While some characters were improved on, others got a significant downgrade.
House of the Dragon successfully adapted many aspects of Fire & Blood, the fictional history tome that follows the ruling family in Game of Thrones, House Targaryen. Even the book’s author, George R.R. Martin, has admitted that the show’s depiction of King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) is better than the character he initially created. However, these successful alterations to the source material have overshadowed some of the more questionable changes made by the showrunners, especially regarding Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). Fire & Blood is a historical account that includes varying interpretations of each event, meaning that House of the Dragon has some wiggle room when it comes to changing details. Nevertheless, the choices made for Criston’s character often led to a much less complex character that viewers struggle to take seriously.
House of the Dragon is well-known for its loveable villains, including the relentlessly emo Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), and the charming rogue Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who never disappoints when he’s onscreen. Many small details were added to characters like Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) during the show, which gave them more depth and complexity. However, such complexity has been stripped away from Criston Cole as his story continued through the first season. If Daemon is a villain fans hate to love, Criston is a villain fans love to hate. As the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Criston plays a pivotal role in the upcoming war known as “The Dance of Dragons,” which we’ll see more of when Season 2 debuts this summer. But the changes to his character could have lasting ramifications for the show’s future.
Criston’s Fighting Skills Have Been Significantly Downgraded
Criston is known for his prowess in battle and deadly skills with his Morningstar. He is one of the most formidable fighters of his time, but his current track record on the show doesn’t reflect this whatsoever. Criston made a name for himself by defeating Daemon in single combat in a crucial scene that signifies his technical ability against an established warrior in the Game of Thrones universe. Nevertheless, this fight plays out much differently in the show. During the climax of the first episode, Criston initially loses to Daemon before tripping him up while he’s distracted.
Criston also allows himself to be beaten up by Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr), diverging massively from Fire & Blood, where he severely wounds Harwin in a tourney. While Criston succeeds in goading Harwin during this scene, he comes across as immature, solving his conflicts through childish teasing as opposed to a square fight. He is also defeated by Aemond during a sparring session, further cementing the idea that many people in Westeros can overcome Criston in combat. This sparring duel is meant to convey how Aemond has developed as a fighter, but it comes at the cost of lessening Criston’s prowess. Criston’s fighting skills are a significant aspect that defines his character, but the show downplays this trait. Now that he is Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he will act as a general to the King in the inevitable wars featured in Season 2, which begs the question of how this seemingly average fighter will succeed in leading armies against Rhaenyra’s forces.
Perhaps the biggest change that has impacted Criston’s character occurs at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s (Theo Nate) wedding feast in Season 1 Episode 5, where he murders Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) in the middle of the ceremony. Originally, Criston defeats Joffrey in a tourney, where he mortally wounds the “Knight of Kisses” and leaves him “senseless and bloody,” but only after shattering Harwin Strong’s collarbone. The book describes how Criston “fought with a black fury and defeated all challengers” while wearing the favor of Alicent Hightower. This symbolic victory over Laenor and Rhaenyra’s respective champions illustrated how Criston had changed allegiances to the Greens and exacted revenge on his ex-lover, Rhaenyra, all within the confines of the law.
While Criston’s affair with Rhaenyra was never confirmed in the book, House of the Dragon leaves little room for interpretation. Had the show followed the events of the book, viewers would have seen a stark contrast between Criston’s external glory and internal shame. It would have made for a pivotal moment in his character arc and a much more compelling episode than the one we got. Instead, viewers watched Criston lash out at Joffrey for all eyes to see at a wedding, then attempt to kill himself. His ability to defeat opponents in formal combat scenarios allows him to further his goals without overtly exposing his allegiances to Alicent Hightower and the Greens. These seemingly small changes to his character arc replace the cunning, dangerous warrior with an impulsive, irrational brute who picks on the weak.
Criston Cole’s Shocking Moments Make Less Sense When You Look at Them Closely
Criston has also been subject to several murderous outbursts throughout the series that portray him as a childish monster. He’s more in line with a character like Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) than a morally gray warrior like Jamie Lannister (Nikolai Coster-Waldau). The supposedly courageous knight kills Lord Lyman Beesbury (Bill Paterson) at a King’s Council meeting. Fire & Blood has several different accounts of this altercation, some include Criston sending him to the dungeons where he can interrogate and kill Beesbury while going unnoticed. Another account claims he cut Beesbury’s throat during the council meeting, but either version of this story still portrays Criston as more calculated than the version we see in House of the Dragon.
This crime is only made worse by his previous defeats in battle throughout the show. By this point in the season, he had been defeated by Harwin and Aemond. Criston comes across as a man who takes out his anger on the weak because he is incapable of besting other fighters of his stature, preferring to murder confused old men such as Beesbury. Despite committing cold-blooded murder against innocent men like Ser Joffrey and Lord Beesbury, Criston is never disciplined or punished in any way. The only character who takes any issue with his behavior is Ser Harrold Westerling, and it has led to some fans questioning the logistics of the show at various points throughout the season. Given that King Viserys and the entire council were present when Joffrey’s murder happened, it seems very odd that there were no repercussions for Criston’s actions.
Criston Has the Potential To Be More Than Just a One-Note Villain
House of the Dragon has many memorable moments adored by fans and critics alike. However, in trying to create more shocking, tweet-worthy moments with Criston Cole, the show has undermined the values that made him such an interesting character in the first place. Given the many differing perspectives in Fire & Blood, it’s difficult to decipher the true nature of any character, but the show has carefully curated each of the perspectives to present excellent, three-dimensional characters on screen. It’s a shame the same cannot be said for Ser Criston, whose character has the potential to be much more complex, as opposed to a one-note villain.
There have been several missed opportunities for his character so far. Episode 5 could have been his standout moment in the first season, but sadly, Criston has been reduced to an irrational bully whose fighting abilities and moral complexity leave something to be desired. The recent trailer for Season 2 of House of the Dragon teases all-out warfare between the Greens and the Blacks, and Criston will undoubtedly be at the center of this conflict. Whether Season 2 succeeds in portraying his character more faithfully to the source material remains to be seen, but viewers won’t have to wait too long to find out. House of the Dragon was one of the few shows that managed to continue filming during the recent SAG-AFTRA and writer’s strikes, so fans only have to wait until early summer to see the continuation of this bloody civil war.
