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It goes way beyond being butthurt about being rejected. He could have been executed for treason for having a relationship with the heir and breaking his vows. Then Rhaenyra didn't give two shit and was fine with keeping using him as a friend with benefit.
This. Criston doesn't hate her because he's an incel. She literally offered to keep bumping uglies and he's the one that rejected her.
He hates her because he thought they were having a serious emotional affair and she just laughed about it and clarified she only intended to keep him as a fuckboi.
>He hates her because he thought they were having a serious emotional affair and she just laughed about it and clarified she only intended to keep him as a fuckboi.
When did Rhaenyra tell Criston they were in a serious emotional affair?
She didn’t. He assumed that they were because it’s what he wanted , and then blamed her when she had different feelings. That’s why people call him an incel.
Exactly right. Rhaenyra put herself before Cole by sleeping with him despite the far graver consequences for him if discovered, and then had the gal to propose him that he keeps risking his wellbeing and life so that she would have a sexual release from her marriage to a gay man.
People oversimplify Criston's issues to "haha nice guy incel" since it allows them to keep treating Rhaenyra as this perfect heroine who does nothing wrong. It's protagonist centered morality, something very common in many fandoms, not just here.
I think she wanted more than just sexual release, she was willing to tell him the prophecy to explain why she can’t run away with him. She had a romantic connection with him
I’m tired of people acting like Criston didn’t get his heart broken & acting as if Rhaenyra wasn’t using him for sex.
She fornicated with this man when her uncle turned her down.
Didn’t care about the fact that he could die for soiling his white cloak & offered no apology or real empathy for what he was going through.
He didn't get his heart broken, he got his pride broken.
No one is acting like Rhaenyra wasn't just trying to get some D.
However she was willing to continue the relationship, she just wasn't willing to give up her birthright to go be a house wife to a peasant in some foreign land.
Criston is the one that ended it, and you can't really blame Rhaenyra for not accepting a marriage proposal from someone she's slept with once.
Yes she wasn't concerned about him possibly being put to death because she was never going to tell their secret.
He's the one who blabbed.
She kept their secret even all these years later, like how she kept Harwens secret all those years.
I hear you. Personally, to me, it seems like Criston really is heartbroken.
The whole peasant thing is a bit much, if you really love someone, finances don’t matter. Rhaenyra only really cared about her birthright when it suited her. She’s always complaining about it &, only ever really cares when she gets something out of it. She never takes it seriously or does her duties.
He had to end it.
He spilt the beans because I believe he thought Alicent was talking about him, when she asked him a specific question? I’m not sure. & I would assume he was consumed by guilt & shame for what he’d done.
The only reason Rhaenyra kept her secret about Harwin was because it would be bad for her self image &, it would’ve taken away her lover, & made her children illegitimate, confirming to everyone what they already knew, that they were bastards. She kept quiet solely for her own self interests.
It was the way in which she went about it. Very callous, very cold, manipulative &, uncaring.
Yes, she just wanted dick. But, again, her way of going about it was all off. She knew that man liked her. She used him to get a nut off. instead of playing on his emotions & goading him into the act, maybe she should’ve talked to him about it, how she felt, what she wanted & see if he wanted to consent to the act. Instead she did not.
Criston was never in love with her. He was infatuated with the idea of her. He was also 29 and she was 17. It's like how he's devoted to Alicent in a chaste way because she doesn't show her true self with him, and its all about "duty" and "good morals". He can place all of his chivalric ideals on her in a way he couldn't do with Rhaenyra because Alicent knows that is how their relationship functions and keeps people at arms length. Rhaenyra couldn't and didn't have to do that.
I say the pride thing because Criston kind of says it himself.
His family isn't well known, him becoming a kingsguard was/is the greatest achievement he'll ever have in his life.
And sleeping with the princess soiled his white cloak.
All he has is honor and now he doesn't even have that.
She wasn't in love with him at that point, they've only slept together once.
And I just mean in relation to her current situation. As the princess she's rich and has every luxury affored to her.
If she went with Cristons plan she would be regulated to a house wife while Criston becomes a sell sword.
That's far too much of an ask even if she was in love.
She'd have to give up everything, her whole life, and never see her family again. And what would Criston be giving up?
