Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2 introduced an ancestor ofGame of Thrones' Stark family, potentially removing a hilarious gag from the original books. LikeGame of Thronesbefore it,House of the Dragonis based on George R. R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Firebook series.House of the Dragonis based specifically onFire and Blood, telling the history of House Targaryen that led to the family’s eventual downfall thanks to the deadlycivil war known as the Dance of Dragons.
As such, many of the elements found inHouse of the Dragoncome from the mind of Martin. The variousdragons inHouse of the Dragonare from the original book, as are the characters and their dynamic that lead to outright war. Although the subject matter is admittedly grim, Martin’s books are no stranger to including elements of humor. That said, one of the most ridiculous gags from Martin’sFire and Bloodmay have been omitted from the HBO adaptation thanks to the inclusion of a Stark ancestor inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 episode 4.
Oscar Tully’s Role Suggests House Of The Dragon Cut Elmo & Kermit Tully
The Interim Lord Of Riverrun Suggests Two Fire & Blood Characters Are Missing
The Stark ancestor in question is Oscar Tully, the young acting Lord of Riverrun who visited Daemon inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 4. Oscar appears in front of Daemon to relay information about his grandfather’s illness. Daemon insists that Oscar kill his grandfather and take control of Riverrun in order to pledge his army to Rhaenyra’s cause. While Oscar Tully is a character fromFire and Blood,his inclusion inHouse of the Dragonat this point in the show’s timeline suggests two other Tully characters have been removed from the story: Elmo and Kermit Tully.
InFire and Blood, Oscar is not depicted as the heir to Riverrun as there are two others in the line of succession before him. One of those is his father, Elmo, and the other is his older brother, Kermit. Given that Oscar appears inHouse of the Dragonas the next in line after the death of his grandfather, Elmo and Kermit have seemingly been removed from the show, suggesting that Martin’s funniest gag linking to the Tullys' obvious namesakes has been removed.
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Elmo & Kermit’s Absences Ruin George R.R. Martin’s House Tully Muppet Joke
The Tully-Muppet Joke From Fire & Blood Is No More
As evidenced by the names of the Tullys,George R. R. Martin named the members of the house after various Muppets. Oscar Tully is named after Oscar the Grouch, the trash-dwelling Muppet fromSesame Street. Then you have Oscar’s older brother, Kermit Tully, named after the iconic frog from several Muppet productions. Above the two brothers inFire and Bloodis Elmo Tully, carrying on the hilarious Muppet theme for the Westerosi House by linking to perhaps the most iconic puppet fromSesame Street,Elmo.
All 8 Major Houses In House Of The Dragon Explained
House of the Dragon may focus primarily on the Targaryen dynasty, but there are many prominent families at play in the Dance of the Dragons.
However, with Oscar Tully playing a prominent role inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, it seems the HBO show is not as committed to the Muppet gag as Martin was. Oscar’s inclusion as the heir to Riverrun means Elmo and Kermit must not exist in the world ofHouse of the Dragon, which was likely a decision made to match the show’s more serious tone. Oscar is certainly a more normal name than Elmo and Kermit, with the character keeping somewhat faithful to the source material without the admittedly jarring - albeit hilarious - Muppet theme of Martin’sFire and Blood.
What Happens To Oscar Tully & How He’s Related To Game Of Thrones' Starks
Oscar Tully’s House Of The Dragon Future And Game Of Thrones Connections Explained
With Oscar Tully essentially serving as an amalgamation of his book counterpart, Elmo, and Kermit Tully inHouse of the Dragon,he will likely have a big part to play in the wars to come. InFire and Blood, Oscar fights for House Tully, sworn to Rhaenyra, in the Dance of Dragons. Oscar fights in the Battle of the Kingsroad, one of the final skirmishes in the Targaryen Civil War. After the war ended, Oscar was said to leave Westeros in favor of Essos. There, Oscar began a company of sellswords called the Stormbreakers which operated in the Free Cities.
Afterward, it is unclear what happened to Oscar Tully. Interestingly, the line of Tully leaders between the Dance of Dragons and therule of another Targaryen king, Aerys II from beforeGame of Thrones,is relatively unclear in the books. However, Oscar and his family members are ancestors of the Tullys fromGame of Thrones, including Edmure and Catelyn. Catelyn goes on to marry Eddard Stark and give birth to the Stark children who serve as the protagonists ofGame of Thrones, givingHouse of the Dragon’s Oscar Tully an interesting link to the Song of Ice and Fire.
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.
