'House of the Dragon' Season 2: Why Aegon's move to appoint Cole as Hand of the King lacks foresight
Contains spoilers and speculation
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 2 dropped on HBO on June 23, 2024. The engaging episode had the audience on the edge of their seats with twists and turns and the politics that have made it a firm fan-favorite.
An event in the second episode sent the audience into a frenzy as Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) removed Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) from the position of the Hand of the King as he appointed Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) instead of him.
The decision was taken after Aegon was upset about Ser Otto Hightower not taking action against Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) who he believes killed Prince Jaehaerys. Criston Cole on the other hand was prompt to take action and send Ser Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor) to kill Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Ser Otto Hightower is aghast at this move and he might be right as there is evidence of Criston Cole being incompetent for the spot.
Is Criston Cole a better hand than Otto Hightower?
Criston Cole is a capable warrior for sure as we saw in Season 1. He defeated Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) in combat.
The hand of the King is a position that requires more than just skills as a warrior but also a politically smart mind and the willingness to exercise restraint. The reason why King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) had a peaceful rein as the King was his restraint and willingness to find a smarter solution than a more impulsive one.
With Aegon being an impulsive ruler, Criston Cole is someone who will give in to his wishes and demands instead of counseling him like Ser Otto was doing.
We have already seen Criston Cole fail in his duty to protect the royal family. When Prince Jaehaerys was murdered, Criston Cole was busy in his affair with Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Further, his move to send Ser Arryk, which was deemed brilliant by Aegon turns out to be anything but brilliant as Ser Arryk dies at the hands of his twin.
So the move might lack foresight and might end up costing the Green faction in the long run.
Does Criston Cole redeem himself in Season 2 of 'House of the Dragon'?
Criston Cole does have some redemption from the point of view of the Green Faction as he wins them the Battle at Rook's Rest. However, the battle does cost him many knights and also seriously injures Aegon Targaryen and his dragon Sunfyre.
The battle and the cost of the battle could have been avoided if Ser Otto Hightower had been the Hand of the King. Criston continues to be the Hand of the King till the end of the Dance of the Dragons
What happens to Ser Otto Hightower next?
Ser Otto Hightower continues to fight for the Green Faction as he approaches the Triarchy to help them in a naval battle known as the Battle of Gullet. For now, he talked about going to Oldtown to meet Daeron Targaryen.
Eventually, the Battle of Gullet will be the most brutal in the history of 'House of the Dragon' and one of the most decisive battles in the history of the Seven Kingdoms as per the book 'Fire and Blood'.
How to stream 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?
'House of the Dragon' started streaming on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16, 2024. Episodes of the series will continue to air every Sunday until August 4, 2024.
To watch the series, you will need a Max subscription. The streaming platform typically offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.
The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually.
Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer
'House of the Dragon' started streaming on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16, 2024.