House of the Dragon Season 3 continues to show us the thrilling events of the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons. The HBO adaptation is based directly on George R. R. Martin‘s book, Fire and Blood. Though the latest season has been well received, fans continue to examine how the story differs from the original lore.
The series has diverged from its source material far more than its predecessor, Game of Thrones. One explanation for why this happened is that Fire and Blood itself is an unreliable account, featuring multiple in-universe sources with conflicting narratives. While some of the characters who tell the story remain unseen, fans are questioning whether the show just introduced a key narrator.
High Septon Balman, who makes his second appearance this season, seems to have a story that lines up very closely with Septon Eustace, who was an important in-universe historian, recording the history of the Targaryens during the Dance era. Though fans initially thought the character was formally being introduced in Season 1, recent changes indicate the showrunners may have altered his story. Read on to know the full story, as this article explains everything we know about High Septon Balman.
Quick Read: The show likely named the character High Septon Balman to combine the book characters of Septon Eustace and the High Septon of Oldtown into one single person. This possibly allowed the writers to streamline the story by placing the supreme leader of the Faith directly in King’s Landing, rather than keeping him far away in Oldtown.
Who is High Septon Balman?
Credit: HBO
High Septon Balman is the leader of the Faith of the Seven in the HBO television adaptation House of the Dragon, portrayed by actor Simon Chandler. He appears as an elderly clergyman who takes over the spiritual leadership of the capital during the later years of King Viserys I Targaryen’s reign.
Following the king’s death, Balman aligns with the Green faction and formally anoints King Aegon II Targaryen with sacred oils during his public coronation at the Dragonpit. When the Blacks subsequently capture the capital, Balman acts as a major political adversary to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen by refusing to recognize her authority or grant her a formal blessing.
The show’s presentation of High Septon Balman heavily streamlines the narrative by seemingly merging him with the book character Septon Eustace from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. In the original novel, Eustace is not the High Septon, but a local septon and confessor to the royal family at the Red Keep.
While the show positions Balman as an active political opponent to Rhaenyra during her occupation of the city, the book’s Eustace survives the war to become one of the Most Devout and writes a prominent, heavily pro-Green history book that serves as a primary source for the in-universe historical record.
Quick Facts
Show
- Portrayed by actor Simon Chandler in the television adaptation
- Leads the Faith of the Seven during the later years of King Viserys I Targaryen and aligns with the Green faction
- Anoints King Aegon II Targaryen with sacred oils during his public coronation at the Dragonpit
- Refuses to grant Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen a formal blessing when the Blacks captures the capital
- Delivers harsh anti-dragon rhetoric that may foreshadow the introduction of the fanatical street prophet known as the Shepherd
- Originally labeled as Eustace in early closed captions before production databases officially established his name as Balman
- Possibly represents a merged version of Septon Eustace and the unnamed frail High Septon of Oldtown
Books
- Is represented by the character Septon Eustace, who was the septon of the Red Keep
- Born in Stoney Sept in the riverlands and eventually rises to the ranks of the Most Devout
- Anoints Aegon II because the High Septon is too frail to travel from Oldtown
- Writes a heavily pro-Green historical account of the civil war that serves as a primary source for Archmaester Gyldayn
- Holds a strong personal prejudice against northmen and considers them entirely savage
- Survives the war and becomes the first person arrested and released by Lord Cregan Stark during the Hour of the Wolf
- Leaves King’s Landing to write his historical accounts after Lord Unwin Peake dismisses him from court
In the TV Adaptations
Credit: HBO
House of the Dragon Season 1
During the first season, the religious leadership of the Seven Kingdoms underwent a transition. The previous High Septon, portrayed by actor Gary Raymond, initially controlled the Faith during the reigns of King Jaehaerys I and King Viserys I Targaryen. He announced Viserys as the chosen heir at the Great Council of Harrenhal.
The previous High Septon stood by as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen swore her oaths as the new heir eleven years later. He also officiated her marriage ceremony to Ser Laenor Velaryon. Following his off-screen death from unspecified causes, High Septon Balman, played by Simon Chandler, succeeded him as the leader of the Faith.
