House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 4 marks a significant shift in the Greens’ campaign as long-standing alliances begin to fracture. Following the devastating events of the Battle of the Gullet, Prince Aemond Targaryen and Ser Criston Cole find themselves pursuing increasingly different priorities in the war for the Iron Throne.
While the pair have worked closely throughout the Dance of the Dragons, Episode 4 sees Aemond choose not to support Cole at a critical moment—a decision that actor Fabien Frankel says deeply affects the King’s Hand. The episode underscores the growing divisions within the Greens as personal ambition and military strategy begin to clash.
Criston Cole feels personally betrayed by Aemond’s decision
Credits: HBO
Speaking about Cole’s reaction in Episode 4, Frankel explained that Aemond’s absence is more than a tactical disappointment. After spending much of the war planning together, Cole sees the prince’s decision as a personal betrayal.
“I think when Cole hears that Aemond isn’t coming, you know, it feels like a real stab in the back kind of thing. Because they’ve had this whole plan together for such a long time.”
Throughout House of the Dragon, Aemond and Cole have shared one of the Greens’ strongest military partnerships. Cole has served as Aemond’s trusted commander on several campaigns, while Aemond has relied on Cole’s battlefield experience and loyalty. Episode 4 disrupts that dynamic, illustrating how the pressures of the civil war are beginning to reshape relationships within King Aegon II’s faction. As the conflict escalates across Westeros, unified command becomes increasingly difficult, and the consequences of fractured leadership begin to emerge.
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Episode 4 continues a recurring pattern in Cole’s journey
Credits: HBO
Frankel also connected the moment to a broader theme that has followed Criston Cole throughout the series. In his view, being abandoned is a recurring part of the character’s emotional journey rather than an isolated incident.
“It’s not the first time Cole’s been abandoned, certainly, I doubt will be the last. It’s clearly something that is, you know, a facet of this character in his sort of journey.”
That perspective adds another layer to Cole’s arc in Season 3. Having risen from the Kingsguard to become Hand of the King and one of the Greens’ principal military leaders, Cole has often tied his identity to loyalty and duty. Aemond’s decision challenges that foundation, forcing him to confront the reality that wartime alliances can shift as quickly as the battlefield itself.
As House of the Dragon Season 3 progresses, Episode 4 establishes a clear turning point for both characters. With the Greens facing mounting pressure and internal divisions becoming more pronounced, Aemond’s choice to leave Cole behind signals that the war is no longer being fought by a united front, setting the stage for further conflict within their own ranks.
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