Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon 3? James Norton's Game of Thrones Character Reference Explained

Spoiler alert: House of the Dragon Season 3 premiered on HBO and started a war in the very first episode. The new season introduced some new faces as the Targaryen war continues to grow. One of the new characters in season 3 is Ormund Hightower, played by the famous Happy Valley actor James Norton.

James Norton in House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1

Although Norton makes a brief appearance in the premiere episode, showrunner Ryan Condal has reportedly hinted that Ormund will play a much larger role in upcoming episodes.

But that leaves fans wondering who Ormund Hightower is. What is his connection to George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood? Here’s what we know.

Ormund Hightower was first mentioned in House of the Dragon Season 2. He was said to have marched from the Old City. In episode 1 of season 2, Hightower makes a brief appearance. Stationed on the battlefield, he receives a letter from King Aemond telling him to await his orders, adding that he will join him soon.

Ormund seemed ignorant of the harsh realities of war. He seems to be uncomfortable with the smell of a messenger who has traveled from afar. He also showed excitement when he learned that Aemond had become king.

Who is Ormund Hightower?

Canonically, Ormund is the nephew of Otto Hightower, which also makes him the cousin of Alicent and Gwayne Hightower. Speaking about the character, Condal told SFX magazine that it was based on a very brief character in George RR Martin’s Fire and Blood. However, he is to play a significant role in the story.

“He’s the Lord of the Hightower, basically the Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) of this world,” he said.

“He’s the richest guy not sitting on a throne somewhere. Ormund has the biggest standing army in Westeros and a dragon, so he’ll add a big old wrinkle to it.”

“Ormund is really a sketch in the book and we have no idea who he is, so it was really fun to dive into that and make him a really deep, complex, three-dimensional character that brings a new kind of complication to the world,” he added.

According to Condal, Ormund does not appear much in Fire and Blood. The character is said to be a supporter of Aegon II during the Dance of the Dragons. He reportedly comes with a complicated love life.

The turbulent love life of Ormund Hightower

Martin reportedly explained that Ormund was married to the mother of his four children, who died in childbirth. He then remarried to a woman, Samantha Tarly, who was as young as his daughter. However, their relationship soured when her family claimed Rhaenyra and she allegedly began an affair with Ormund’s son Lyonel.

House of the Dragon Season 3 contains eight episodes. The first episode will be released on June 21 in the US (June 22 in India) on HBO Max, with the next episode premiering on June 28, 2026.