House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6 brings another major death to the Dance of the Dragons before ending with the fate of one of the series’ longest-serving characters left uncertain. With only two episodes remaining, the war is beginning to fracture both sides from within. Rhaenyra’s grip on King’s Landing is weakening, the dragonseeds are questioning their new positions and the Hightowers are gathering strength around Daeron. Meanwhile, Aemond may have found a new reason to remain at Harrenhal.
Warning: The following section contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6, including character deaths and the ending.
Who Dies in House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6?
Ser Criston Cole is officially dead.
The episode opens with Criston and his remaining soldiers discovering what appears to be an abandoned camp filled with the bodies of dead Rivermen. His suspicions prove correct when several of the men suddenly rise and attack. They were only pretending to be dead, using the bodies around them to lure the Greens into a trap.
Criston survives the first attack, but his victory lasts only moments. Oscar Tully and Roderick “Roddy the Ruin” Dustin arrive with a much larger force and surround what remains of his army. Criston offers to surrender in exchange for the lives of his men before accepting that there will be no escape.
He wraps Alicent’s handkerchief around the hilt of his sword and prepares to face Oscar and Roddy himself. Before either man accepts his challenge, Alysanne “Black Aly” Blackwood fires three arrows from a distance. The final shot strikes Criston through the face, bringing his long and increasingly fatalistic march towards death to an abrupt end. Criston dies in a similar ambush known as the Butcher’s Ball in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, although Black Aly is not responsible for firing the arrows in the book. The television version gives her the kill while denying Criston the honourable final fight he wanted.
Gwayne Hightower had already abandoned the campaign after realising that Criston intended to die on the battlefield. His decision saves his own life and places him alongside Ormund and Daeron for another significant confrontation later in the episode.
Rhaenyra’s Control of King’s Landing Is Slipping
Following the murder of 25 members of the City Watch, Daemon wants to ride Caraxes to Tumbleton and burn Ormund’s forces. Mysaria warns that an attack would also kill civilians who remain loyal to Rhaenyra, leaving Daemon furious with the cautious approach taken by the council. Rhaenyra instead orders him to find those responsible for the rebellion inside King’s Landing. However, the remaining Gold Cloaks refuse to follow him, with one man explaining that he cannot risk leaving his family without a father.
Daemon eventually continues alone and kills an assassin who claims that the rebellion has no single banner or leader. His warning is clear: every violent response from Rhaenyra’s side risks pushing more people towards Ormund’s cause. Daemon later discovers Ulf wandering through the city and attacks him, warning that he will put out his eyes if he leaves his assigned position again. The humiliation gives Ulf another reason to resent the people who gave him a dragon but continue to treat him as though he has no place among them.
Hugh is also beginning to question what becoming a dragonrider has cost him. After secretly entering Tumbleton, he finds his wife, Kat, and asks her to leave with him. She refuses, accusing him of choosing the glory of Dragonstone when she needed him beside her. When Hugh tries to force the issue, she pulls away and asks who he has become. Both scenes add to the growing divide between Rhaenyra and the dragonseeds. With Ulf feeling humiliated and Hugh rejected by the person he hoped to protect, their loyalty is becoming increasingly uncertain at the worst possible time.
Alicent Is Sent to Find Aemond
Alicent and Helaena’s attempted escape ends when guards discover them inside the secret passage. Alicent immediately tells Rhaenyra that Helaena is pregnant and insists they were trying to protect both her and the unborn child. Rhaenyra refuses to release them and increases the guards around their rooms. She warns that Helaena cannot be seen carrying Aegon’s heir, because public knowledge of the pregnancy may force her to take the action Alicent already fears.
Helaena later questions whether Alicent ever intended to bring Jaehaera with them and accuses her mother of caring only about saving herself. Alicent then discovers that Helaena has been embroidering an image of Aemond lying dead in a pool of blood, suggesting another of her visions may be taking shape.
Alicent offers Rhaenyra information about Aemond’s location in exchange for freedom. Once Rhaenyra understands that he is hiding at Harrenhal, she decides the person sent to kill him must be someone he would never suspect. Alicent immediately realises that Rhaenyra intends to use her.
She refuses at first, but Rhaenyra offers to watch over Helaena until she returns. Before leaving, Alicent promises her daughter that she will come back. Considering how many promises have already been broken between them, that goodbye carries an uncomfortable sense of finality.
What Are the Dragon Eggs at Harrenhal?
Aemond wants to leave Harrenhal and search for Vhagar, despite Alys Rivers warning that he will be recognised immediately. She advises him to remain hidden until he has recovered and reminds him that Rhaenyra has several dragons waiting for him.
When a stable boy recognises Aemond, Alys kills the child before he can alert anyone. Her actions make Aemond realise she could have claimed the bounty on his head at any point but has chosen to keep him alive.
