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Two kings to wake the dragon4/19/2023 ![]() As Barristan says in the first ASOIAF book, “Our vows are taken for life. The first is by far the most common: death. There are four ways for a Kingsguard member to leave the order. How can he remain on the Kingsguard after committing a public murder? The worst were those who played the game of thrones.”Ĭriston isn’t playing the game of thrones yet-but given his apparent new alliance with Alicent Hightower, he might soon enter the fray. The best of them overcame their flaws, did their duty, and died with their swords in their hands. Yet despite the lionization of the white cloaks, most members of the brotherhood, Barristan Selmy thinks in A Dance With Dragons, “were only men-quicker and stronger than most, more skilled with sword and shield, but still prey to pride, ambition, lust, love, anger, jealousy, greed for gold, hunger for power, and all the other failings that afflicted lesser mortals. The majority of members come from major families, but for the few from lesser houses (including Criston Cole), the position confers tremendous honor. But most knights chosen for the royal guard view it as a privilege and uphold their sacred vows. This setup sometimes causes problems Tywin Lannister, for instance, grows wroth when Jaime joins the Kingsguard, which removes him from the Casterly Rock line of succession. The Kingsguard is modeled after the Night’s Watch-which predates Targaryen rule by thousands of years-in that its members cannot hold lands or father children, though they don white cloaks instead of black. Aegon was the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms therefore, he should have seven champions, Queen Visenya decided. ![]() ![]() You require better protection.” King Aegon, bleeding, had no choice but to agree. “I could have killed you as easily as I cut you. “Your guards are slow and lazy,” she said. When the king pointed out that he had guardsmen around him, Visenya drew Dark Sister and slashed him across the cheek so quickly the guards had no time to react. Visenya, a no-nonsense fighter, reasoned that the king needed better, more comprehensive protection-and when Aegon protested, she highlighted the king’s precarious position in hilarious fashion. In fact, the Kingsguard was founded early in Aegon the Conqueror’s reign, after Visenya, one of Aegon’s sister-wives, defended him from a pair of Dornish assassins. Westeros is a dangerous place, and the king makes copious enemies. Michael asks, “So is the Kingsguard the single worst idea in Westerosi history, or what?” Dun dun daaaah asks, “What governance is there around the Kingsguard? Who investigates and disciplines them?” Darrell asks, “How does Criston get to keep his job?” And Angela asks, “How in the seven will Criston justify an all-out public murder of a KNIGHT?” This week, let’s begin by lumping a bunch of Criston questions together. To appear in future mailbags, message me at on Twitter or each week after the Dragon episode airs. So let’s take our weekly dive into the Dragon mailbag to answer your questions about Criston, plus some other key players in the quest for the Iron Throne. ![]() In the wake of “We Light the Way,” the fifth episode of House of the Dragon, everyone wants to know more about Ser Criston Cole and his role in the Kingsguard-a reasonable request, given that he just murdered a man at the welcome feast for a royal wedding.
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