House of the Dragon episode 6 kills Criston Cole as dragons take centre stage

Season 3 of HBO’s House of the Dragon delivered a shocking death in its sixth episode, titled “Faceless Men.” Ser Criston Cole, a despised character, was slain by three arrows – the final one piercing his face – ending his storyline in a manner the actor Fabien Frankel described as “went out just right.” The episode, also referred to as the “Butcher’s Ball,” showed his forces outnumbered and his request for an honorable duel rebuffed before the fatal volley.

The same episode deepened the series’ treatment of dragons, presenting them as distinct personalities rather than mere plot devices. New dragons such as Sheepstealer, Vhagar and Caraxes are shown with individual temperaments, shifting the narrative focus onto the creatures themselves.

Separately, the franchise sparked publicity beyond the screen. An eight‑metre animatronic of the dragon Syrax was displayed over Glasgow as a promotional stunt for the series and the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games. A stage adaptation, “Game of Thrones: The Mad King,” finally opened after earlier preview cancellations. Character‑level stories also highlighted Hugh Hammer’s rise from lowborn blacksmith to dragonrider of Vermithor, expanding the show’s exploration of ordinary people caught up in the Targaryen civil war.