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Key Takeaways
- House of the Dragon season 3, episode 6 features the shocking, unceremonious death of Ser Criston Cole in an ambush by river lords.
- Ormund Hightower actively grooms and manipulates Daeron, molding him into a puppet king while teaching him to view his Targaryen blood as a taint.
- Uncle Gwayne Hightower provides a much-needed reality check and a completely different brand of family loyalty for Daeron.
- Aegon and Larys share compelling scenes where the villainous Larys delivers some hard truths with a touch of humor.
- Helaena's visions finally pay off as Aemond is tracked down to the cursed halls of Harrenhal.
Daeron isn't just being raised by Ormund Hightower — he's being molded into one. On this episode of Scene N Nerd, Sarah and Will break down HOTD 3x06 ("Faceless Men") from the shocking cold open all the way through the Harrenhal seduction, and there's a lot to get through. We open with Ser Criston Cole's genuinely unceremonious death — ambushed by the "dead" river lords in a moment that plays almost like a Robb Stark callback — before digging into the episode's real gut-punch: Daeron's cousin Ormund grooming him into a puppet king while teaching him to see his own Targaryen blood as the "tainted" half of who he is. We also get his actual uncle, Gwayne, showing up as a completely different kind of family — and a much-needed reality check for both of them.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro 01:49 – Cold open: Ser Criston Cole's unceremonious death 07:43 – Ormund & Daeron: the abuse subtext nobody's talking about 10:14 – Molding Daeron into the "puppet king" 11:02 – Hightower cousins: the friction behind the throne 12:31 – Does Daeron actually know he's being played? 13:24 – "Closest and farthest thing from a Targaryen" 14:39 – The assassins, the "stink" payoff, and Gwayne's hero moment 18:07 – Corlys, Alyn, and the fight over the Velaryon name 21:45 – Baela, Addam, and the "very dutiful" line 25:12 – Aegon & Larys: a villain with humor, finally hearing the truth 27:48 – Team Alicent: caught, punished, and the pregnancy reveal 29:48 – Helena's visions pay off — Aemond found at Harrenhal 34:33 – Team "Cursed": Alys Rivers, dragon eggs, and Harrenhal's history 37:25 – Hugh's disguised visit to his wife in Tumbleton 39:45 – Alyn, Hugh, and Team Black's shaky dragonriders 41:48 – Rhaenyra, the throne, and the self-inflicted theme 43:53 – Daemon's indigestion joke and his impulsive streak in King's Landing 45:37 – Closing out: the Valyrian bloodline and the family tree jokes.
Follow Sarah on social media at @sjbelmont and Will at @willmpolk.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is Ormund Hightower manipulating Daeron in House of the Dragon season 3?
Ormund is molding a vulnerable Daeron into a puppet king by exploiting him and teaching him to reject his Targaryen bloodline as tainted.
What happens to Ser Criston Cole in HOTD 3x06?
Ser Criston Cole meets a surprisingly unceremonious end when he is ambushed by the supposedly dead river lords in a scene reminiscent of Robb Stark.
What role does Gwayne Hightower play in this episode?
Gwayne serves as Daeron's actual uncle, stepping in to offer a vital reality check and a healthier dynamic against Ormund's manipulation.
Where is Aemond found in episode 6?
Thanks to the payoff from Helaena's visions, Aemond is finally located at Harrenhal amid Team Cursed and Alys Rivers.