“House of the Dragon”: How does Criston Cole die in “Fire and Blood”?

• Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) has a near-death experience in the second season of “House of the Dragon”.
• Baela Velaryon chases him while riding Moondancer in episode three.
• He survives the encounter, but in the book Fire and Blood he dies in the following way:

Warning: Spoilers for season 2, episode 3 of “House of the Dragon” follow.

The newly christened Hand of the King, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), comes close to death when he is chased by a dragon in “House of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 3. Unfortunately for many fans who absolutely hate the guy, he survives this time.

But like all of us, the hot-headed knight’s time will come at some point. He could die in the series if it follows the example of George RR Martin’s book “Fire and Blood”.

Criston is almost dragon food in season 2, episode 3 of “House of the Dragon”

In the latest episode of the season, which aired Sunday, Criston is sent to Harrenhal to conquer the Riverlands for the Greens. The group supports Aegon II Targaryen as king. But while traveling with Alicent’s brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), the Hand of the King sees a dragon rider high in the clouds.

Since he and the other knights are all wearing shiny silver armor, they are also discovered on the ground by Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) and her dragon Moondancer – which leads to a breathtaking chase through the Westerosi landscape.

Luckily for Cole, they all make it to the cover of the nearby forest and don’t become a dragon snack because Moondancer can’t get between the trees.

According to the book, Criston is eventually killed in a battle called “Butcher’s Ball.”

In Fire and Blood, Cole survives the Targaryen civil war until a battle known as the Butcher’s Ball. The green army is ambushed south of the Gods’ Eye, the largest lake in the Seven Kingdoms.

He tries to negotiate some sort of agreement with the Blacks, offering his surrender to Ser Garibald Grey, Ser Pate of Longlead, and Lord Roderick Dustin, but they refuse. Cole is killed by nearby archers when he tries to fight all three knights at once.

He handled the conflict almost as well as his strange love triangle with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). That is to say, poorly.

To make matters worse, Grey and Pate impale Criston’s head on a spear and take it with them into the next battle as a sign of their strength.

It’s the kind of brutal death that Game of Thrones has become notorious for. Just remember the Red Wedding, the penultimate episode of season three, in which House Tully slaughtered Robb Stark (Richard Madden), his mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), his new bride Talisa (Oona Chaplin), and his army.

But the Targaryen civil war, also known as the “Dance of Dragons,” only escalates at the beginning of the second season. It may be a while before viewers see Cole’s death live.

The second season of “House of the Dragon” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streamed on Max.