Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 5.
House of the Dragon has dealt another brutal blow by killing off a character played by a well-known actor just a few episodes after he was introduced.
Fans are devastated… particularly as they would rather that the devious Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) meet a gruesome end instead.
In the latest episode of the Game of Thrones spin-off series, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) discovers that Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen) has been murdered alongside fellow members of the City Watch.
Not only have they been assassinated violently, but their bodies are displayed in an image reminiscent of The Last Supper – propped up on chairs, their intestines spilling out onto the table in front of them, with a message behind them reading: ‘A Feast for Traitors.’
Luthor made his debut on House of the Dragon in episode two, when Alicent (Olivia Cooke) asks that he and the City Watch allow Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) to enter King’s Landing.
He does so and joins forces with Daemon, under whom he previously served, swearing his fealty to their new Queen as she sits upon the Iron Throne.
After Rhaenyra officially begins her rule, Luthor tracks down the smallfolk who’ve been graffitiing slurs about her in Flea Bottom using brutal measures, killing the supposed offenders before they’ve even confessed.
City Watch members start being targeted and killed, and then at the end of the episode, Luthor joins their number.
Before House of the Dragon, Tom was best-known for roles including playing Anthony Foyle in Downton Abbey, starring in The Gold, Becoming Elizabeth, Weekend, Black Mirror, Knightfall and the recent Channel 4 drama Trespasses.
What makes Luthor’s death even more gutting to fans (excuse the pun) is that in the source material by George RR Martin, the character does die, but later on in the story.
In the book Fire & Blood, Luthor perishes in the Riots of King’s Landing, which are expected to take place either later in season three or in season four.
‘Why did they waste Tom Cullen for this?’ one fan called Mel wrote on X.
‘My mood got ruined QUICK,’ Cinnamon Girl said, while Lulabeans shared: ‘The way I’m PERSONALLY devastated by this one.’
Read Metro’s review of House of the Dragon season 3
Several viewers expressed their view that Criston deserves to die, considering he’s become one of the most unlikeable characters in the franchise.
(No shade to Fabien, who does a brilliant job playing him).
‘RIP Ser Luthor Largent it should’ve been Cristin Cole,’ May wrote on X, as Nora stated: ‘They killed off Ser Luthor Largent so early on meanwhile that bum Criston Cole is still alive.’
‘Criston Cole had the audacity to say he’s the best knight knowing damn well Luthor and Daemon exist,’ tkwhynot quipped.
House of the Dragon has had a grisly run, with season three opening with the shock death of Rhaenyra’s firstborn son, Jacaerys (Harry Collett), at the Battle of the Gullet.
As we know that this civil war between the Targaryens will end with the dragons dying out, we can expect far more gruesome bloodshed to come.
House of the Dragon is available to watch on HBO Max, Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.