‘House of the Dragon’ Star Admits They Were “Relieved” To Leave Character Behind After Shocking Exit

‘House of the Dragon’ has never been afraid to make major changes through shocking character deaths. The HBO series has built much of its story around the brutal conflict between the Blacks and the Greens, where even some of the most important figures in Westeros can disappear without warning.

Season 3 has continued that tradition by removing another major character from the story.

Episode 6, titled “Faceless Men,” officially brought the journey of Ser Criston Cole to an end, giving fans a very different kind of farewell than they might have expected.

Unlike many dramatic deaths in fantasy stories, Criston Cole did not receive a heroic final battle or a powerful last speech. Instead, the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard was killed suddenly during an ambush by Rhaenyra’s Riverland forces.

Criston, played by Fabien Frankel, was struck by three arrows from Alysanne “Black Aly” Blackwood, ending the story of one of the most controversial characters in the series. His death happened at the beginning of the episode rather than as the emotional climax, and the show quickly moved on from the moment.

While some viewers may have expected a bigger ending for such a long-running character, Frankel revealed that the quiet and unexpected nature of Criston’s death was exactly what he wanted.

Speaking to The New York Times, the actor admitted that he was “relieved, to a degree” about the way his character left the series. He explained that Criston’s ending matched the version written by George R.R. Martin in the original book, ‘Fire and Blood.’

“Criston Cole’s gone out in the way I wanted him to, and in a way that feels very in honor of what George R.R. Martin wrote,” Frankel said.

In Martin’s book, Criston also dies without the legendary moment he hoped for. His enemies even make sure he does not become a hero in history, with one character telling his body, “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker.”

That idea was important to Frankel because Criston had spent much of his final storyline chasing a glorious end. After witnessing the destruction caused by dragons, the knight became convinced that his own death was approaching and started looking for a way to go out as a warrior.

However, instead of receiving the dramatic farewell he wanted, Criston was denied that opportunity. According to Frankel, that made the ending more fitting for the character.

The actor also described filming Criston’s final moments as an enjoyable experience because the character was finally living in the moment rather than worrying about what would happen next.

“When one knows the end is nigh, it’s very hard not to live in the present because you don’t have a choice. You can only live now,” Frankel explained.

Frankel also acknowledged that many fans had been waiting for Criston’s downfall after years of watching the character make controversial decisions. However, he believes the suddenness of the death was a better choice than giving audiences the emotional payoff they expected.

“I’m excited to give the fans what they want. But I also don’t want them to feel like he’s gone and they can go to bed,” the actor said.

For a character who spent years causing conflict across Westeros, Criston Cole’s final moments were surprisingly simple. But according to Fabien Frankel, that was exactly the point. Instead of becoming a legend, Criston received the kind of ending that perfectly matched the complicated and often frustrating life he lived.

‘House of the Dragon’ season 3 continues airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max.

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