Fabien Frankel unpacks Criston Cole's suicide mission
In House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 5, Ser Criston Cole declares he is ready to die honorably on what Fabien Frankel calls a suicide mission, as the 8216house the dragon8217 star says the knight is losing the will to motivate and leaning into a soldier's final legacy.
Spoiler alert: This article discusses Season 3, Episode 5 of House of the Dragon, now streaming on HBO Max.
Key Takeaways
- Criston Cole tells Gwayne Hightower he will not return "spurned" and intends to die as the realm's greatest warrior.
- Fabien Frankel says Cole sees the soldier as the only honest version of himself, not the Hand or diplomat roles.
- The actor describes a freedom in Cole's near-nihilism and says he is "losing the will to motivate."
- Episode 5 appears to set up the Butcher's Ball, with Frankel teasing a major man-to-man fight sequence.
Why is Criston Cole on a suicide mission?
As the war for the Iron Throne continues, Cole marches with Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) to stop Rivermen from aiding Rhaenyra Targaryen. After traps and a burned bridge leave them unable to catch up—and down to half their men—Gwayne warns that pressing on "would march us toward certain death."
That is when Cole's plan becomes clear. In a monologue shared by Variety, he says he has been a servant defined by oaths and will not return rejected: "I am the realm's greatest warrior. And I will die as such."
What did Fabien Frankel say about Cole's nihilism?
Frankel told Variety the death wish has been brewing since about halfway through Season 2, coming to a head in the fire scene with Gwayne. In Cole's mind, he started as a soldier and wants to finish as one. The Hand of the King and Lord Commander roles, Frankel said, carry "a level of pretense."
On motivation, Frankel noted a freedom that comes with nihilism, though he called pure nihilism "a bit reductive." Cole, he said, has an agnosticism about a war dragons will decide: "He's losing the will to motivate." Planning with Gwayne in Episode 4 re-energized him and restored a sense of purpose.
Frankel also described a real fondness between Cole and Gwayne—a yin-yang bond forged in war—and said Cole delayed revealing the suicide plan so Gwayne's resistance would not drain the army's will to fight.
What can fans expect from the Butcher's Ball?
Book readers will recognize Episode 5's ending as a setup for the Butcher's Ball. Frankel said the coming fight involved "long and arduous choreography" and strong stunt work, teasing a side of Cole fans have not seen: who he is in a man-to-man situation.
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