Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8.
The House of the Dragon season 3 finale was an absolute bloodbath.
Released a day ago, the explosive episode saw the brutal Battle of Tumbleton cause mass destruction, with both Team Black and Team Green suffering major losses.
Ormund Hightower (James Norton), a despicable character who made his debut this season, met a horrifying fate – being burnt alive by a dragon, after Roderick ‘Roddy’ Dustin (Tommy Flanagan) plunged his sword up his arsehole.
It was what he deserved, as he met a satisfyingly sticky end. Ormund has been a tormentor since he was introduced, exerting his slimy power over Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), the youngest child of his cousin Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).
But even so, I was furious that he had perished. He was one of the best parts of the latest season, and I’m irked that we won’t see more of him in the fourth and final outing.
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One of my biggest complaints about the finale was that I no longer feel like I have someone to root for in the fight for power. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) is quickly descending into a level of mercilessness I can’t support, even if the Iron Throne is her birthright.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want good villains on the show. And Ormund was one of the best we’ve seen so far.
Let’s give it up for James. He’s a wonderful actor, especially when playing characters streaked with darkness. His performance as Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley has been hailed as one of the most chilling villains on TV, while I loved his turn as henchman-with-a-heart Sean Rafferty in Steven Knight’s Netflix series House of Guinness.
What did you think of the House of the Dragon season 3 finale?
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I loved it, it was epic!
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It didn’t hit the mark for me
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I’m in between
As soon as he made his entrance as one of the big bads getting in the way of Rhaenyra and total power, I knew he was a force to contend with, especially as an opponent to Matt Smith’s cocksure Daemon Targaryen. He had more cards up his sleeves than his enemies realised, proving himself to be a scheming mastermind.
While Game of Thrones and its spin-offs do need their heroes to restore our faith in humanity, it also needs its antagonists. Cersei Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon, Ramsay Bolton – all terrible people who helped shape the original show into the behemoth that it was.
One season was simply not enough time for us to spend with Ormund. I want to know more – what was his relationship with Alicent and Gwayne like growing up? How did he find taking Daeron into his care, and raising him as his ward, to make him King?
When did he first discover his revulsion for terrible smells, that’s so debilitating that he has to carry a metal pomander everywhere he goes?
And how exactly did he plan to get Daeron on the Iron Throne when he had Rhaenyra, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) to contend with, with their years of experience, influence and far larger dragons?
Ormund would have been a brilliant character to have survived until closer to the endgame, before _then _meeting a horrifying end worthy of his abhorrent nature. And several House of the Dragon fans agreed with my verdict that he’ll be missed in season four.
‘We will miss Ormund. Thank you for portraying him so well. He made season 3 or as I should say, you made season 3 very interesting ❤️🙌,’ naat.kpz commented on Instagram.
‘Bro carried the entire season and he deserved a much better death. ❤️🔥 RIP, Ormund,’ albadivision remarked.
‘Ormund was absolutely iconic 💅😂😂😂 what a way to go though 🤣,’ miss_kirsty_janex shared while _urielmty_ added: ‘Hands down, among my favourite characters. You were over the top in your interpretations and made these characters unforgettable 💛✨.’
While Ormund’s death might have been far too abrupt for my liking, at least it was memorable, giving James an unforgettable end to a fascinating character.
‘Ruined by Roddy 👊,’ he wrote on Instagram, alongside a behind-the-scenes picture of him with Tommy, and a selfie showing his face covered in fake blood. Ormund, I might have hated you, but I’m sorry to see the back of you. Literally.
House of the Dragon is available to watch on HBO Max, Sky and NOW.