High Septon Balman occupied the position during the final segment of Viserys I’s reign. He made his allegiance clear after the king died. In the ninth episode, “The Green Council,” Balman aligned himself with Queen Alicent Hightower and the Green faction to secure the capital for their side.
Balman presided over the rapid coronation of King Aegon II Targaryen inside the Dragonpit. The priest formally anointed Aegon II with sacred oils in front of the gathered smallfolk. This public religious endorsement provided necessary legitimacy to Aegon’s disputed claim to the Iron Throne.
During the season one premiere, the show did not refer the character as Balman. Instead, HBO Max’s subtitles indicated that his name was Eustace. This aligned with the character Septon Eustace from the source text, who anointed Aegon II during his coronation. The production later renamed the television character to Balman.
House of the Dragon Season 3
In the third season, the character returned and served as a political adversary to the Black faction following their capture of King’s Landing. In the third episode, “Rhaenyra Triumphant,” Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen sought out the High Septon. She wanted him to stabilize her volatile new government in the capital.
Rhaenyra recognized that her initial crowning on Dragonstone lacked universal authority. She requested that Balman perform a public anointment to legitimize her rule before the citizens. High Septon Balman flatly refused the request. He stated that he already declared Aegon II the rightful king before gods and men months prior.
Balman openly doubted Rhaenyra’s public declarations that her brother died. The High Septon pointed out that the crown produced no physical remains. He also noted that the city never summoned the Silent Sisters to tend to a royal corpse. Rhaenyra claimed her triumph represented the will of the gods.
Rhaenyra cited her dragon as proof of divine favor. Balman delivered a harsh rebuke to the queen. He condemned dragons as profane magic forged in darkness, pride, and a lust for power. The High Septon declared that these creatures brought absolutely no good to the world.
The confrontation concluded with the High Septon delivering a stern warning to Rhaenyra. He explicitly stated that the Faith bound the smallfolk together. He cautioned the queen that she underestimated or antagonized the religious institution at her own grave peril.
Why did House of the Dragon rename the High Septon?
Credit: HBO
When actor Simon Chandler appeared in the first season to anoint King Aegon II Targaryen, the official HBO Max closed-captioning labeled his character as Septon Eustace. This led book readers to assume the character represented the historical figure from the lore. In the novel, Septon Eustace resided permanently at the Red Keep as a localized clergyman.
Eustace served as a personal confessor to the royal family and wrote a highly biased historical account of the Targaryen civil war. Archmaester Gyldayn used him as one of three primary sources for the Dance of the Dragons era in his book “Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros.” His other two sources were the court fool Mushroom and Grand Maester Munkun.
The production team likely changed this to simplify the television story. In the source lore, an unnamed High Septon led the Faith during the Dance of the Dragons. He resided at the Starry Sept in Oldtown, since the story occurred before the construction of the Great Sept of Baelor. Baelor’s Sept was the residence of the High Septon during the events of Game of Thrones.
In Fire and Blood, The High Septon did not live in King’s Landing and was too frail to travel for Aegon II’s coronation. The task therefore fell to Septon Eustace. To eliminate the off-screen Oldtown leader, showrunners seem to have merged the characters. They transformed the capital-based priest into the reigning High Septon, later finalizing this in continuity.
Production databases updated the character’s name to High Septon Balman, seemingly establishing that the television character was always Balman. Critical breakdowns noted the writers may have utilized Balman’s anti-dragon dialogue as structural setup. His rhetoric seems to have foreshadowed the introduction of the Shepherd, a fanatical street prophet who rallied the smallfolk against the Targaryen dynasty in the books.
In the books
Credit: Chase Stone
Character and Background
Eustace was born in Stoney Sept in the riverlands. He served as a septon in the royal sept of the Red Keep during King Viserys I Targaryen’s reign. He functioned as a confidant and confessor to the king and his wives, eventually rising to the ranks of the Most Devout.
Eustace authored historical accounts, including The Reign of King Viserys, First of His Name, and the Dance of the Dragons That Came After. His writing is plain, sober, and ponderous. Archmaester Gyldayn utilized Eustace’s records as primary sources for his own historical texts.
