WARNING! This post contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood and House of the Dragon season 1, episode 5!Criston and Alicent are teaming up in Ser Criston Cole. While Alicent was originally Rhaenyra’s best friend and Criston eventually became Rhaenyra’s lover, the bitterness now shared by the two toward the Princess will have devastating consequences later on.
Alicent and Criston have hardly interacted in House of the Dragon up until episode 5, with such a dangerous alliance happening at a time when both are at their breaking points. Alicent is desperate for the truth about Rhaenyra and her perceived betrayals, while Criston is desperate to absolve his guilt about sleeping with Rhaenyra and seeks forgiveness for breaking his Kingsguard vows. However, both are unjustified in their anger at Rhaenyra for things she largely couldn’t control. As Alicent decides to declare war on Rhaenyra through her symbolic green dress, she also becomes Criston’s new savior by stopping him from taking his own life.
House of the Dragon episode 5’s ending ultimately sees Alicent and Criston form an alliance out of desperation and bitterness toward Rhaenyra. As such, the two working together signals trouble for Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne. Alicent is now intent on placing Aegon on the Iron Throne through usurpation, which she knows will eventually lead to war within their house. Thankfully for the green party, Alicent’s alliance with Criston means she’ll have one of the strongest knights in Westeros leading Aegon’s cause and training her sons in combat. Considering Alicent and Criston’s team-up also makes their defiance of Rhaenyra more personal, the lengths they’ll go to stop her from ascending the Iron Throne before the Dance of the Dragons will be drastic.
How Criston Opposes Rhaenyra In House Of The Dragon's Future
While many of Criston’s early actions to oppose Rhaenyra are more preventative, such as making it a priority to train Alicent’s sons in combat and becoming the Queen's sworn protector, he’ll be far more dangerous once King Viserys I Targaryen dies. Upon Viserys’ death in House of the Dragon, Criston and Alicent will call the “green” council for deliberations, at which time they conspire to keep the King’s death a secret until they can crown Aegon instead of Rhaenyra. Alongside wanting to keep Rhaenyra and her husband Daemon from holding such substantial power, Criston defends his actions by repeating the accusation that Rhaenyra’s three sons with Laenor are actually bastards of Ser Harwin Strong. During the council meeting, Criston supposedly either cuts the throat of Lord Lyman Beesbury or fatally throws him from a window, as he was the only present member to Rhaenyra’s claim.
In order to assure Aegon’s ascension, Criston and the greens arrange for any of Rhaenyra’s ers left at court to be placed in custody. After finding Aegon, Criston officially crowns him in the Dragonpit and defies the will of King Viserys Targaryen, earning Fabien Frankel’s character the nickname “Kingmaker.” Following this momentous occasion, Criston continues to lead the Targaryen green army against Rhaenyra’s black army in the Dance of the Dragons, and even rises to the position of King Aegon II Targaryen’s Hand. While the spurned Ser Criston Cole's true motivations in becoming a staunch er of the greens are debated in House of the Dragon, his actions in the war are no less brutal as he strives to keep Rhaenyra away from the crown.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.