WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7, and Fire & Blood.
Summary
Oscar Tully plays an important role inHouse of the Dragon, albeit with some big changes to the book, with his story eventually connecting to House Stark. The Tullys are one of the most important families in Westeros.The Head of House Tully commands not only their bannermen but the entirety of the Tridentas Lord Paramount, which is why Daemon Targaryen is so eager to negotiate with Oscar Tully. Although Oscar had yet to become Lord Tully whenDaemon arrived in Harrenhal, the boy is now the most important figure in the Riverlands.
Both Ser Criston Cole and Daemon Targaryen were aware that controlling the Riverlands was instrumental in winning the war. As followers of the Old Gods, the Rivermen proudly follow traditions and are mostly behind Rhaenyra Targaryen’s claim to the throne. Still, the negotiations between Daemon and the lords of the Trident have been quite complicated. Despite all the trouble, though,House Tully and the rivermen do continue to support the Blacksand give their swords to Rhaenyra’s cause. However, Oscar Tully’s story inHouse of the Dragondiffers from the book.
House Targaryen Explained: Origins, Dragons, Kings & Game Of Thrones History
There’s more to House Targaryen’s history than what’s depicted in House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. Here’s what we know from the books.
Oscar Tully Seemingly Been Combined With Another Book Character
Kermit And Elmo Tully Have Been Omitted From House Of The Dragon
HBO’sGame of Throneswas no stranger to combining two or more characters into one or merging different storylines into one while adaptingGeorge R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood.House of the Dragonhas apparently used this same strategy with Oscar Tully, whose role in the story borrows a lot fromFire & Blood’s Kermit Tully. In the book, Oscar is the younger brother of Kermit. As such,Kermit is the Head of House Tully during most of the events of the Dance of the Dragonsin the source material, whereas in the show, it’s Oscar.
The names Kermit, Elmo, Grover, and Oscar are not a coincidence; George R.R. Martin was referencingThe Muppets.
Curiously,House of the Dragonseason 2 seems to have combined not only two but three characters into one. While the series acknowledges the deteriorating health of Lord Grover Tully, Oscar is presented as the next in line to become Lord Paramount of the Trident. However,inFire & Blood, Oscar and Kermit’s father, Elmo Tully, briefly inherits the seat of Riverrun.Elmo Tully is not brought up at all inHouse of the Dragon, with Oscar stepping up as the new Head of House Tully following the death of his grandfather.
Oscar Tully Fights In Several Battles In The Dance Of The Dragons
Oscar Is One Of The “Lads” In Fire & Blood
Oscar Tully has made a strong first impression inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, especially because of how he dealt with Daemon Targaryen. Handling an ancient conflict between houses while also treating a prince who sees himself as king is no easy feat and shows that Oscar is ready to navigate the war despite his young age. In fact,Oscar Tully fights in many battles during the Targaryen civil waraccording toFire & Blood. Oscar, Kermit, and Lord Benjicot Blackwood participate in many of those battles together and become known as “the Lads.”
InFire & Blood, Oscar Tully is knighted during the Battle of the Kingsroad, which is considered the final battle in the Targaryen civil war. This will not be the case on the show, though, asOscar Tully has become Lord Tully inHouse of the Dragoninstead of Kermit. Regardless, the Battle of the Kingswoard will most likely happen in the final season ofHouse of the Dragon. After defeating the rest of the Green army, which was led by Lord Borros Baratheon, the Riverman host led by the Tullys marched to King’s Landing.
How Cregan Stark Fits Into The Story With Lord Tully
Cregan Stark & Lord Tully Are Very Important In The Aftermath Of The War
Cregan Stark may not have had a lot of screen time inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, but the Lord of Winterfell is one of this period’s most important characters.Who won the Dance of the Dragonsis a tricky question since neither Aegon II nor Rhaenyra got to sit on the Iron Throne for too long. However, an argument can be made that Cregan Stark was the winner – he helped rebuild the realm and tried to do the right things the best he could following the end of the war.
Cregan Stark briefly served as Hand of the King during the period that became known as Hour of the Wolf.
Cregan Stark’s story intersects with that of the Tullysshortly after the Battle of the Kingsroad. While the Starks were not part of the battle, Cregan and his bannermen marched to King’s Landing not too long after Aegon II was poisoned. Whereas most of the Aegon III supporters, including the Tullys, believed the war was over, Cregan wanted to verify that the likes of Lannisters and Baratheons were not going to be a problem. The former team Green supporters eventually agreed to peace, giving Cregan Stark enough room to rebuild the realm.
What Happens To Kermit & Oscar Tully When The War Is Finished
Kermit & Oscar Were Part Of The Hour Of The Wolf
Cregan Stark briefly served as Hand of the King during the period that became known as Hour of the Wolf. Aegon III, the oldest remaining son of Rhaenyra Targaryen, was still too young to rule. A council of regents was formed, and while Kermit Tully was an important figure among Aegon’s supporters, he was not picked to be one of the regents.Kermit was considered as a potential new Hand of the King, but he was not interested in such a position. He eventually returned to Riverrun, and a couple of generations later, the Tully lineage would include Catelyn Stark.
Viserys Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s youngest son, was missing for a while but was found alive and returned to the court. He would also sit on the Iron Throne after the deaths of Aegon II and Baelor I Targaryen.
Oscar Tully, on the other hand, continued an adventurous lifeby creating a free company known as Stormbreakers. Given howFire & Blood’s version of Oscar was knighted in a battle against the Baratheons of Storm’s End, it is safe to assume the name of the company is a reference toTeam Black’s victoryat the Battle of the Kingsroad. Oscar Tully’s fate on the show may be different, though, assumingHouse of the Dragonwill continue to combine his and Kermit’s characters.
Considering that Kermit Tully is not inHouse of the Dragon, it will be interesting to see how the show will adapt the Lads, if at all. Oscar Tully will most likely be the face of the rivermen going forward, even more so after he sentenced Williem Blackwood to death and proved he was ready to be the Lord Paramount. Despite skipping over Elmo and Kermit,House of the Dragonhas given the riverlands a lot of attention through Daemon Targaryen’s arc. Daemon shifts his attention back to King’s Landing for a while, but the Riverlands continue to be important.
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.
