House of the Dragon Just Gave a Major Character the Send-Off They Bitterly Deserved

Spoilers travel for some House of the Dragon and Fire & Blood.

“I'll person nary songs astir however brave you died, Kingmaker.” — Pate of Longleaf connected Criston Cole’s decease successful Fire & Blood.

Ser Criston Cole, arguably the astir hateable quality connected House of the Dragon, is yet dead, slain successful the opening moments of Season 3, Episode 6 without attaining the glory helium truthful desperately sought.

Cole wanted to beryllium remembered successful opus for his battlefield deeds but was swiftly denied what helium craved. He demanded azygous combat but died ignominiously, inactive clutching Queen Alicent’s handkerchief astir the hilt of his sword, chopped down abruptly by 3 arrows.

Given his climactic code to Gwayne Hightower successful past week’s episode, it shouldn’t person travel arsenic a astonishment that Cole’s decease privation yet came existent this week. Cole’s decease is beauteous adjacent to however it plays retired successful the publication Fire & Blood, though the amusement omitted a fewer notable players successful the conflict that would go known arsenic Butcher’s Ball. In the book, Red Robb Rivers and his archers killed Cole but the amusement had Lady Alysanne Blackwood (Annie Shapero), woman of Lord Cregan Stark, termination him instead.

Cole was self-aware capable to cognize his days were numbered. A beingness of mediocre choices led to his demise and the needless deaths of his remaining troops. He was a bitter hypocrite who broke his vows yet punished others for their ain mistakes.

Fabien Frankel arsenic Criston Cole. (Photo: Theo Whiteman/HBO)

(Before I truly commencement to rant, chapeau extremity to histrion Fabien Frankel for playing a quality it seemed everyone loved to hate. May your adjacent large relation beryllium idiosyncratic much likable!)

Surely, successful a amusement wherever dragons laic discarded to full battalions and towns, this 1 toxic, smarmy, sulking douchebag can’t person been the worst, astir loathsome quality connected House of the Dragon? Yes, helium tin and helium was. While different characters are despicable and evil, Criston Cole made bad, selfish prime aft bad, selfish prime due to the fact that helium was needy, petty and vindictive. He wasn’t driven to it due to the fact that of the demands of royal duty; helium was butthurt and proceeded to marque beingness worse for truthful galore much people.

Cole sowed the seeds of his demolition precise aboriginal connected erstwhile helium violated his oath arsenic a subordinate of the Kingsguard by sleeping with then-Princess Rhaenyra. He unrealistically thought she would springiness up her royal beingness to tally distant with him to turn grapes oregon immoderate specified nonsense.

This rejection spurred Cole to yet power sides successful the Dance of the Dragons. Ser Criston defected to the Greens, becoming their astir fervent warrior and yet the Hand of the King to Aegon II.

Before helium was Team Green, the petulant Cole pushed his luck with the Blacks by bullying Rhaenyra’s (“secret”, bastard) children by Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong during a grooming league wherever Cole behaved needlessly cruel. Even aft a young Queen Alicent kept Cole’s perchance executionable romance with Rhaenyra secret, the dumbass would aboriginal spell connected to interruption his vows AGAIN by becoming romantically progressive with Alicent herself!

As Cole admitted aboriginal successful Season 2, "Do not deliberation I person nary shame successful me, ser. Desire for women has brought maine grief aft grief."

Cole wasn’t connected work erstwhile the assassins Blood and Cheese slew Prince Jaehaerys due to the fact that helium was sleeping with Alicent, and past projected his ain failings onto different subordinate of the Kingsguard, Ser Arryk Cargyll. Cole past acceptable the signifier for Arryk to extremity up successful a duel with his identical twin, Ser Erryk, which near some brothers dead.

Among Cole’s different crimes: helium slew Lord Beesbury successful a acceptable of rage during a assembly meeting, beheaded Lord Darklyn, and infamously bushed Laenor Velaryon’s concealed person Ser Joffrey Lonmouth to decease astatine Rhaenyra’s wedding feast. And fto america not hide each the deaths successful conflict and raids that he’s personally liable for.

Ser Criston Cole is dead. Good riddance, you insufferable prick!