Season 3 episode 6 of House of the Dragon aired on July 27 2026 and portrays the death of Ser Criston Cole. In the original narrative from George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, Cole’s death occurs at the Butcher’s Ball, where he proposes a duel before being killed by a character who delivers a line attributed to Alysanne Blackwood. The show omits the line spoken by Blackwood and does not identify the archer responsible for Cole’s death, leaving the scene without the dialogue present in the books. The episode depicts Cole offering a parlay to opposing soldiers before he is struck by multiple arrows and collapses, with the camera revealing a woman with dark makeup as the apparent killer. Some viewers have noted the discrepancy between the television adaptation and the source material, while others have commented on the broader pacing and characterization choices in the series. The show’s creators have not publicly explained the decision to exclude the quoted line or to alter the identity of the character delivering it. The episode leaves open the possibility that Blackwood’s role may be expanded in subsequent episodes, though the current narrative does not resolve the circumstances surrounding Cole’s death.