Episode 5 of House of the Dragon's third season introduces Ormund Hightower, the Lord of Oldtown and guardian of Prince Daeron Targaryen, as a formidable opponent to Rhaenyra's ascendancy. Ormund, who considers himself a scholar of history and a devout follower of the Faith of the Seven, views the Targaryens as corrupt usurpers who have violated Westerosi traditions and the tenets of his faith.
Ormund's ideological stance was established in a previous episode, where his upbringing of the now 16-year-old Daeron instilled him with Hightower values. Despite Daeron's affection for his dragon, Tessarion, Ormund has cultivated in him a belief that the Targaryen dynasty is inherently flawed. This perspective frames the Targaryens, along with their dragons and riders, as "savages" unfit to rule the Iron Throne. His views have been described by actor James Norton, who portrays Ormund, as akin to a "zealot or religious [fanatic]" with "fascistic" beliefs in Hightower superiority, bordering on eugenics as he tells Daeron, "Your blood is tainted."
Following a deceptive maneuver where he pledged fealty to Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra while secretly handing over a decoy Daeron, Ormund retreated with his army to Tumbleton. From this unfortified market town, he has begun a campaign of warfare against Rhaenyra from a distance. This strategic positioning and Ormund's fervent conviction set the stage for a significant confrontation, potentially the Battle of Tumbleton, as depicted in the episode's narrative progression.