The Hightowers weren’t prominently featured in Game of Thrones because the show primarily focused on the conflicts and characters involved in the main line of succession for the Iron Throne.
It’s a question many fans pondered: why aren’t the Hightowers in Game of Thrones? This powerful and ancient house, with its significant influence in Westeros, seems surprisingly absent from the main narrative. Their seat, Oldtown, and its Citadel are places we hear whispers about, yet rarely do we see any Hightower figures impacting the storyline directly. It begs the question of their overall importance in the grand scheme of things.
The series chose a specific path, concentrating on King’s Landing and the battles for the Iron Throne. This left many interesting families, like the Hightowers, in the background. The narratives surrounding the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryens consumed the show’s timeline.
Why Aren’t the Hightowers in Game of Thrones?
You might be a huge fan of Game of Thrones, with all its dragons, battles, and political schemes. You probably know the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryens pretty well. But have you ever wondered about a powerful family that’s almost completely missing from the show: the Hightowers? They’re a big deal in the world of Westeros, especially in the history books, but they barely get a mention on screen. So, let’s dive into why the Hightowers, who are incredibly influential in the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, are practically absent from the Game of Thrones TV adaptation.
The Hightowers: A Powerful House in the Shadows
First things first, who are these Hightowers anyway? They’re one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Westeros. Their seat is the Hightower, a massive lighthouse and fortress in Oldtown, the oldest city in Westeros. They control much of the Reach, a region known for its rich farmlands. This makes them incredibly influential and wealthy. They aren’t just some small, unimportant family; they have history, power, and resources.
The Hightowers’ Significance in Westeros
The Hightowers aren’t just powerful in terms of money and land; they also play a vital role in Westerosi history. They have a long line of knights, lords, and even a few maesters (the learned scholars of Westeros). Oldtown is the home of the Citadel, the headquarters of the maesters. This places the Hightowers in a unique position of power. They have access to knowledge, a crucial resource in Westeros, and have a long tradition of learning and wisdom. They are often involved in key political events in the past, which shapes the world seen in both the books and the show. But why then this lack of visible representation in the Game of Thrones?
Reasons for the Hightowers’ Absence
The simple answer is time and resources. Game of Thrones was already a very complex show with many characters and storylines to keep track of. The show writers had to make some tough choices about which characters and storylines to include. The Hightowers, although incredibly influential in the books, aren’t part of the main plot of A Game of Thrones and the subsequent novels which make up the majority of the tv show’s adaptation. They become central in the later books, but the show finished before that part of the story.
Story Focus and Pacing
Game of Thrones prioritized the story of the major houses battling for the Iron Throne. This meant that the focus had to be on the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryens. Adding another powerful family like the Hightowers, with their intricate political web, could have cluttered the storyline. The show already had many characters to juggle, and introducing a major house like the Hightowers, without dedicating significant time to them, might have confused viewers. Show writers needed to streamline the storytelling for the television format, which meant they had to make cuts.
The Reach and Its Limited Screen Time
The Reach, the region where the Hightowers reside, didn’t feature very prominently in the early seasons of the show. Most of the action took place in the North, King’s Landing, and a bit in Dorne. We see some of the Tyrells, who are the Lord Paramounts of the Reach, but the Hightowers are mainly absent in background. The limited time dedicated to the Reach meant that the Hightowers, who were the Tyrell’s banner men, also remained in the shadows. If the series had explored the Reach region more thoroughly, the Hightowers might have received more screen time.
Budgetary Constraints
Creating realistic sets, costumes, and special effects for a high-fantasy show like Game of Thrones costs a lot. With so many locations and storylines to focus on, the show’s budget had to be carefully managed. Introducing the Hightowers and Oldtown would have required creating a new location, costumes, and potentially more characters, putting more burden on the already complex process of making the show. Show creators probably thought it was better to focus resources on the primary characters and storylines.
The Hightowers’ Role in Later Books
It’s very important to remember that the Hightowers’ story become prominent in George R. R. Martin’s later novels, The Winds of Winter, and A Dream of Spring, books which are yet to be published. They become much more vital to the plot when these books will be written. Since the show ended before these books were released, the Hightowers were simply not included in the storyline because they weren’t a focal point in the story the show chose to adapt. The series writers were only adapting what they knew, and could not include material that had not been fully written.
The Hightowers’ Absence: A Missed Opportunity?
