Movie Reviews

What Happens To Oscar Tully In House Of The Dragon & How It Connects To The Starks

Ita PreciousJuly 29, 2024
238 6 minutes read
house of the dragon oscar tully cregan stark

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7, and Fire & Blood.


Summary

  • Oscar Tully’s role in House of the Dragon combines elements from multiple book characters.
  • Team Black makes key negotiations with the Riverlands, heavily involving House Tully in the storyline.
  • Oscar Tully plays a significant role in battles during the Targaryen Civil War.


Oscar Tully plays an important role in House 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 Trident as Lord Paramount, which is why Daemon Targaryen is so eager to negotiate with Oscar Tully. Although Oscar had yet to become Lord Tully when Daemon 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 Blacks and give their swords to Rhaenyra’s cause. However, Oscar Tully’s story in House of the Dragon differs from the book.


Related

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

Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) introduces Oscar Tully to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) in House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4
Image via Max

HBO’s Game of Thrones was no stranger to combining two or more characters into one or merging different storylines into one while adapting George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. House of the Dragon has apparently used this same strategy with Oscar Tully, whose role in the story borrows a lot from Fire & 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 Dragons in 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 referencing
The Muppets
.

Curiously, House of the Dragon season 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, in Fire & Blood, Oscar and Kermit’s father, Elmo Tully, briefly inherits the seat of Riverrun. Elmo Tully is not brought up at all in House 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 (Archie Barnes) and Daemon (Matt Smith) speaking in Harrenhal in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7


Oscar Tully has made a strong first impression in House of the Dragon season 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 war according to Fire & Blood. Oscar, Kermit, and Lord Benjicot Blackwood participate in many of those battles together and become known as “the Lads.”


In Fire & 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, as Oscar Tully has become Lord Tully in House of the Dragon instead of Kermit. Regardless, the Battle of the Kingswoard will most likely happen in the final season of House 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 in House of the Dragon season 2, but the Lord of Winterfell is one of this period’s most important characters. Who won the Dance of the Dragons is 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 Tullys shortly 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 make sure 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

Archie Barnes as Oscar Tully in House of the Dragon (2024) next to Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark
Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

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 life by creating a free company known as Stormbreakers. Given how Fire & 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 to Team Black’s victory at the Battle of the Kingsroad. Oscar Tully’s fate on the show may be different, though, assuming House of the Dragon will continue to combine his and Kermit’s characters.

Considering that Kermit Tully is not in House 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 Dragon has 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.


Ita PreciousJuly 29, 2024
238 6 minutes read
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