House of the Dragon Just Gave Game of Thrones’ Next Big Breakout Character a Killer Debut

Since its inception as a TV series on HBO 15 years ago, the Game of Thrones franchise has become as iconic as it gets. The series has produced some of pop culture’s favorite characters in history, from Daenerys Targaryen to Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister, to smaller favorites like Davos Seaworth, Olenna Tyrell, Jorah Mormont, and Lyanna Mormont. Although the show ended disappointingly, House of the Dragon helped reignite interest in the franchise. Season 1 was stellar, and season 3 (currently ongoing) is already featuring some epic episodes and moments.

House of the Dragon has also given the world some great, memorable characters. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) is one of the best characters the franchise has produced, while audiences love pretty much everything Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) does. The latest installment of House of the Dragon Season 3 also saw a major moment with a relatively new character: Lady Alysanne Blackwood. Her introduction was a change from the books, yet it also made it clear that she’s an important character who will play a key role in the series’ future.

Lady Alysanne Just Had One Of House Of The Dragon’s Biggest Kills

Lady Alysanne Blackwood made her first true impact in House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6, “Faceless Men”. However, it wasn’t actually the character’s first appearance, as she popped up during episode 2, “Queen’s Landing”. In that installment, she’s one of the loudest singers shown when the soldiers from the Riverlands are celebrating, though it’s mostly a blink-and-miss situation. “Faceless Man” gives Alyssa Blackwood something more prominent to do, as she’s a big part of the episode’s opening scene featuring one of the series’ most notorious and despised characters, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).

Criston Cole prepares to battle against the Rivermen and the Winter Wolves. He hyped himself as Westeros’ greatest warrior and understood that he was likely about to die, so he wanted a heroic death on the battlefield. Yet, just as Cole gets ready to fight, an arrow shoots him in the stomach. Another follows before a third one hits him in the face, ending his life. The camera reveals Alyssa Blackwood as the person who fired the arrows, giving the Blacks a huge victory and taking out a character who fans wanted to see gone for a long time.

Lady Alysanne Doesn’t Kill Criston Cole In The Book

The choice to have Lady Alysanne Blackwood be the one to kill Ser Criston Cole was an interesting one because that isn’t exactly how it happens in the book. House of the Dragon is an adaptation of Fire & Blood, which tells the history of House Targaryen across several centuries. In the novel, this battle is known as “The Butcher’s Ball,” and they make it clear that Team Black ensured Cole died an undignified death, at the hands of legendary bowman “Robb Rivers” (a bastard of House Blackwood) and his archers. One Riverlands knight even says, “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker.”

Lady Alysanne Blackwood wasn’t directly involved in Criston Cole’s death in the book. The decision to put her at the forefront of it on the TV series feels like the show’s way to establish her as an important character going forward. The death of Criston Cole is something fans have been looking forward to for years, so it was always going to be a big moment. Lady Alysanne Blackwood being the one to do it is sure to make her a fan-favorite and will go a long way towards making her a memorable character.

It’s no secret that House of the Dragon has changed a handful of aspects from Fire & Blood, but the main storylines have remained consistent. If they keep that up, Lady Alysanne will play a major part in the future of the series.

Lady Alysanne Is Pivotal To House of the Dragon‘s Future

Potential SPOILERS Ahead for House of the Dragon from Fire & Blood. Eventually, the story reaches “The Hour of the Wolf,” which sees young Aegon III (Rhaenyra’s son) on the Iron Throne, with Cregan Stark serving as Hand of the King. Alysanne gets in Cregan’s ear and helps pardon Corlys Velaryon before marrying Cregan, making her both a Blackwood and a Stark.

Her involvement in pardoning Corlys plays a part in introducing mercy back into Westeros. The Targaryens’ civil war did damage throughout the realm, and having someone who is willing to show mercy helped turn the tide for Westeros’ reconstruction. Alysanne also comes up with a way to help displaced Northmen after the war, as well as helping rebuild the Riverlands. The conclusion of House of the Dragon almost has to involve Lady Alysanne, and her killer moment in episode 6 was a great way to set her up for that larger arc to come.

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