‘House of the Dragon’ Finally Shows Criston Cole’s One Redeeming Quality

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 Episode 5 of House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon is home to many deplorable characters, whether it’s the bloodthirsty Daemon (Matt Smith) or an unhinged Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). Nevertheless, no one holds a candle to Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) when it comes to being universally hated. The series introduced Criston as a naive but brave knight who supports Rhaenyra through her family quarrels. As the show continued, Criston fell in love with Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), and her rejection caused him to spiral into a monstrous, oath-breaking murderer in Season 2.

Fire & Bloodportrayed Criston much more sympathetically. There, Criston abstained from Rhaenyra’s temptations and served his king loyally. He defeats Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) during a great tourney and receives universal praise for his valiant efforts during the competition. House of the Dragon chose instead to have Criston brutally murder Joffrey during a ceremony, which exposed the monster buried within. Criston became prone to violent outbursts, like when he murdered Lyman Beesebury (Bill Paterson) during a King’s Council meeting and insulted Rhaenyra at every opportunity. Season 2 revealed he has another secret relationship with Alicent (Olivia Cooke), one that potentially began (emotionally if not physically) during his service to King Viserys (Paddy Considine). His affair also cost Prince Jahaerys his life, as he was having sex with Alicent at the time of the murder. However, despite breaking his vows multiple times and generally being a hypocritical character we love to hate, there is one aspect of Criston that actually is admirable.

House of the Dragon

The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Creator

Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

4

Distributor

HBO

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Criston’s Memorable Introduction

After decades of peace under King Viserys, we’ve forgotten Criston’s one admirable quality – his prowess in battle. Criston’s introduction shows him defeating Daemon in single combat, which is no small feat. Daemon is an experienced fighter and famous for his skills at swordplay. Criston was a squire for a minor house in the Stormlands before venturing to King’s Landing for the tourney, meaning he wouldn’t have received the same quality of training as Daemon did. As the king’s heir, Daemon would’ve been trained by the Kingsguard – the finest swordsmen in the realm. Daemon also had more combat experience, given he was Lord Commander of the City Watch and slightly older than Criston. Nevertheless, Criston defeats him with a Morningstar – a difficult weapon to master. We never see Criston fight again during Season 1, and it is easy to forget why he was placed on the Kingsguard in the first place. Given Daemon’s intimidating reputation, Criston’s rivalry with him posed him as a respectable fighter.

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Criston Is an Admirable Leader During War

Fast-forward to Season 2, war is declared in Westeros, and Criston finally has a chance to remind us why he was named Kingsguard. Criston demonstrates his strategic prowess and survival instincts during the Crownlands campaign. He is the first to notice that his war party is exposed on open ground when Baela (Bethany Antonia) attacks from above. Had Criston not realized in time, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and his knights would’ve died immediately. Criston also devises a clever plan with Aemond to target nearby houses loyal to Rhaenyra, including the seats of several men on her council. This successfully sows discord in her council, and his decision to march to Rook’s Rest instead of Harrenhall confuses Team Black and surprises everyone. Had Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) not interfered, Criston’s cleverly devised plan with Aemond would have paid off during the attack on Rook’s Rest. The Targaryen Civil War brings out Criston’s most admirable trait, and the horrors he witnesses during battle seem to have a lasting effect on him, potentially causing him to weigh his decisions more carefully moving forward.

Criston Remembers His Kingsguard Vows During Rook’s Rest

Criston finally demonstrated devotion to his king during the Battle for Rook’s Rest. When Aemond turns on his brother and Sunfyre falls from the sky, Criston abandons any focus on the battle and rides straight toward his king. While the Green forces advance on the castle, Criston prioritizes Aegon’s rescue above all else. Criston bears witness to horrible atrocities during the battle, where bodies are burnt to ash by Vhagar, but it doesn’t stop him from reaching his king. Upon finding Aegon, Criston is visibly distraught. Had he not arrived sooner, Aemond might have finished the job and slain his brother while he lay on the ground burning to death. Episode 4 marks the first time Criston remembers his vows to protect the king and risks his life to reach Aegon. After the Blood & Cheese incident, Criston finally remembered his purpose – to protect and serve the king at all costs. While Aemond seems almost gleeful at the downfall of his brother, Criston is the more sympathetic character during the scene, heartbroken by the image of Aegon and Sunfyre dying in the forest.

As Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) once said, “A good act does not wash out the bad, nor the bad the good.” Criston has committed many sins he can never atone for, but it was interesting to follow his perspective during the Battle for Rook’s Rest. Despite his authority as Lord Commander and Hand of the King, his power is dwarfed in the face of monstrous dragons who destroy them on a mass scale beyond his control. Seeing Criston finally care for his king’s safety was a refreshing change for his character, but whether his sympathetic side continues to show in the rest of the season remains to be seen.

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