Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 Episode 4 of House of the Dragon.
The Big Picture
- In House of the Dragon Season 2, Ser Criston Cole's character arc unfolds showcasing different sides beyond his despicable nature.
- Lord Darklyn's insult calls him a kingmaker due to his role in crowning Aegon after King Viserys's death.
- Fabien Frankel's acting adds depth to Ser Criston, portraying him as a layered villain desperate for success in the war.
We all love a good villain, and House of the Dragon's Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) has been a gift that keeps on giving in that sense. In this week's episode, "The Red Dragon and Gold," he leads the Green army conquering most of the Crownlands until arriving at Rook's Rest, where he lays a trap for the Blacks and forces them to use a dragon. The whole episode consolidates the proper character arc he has been given in Season 2, showing different sides to a man whom we already knew as despicable. But we see things in a different light when things don't go according to plan, and that's exactly what happens to Ser Criston this week.
House of the Dragon
TV-MA
Fantasy
Drama
Action
Adventure
810
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, House of the Dragonis 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
- Cast
- Paddy Considine , Olivia Cooke , Rhys Ifans , Matt Smith , Eve Best , Steve Toussaint , Emma D'Arcy , Milly Alco*ck , Emily Carey
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 4
- Distributor
- HBO
Why Does Lord Darklyn Call Ser Criston ‘Kingmaker’?
The main plot of "The Red Dragon and the Gold" revolves around Ser Criston Cole seizing the Crownlands for the Greens on his way to Harrenhal, while Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and her council deliberate on whether they should meet Ser Criston and his army with a dragon on the battlefield. During his progress, Cole executes Lord Gunthor Darklyn (Steven Pacey) of Duskendale, who calls him "the Kingmaker."
This is actually meant as a dishonorable insult by Lord Darklyn. Ser Criston becomes known as the Kingmaker for being part of the plot to crown Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) king after Viserys (Paddy Considine) dies. In the Season 1 episode "The Green Council," Ser Criston is the one who actually puts the crown on Aegon's head in the coronation scene — he literally "made a king." The dishonorable part of this title, however, is tied to the fact that Ser Criston didn't fulfill his vow to King Viserys I, who officialized Rhaenyra as his only heir. As a member of the Kingsguard, Ser Criston is bound to follow the orders of his king, and, in that context, Viserys' orders still carried weight, even after his death. The correct thing to do was send for Rhaenyra on Dragonstone and crown her queen. Instead, Cole plotted with Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) to crown Aegon.
Cole has had a meteoric rise since arriving at King's Landing. From a foot soldier, he unhorsed Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) at a tourney and won young Rhaenyra's (Milly Alco*ck) favor, and she made him a knight of the Kingsguard. They had a brief affair, and her refusal to run away with him to the Free Cities, he became bitter towards her and joined Alicent's guard. Such a steep and sudden climb of the social ladder of the Westerosi court is rarely seen, from a lowly foot soldier to the Hand of the King, becoming the kingmaker on the way — and Cole clearly didn't have the common sense to handle it.
Ser Criston Has More To Prove to Himself Than Those Around Him
Dealing with so many changes until becoming the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and, later, the Hand of the King can't be easy, granted. It was on Aegon's whim, but Ser Criston Cole made it to Hand because of his abilities both as a soldier, knight, and commander, and, in times of war, it does seem like he is more suited to it than Ser Otto Hightower. In "The Red Dragon and the Gold," he clearly feels the actual weight of his responsibilities for the first time not because his plan is successful, but, instead, because it goes wrong.
Disliking Cole is great, because he gives us all the right reasons for it. His misogyny is always on display with every new insult he comes up for Rhaenyra, as is his hypocrisy for having an affair with Alicent Hightower. Deep down, though, he knows he is in the wrong. In Episode 2, "Rhaenyra the Cruel," Alicent mentions that he looks like someone who seeks absolution, and he answers by saying that, for what he did, there is none. He was referring, of course, to the fact that he was in bed with her instead of protecting Helaena (Phia Saban) and her children when young Prince Jaehaerys was murdered. But there is a hint of the notion that he knows his crimes went much further than that. If he didn't know it, he wouldn't have tried to cover up his mistakes by sending Ser Arryk Cargyll (Elliot Tittensor) to try and kill Rhaenyra on Dragonstone.
So, in "The Red Dragon and the Gold," when Aegon and his dragon, Sunfyre, fall from the sky in a fight with Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) and Meleys, Cole is more desperate for his own sake than his honor's. Aegon was reckless, indeed, but it's still on Cole to protect him all the same, and Cole has already failed too much. He is not going to be demoted or executed, and there will barely be any consequences with Alicent, surely, but things have to work for him. Cole has gone too far in doing the wrong thing, to the point where he can't turn back. For him, winning the Dance of Dragons is the only way he can convince himself he still has a shred of honor left, despite everything.
Fabien Frankel’s Acting Makes Ser Criston a Layered Villain
Much of what makes Ser Criston Cole such a great villain and despicable person is the work of his interpreter, Fabien Frankel. In "The Red Dragon and the Gold," Cole shows a different side of his as a capable military commander. He successfully lays a trap for the Blacks and makes them sacrifice a dragon for a small castle like Rook's Rest. He also has to deal with Ser Gwayne Hightower contesting him (Freddie Fox), plotting with Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), and being angry (and then worried) at Aegon - while also trying not to get killed by dragon fire, of course.
All this couldn't have happened without Fabien Frankel's acting. He sells the idea of Cole being a good commander, a terrible person, and a desperate servant all at the same time. His part in House of the Dragon right now feels very reminiscent of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's role as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones: both of them are too far down the wrong road to turn back now, and can only keep betting that it will eventually pay off. Jaime was also despicable, but we wanted him on screen so we could see him doing his despicable thing so we could hate him even more. It's exactly the same with Ser Criston Cole now.
Sadly, fans haven't been behaving towards Frankel, to the point where the actor had to actually reduce his social media presence. As sad as that is, though, it's also proof of his wonderful job in portraying Ser Criston Cole, giving layers to a character we all thought was simply misogynistic. It's more than that, because Cole has no other option now, being terrible is the only option for him, and Frankel gives him an arrogant, annoyed, and desperate aura all at once. His concern for Aegon at the end of the episode is almost touching, if we didn't know who Ser Criston really is. It takes talent to give us these emotions. It's great that it's Frankel doing it.
New episodes of House of the Dragon air weekly on Sundays on Max.