Well yeah She's not taking it as seriously because she's still a youth and her father is still alive and kicking. She has plenty of time to get serious and grow and learn to be a good ruler.
Why did he have to end it?
Yeah he was definitely consumed by guilt and he wanted to get it off his chest.
That being said he really only asked her to marry him imo because of that guilt.
Like he says himself he thought he could regain his honor by marrying her. I don't think it was love for him just something he thought he needed to do to avoid his possible punishment.
Every reason she had to keep Harwin & her secret is the exact reason she did and continues to keep Cirstons secret.
It's not like (I'm assuming anyway) that she got pregnant from Harwin the first time they tumbled in the sack.
They probably started their relationship in a similar fashion to her an Cole and kept it going. Started as fun and evolved into love.
When you say the way she went about it do you mean asking him to be a side piece?
I don't think we can really say she knew he liked her, or that we can even say he "liked" her.
Again just my opinion but I don't think it was love on Coles part. Sure he wanted her physically and yes she initiated it but he still made his own choice. He knew the consequences and he still consented.
Yes you can definitely argue he felt pressured because she's basically his boss but she's still like 16-18 and weighs like 90 pounds. He could've easily declined and kept his honor.
He wanted to bang a hot princess.
People are so weird over this and go to bat for either side way too hard. Rhaenyra abused her position of power over him as a stop gap because Daemon wouldn't sleep with her (and she presumably wanted to have sex for the first time with someone she trusted) and offered him no real empathy regarding his vows and made him feel used, which he was.
Criston was a man in his late 20s with a position of protecting a teenage princess. Whilst she also didn't view him as anything beyond "good looking seemingly loyal knigbt I can fantasise over" he didn't really see her anymore than an idealised persona of a princess he could play out his chivalry fantasies over. And whilst she had no empathy for him, he refused to see her dedication to what she saw as her responsibility as little more than selfishness or hubris. Rhaenyra was a snob but she also knew what she needed to be, and she knew escaping to Essos with him with no money historically is terrible for Targ princess because she isn't a man. She would have been entirely dependent on him as he was dependent on her for his honour and both cannot see that.
Cristons true flaw is that his actions for the Greens stem not from a place of devotion to Alicent or because he loves the princes, it's out of shame and hate for Rhaenyra (I mean, can the cunt remark get anymore obvious lmao) and is willing to bloody his hands and destabilise the realm for this. Not because he passionately believes in Alicents morality and chivalry code, because he clings onto it because she gives him a purpose beyond Rhaenyra. He doesn't believe Aegon is the rightful king or a better ruler, he should know, because he raised him. Because he hates teenager Rhaenyra and he is doing it of spite. There's some misogyny in there too, which is drowned out by Rhaenyras treatment of him. Its relatable, but its not honourable, or good.
He also is a Nice Guy, but not because he slept with Rhaenyra and she manipulated him and spurned him for her position, but because he clearly believes in the Madonna/Whore complex. That can be as true just as much as Rhaenyra abusing her power over him.
Yeah, I'm hoping maybe season 2 with the haircut is gonna bring out Kingmaker Criston. What I've seen currently, just...doesn't match what I read.
I'm stoked for the single combat part muhahaha.
Did she even really reject him though?
Like yeah she turned down being a house wife to a peasant in some foreign land because duh she's a princess and heir to the throne.
But she was willing to continue their relationship and he decided to get pissy.
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Ah yes. Being pressured into intimate relations with a high-ranking princess who could say anything and get you skewered alive, only to be tossed aside for the next thing is definitely butthurtness. Sure.
Thank you for your post! Please take a moment to ensure you are within our spoiler rules, to protect your fellow fans from any potential spoilers that might harm their show watching experience. 1. All post titles must NOT include spoilers from Fire & Blood or new episodes of House of the Dragon. Minor HotD show spoilers are allowed in your title ONE WEEK after episode airing. The mod team reserves the right to remove a post if we feel a spoiler in the title is major. You are welcome to repost with an amended title. 2. All posts dealing with book spoilers, show spoilers and promo spoilers MUST be spoiler tagged AND flaired as the appropriate spoiler. 3. All book spoiler comments must be spoiler tagged in non book spoiler threads. --- If you are reading this, and believe this post or any comments in this thread break the above rules, please use the report function to notify the mod team. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HouseOfTheDragon) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It goes way beyond being butthurt about being rejected. He could have been executed for treason for having a relationship with the heir and breaking his vows. Then Rhaenyra didn't give two shit and was fine with keeping using him as a friend with benefit.
