House Of The Dragon Fans Make It Clear How Much They Despise Criston Cole
The World of Ice and Fire, expertly crafted by author George R. R. Martin, can make fans feel incredibly strongly about the characters. It feels as if we are on either side of the vanguard. Love or hate them, the characters in "A Song of Ice and Fire" do not inspire indifference.
Based on the George R. R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," HBO's "House of the Dragon" is the network's most recent adaptation of Martin's work. In season 1, we see the lines drawn between the Greens and the Blacks, making fans choose a side. Unsurprisingly, the Blacks are who most fans support, as this Reddit poll illustrates. Although Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock & Emma D'arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) are flawed characters, most fans feel inclined to support them over the Hightowers. However, the Greens have supporters. Another fan on Reddit, a Green supporter, wrote a thoughtful post discussing how most fans find it difficult to be impartial: "Both sides comprise flawed, grey characters, and the show has done a good job of telling their stories. They will go on to do vile, unspeakable things to each other, and yet very few of us are impartial; we all have a side that we're rooting for."
But even within both teams, there are characters people love more than others. Conversely, the opposite is also true: there are characters that fans hate more than others. One, in particular, may very well be the most despised character in the show.
The worst of the worst
According to a poll on Reddit, fans deemed who is the worst character in "House of the Dragon" season 1. The results showed that a majority considered Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) the most hated character. Even receiving more votes than the shifty Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), the man who had his family murdered without batting an eye.
But even so, Ser Criston was picked over others. Although it's important to mention a good contender for the most hated player in the game, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), was not an option on this poll. (We don't know how he would have fared in comparison to Criston.)
However, it's clear the hate for the Dornish knight stems from his 180º turn in "House of the Dragon" episode 5, "We Light the Way." His heel turn is fully shown in episode 6, "The Princess and the Queen." He first speaks ill of Rhaenyra to Alicent and then becomes draconian while training the Princess' children — showing his bias against the woman he once loved.
Even if Criston is the most despised character on the show, fans should reserve some appreciation for Frankel. He is one of the few actors that do not change post-time-skip. Frankel adds incredible nuance to his character, unmistakably showing how noble and innocent he was before his heart broke — turning him bitter and hateful.