Ser Criston Cole Has a New Headache To Deal with in ‘House of the Dragon’
Three episodes into House of the Dragon, multiple characters have been eliminated and new ones have been thrown into the mix in equal measure.
With the ongoing war between the Greens and the Blacks, the former have added another lord to their ranks: Ser Gwayne Hightower, Queen Dowager Alicent’s sibling. The character featured extensively in episode 3, being visibly arrogant and having some tense exchanges with Ser Criston Cole. However, by the end of the episode, Ser Hightower’s arrogance visibly simmers down after he and his party, along with Ser Criston, are chased down by Baela and her dragon, Moondancer.
Ser Gwayne first appeared in the show in season 1, where he took on Daemon Targaryen in the Heir’s Tournament. While he was able to get better off the then-Targaryen prince in the first tilt, Daemon ended up having the last laugh after hurting his horse, which resulted in Gwayne being thrown off his ride and injuring his face. The character was portrayed by stunt performer Will Willoughby in the first season, with British actor Freddie Fox taking over in season 2.
In the books, the character is introduced in 101 AC when his father, Otto Hightower, is named the Hand of the King by Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Ser Gwayne goes on to become the second-in-command of City Watch during the Targaryen civil war in 129 AC. He meets his demise a year later, when his commander, Luthor Largent, stabs him with a sword during the Blacks’ assault on King’s Landing.
Coming back to the show, it was pretty evident from the third episode that the character of Ser Gwayne will likely be in constant loggerheads with Ser Criston Cole. How that dynamic works will be interesting to see, considering the Lord from Oldtown will essentially report to Ser Criston as he holds a superior position in the court. Simultaneously, Ser Gwayne’s potential knowledge of the affair between the Hand of the King and the Queen Dowager could work in his favor when it comes to his relationship with Cole in upcoming episodes of House of the Dragon.
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
