In House of the Dragon season 3, episode 7, the show continues its focus on political intrigue as multiple threads converge around Rhaenyra's rule in King's Landing. Rhaenyra's choice to install Torrhen Manderly as her Master of Coin has made him a target of the smallfolk's anger, while Mysaria is shown using her influence over Rhaenyra. However, according to Polygon, the biggest schemer of the episode is Ormund Hightower, whose maneuvers threaten to unravel the Blacks' position.
Ormund has reportedly used unsavory tactics throughout the season to weaken Rhaenyra's rule, including the butchering of the City Watch, which led to the remaining members resigning and left King's Landing feeling unsafe. His latest move was capturing the market town of Tumbleton, using the townspeople as effective hostages. Ormund is said to have correctly calculated that Rhaenyra would not risk attacking with her dragons for fear of killing innocent smallfolk, buying him time to plan further.
Polygon notes that Ormund's ambitions extend beyond turning commoners against the queen — he also wants to turn her dragonriders. This strategy makes sense given the Greens' weak position on dragons: Vhagar and Aemond are missing, Sunfyre and Aegon are presumed dead, and Daeron Targaryen's dragon Tessarion is still too young to fight. Ormund is described as needing to persuade some of Rhaenyra's dragonriders to defect if the Greens are to stand a chance when the Blacks attempt to retake Tumbleton.
Ulf the White, rider of Silverwing, is identified as Ormund's target and eventual betrayer. Ulf was never well-respected in King's Landing outside of his drinking companions, often questioned orders, and complained to fellow dragonriders that they deserved more than knighthoods. The breaking point reportedly came when Daemon Targaryen caught Ulf in the city, a place he was forbidden to go, and beat him in front of the commonfolk, publicly humiliating him. Given his long-standing desire for power, wealth, and prestige, Ulf turned to Ormund, who promised to make him Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark.
Polygon also raises questions about whether Hugh the Hammer, rider of Vermithor, will follow Ulf in betraying the Blacks. In George R.R. Martin's source material Fire & Blood, both Ulf and Hugh betray Rhaenyra at Tumbleton and become known as the Two Betrayers, though their reasons are never explained in the books. In the show, Ulf's betrayal is driven by ambition, while Hugh is said to be motivated by securing his and his wife's future — a plan complicated by his wife feeling abandoned by his choice to become a dragonrider. Polygon speculates that Hugh's fate may hinge not on his own loyalty but on the bond between his dragon Vermithor and Ulf's dragon Silverwing, since the two dragons have reportedly been mated for years, raising the possibility that Vermithor could refuse to fight Silverwing even if Hugh remains loyal to Rhaenyra.