One of the most shocking (and let’s face it, somewhat predictable) character arcs in the first season of House of the Dragon was that of the brave and “chivalrous” knight Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
Introduced early on as a brave and skilled warrior, the only one capable of defeating Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) in the king’s tournament, he quickly caught the eye of the young Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), who chose him to be the new member of the Kingsguard. And who wouldn’t, right? So much bravery and skill, a true medieval soap opera heartthrob.
Soon, the two formed what seemed like a fast friendship. When she ran away from her father’s hunting lodge and rode alone into the Kingswood, Ser Criston, like a true squire from the old stories, followed her. They spent a night in the forest, and he saved her from a wild boar. So far, it seemed like the beginning of an epic romance worthy of a fairy tale.
After Rhaenyra was rejected by a confusedly amorous and then suddenly cold Daemon on her disastrous outing to Flea Bottom, she returned to the Red Keep somewhat disoriented. Still agitated, she led Ser Criston to her chamber and then to her bed. He, of course, offered only feeble resistance, saying he could not, as he quickly succumbed to her youthful charms. Ah, the will of knights!
They had become lovers—scandalous in itself, given her status, but doubly so given the fact that Ser Criston had sworn oaths as a member of the Kingsguard, one of which was to remain chaste. He had failed in that regard rather quickly. And therein lay the real problem, because apparently honor and vows were easy things to discard when one was in a princess’s bedchamber.
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Many people have misunderstood Ser Criston’s transformation from charming knight to murderous bastard as a love affair gone sour. Take this Polygon article, for example, which assumes that Cole’s “turn to evil” was due to her rejection of him and his inability to imagine how she could possibly say no to running away with him. Seriously, who could resist that much charm and integrity?
“Frankel nailed the heartthrob lure, transforming himself from a suave Dornish swordsman to a monstrously mean-spirited ex,” Joshua Rivera wrote. “Frankel was very good at playing the kind of handsome guy who is both oblivious to his good looks but also perplexed by the idea that anyone would say no to his pretty face. It was a perfect combination of talents to portray Ser Criston Cole’s life as someone of unexamined Handsome Privilege.”
But this was much less about being a petty ex or a jilted lover and much more about Ser Criston’s warped sense of honor. Ser Criston Cole, we need to understand, was never a good guy. He wasn’t an honorable knight who went to the dark side. He just put on a chivalrous facade. He didn’t want Rhaenyra to run away with him because he loved her, despite his claims of marrying “for love.” Nor was he heartbroken that she refused. What a surprise, huh?
What really drove Ser Criston’s hatred was the fact that he believed it was Rhaenyra’s fault that he broke his oath, and when she refused to run away and “fix” the problem, instead of taking responsibility for breaking her oath, he placed all the blame on her. Because, of course, it’s never the knight’s fault.
She was now a “slut” for seducing him, which was never his fault, of course. It allowed him to preserve his sense of honor, because it was never his fault that his oath was broken in the first place.
He broke his oath for the most common of reasons—carnal lust—and then spent every remaining moment of his life blaming Rhaenyra for his own failings. He used the Queen and her power and his allies to fuel this hatred and shield him from the consequences of his violent actions, whether it was the murder of Ser Joffrey at Rhaenyra’s wedding or the murder of Lord Beesbury during the Green Council. He showed no remorse, because he was the kind of man who never took responsibility for his own actions. His sense of honor and chivalry were as twisted and warped as Ser Larys’s clubfoot.
He also had a direct role in training and mentoring Alicent’s children, whom he did his best to mold in his own image—petty bullies who gleefully meted out violence to those who could not defend themselves.
And like so many monsters, he was rewarded for it, rising through the ranks to become Lord Commander of Aegon II’s Kingsguard after the death of Viserys I. A landless knight, but one of the most powerful in the Seven Kingdoms.
Ser Criston Cole has always been a monster, his true self a ravenous beast hidden behind that handsome, chiseled face. Hidden beneath a veneer of chivalry and honor, the coiled serpent waited. It was always only a matter of time before his ugliness was exposed. In Season 2, he never got over his romantic frustration with Rhaenyra, perpetuating his grudge and revenge, because after all, it is always the princess’s fault.
Source: Atrevida
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
