Ser Criston Cole, we have to understand, was never a good guy. He wasn't an honorable knight who went over to the dark side. He merely wore a chivalrous façade. He didn't want Rhaenyra to run away with him because he loved her despite his claims to marry “for love.” Nor was he heartbroken over her refusal.
So yeah, he will always love Rhaenyra. Cole certainly did not take Rhaenyra's rejection well; in fact, he beat a man to death because he was so salty about it. He's now taken a central role in the faction that opposes Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne, and things are not going to get better.
Whereas in HOTD we are shown that Criston and Rhaenyra did indeed have sex, and as you know, Martin had more creative control in HOTD.
Yet, after finding his proposal of elopement rejected by lover Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock, then Emma D'Arcy) in the fifth episode, Ser Criston was furious that he had betrayed his vow of chastity in the Kingsguard for the Princess and was more disgusted when she suggested they continued their affair ...
8 Rhaenyra Loves Her Uncle
In Fire & Blood, however, Rhaenyra is in love with Daemon from a young age. Things change after she meets Criston Cole. Nevertheless, George R. R. Martin's books show that Rhaenyra's first love was Daemon, whereas House of the Dragon has a slower build-up between the two.
Rhaenyra's Relationship With Criston Soiled His White Cloak
In "King of the Narrow Sea", Rhaenyra seduced Ser Criston after she herself was denied by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith). She and her paramour spent the night together, and she was warm towards Ser Criston afterward.
Commander of the Kingsguard
Fabien Frenkel plays the contemptuous Kingsguaard knight, Ser Criston Cole, who once professed his love for the Targaryen princess who was named heir to the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra.
We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
Ser Criston Cole: According to Martin's The World of Ice and Fire, Ser Criston was born in 81 AC, making him 16 years Rhaenyra's senior. But Dragon's Ser Criston is likely much younger: Fabien Frankel, who portrays the knight onscreen, is 28 years old, only 8 years older than Alcock's young Rhaenyra.
While House Of The Dragon episode 4 showed Daemon was able to seduce Rhaenyra by kissing and undressing her, he couldn't fulfill the act due to impotence.
According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen, Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle, Prince Daemon, after he seduced her.
Criston objected to Rhaenyra Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone, or her husband, Prince Daemon Targaryen, holding power, and he also repeated the rumor that Rhaenyra's children from Ser Laenor Velaryon were bastards. Instead of Rhaenrya, the greens wanted to crown her younger half-brother, Prince Aegon the Elder.
"House of the Dragon" star Emily Carey explained one reason why Alicent felt betrayed by Rhaenyra. She told Variety that Alicent was actually in love with Criston Cole before Rhaenyra slept with him. Alicent's feeling of betrayal by Rhaenyra was a focal point of episode five.
But this could potentially be changed in the TV show with Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) being the one to sleep with her instead and father her children. Despite this, Rhaenyra and Laenor had three sons together: Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon, and Joffrey Velaryon.
Ser Criston Cole: The Soiled Knight
After Rhaenyra seduced Ser Criston in episode 4, the duo have clearly kept up their regular sexcapades.
I want to say that I completely understand that with Rhaenyra being the princess, she's in a position of power over him and maybe he did what he did because he feared consequences from rejecting her, but he is a grown man who decided to lay with a teenager and then got upset because she didn't wanna run away with him ...
Back in her chambers, Rhaenyra's gaze lands on the handsome Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). After some initial reluctance by Criston, who has much more on the line as a lowborn member of the Kingsguard, Rhaenyra playfully seduces her long-standing crush and they have sex.
By House of the Dragon's fourth episode, Rhaenyra is around 18 years old and Daemon is 34. "The idea that a teenage girl is in any way able to consent to that sexual interaction is a mess.
Turns out, Rhaenyra and Daemon are endgame, meaning they have a sexually tense relationship, eventually hook up, and get married—which is pretty significant from a power play perspective considering (1) they both want the throne and (2) their Targaryen union is almost sure to guarantee that happens—even though Alicent ...
He ended up getting carried away but eventually stopped himself from going too far. So Viserys' only problem is that he thinks Daemon took Rhaenyra's virginity. But he didn't. So in Daemon's mind, he probably doesn't see much of what he did as being that wrong to begin with.
While first appearing excited by the proposition, Rhaenyra rejects Criston's offer because of her duty as heir to the Iron Throne. However, at her wedding celebration with Laenor, Daemon pulls Rhaenyra away, asks her if this marriage is what she wants, and says the dragon-riding Laenor Velaryon will bore her too much.
In the end, Robb Rivers and two other bowmen fatally strike Ser Criston Cole with three arrows under Pate's orders. After that, the blacks' host kills the greens' remaining soldiers, calling the massacre the Butcher's Ball.
House of the Dragon fans have been joking about Ser Criston Cole not ageing during the series despite multiple time jumps. Cole has been played by the same actor, Fabien Frankel, throughout the Game of Thrones prequel despite other roles being re-cast by older actors due to two time jumps adding up to around 16 years.
Ser Criston's offer was not merely one of the heart, it was a selfish one. He loves Rhaenyra, but he also wanted her to rescue him from his own actions. He's struggling to live with himself since he broke his vows (and continued breaking them) with the princess.