The epitome of everything we hate in a character can be encompassed in Fabien Frankel’s representation of Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon. Despite being one of the supporting characters in the show, he has delivered strongly to the impetus of the narrative’s ebb and flow. Whether it be gallivanting as a chivalrous white knight or a jealous murderer or the abuser of children, Ser Criston Cole has been at the center of every story that makes or breaks the players of House of the Dragon.
Fabien Frankel Gets Candid About Cole’s Love For Rhaenyra
Rhaenyra’s influence started seeping into the lives of the people around her ever since she started taking advantage of her position as princess and heir. Ser Criston Cole who was supposed to be her protector was the first among these people as he was exposed to the precarious disadvantage of choosing between his duty and his heart. In the end, however, none of it mattered when the hurt ego of his toxic masculinity gave way to a gruesome death and he battered Laenor’s lover to a pulp on the night of Rhaenyra’s impending wedding announcement.
When asked about the character’s current state of feelings toward Rhaenyra, Fabien Frankel who portrays Ser Criston Cole revealed,
“First love is first love. I think everyone will always love the person that they fell in love with for the first time. From the first time you hear a beautiful piece of music, you’ll always love it, even if you’ve heard it a hundred times, because you remember that first time you heard it. So yeah, he will always love Rhaenyra.”
Although this does nothing to contribute to the story as a whole, it does implicate him for being the godfather of all incels, especially after Rhaenyra’s decade-ago rejection still slashes him deep enough to be abusive toward her children.
Rhaenyra’s Difficult Grapple With Power at Westeros
When House of the Dragon introduced us to the princess who would go on to set the precedent for the Targaryen dynasty’s hierarchical power struggle in the decades to come, the audience merely witnessed a young woman with shrewd thinking being ignored in favor of old men bent with age. But time favored the former as she adapted to the society around her, married, had children, and when the time was right, joined hands with Daemon.
Now, as war looms closer, especially after the incident involving Lord Beesbury and Ser Criston Cole at the Green Council, it has become imminent for her to prepare for battle and secure the succession of the Iron Throne. As the Targaryens amass their allies and soldiers, the Hightowers rally their green banner, and Ser Criston Cole being a staunch sidekick of Queen Alicent will be a driving force in the coming war. In response to his character’s involvement in it, Fabien Frankel claims,
“The sourness and bitterness of this world has washed off on him. You are your surroundings; you are the people you’re surrounded by. Ser Criston happens to be surrounded by an incredibly ambitious group of very Machiavellian human beings whose sole ambition is power. Eventually, you go; ‘Well, that’s the life I live. That’s what I am now. I’m in too deep.'”
House of the Dragon season finale, The Black Queen, premieres on HBO and HBO Max on October 23, 2022.
Source: The New York Times
