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Why is Criston Cole using a lemon to polish his sword on House of the Dragon?

BBG News

As a dedicated gamer and history enthusiast, I’ve spent countless hours immersed in the rich worlds of medieval RPGs and strategy games. The intricacies of sword maintenance have always been of particular interest to me, so when I saw Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) using a lemon to clean his sword on the latest episode of House of the Dragon, my inner historian was thrilled!

I recently watched an intriguing episode of House of the Dragon, and there was a fascinating scene between Alicent Hightower, played by Olivia Cooke, and Ser Criston Cole, portrayed by Fabien Frankel. In this scene, Criston had his sword set up in front of him, leaning against a box and some books for maintenance. It seemed he was either polishing or cleaning the weapon. Remarkably, he employed an unusual tool – a lemon wedge.

Is it lemons or their juice that are truly employed for sword cleaning? There’s some proof for this. On YouTube, bladesmith Walter Sorrells applies a lemon juice solution to polish a self-forged Japanese blade named tanto. Meanwhile, military antiques expert Matthew Forde discusses using lemon juice on brass sword handles to eliminate leftover residue. Additionally, the website Medieval Collectibles suggests applying a gentle layer of lemon juice onto wooden sword handles to hinder cracking.

Lemon juice functions as a gentle bleach, making it potentially effective for removing stains from steel swords. Given the recent rigors Criston has faced – beheading Lord Darklyn at Duskendale and possibly becoming coated in grime during the intense Battle of Rook’s Rest where Criston lost consciousness amidst dragons clashing both on the ground and in the sky – it may prove necessary for him to clean his sword thoroughly.

In simpler terms, lemons can only thrive in warmer regions, making it unlikely for them to be found in colder areas like the North or the Riverlands. Criston hails from Dorne, a desert region in the Seven Kingdoms where lemons may grow. Thus, his use of a lemon on his sword is an intriguing detail, as not all knights in Westeros are accustomed to this unconventional method. Perhaps Criston could impart some knowledge to his fellow knights who have never encountered a lemon before. Additionally, we know that Criston takes pride in keeping his Kingsguard cloaks clean, which may also extend to their swords.

Next Sunday evening, House of the Dragon with Criston returns for a fresh installment on both HBO and max.

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2024-07-15 05:44

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