The recently aired House of the Dragon episode, season 3, episode 4, "Tumbleton," takes place partially in the town of, well, Tumbleton. This episode marks the first on-screen appearance of Tumbleton throughout any of the film adaptations of George R. R. Martin's world of Westeros, including Game of Thrones and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. in addition to House of the Dragon.
Throughout the episode, "Tumbleton" doesn't seem like a particularly special place. It's a somewhat small town, with its citizens finding themselves under the oppressive thumb of Hightower soldiers demanding to be temporarily housed. Unlike other important cities throughout the franchise, however, there doesn't seem to be much going on about Tumbleton. Its castle pales in comparison to the likes of Winterfell or the Red Keep, it lacks a distinct climate like the frigid North or the deserts of Dorne, and its only real notable feature is its bustling market. Why, then, is House of the Dragon all of a sudden placing so much emphasis on this random town?
Welcome to Tumbleton
Tumbelton lies in the Reach, roughly sixty leagues southwest of King's Landing. As such, it is under the jurisdiction of the Tyrells of Highgarden. Though several Tyrells appear in Game of Thrones, including Olenna (Diana Rigg), Margaery (Natalie Dormer), Loras (Finn Jones), and Mace (Roger Ashton-Griffiths), they have been noticeably absent from House of the Dragon.
More specifically, Tumbleton is the seat of House Footly, the local rulers of the small town. House Footly is a relatively minor house. In fact, Martin, the ever meticulous and detailed writer, never even gave the liege lord of House Footly during the Dance of Dragons a name, simply referring to him as "Lord Footly." However, in his appearance in "Tumbleton," where he is portrayed by Adam Brown, he is given the first name Glendon.
Geographically, Tumbleton is located towards the Northeastern side of the Reach, relatively close to its boarder with the Crownlands. Prior to its role in the Dance of the Dragons, Tumbleton was primarily known for its markets, housing numerous shops, septs, and inns. As such, it may have felt like the Westerosi equivalent of a shopping mall with a town attached.
The most notable resident of Tumbleton to appear on screen so far is Leo (Abhin Galeya), the brother-in-law of Ser Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), a dragonseed and the rider of Vermithor. In "Tumbleton" (the episode), Leo brings a Hightower soldier named Garrick (Douglas Russell) before Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton), saying that, after forcing himself into their house, he attempted to rape Leo's wife, Marna (Jessica Temple). Although Ormund punishes Garrick, he later forces his ward, Prince Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) to kill Leo as retribution for laying hands on a Hightower soldier. Daeron struggles to do so, especially since Leo is depicted as a good, innocent man, but eventually, he stabs Leo through the chest. While audiences obviously won't be seeing more of Leo, he does serve as a example of the kind of person who might live in Tumbleton.
What's so special about Tumbleton?
Before the end of the Dance of the Dragons, Tumbleton becomes the site of two major battles, one of which is likely to feature in House of the Dragon season 3. Why does this market town attract so much unwanted attention?
The answer may lie in its geography and its liege lords. Although little is known about House Footly, Martin does write that they sided with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) during the dance. As such, when the Green armies march from the Reach towards King's Landing, Tumbleton acts as the Blacks' last major stronghold before reaching the city itself, leading to the clashes.
Martin writes that, after the battles of Tumbleton, the poor town took enough punishment that it's taken generations to rebuild. By the time of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, not to mention Game of Thrones, Tumbleton's size has greatly decreased since before the battle, its already relatively small population utterly diminished.
Lady Sharis Footly (Alexandra Moen), the wife of Lord Glendon, proved instrumental in rebuilding the town after the carnage. She helped tear down burned buildings in order to replace them with newer, rebuilt walls throughout the town. She even displayed the severed heads of the dragons that died in Tumbleton, charging visitors look at them and touch them, to help the town recover from its financial ruin. However, despite her best efforts, the smallfolk still view the town as "haunted," knowing that it would never reach the heights of its former (relative) glory from before the Dance of the Dragons.
To see more of Tumbleton, make sure to tune into House of the Dragon season 3, airing on Sundays on HBO Max.
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