Ser Criston Cole, feeling dishonored by his affair with Rhaenyra and spurned by her refusal to run away with him, is pushed to the edge. When Laenor’s lover, Joffrey Lonmouth, reveals he knows their secret, Criston brutally beats Joffrey to death in the middle of the ballroom.

During the pre-wedding feast, Queen Alicent makes a late, dramatic entrance wearing a striking green gown—the color of the Hightower beacon when they call their banners to war. This act publicly signals her break from Rhaenyra and her new commitment to her father’s agenda.

House of the Dragon Megathread: Episode 5 Discussion : r/Fantasy

Amid the blood and chaos of the feast, a devastated Laenor and a shaken Rhaenyra are married in a small, private ceremony that same night. Immediately following the vows, King Viserys collapses from his worsening illness. Where to Watch