on Rhaenyra’s forces, Ormund and Ser Roderick get into a one-on-one battle. He manages to lob Roderick’s arm off, but gets a sword up his butt in return.

After burning many of Daemon’s forces, Ulf then redirects his dragon’s attention right towards Orumund, showing that he has no loyalty to anyone but himself. It remains to be seen if Daeron is alive or dead, but we know that Gwayne is looking for him and didn’t want things to come to this. 

Helaena  Ollie Upton/HBO

This is certainly one of the saddest deaths in House of the Dragon overall. When Rhaenyra sends Mysaria away, she crosses paths with Helaena and gives her a dark warning. Mysaria tells Helaena not to trust the queen and that Aegon lives and her unborn child will be a political pawn, just like Helaena feared. Her dreams of having freedom with her children and getting away from all of this chaos (none of which is her fault) were completely crushed.

She finished her needlework, which displays her death as well as Rhaenyra’s potentially fiery ending, and jumped from her window. Of course, Alicent isn’t back yet and will have to deal with the ramifications of leaving her daughter alone to attempt to kill her son. You deserved better, Helaena. 

Ser Roderick Dustin Ollie Upton/HBO

Ser Roderick was a lit agent of chaos to the very end. He went into the battle at Tumbleton fully willing to die for his Queen…and he did it in glorious fashion. After forcing his way into the city and allowing forces to flood in, Roderick wasted no time looking for Ormund. He found him and they got into a swordfight atop a wall, which led to his arm being chopped off.

Determined to make Ormund pay for being a pain in everyone’s a**, Roderick takes his sword and sticks it right up Ormund’s a**. As mentioned earlier, they die together when Ulf flies over and cooks them with his dragon, a fate that made Roderick cackle in delight right before his demise.

As we head into the show’s final season, we are sure that there will be many more brutal demises to come when it returns.

Tai Gooden is the Features Editor for Nerdist, a fictional villian apologist, and a horror aficionado who is forever waiting for her trip in the TARDIS.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 3 Finale Brings Big Character Deaths appeared first on Nerdist.

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