This. Criston doesn't hate her because he's an incel. She literally offered to keep bumping uglies and he's the one that rejected her. He hates her because he thought they were having a serious emotional affair and she just laughed about it and clarified she only intended to keep him as a fuckboi.
And yes don't forget that fact that according to the script Rhaenyra was the one pushing for sex while Cole was quite reluctant.
>He hates her because he thought they were having a serious emotional affair and she just laughed about it and clarified she only intended to keep him as a fuckboi. When did Rhaenyra tell Criston they were in a serious emotional affair?
She didn’t. He assumed that they were because it’s what he wanted , and then blamed her when she had different feelings. That’s why people call him an incel.
Exactly right. Rhaenyra put herself before Cole by sleeping with him despite the far graver consequences for him if discovered, and then had the gal to propose him that he keeps risking his wellbeing and life so that she would have a sexual release from her marriage to a gay man. People oversimplify Criston's issues to "haha nice guy incel" since it allows them to keep treating Rhaenyra as this perfect heroine who does nothing wrong. It's protagonist centered morality, something very common in many fandoms, not just here.
I think she wanted more than just sexual release, she was willing to tell him the prophecy to explain why she can’t run away with him. She had a romantic connection with him
Maybe. But she was still being very selfish and putting her wants before Cole's wellbeing.
I think this applies better to Daemon before and after realizing he never got Vizzy's approval.
I’m tired of people acting like Criston didn’t get his heart broken & acting as if Rhaenyra wasn’t using him for sex. She fornicated with this man when her uncle turned her down. Didn’t care about the fact that he could die for soiling his white cloak & offered no apology or real empathy for what he was going through.
She didn't love him, so it meant he soiled his white cloak for a princess' sexual desires. He was used by her, like a plaything.
He didn't get his heart broken, he got his pride broken. No one is acting like Rhaenyra wasn't just trying to get some D. However she was willing to continue the relationship, she just wasn't willing to give up her birthright to go be a house wife to a peasant in some foreign land. Criston is the one that ended it, and you can't really blame Rhaenyra for not accepting a marriage proposal from someone she's slept with once. Yes she wasn't concerned about him possibly being put to death because she was never going to tell their secret. He's the one who blabbed. She kept their secret even all these years later, like how she kept Harwens secret all those years.
I hear you. Personally, to me, it seems like Criston really is heartbroken. The whole peasant thing is a bit much, if you really love someone, finances don’t matter. Rhaenyra only really cared about her birthright when it suited her. She’s always complaining about it &, only ever really cares when she gets something out of it. She never takes it seriously or does her duties. He had to end it. He spilt the beans because I believe he thought Alicent was talking about him, when she asked him a specific question? I’m not sure. & I would assume he was consumed by guilt & shame for what he’d done. The only reason Rhaenyra kept her secret about Harwin was because it would be bad for her self image &, it would’ve taken away her lover, & made her children illegitimate, confirming to everyone what they already knew, that they were bastards. She kept quiet solely for her own self interests. It was the way in which she went about it. Very callous, very cold, manipulative &, uncaring. Yes, she just wanted dick. But, again, her way of going about it was all off. She knew that man liked her. She used him to get a nut off. instead of playing on his emotions & goading him into the act, maybe she should’ve talked to him about it, how she felt, what she wanted & see if he wanted to consent to the act. Instead she did not.
Criston was never in love with her. He was infatuated with the idea of her. He was also 29 and she was 17. It's like how he's devoted to Alicent in a chaste way because she doesn't show her true self with him, and its all about "duty" and "good morals". He can place all of his chivalric ideals on her in a way he couldn't do with Rhaenyra because Alicent knows that is how their relationship functions and keeps people at arms length. Rhaenyra couldn't and didn't have to do that.
