Rhaenyra Targaryen Loses Her Virginity to Ser Criston Cole: The Secret Affair That Helped Spark Civil War
Ser Criston Cole is the man Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen chooses to take her maidenhead in episode 4 of the hit HBO series House of the Dragon – a fateful decision that has monumental consequences for the realm. Their forbidden tryst becomes yet another strand in the tangled web of dysfunction that undermines unity in the Targaryen dynasty, helping trigger a brutal civil war known as the Dance of Dragons.
Criston Cole: The Commoner Turned "Kingmaker"
To understand this affair, we must first examine Ser Criston‘s background and role in King Visery‘s court. Hailing from a common house in the Dornish Marches, Cole is the epitome of the "rags to riches" archetype – a lowborn warrior who earns glory through skill and valor. His combat prowess catches the king‘s eye, securing a coveted spot on his Kingsguard at the unheard-of age of 23.
Now sworn to celibacy, Cole ingratiates himself with Viserys‘ heir Rhaenyra as her principal protector. Their close friendship hints at an unspoken attraction, suppressed by the difference in their stations. However, as Rhaenyra blossoms into womanhood, this tension finally combusts with fateful consequences.
The Seduction of Innocence
Rhaenyra‘s botched seduction attempt with Daemon leaves her flushed with arousal yet unsatisfied, priming her to take a drastic step she cannot undo. Back in her chambers, her smoldering gaze falls upon the handsome Cole – perhaps the only man able to eclipse her imposing uncle in masculinity at court.
Initially reluctant, Cole lets down his stoic façade as Rhaenyra removes her robe, offering herself freely. Prudence gives way to lust, and knight gives into princess as two bodies entwine in ecstasy. In this moment, Rhaenyra‘s innocence dies upon the altar of desire – act one in an incendiary drama soon to ignite civil war.
Aftermath: Betrayal & Blood
In the explosive aftermath, Cole recoils from their passionate embrace, ruminating guiltily over breaking his Kingsguard vows to sample forbidden fruits. Their stolen tryst leaves him dangerously compromised – no longer a neutral shield sworn only to the throne, but now beholden emotionally to Rhaenrya first and the realm second.
Years later, this conflict of interest will manifest in fateful betrayal. When rival claimants challenge Rhaenyra‘s succession rights, Cole forsakes his duty and plays kingmaker – winning the Iron Throne for Rhaenyra‘s half-brother Aegon II and sparking all-out war. Blood pays for blood, flowing from the broken bonds of old desire.
The Princess & the Knight: A Proto-Cinderella Story Gone Wrong
On the surface, Rhaenyra and Criston evoke a classic fairytale – the princess surrendering her most precious gift to her gallant champion and protector. But this is no proto-Cinderella romance for the ages. Harsher realities intrude, subverting tropes from chivalric myth into bitter tragedy.
In denying her birthright to satiate desire, Rhaenyra inadvertently authors her own political misfortunes. The kingmaker turns pretender-slayer – their sweet history curdling into resentment, driving Cole to aid those who would see our fallen princess dead or deposed.
Few could have predicted such dire outcomes from an impulsive act of youthful passion between a smitten boy knight and starry-eyed princess. Yet in the end, their tryst yields only dead dreams – another woeful example of Targaryen mystical exceptionalism undone by all-too-human foibles.
The Verdict: Criston‘s Betrayal as the "Point of No Return"
While other factors stir tensions between queen and arriviste prince consort, Ser Criston‘s betrayal proves the death-knell to reconciliation. As Rhaenyra‘s sworn shield – privy to her trust and intimate affection – his crossing the Rubicon to back Aegon II confirms the worst suspicions of paranoia.
In a realm where oaths bind as forcefully as blood ties, such perfidy turns the political personal for Rhaenyra. This cuts off all possibility of diplomacy, negotiations or compromise. The war for Westeros‘s destiny will now be waged without mercy – and all because a besotted boy broke faith with his first real love for power‘s tempting sake.
Legacy: Another Sad Study on Sex & Betrayal For the Annals of Westeros
As students of history, we know the lurid affair between Rhaenyra and Ser Criston is only one in a long parade of secret Westerosi trysts with calamitous consequences. Other examples include:
Cersei & Jaime Lannister – the incestuous relationship that births the sociopathic Joffrey Baratheon, sparking continent-wide war.
Lyanna & Rhaegar Targaryen – their mutual passion ignites Robert’s Rebellion, overthrowing a 300 year-old dynasty.
Melisandre & Stannis Baratheon – red priestess seduces him to burn his daughter alive, dooming his war effort.
The blood-drenched annals of Westeros seem to confirm Lord Byron‘s maxim – that "men‘s ruin lies in their tongues, and fights, and wine, and women." Let us hope Rhaenyra and Ser Criston will be the last entry in this miserable ledger.