While we understand the logistical and storytelling reasons behind the Hightowers’ absence, it does feel like a missed opportunity. They’re such an interesting family with a long history that could have added another layer of depth to the show. Here’s what the Hightowers could have brought to Game of Thrones:
Adding Complexity to the Reach
The Reach is a big and important region in Westeros, and the Tyrells were never really depicted in their full capacity. The Hightowers, as one of the most powerful families in the Reach, could have added more nuance and complexity to the politics of the region. Their interactions with the Tyrells and other houses could have been very interesting to watch.
Exploring the Citadel and Knowledge
Oldtown and the Citadel, controlled by the Hightowers, are centers of learning and knowledge in Westeros. The show could have explored the importance of knowledge, books, and the maesters in a more in-depth way. This could have added an intellectual element to the story, going beyond just battles and politics. A strong presence of Hightowers, could have allowed us to see more of maester’s side and their important contributions towards Westeros.
A New Perspective on Power and Influence
The Hightowers have a different kind of power compared to the Starks, Lannisters, or Targaryens. Their wealth, their connections to the Citadel, and their long history give them a unique kind of influence. Their presence could have challenged our understanding of power in Westeros, showing that it’s not just about armies and dragons. This would have created even more layers of political intrigue.
The Hightowers in House of the Dragon
Now, if you’re feeling sad about the Hightowers’ absence in Game of Thrones, there’s some good news. The Hightowers play a major role in House of the Dragon, a prequel series set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. This series focuses on the Targaryen dynasty and the events of the Dance of Dragons, and the Hightowers are right in the middle of it.
The Focus on Alicent Hightower
In House of the Dragon, we finally get to know the Hightowers more. Alicent Hightower, daughter of Ser Otto Hightower, is a central character who becomes Queen of the Seven Kingdoms by marrying King Viserys I Targaryen. Her ambitions and interactions with other characters greatly impact the plot of the series. The show uses this prequel to introduce the Hightowers properly, filling a gap that many fans of the books have long noticed.
Understanding the Hightower’s Significance
House of the Dragon shows us the Hightower’s wealth, power, and the important position they have in Westeros. This gives the viewers a better understanding of what was left out in Game of Thrones. The series shows us how the Hightowers’ history and ambitions impact Westeros’s future. It also establishes their complex family dynamics, which is something that fans of the books have come to expect from George R.R. Martin’s world.
Why the Shift in Focus?
The change in focus to the Hightowers in House of the Dragon is a reflection of the different stories these two shows are telling. While Game of Thrones is mainly about the war for the Iron Throne after Robert Baratheon’s death, House of the Dragon is set during the Targaryen dynasty, focusing on their civil war. Here are some reasons for this shift:
Exploring Targaryen History
House of the Dragon aims to deeply dive into the Targaryen history, showcasing their rise and fall. This gives the opportunity to showcase the families that were closely involved in their history, which includes the Hightowers. They are central to the Targaryen history, especially during the Dance of the Dragons, so their inclusion is necessary.
Filling in the Gaps
By introducing the Hightowers, House of the Dragon fills a significant gap in the television representation of Westeros, particularly for fans of the books who have long awaited their on-screen debut. It demonstrates that there were other families with great influence other than the ones focused on in Game of Thrones.
The Importance of Family and Legacy
Both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have one thing in common, they show the importance of families and the legacy that they leave behind. House of the Dragon uses the Hightowers to emphasize this theme further. They demonstrate how family history, loyalty, and ambition can impact the fate of Westeros.
In summary, the Hightowers weren’t in Game of Thrones because the show had to focus on specific storylines and characters. They become much more important in the later parts of the book series and play a central role in House of the Dragon. They have a long and complicated history and play a crucial role in shaping Westeros. While their absence in Game of Thrones was a loss for the show, House of the Dragon gives them the chance to take the spotlight, showing the complex and intriguing family to the TV viewers. Now that you know the whole story behind them, are you more excited to know how their future will play out?
Where are the Hightowers in Game of Thrones?
Final Thoughts
The Hightowers’ absence in the main Game of Thrones series stems from their relative isolation in Oldtown, far from King’s Landing. They remained largely uninvolved in the political machinations, focusing on their city’s intellectual pursuits.
Their primary concern was the Citadel and its scholars, making them peripheral to the central conflicts. This explains why aren’t the Hightowers in game of thrones; their power base did not require direct engagement in the capital’s drama.