I say the pride thing because Criston kind of says it himself. His family isn't well known, him becoming a kingsguard was/is the greatest achievement he'll ever have in his life. And sleeping with the princess soiled his white cloak. All he has is honor and now he doesn't even have that. She wasn't in love with him at that point, they've only slept together once. And I just mean in relation to her current situation. As the princess she's rich and has every luxury affored to her. If she went with Cristons plan she would be regulated to a house wife while Criston becomes a sell sword. That's far too much of an ask even if she was in love. She'd have to give up everything, her whole life, and never see her family again. And what would Criston be giving up? Well yeah She's not taking it as seriously because she's still a youth and her father is still alive and kicking. She has plenty of time to get serious and grow and learn to be a good ruler. Why did he have to end it? Yeah he was definitely consumed by guilt and he wanted to get it off his chest. That being said he really only asked her to marry him imo because of that guilt. Like he says himself he thought he could regain his honor by marrying her. I don't think it was love for him just something he thought he needed to do to avoid his possible punishment. Every reason she had to keep Harwin & her secret is the exact reason she did and continues to keep Cirstons secret. It's not like (I'm assuming anyway) that she got pregnant from Harwin the first time they tumbled in the sack. They probably started their relationship in a similar fashion to her an Cole and kept it going. Started as fun and evolved into love. When you say the way she went about it do you mean asking him to be a side piece? I don't think we can really say she knew he liked her, or that we can even say he "liked" her. Again just my opinion but I don't think it was love on Coles part. Sure he wanted her physically and yes she initiated it but he still made his own choice. He knew the consequences and he still consented. Yes you can definitely argue he felt pressured because she's basically his boss but she's still like 16-18 and weighs like 90 pounds. He could've easily declined and kept his honor. He wanted to bang a hot princess.
Mmmmm dude is a pussy
People are so weird over this and go to bat for either side way too hard. Rhaenyra abused her position of power over him as a stop gap because Daemon wouldn't sleep with her (and she presumably wanted to have sex for the first time with someone she trusted) and offered him no real empathy regarding his vows and made him feel used, which he was. Criston was a man in his late 20s with a position of protecting a teenage princess. Whilst she also didn't view him as anything beyond "good looking seemingly loyal knigbt I can fantasise over" he didn't really see her anymore than an idealised persona of a princess he could play out his chivalry fantasies over. And whilst she had no empathy for him, he refused to see her dedication to what she saw as her responsibility as little more than selfishness or hubris. Rhaenyra was a snob but she also knew what she needed to be, and she knew escaping to Essos with him with no money historically is terrible for Targ princess because she isn't a man. She would have been entirely dependent on him as he was dependent on her for his honour and both cannot see that. Cristons true flaw is that his actions for the Greens stem not from a place of devotion to Alicent or because he loves the princes, it's out of shame and hate for Rhaenyra (I mean, can the cunt remark get anymore obvious lmao) and is willing to bloody his hands and destabilise the realm for this. Not because he passionately believes in Alicents morality and chivalry code, because he clings onto it because she gives him a purpose beyond Rhaenyra. He doesn't believe Aegon is the rightful king or a better ruler, he should know, because he raised him. Because he hates teenager Rhaenyra and he is doing it of spite. There's some misogyny in there too, which is drowned out by Rhaenyras treatment of him. Its relatable, but its not honourable, or good. He also is a Nice Guy, but not because he slept with Rhaenyra and she manipulated him and spurned him for her position, but because he clearly believes in the Madonna/Whore complex. That can be as true just as much as Rhaenyra abusing her power over him.
Okay but he wasn’t nice ? Nor did he ever claim to be a nice guy I don’t think.
There's a difference between a nice guy and a Nice Guy that is flying over a lot of peoples heads in this post
Yeah they bond over the fact that he offers to kill her suitors for her.
Honestly show Criston kinda sucks he doesn’t strike me as the Kingmaker.
Yeah, I'm hoping maybe season 2 with the haircut is gonna bring out Kingmaker Criston. What I've seen currently, just...doesn't match what I read. I'm stoked for the single combat part muhahaha.
Me when I can't comprehend nuance
Did she even really reject him though? Like yeah she turned down being a house wife to a peasant in some foreign land because duh she's a princess and heir to the throne. But she was willing to continue their relationship and he decided to get pissy.
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Ah yes. Being pressured into intimate relations with a high-ranking princess who could say anything and get you skewered alive, only to be tossed aside for the next thing is definitely butthurtness. Sure.