WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7 and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!
Summary
Game of Thrones’ battles have included some of the most spectacular war sequences ever put on the small screen. Events like the Battle of the Blackwater and the Battle of the Bastards rank high among the show’s best and biggest moments, andHouse of the Dragonfollows suit with similar battle concepts. As the Targaryen civil war commences inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, introducing dragons vs. dragons makes for even more awe-inspiring battles, with theBattle at Rook’s Rest already proving how drastically different the war’s landscape and potential for utter devastation arefromGame of Thrones.
Rhaenyra Targaryen’s new team of dragonriders officially sets upHouse of the Dragon’s replacement forGame of Thrones’ iconic Battle of the Bastards moment. TheBattle of the Bastards saw Ned Stark’s bastard Jon Snow and his army face Roose Bolton’s bastard Ramsay Snowand his army face off outside Winterfell inGame of Thronesseason 6, episode 9. It’s still considered one of the greatest episodes and battles of the entire franchise, withHouse of the Dragonnow having the opportunity to parallel that fight with similar themes and cinematic spectacles in the upcoming Second Battle of Tumbleton.
Targaryen Bastards Being Dragonriders Sets Up The Second Battle of Tumbleton
House Of The Dragon Has Its Own Bastards Vs. Bastards Battle Coming Up
Before the Targaryen bastards arrive at Dragonstone to claim the family’s available dragons, Rhaenyra remarks to Mysaria inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7 thatshe will “build an army of bastards.”Rhaenyra does exactly that with the “dragonseeds,” as her army now has four dragonriding bastards to lead the charge: Prince Jacaerys on Vermax, Addam of Hull on Seasmoke, Hugh Hammer on Vermithor, andUlf on Silverwing. While he hasn’t been seen flying his dragon yet, there’s also Rhaenyra’s bastard son Joffrey on her side with Tyraxes.
Ulf
Queen Alysanne Targaryen
While Rhaenyra has her own army of bastards on one side inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, this won’t always be the case. Later in the war,Hugh Hammer and Ulf betray Rhaenyraat the First Battle of Tumbleton, asthey turn their dragons on Team Black’s own army while defecting to the Greens. This leads to Rhaenyra being suspicious that Addam of Hull will do the same, soCorlys Velaryon’s bastard sontries to prove his loyalty by flying to Tumbleton and facing the betrayers on his own.
With Addam of Hull on one side and Hugh Hammer on the other, the bastards and their dragons engage in a catastrophic battle that culminates in the deaths of not only the dragonriders, but also each of their dragons.
Consequently, much like the battle inGame of Thrones, theSecond Battle of Tumbleton serves asHouse of the Dragon’s own “Battle of the Bastards.”With Addam of Hull on one side and Hugh Hammer on the other, they engage in a catastrophic battle that culminates in the deaths of not only the dragonriders, but also each of their dragons. Furthering the comparisons betweenGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragon’s battles, Addam is legitimized as a Velaryon by this time in George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodbook, similar to Ramsay being legitimized as a Bolton.
Why There Are SO Many Targaryen Bastards In King’s Landing During House Of The Dragon
There are far more illegitimate descendants of House Targaryen than expected in House of the Dragon, but there’s a big reason for this.
When Will The Second Battle Of Tumbleton Happen In House Of The Dragon?
There Are Plenty More Battles To Come Before HOTD Reaches The Second Battle Of Tumbleton
The Second Battle of Tumbleton is thelast large-scale battle in the Dance of the Dragons, so there will be quite a bit of exposition to still cover before it arrives. Before the Second Battle of Tumbleton,House of the Dragonmust adaptthe Battle of the Gullet, Battle of the Honeywine, the Fishfeed, the Fall of King’s Landing, the Butcher’s Ball, the First Battle of Tumbleton, the Battle Above the Gods Eye, and the Storming of the Dragonpit. Several are massive battles that each could take up entire episodes, so it’s unlikely they’ll all be covered in season 3.
House of the Dragon will likely require five seasons to cover the entire Dance of the Dragons and its immediate aftermath.
In order to fit it into the very end of season 3,House of the Dragon’s timeline could be adjusted to have the Second Battle of Tumbleton occur before the Battle Above the Gods Eye and Storming of the Dragonpit. However, it’s more likely that season 3 will end with a big event like the Battle Above the Gods Eye, the duel in which both Daemon and Aemond Targaryen and their dragons die. As such, theshow may save the Second Battle of Tumbleton for early season 4, withQueen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s deathoccurring shortly after.
House Of The Dragon Season 2 Secretly Foreshadows The Daemon Targaryen Scene I’ve Been Dreaming Of For 6 Years
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 3 teased a major Daemon Targaryen moment from GRRM’s Fire & Blood that should look incredible on the show.
House Of The Dragon Has A Big Challenge Beating GOT’s Battle Of The Bastards
The Battle Of The Bastards Set Very High Standards
Considering how highly regarded the Battle of the Bastards is amongGame of Thrones’ best battles, surpassing it with another bastard vs. bastard conflict will be difficult inHouse of the Dragon. Importantly, theSecond Battle of Tumbleton lacks a major beloved character as one of the combatants. Addam is a very likable character and Hugh’s story has been made more tragic in the show, but it doesn’t pack the same punch as one ofGame of Thrones’ main characters and the primary “bastard” Jon Snow facing one of the worst villains to avenge his sister, brother, and home.
While Addam flies to Tumbleton to attack Hugh and Ulf, Fire & Blood explains that Hugh dies early on when he’s killed by members of Team Green and Ulf drunkenly sleeps through the entire battle.
Introducing dragons into the bastard vs. bastard battle makesHouse of the Dragon’s conflict very intriguing, but theemotional weight of the fight won’t be the same as inGame of Thrones. However, the Second Battle of Tumbleton will certainly feature far more devastation and ruin thanGame of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards given multiple dragons are involved. Additionally, seeing the deaths of three big Targaryen dragons will be quite the spectacle asHouse of the Dragonsees the beginning of the end of the Dance.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