Maester Yandel considered Eustace’s accounts more accurate than those of Mushroom, whose writings were highly salacious. Eustace frequently provided conflicting accounts to Mushroom regarding royal relationships. Eustace favored Aegon II Targaryen over Rhaenyra Targaryen and held a personal prejudice against northmen, considering them to be savages.
The Dance of the Dragons
Following King Viserys I’s death, Grand Maester Orwyle suggested summoning Eustace for the king’s last rites, but Ser Otto Hightower delayed this to secure the succession. Eustace recorded that Prince Aegon initially refused the crown until Ser Criston Cole convinced him that Rhaenyra would otherwise execute him.
Eustace anointed and blessed King Aegon II at the Dragonpit coronation because the High Septon was too frail to travel from Oldtown. When Rhaenyra captured King’s Landing, Eustace remained in the Red Keep. He claimed that the Iron Throne cut Rhaenyra through her armor when she sat upon it.
Eustace survived the fall of the Red Keep to Ser Perkin the Flea, who briefly installed Trystane Truefyre. Following Aegon II’s death, Lord Cregan Stark arrested Eustace during the Hour of the Wolf. Eustace was the first accused brought to trial and the first released due to a lack of evidence.
The Reign of Aegon III
Eustace remained at court for the coronation of King Aegon III Targaryen. He recorded that it was a cold, sunny day and noted the absence of Maris Baratheon. Eustace approved of the new council of regents and noted Lord Unwin Peake’s anger at being excluded from the council.
Eustace advised the Hand of the King, Ser Tyland Lannister, to arrange a marriage for Lady Baela Targaryen to prevent dishonor to the royal house. After Tyland’s death in 133 AC, Lord Unwin Peake became Hand and dismissed Eustace from court, replacing him with his relative, Septon Bernard.
Before leaving King’s Landing, Eustace witnessed the public executions ordered by Unwin Peake on the Feast Day of Our Father Above, which included the death of former Grand Maester Orwyle. The following day, Eustace returned to Stoney Sept, where he focused on writing his detailed account of the war.
Quotes
“My gods do not deal in dragons. They are a profane magic created in darkness and pride and lust for power, for impunity. They destroy, but they do not create. There is no good that can come of them.” — High Septon Balman to Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon
Quick Answers
Who crowns King Aegon II Targaryen?
In the show, High Septon Balman formally anoints King Aegon II Targaryen with sacred oils during his rapid public coronation at the Dragonpit. In the books, Septon Eustace crowns Aegon II. This happens in the source text because the actual High Septon was permanently residing at the Starry Sept in Oldtown and was considered too old and frail to travel to the capital.
Why did House of the Dragon rename Septon Eustace to High Septon Balman?
During the first season of the show, the character was originally labeled as Septon Eustace in the closed captions, but the production team later updated his name to High Septon Balman, possibly to simplify the television story. In the book, Septon Eustace is a local clergyman and royal confessor at the Red Keep, not the High Septon. The show possibly merges Eustace and the actual High Septon into a single character to streamline the narrative and avoid having an off-screen religious leader.
Does the High Septon support Rhaenyra taking the Iron Throne?
In the show, High Septon Balman acts as a major political adversary to Queen Rhaenyra. When she captures King’s Landing, he flatly refuses her request for a public anointment and condemns her dragons as profane magic. There is no mention of this exact confrontation in the book, but the book states that Septon Eustace strongly favored Aegon II over Rhaenyra. The book also notes that Eustace claimed the Iron Throne rejected Rhaenyra by cutting her through her armor.
What happens to the Septon after the civil war?
While the show positions Balman as an active political opponent who foreshadows the rise of fanatical street prophets against the Targaryens, his final fate has not yet been shown. In the book, Eustace survives the Dance of the Dragons. He is briefly arrested by Lord Cregan Stark during the Hour of the Wolf but is released due to a lack of evidence. Eustace remains at court for King Aegon III’s coronation before being dismissed by Lord Unwin Peake, eventually retiring to Stoney Sept to author a heavily pro-Green history of the war.