Ser Otto Hightower, back to the camera, looks at his grandson, King Aegon and Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2
(HBO)

Elliott Tittensor’s ‘House of the Dragon’ Character Plays a Critical Role

U.K. native Elliott Tittensor has been displaying his acting skills since he was Carl Gallagher in Shameless (2004–2013) and a highlander in Dunkirk (2017). On HBO’s latest House of the Dragon episode, Tittensor delivered again. So who does he play in House of the Dragon?

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The Targaryen civil war is just getting started in House of the Dragon, HBO’s latest fantasy spinoff of their hit show Game of Thrones (2011–2019). Drama, sex, murder, secrets, and extravagant production value draw in millions of viewers every Sunday night now that HOTD season two is airing this summer. Kate Rhodes James does an incredible job as the casting director for the series, and choosing Elliott Tittensor to star in a critical role is no exception.

Elliot Tittensor plays a critical role

Erryk Cargyll House of the Dragon
(HBO)

Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season one!

If you’ve been watching HOTD, then you know how divided the Kingsguard/Queensguard has been about protecting the royal family. From a young age, these knights are sworn to protect the royal family with their lives and respect the oaths they took when they were sworn into service. It’s confirmed: Elliott Tittensor was chosen to play the White Cloak knight Ser Erryk Cargyll and does so with incredible passion and honor.

Alongside his twin brother Arryk Cargyll, Ser Erryk Cargyll was appointed to the Kingsguard at the age of 18. He swore to protect the royal family with his life, and when Rhaenyra was forced to flee King’s Landing to escape the Hightowers’ plot to usurp the throne, Ser Erryk was real torn up about it. He didn’t believe that what the Hightowers had done was right, and so he took the true gold crown of King Viserys Targaryen and brought it to Rhaenyra on Dragonstone. There, she was crowned the Queen of Westeros, and Ser Erryk swore to guard Rhaenyra with his life. He renewed his vows and became a critical part of the Queensguard.

Two brothers torn apart by duty

Cargyll twins stand off against one another on Dragonstone in 'House of the Dragon'
(HBO)

Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season two!

When Sers Arryk and Erryk Cargyll were sworn in to the Kingsguard at a young age, they did so together as they did everything together. When they parted ways in season one, it was heartbreaking to see the brothers split by their differences. We see that the war between the Blacks and the Greens is already tearing the world apart, one family at a time. In season two, episode two, the brothers meet again in a tragic, epic battle that Luke Tittensor has dubbed “in the top five (battles) for sure.”

He’s not wrong, as the violent, gory, and impassioned fight between these two sides of a twin soul broke the hearts of millions last Sunday night, as we saw the identical twin knights in their last scene together. Elliott Tittensor absolutely owns the role of Ser Erryk Cargyll as he puts himself between the brother he loves so much and the queen he swore to defend. It just goes to show that honor isn’t dead. Wait … maybe that was the wrong choice of phrase.


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Coco Poley
Coco Poley is a freelance writer, prolific poet, and artist who has been writing professionally for seven years. When Coco isn't writing poetry and fiction, they are creating some form of art or roller skating. You can find Coco's features on comics, TV, games, software, and film across the web on The Stack Overflow blog, How-to Geek, Women Write About Comics, and Sidequest.Zone. Follow Coco's journey as an author or buy their art at http://linktr.ee/youcancallmecoco.