All of the Deaths in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 6 as Criston Cole Meets His Fate

‘House of the Dragon‘ fans finally witnessed the moment they have been anticipating for three seasons, though it arrived without the glory that the character envisioned. Season 3 Episode 6, titled “Faceless Men,” aired on HBO and HBO Max, showcasing one of the series’ most brutal sequences right from the start.

The episode focuses on a battle known as the Butcher’s Ball, diving straight into the action. Ser Criston Cole, portrayed by Fabien Frankel, meets his end within the opening moments as he falls victim to arrow fire during a battle he simply cannot win. For a character who has stirred much debate within the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe, his demise has quickly become a hot topic this week.

HBO brought this pivotal sequence to life almost exactly as George R.R. Martin described it in Fire and Blood. The episode begins with Cole’s marching column discovering what appears to be a field of dead enemies scattered across the Riverlands, only for the corpses to suddenly rise.

The dead were never truly dead. Forces loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen, led by Oscar Tully and Roderick Dustin, had positioned living fighters to mimic corpses, remaining still until the trap was sprung. This clever medieval battlefield trickery is depicted with chilling precision.

Cole attempts to negotiate for the lives of his remaining soldiers, but Tully and Dustin’s forces cut them down regardless, with Cole taking about two dozen men with him in the ensuing chaos. Despite managing to take out some of his attackers, Cole finds himself surrounded by Roderick Dustin, also known as Roddy the Ruin, and his Winter Wolves.

For a knight obsessed with songs, honor, and being remembered as the greatest warrior, the ending given to Criston Cole is almost cruelly ironic. He challenges his remaining foes to face him two at a time, but is denied the noble death he envisioned when Lady Alysanne “Black Aly” Blackwood shoots three arrows into him instead.

It is confirmed that Alysanne Blackwood is the one who takes him down, the same archer who appeared earlier this season at the Battle by the Lakeshore. There are no grand speeches, no final stand, and no dramatic duel that his ego had anticipated.

Unlike some of the franchise’s most iconic deaths, Cole’s end is startlingly simple, devoid of songs or a heroic last stand, just a brief conversation followed by arrows. The episode concludes his arc without glory, as three arrows end his life in the ambush before he can utter his final words. This framing feels intentional, considering how much the character has spoken about legacy and remembrance.

‘House of the Dragon’ has cultivated significant disdain for Criston Cole over the years, and this episode emphasizes the lack of sympathy the show expects from its audience. Since his turn midway through Season 1, he has been vain and petty, mistaking honor for ego, and once spurned by Rhaenyra, he dedicated himself to ruining her life.

Critics reviewing the episode noted the complex feelings stirred by this death. One reviewer admitted that while many fans had eagerly awaited this moment, they felt conflicted once it actually occurred.

That same reviewer pointed out that the show has provided Cole with more depth this season, even if he remains an arrogant and ultimately self-serving character who seems to defy aging.

Cole’s own words earlier in the season make his final moments resonate even more. He had previously declared to Gwayne Hightower that he considered himself the realm’s greatest warrior and would die as such. However, the Butcher’s Ball had other plans for him.

With only two episodes remaining, ‘House of the Dragon’ is clearly positioning its pieces for a brutal conclusion. Ser Criston Cole was already outnumbered and outmaneuvered as he faced Lord Tully’s Riverlanders and Stark reinforcements heading into this episode.

The rest of the story is still unfolding. Lord Ormund Hightower remains trapped in Tumbleton, scheming while outnumbered against Rhaenyra’s dragons, while Rhaenyra herself struggles to maintain her grip on the Iron Throne as Daemon advocates for more aggressive tactics against their foes. Meanwhile, the show has kept its two most dangerous dragon riders off the battlefield for now.

Amid all the political maneuvering, this season has resonated with critics in a way the show has not achieved before. Season 3 currently boasts the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any season of ‘House of the Dragon’ thus far, sitting at 92 percent, surpassing Season 2 by eight points and Season 1 by two points.

Criston Cole spent three seasons pursuing a legacy worthy of song, only to meet his end in an ambush in a muddy field, leaving behind no ballad to commemorate his life. What does his death ultimately signify for Rhaenyra, the Greens, and everyone still embroiled in a war he helped prolong?