
Emma D?Arcy as "Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen" and Matt Smith as "Prince Daemon Targaryen" in House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO
Emma D?Arcy as "Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen" and Matt Smith as "Prince Daemon Targaryen" in House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 06: Fabien Frankel attends the ATG Summer Party hosted by Ambassador Theatre Group CEO Mark Cornell and Sienna Miller which raised ?90,000 in support of Sir Sam Mendes and his Theatre Artists Fund at Kensington Palace on September 6, 2021 in London, England. The proceeds from the auction will contribute towards the next round of Theatre Artists Fund grants opening for applications on September 8, 2021. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for ATG)
Other than a small role in Netflix?s new true-crime series?The Serpent, Frankel is a relatively new face. Well, he?s about to blow up. Criston Cole is quite possibly one of the most interesting characters in this story. Combine Loras Tyrell, Oberyn Martell, Jorah Mormont, and Barristan Selmy all into one valiant, scheming, tortured, lovesick knight and then place him in the middle of a dragon-filled Civil War between feuding Targaryens…That?s Criston Cole.
Cole is the greatest knight in Westeros at the time of House of the Dragon, but he doesn?t fight with a sword like so many other famous fighters in the Seven Kingdoms. He prefers a Morningstar, which is pretty badass.
It will be very interesting to see how the show handles the love affair between Criston Cole and Rhaenyra, if that’s even what they had. We know from Fire & Blood?that they were close, but the text leaves the exact nature of their relationship ambiguous. At one point, one of them attempts to consummate the relationship with the other, and gets rejected. Form then on, Criston becomes one of Rhaenyra’s most biter enemies, and sides against her in the Dance.
Perhaps we’ll get more specific answers in the show. I anticipate great things from Fabien Frankel and his Morningstar.
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