In a recent pulse-pounding episode of HBO’s House of the Dragon, the fear didn’t stem from fire-breathing dragons but from a volatile human reaction. Lord Ormund Hightower, portrayed by James Norton, finds himself receiving distressing news via a scroll from Harrenhal. His mood shift is immediate and palpable, prompting his squire, Prince Daeron Targaryen, played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, to discreetly signal another page to leave the room. What follows is an explosive display of anger, with Ormund taking out his frustrations on an unsuspecting dinner table.
The decision by Alicent Hightower, played by Olivia Cooke, to send her youngest son to be raised in Oldtown instead of King’s Landing is now under scrutiny. Daeron’s apparent readiness for Ormund’s temper outbursts suggests that life away from King’s Landing might not have been much of a reprieve after all.
In an exclusive conversation with DECIDER, James Norton, who brings Ormund Hightower to life on the screen, shed light on the subtle cues in the episode. When asked whether viewers should suspect past abuses by Ormund towards Daeron, Norton offered insight into the layered complexities of his character’s dynamics.
“I think so,” Norton remarked. “It’s a moment charged with drama, highlighting the multifaceted nature of Ormund’s character.”
Delving deeper, he added, “Beyond the surface, it’s clear Daeron lacks a father figure or mentor in Oldtown, save for Ormund. Consequently, he’s been shaped by Ormund’s influence. When Daeron tells the servant, ‘Get out of here,’ it’s a protective instinct, knowing the chaos that ensues when Ormund spirals into rage.”
For Norton, Daeron’s instinct to send the other boy away hints at deeper levels in the characters’ “very complicated — and let’s be honest — abusive, toxic relationship.”
“I think there’s also that thing when children become their parents’ carer. Why doesn’t Daeron leave the room?” Norton asked aloud. “And I think possibly it’s because he’s protecting Ormund from himself.”
Norton went on to explain that although Daeron has been “the victim of that rage and the target of it,” it was important that it was obvious that some sort of love also had to be present in their relationship.
“One of the very first conversations I had with [showrunner Ryan Condal and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth] was that this relationship has to have love in it, and in that sort of Stockholm syndrome way,” he said. “Daeron is almost a prisoner, and yet when I grab him by the shoulders after the end of Episode 4, of that terribly distressing scene, I’m genuinely so proud of my boy.”
“What was amazing was having Ben — fabulous actor by the way, so good — he was looking at me and his eyes were welling up. He was almost crying, and he was looking up with such love because all he wants is to be held, is to be loved. He’s just desperate for a parent, and in that moment, it was very real. It was like, he’d just won the race at sports day,” Norton said. “There’s so much complexity in that relationship, which was really wonderful to eke out.”
So what does this mean for Ormund’s plans for Daeron and Tumbleton? You’ll just have to tune in to an all-new episode of House of the Dragon tonight at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max to find out…
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.