Alys then reveals five dragon eggs that she says were laid by Dreamfyre before the dragon’s death at Harrenhal. At least one of the eggs feels warm, suggesting there may still be life inside. She presents Aemond with a new future at the castle, imagining herself as the lady of the waters with him as the dragon lord beside her. Their growing connection ends in a kiss, with the eggs becoming another unpredictable piece on the board.
Gwayne Saves Daeron From Rhaenyra’s Assassins
After leaving Criston behind, Gwayne arrives at Ormund’s camp and finds Daeron struggling under his influence. Daeron admits he has been forced to act as Ormund’s loyal puppet because Gwayne left him no other way to survive. The conversation shows Gwayne how isolated his nephew has become. Daeron asks whether he saw Alicent in King’s Landing before begging him not to leave again.
Their dinner is interrupted by men claiming to represent House Baratheon and offering their support to Daeron. Gwayne recognises that the man presenting himself as Aerion Baratheon is an impostor and attacks before the group can reach his nephew. The supposed envoys are revealed as assassins sent by Rhaenyra.
Ormund initially allows Gwayne to return to Oldtown as thanks for saving their lives, but Gwayne decides to remain after remembering Daeron’s plea. The failed assassination also gives Ormund another weapon to use against Rhaenyra, later sending her a blood-covered Baratheon tunic carrying the message: “Kick this dog and it will bite your hand.”
What Happens to Aegon, Alyn and Baela?
Elsewhere, Larys arranges passage to Braavos for Aegon and Tyland Lannister. Tyland argues that Aegon should instead travel to Casterly Rock and establish a new court, but the conversation takes a darkly funny turn when Aegon asks whether he is a terrible man.
Tyland struggles to answer without insulting his king, after which Aegon decides they will sail for Essos. Even while recovering and living in hiding, Aegon remains deeply aware of how others see him.
Alyn finds Corlys after his campaign against the remaining Triarchy forces and asks him to return to King’s Landing. Corlys criticises Alyn for continuing to support Rhaenyra when she will not allow him to carry the Velaryon name, only for Alyn to remind him how long it took to acknowledge his sons in the first place.
The confrontation reaches Corlys, who softens towards Alyn and shares news of Tyland’s survival. Alyn later bonds with Baela over their difficult fathers, and the pair finally kiss.
Is Corlys Velaryon Dead?
The episode does not confirm that Corlys Velaryon is dead.
After releasing his soldiers from their current mission, Corlys announces that he has been away from King’s Landing for too long. Before he can return, Ser Jon Roxton approaches him while Hightower soldiers attack the Velaryon camp. Corlys is grabbed from behind and pulled to the ground, but the episode cuts away without showing his death. Jon Roxton watches what happens from a distance, leaving it unclear whether the Sea Snake has been killed or taken prisoner.
The decision to keep Corlys offscreen during the final moments strongly suggests that he may still be alive. Major deaths in House of the Dragon are usually shown clearly, and there would be little reason to hide his final moments unless the uncertainty itself matters.
There is also a possible Fire & Blood connection. Corlys is imprisoned at this point in the war after Rhaenyra turns against the dragonseeds and he helps Addam escape. The series may be bringing his capture forward and placing him in Ormund’s hands instead, but we will have to wait until the next episode to learn his fate.
What Does the Episode 6 Ending Mean?
Corlys being taken off the board leaves Rhaenyra without one of her most experienced allies just as Ormund’s influence continues to grow. The assassination attempt has also given the Hightowers evidence they can use against her, while Gwayne’s decision to remain gives Daeron a much-needed protector.
At the same time, the foundations of Team Black are weakening. Daemon cannot control the City Watch, Ulf resents how he has been treated and Hugh’s return to Tumbleton ends with his wife rejecting the life he has chosen. The warning signs around the dragonseeds are becoming impossible to ignore. Alicent is now being sent towards Harrenhal, where Aemond has found five dragon eggs and appears increasingly attached to Alys. With Corlys missing and two episodes left, every alliance feels dangerously close to breaking.
CultureCues Final Thoughts
Criston Cole’s death gives him a bleak but fitting end. After spending weeks seemingly ready to die, he is denied the heroic fight he wanted. Alicent’s handkerchief wrapped around his sword adds a final reminder of their complicated history. Fabien Frankel made Criston compelling even when the character was impossible to support, and although we will not miss him, Frankel will certainly be missed in the role.
For CultureCues, Episode 6 is one of the strongest episodes of the season so far. Criston finally meets the brutal end he has been marching towards all season, and for many viewers, it will feel long overdue, while the uncertainty around Corlys leaves Team Black with another huge problem heading into the final two episodes. The quieter moments are just as effective, particularly Helaena confronting Alicent and Daeron asking Gwayne not to leave him. We may not miss Ser Criston Cole, but we will absolutely miss Frankel in the role.
Bring on the fire and blood.
Episodes 7 and 8 of House of the Dragon Season 3 will arrive on 3 August and 10 August respectively.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.