What is happening in HOTD Episode 5 - Review

A review of episode 5 of House of the Dragon. Primarily looking at the wedding ceremony/dinner in which a lot of drama and weird writing choices were made.

Thank you to my Patrons: Sean Clancy, Valarmorgulis, Florida Buqmeti, Dean D, Adam Isso, Dr. Jammy Games, Ingsea, and Majestic Potato

Music:
The Prince That Was Promised - House of the Dragon | EPIC VERSION:

[SupercutsDelight]

I agree with most people here that Ser Criston is being more honor oriented instead of love-oriented, but him expecting Raenyra to give up the throne so he can marry her and redeem himself is an absolute long shot. So asking that question to begin with to me is ridiculous. Then for the wedding feast, him breaking is a good plot point, it's just underdeveloped and the creators decided to make the scene intentionally confusing on top of that. Not to mention some random plot holes being tied to that sequence.

[RedMeatWrestling]

I think it was more about honor for Criston than Rhaenyra honestly. He’s heartbroken because he’ll never restore the honor to his name, not because she won’t just run away. Once Laenor’s lover confronts him and implies he might be stuck in the position he’s in, he snaps. Criston worked his entire life from nothing to where he is, just to throw it away with no ability to regain what was once lost. He might’ve loved her, sure, but I’m fairly certain he just snapped from his honor being taken away.

[boodyjacob]

Criston Cole didn't have this downfall because of his love to Rhaenyra, it's because he's starting to question his honor.. he's always been a guy of morals, he considers his white cloak the highest honor he's ever received and so soiling it made him into the unstable mess he's become.
And btw, I love what they have done to his character.. in the books, it's unclear why he had this sudden change of heart when he joined the greens.
But now it's pretty clear and it makes more sense that he would abandon Rhaenyra for the greens.

[omarbencheikh]

Actually, the "replacement actresses" were cast first then they looked for young actresses who look like them.

[thedemonhater]

While Criston’s tropy “let’s run away together” shtick might seem simple/unoriginal, I think regarding the character it makes sense. Criston is a knight in the Middle Ages whose grown up on stories of bravery and romantic ideals of chivalry and courtly romance. To him, the suggestion of running off together like that just makes sense as the honorable and noble thing to do.

Ofcourse it’s fucking absurd by our modern conceptions of relationships, but to him it’s totally valid.

[wallacewynne]

Criston's confession was the first sign of his suicidality. Naturally Alicent would be aware of this, so it's no surprise when at end she follows him and intervenes. It wasn't a matter of timing.

[jking]

I loved the music during Alicent’s entrance, Ramin Djawadi always creates individual themes for each character, and to me this moment signifies Alicent finally coming into her own as true player in this game of thrones.

[ItsNotAdamG]

I believe he’s under the protection of Alicent so he might have gotten away with this one especially with a lot of the audience not in favour of Rhaenarya becoming queen and in support of Alicent’s son (i.e the lannisters) so maybe no one would testify against him anyways though i agree it was a bit confusing why he had no helmet but in the books it’s left confused why Ser Criston switched to the Greens and the lovestruck and instant decline is clearly why he was so upset and not cared for Rhanaenary having even leave their conversation without any reprimands

[skipisibbe]

in the scene where cole suggests his idea, he starts with that rheanyra has "confided in me now and then over the years of our acquaintance".
seems to me they had that they have build a pretty personal relationship, and cole knows she is about to marry someone else so in his mind this might be his only shot to marry her. also he is probably fearing his life as he knows once his actions gets discovered he will probably die for them.

[rahbeeuh]

Ser Criston mistakenly thought HotD was about him. It was once, my guy have several seats!

Ser Criston doesn't/didn't love Rhaenyra (he was fond of her at best) he was offering her an out to save *HIS* honor. It had nothing to do with her.

[TheLethalGuy]

I think Criston’s outburst doesn’t have anything to do with his feelings for Rhaenyra. Even when they’re on the boat discussing the prospect of running away he talks about it as a way to “restore his honor, ” and talks about soiling his white cloak which is “the only thing I have to my fucking name.” We already know he’s an honor driven character and has spent his whole life trying to be the most honorable he can be so when Rhae rejects him his only chance to restore his honor is gone. He tries to restore it by telling Alicent what he did and then asking to be executed but Alicent just lets him go. So now he has the pressure of Alicent knowing his secret and as we all know ppl with honor don’t play “the game” very well. So when Ser Joffrey figures out his secret he cracks and just murders him. Now that he’s soiled his cloak and murdered an innocent any shred of honor he once had is gone and everything he worked his life up to is gone. Anyone else in the situation would probably try to kill themselves too

Also I think the no helmet thing has more to do with him being easy to see for the audience. Ser Harold also doesn’t wear a helmet I’m pretty sure

[mmoses]

His reaction was believable for me. This woman gave him and his family name and an honor that no one else could give. He owes everything to her and after their encounter he is even more ensnared. He sacrificed everything he holds dear inside, albeit it certainly comprised his integrity, leaving him desperate to justify his actions with her. The rejection on the boat was the final string holding him together and jophrey pulled that dangling thread where he has nothing left. He is ashamed that this now public knowledge and he was played the fool, time to go out with a bang

[skilledatbball]

I think Larys acting as the new little finger was a great part of the episode

[Corlwow]

I think the sequence that explains cole’s flip out is:
He punches him cause hes angry repressed and cracked. The people around are treating it like a brawl to watch for entertainment. Then joffrey pulls out the knife and pulling a knife against a kingsguard is enough to get killed. Its very silly how the other kingsguard dont get involved at all esp when Rhaenyra and Laenor are in danger, however they may think kingsguard cole is dealing with the situation himself. But it does feel a bit off.

[wastingtime]

passage of time was shown through the progression of Viserys's disease... his whole arm is covered now. plus, criston wasn't as head over heels for Rhaenyra as much as he was concerned about his honor.

[fpgmatthew]

I think the reason no Kingsguard member stops Criston is because it happens out of nowhere, and from the quickest jump to conclusions, they see another Kingsguard member fighting a common man holding a knife, watching Harwin carry Rhaenyra out of the room, for all they know they think Joffrey was threatening Rhaenyra and Criston saved her

[barathrum]

The way Alicent shudders when Otto mentions war is so subtle and great.
The actress is incredible.

[Razzlewolfflight]

Let’s just preface the entire incident by saying that the book’s version of events (naturally) made perfect sense. Killing Joffrey in a tourney melee, while frowned upon, isn’t “wrong.” Beating him to death in the middle of the wedding’s dance floor clearly is.

[CadaverJunky]

Why are people confused by this, it's very simple to me. He threw away his vows and honor when she wanted to have sex with him, then refuses to follow through with that and seems to "abandon him" in his mind.

[johnecoapollo]

That moment when you know that if Ser Criston said "These last few months that we've been together..." he would say that it was too hamfisted.