Criston Cole has always been one of the most divisive figures in House of the Dragon, and Fabien Frankel knows it. At Budapest Comic Con 2026, Frankel leaned into the tension, telling fans he’s excited to see how the next two seasons will reshape opinions. For him, the beauty of House of the Dragon lies in its ability to twist allegiances and force viewers to rethink who they’re rooting for.
Quick Read
- Fabien Frankel says Seasons 3 & 4 will shift fan opinions.
- He’s excited for audiences to “recalibrate.”
- Criston Cole’s divisive nature will evolve with the story.
Criston Cole and the shifting tides of fandom
Frankel didn’t shy away from acknowledging how divisive Criston Cole has become. He explained that the upcoming seasons will deliberately challenge fan perceptions: “I’ll be very interested to see like as the next two seasons of Dragons unfold, how people’s opinions on these characters shift because I think they innately will, you know, as season 3 and 4 come out. So, I’m excited for people to, you know, recalibrate in a sense.”
That comment reframes Criston’s arc as more than just a knight caught in the Dance of the Dragons. It positions him as a lightning rod for fandom debates, much like Jaime Lannister once was in Game of Thrones. Frankel’s excitement suggests that the writers are deliberately crafting arcs that will force fans to question their loyalties, ensuring Criston’s legacy remains fluid and fiercely debated.
Why seasons 3 and 4 matter
Season 2 set the stage for war, but seasons 3 and 4 will plunge deeper into the moral gray zones of the Dance. Frankel’s tease hints that Criston Cole’s role will evolve in ways that complicate his reputation. For fans, this means the debates will only intensify — is Criston Cole a villain, a survivor, or something in between?
It’s classic Westeros storytelling: no character is safe from reinterpretation, and no fan opinion stays fixed for long. Frankel’s anticipation of that recalibration proves that the showrunners are leaning into the chaos, ensuring the fandom stays divided, passionate, and endlessly engaged.
