House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 began with the aftermath of the battle at Rook’s Rest in the last episode. In the final moments of Episode 4, Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys fell victim to Aemond’s vicious dragon Vhagar. In the new episode, Ser Criston Cole marches his men through the streets of King’s Landing and a cart follows them carrying the head of Meleys.
Fans of House of the Dragon already despised the character of Criston Cole, played to perfection by Fabien Frankel. The decision to parade a slain dragon’s head has brought even more hate to the character and fans believe that he might have been the reason for dragons going extinct in Game of Thrones.
Fans Cannot Forgive Ser Criston Cole For One Thing In The Latest Episode Of House of The Dragon
After the fierce aerial dragon battle in the last episode, the new episode of House of the Dragon was full of intense politicking and family drama. However, the beginning of the episode irked many fans as one of the most hated characters in the show touched another nerve with the fans.
Ser Criston Cole parades the head of the dead dragon Meleys through the streets of King’s Landing. The scene was earlier shown in a teaser and received enough fan hate at the time. However, the onlookers’ reaction to the parade has further triggered HoTD fan reactions.
In the scene, one of Cole’s men shouts as he enters the gates, “Behold! The traitor dragon, Meleys! Slain in battle by your king!” While Aemond was the one who brought down the dragon, it appears that Cole is crediting Aegon for it. In another cart, a box carries the charred body of Aegon who’s barely alive.
The crowd is horrified by the sight of the dragon’s head. They start murmuring with each other, with one man sharing, “Mark my words, this is a black omen.” Another onlooker shares with Hugh Hammer, “I thought the dragons were gods.”
According to X page @westerosies, parading Meleys’ head was the stupidest thing Criston Cole did as a dragon was the symbol of Targaryen power. Several fans agreed with the comment, with one fan sharing that Cole was called “crispy Cole” for this exact reason. Fans also blamed the character for indirectly causing the storming of the dragonpit.
One fan compared the parading of the dragon’s head to the Game of Thrones scene in Red Wedding, where the Frey and Bolton men paraded Robb Stark and Grey Wind’s decapitated bodies. Some of the fan reactions read:
“I thought the dragons was gods”
— westerosies (@westerosies) July 15, 2024
Parading Meleys’ head around King’s Landing, a dragon that is the symbol of House Targaryen’s power, was the stupidest thing Criston Cole could do. #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/lMklBYjGGZ
That’s why his name is crispy Cole.
— bigdaddy109 (@Jeffreywu0329) July 15, 2024
To me I took this scene as for the townspeople saw that they can take on the dragons
— The Heir For A Day (@tha_jerk2012) July 15, 2024
Which led to the storming of the dragonpit
Meleys head parade 🤝 Red wedding
— The Gaming Garage (@TheFunZoneSpot) July 15, 2024
these two scenes are shocking pic.twitter.com/7pO5RTAQdF
An insult to the Targaryen Dynasty! The greens were crazy for doing this. 🤦♀️
— ૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶₎ა (@theiconicashley) July 15, 2024
Cole made the dragons lose their majesty in the peasants eyes
— …..Jal (@Miquellai) July 15, 2024
While Criston Cole intended it as a victory parade, he didn’t get a similar response from the townsfolk. He shares with Gwayne Hightower, “Don’t they realize we won the battle?”, to which Gwayne replies, “Strange victory. If it was one.” In the episode, he supports Aemond’s claim to the throne and does not back his lover, Alicent Hightower.
When Alicent confronts him about the betrayal, Cole regretfully says, “We have given the war to the dragons. The dragonriders should lead us.” It clearly shows that while Cole is ready to fight behind a dragonrider, he does not have the same respect for the dragons as the Targaryens.
Why Is Criston Cole The Most Hated Character In House Of The Dragon?
Some call him the real villain of House of the Dragon. Others call him Crispy Cole, a petty character on the show. Even the Greens fans cannot defend the actions of this man, played so skillfully by Fabien Frankel. He started out as an innocent-looking knight who attracted the young Princess Rhaenyra.
When Rhaenyra turned him down, he showed his true colors. He turned into this vengeful ex, even beating a man to death at her wedding. His bitterness turned him against Rhaenyra and he cozied up to the one group who could take her down.
He is a master manipulator as he drove a wedge between Alicent and Rhaenyra and convinced Aegon the Elder to claim the rule as his father Viserys lay dead. Fans would say that he was neither loyal to Aegon nor Alicent, but now his faulty loyalty lies with Aemond which says a lot about the self-righteous Kingmaker.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 is now available for streaming on Max.
