the first layer to this is that he’s dornish. i am operating on assumption here, but given that dorne is unconquered and targaryen loyalists may have some ill will towards dorne for thwarting targaryen expansion, i do wonder if criston faced hostility at court. from the nobles, sure, but also his fellow kingsguard.

the second layer to this is that he’s lowborn - a son of a steward from an unknown house with no glory, lands or titles to his name. this is a man who clawed his way up from nothing. in a society where status and birth dictates your entire life trajectory, he defied odds and became a member of the kingsguard through nothing but merit. the grit that would take, the ambition, the determination, the skill. and he says this to aemond in episode 9, that he knows what it’s like to toil for things that others are so freely given. he probably had to work four times as hard to get to his position, harder than any other character on this show. and having ended up at his post of honor, he is not met with respect but is mocked. undermined.

the first instance of this is when daemon calls him crispin. it’s not that deep at first glance, but in criston’s shoes, he was the one who came from nothing and beat the targaryen prince, only to be openly made fun of. perhaps against his better judgment, he lashes out and is rude to the prince. the second instance is when harwin talks to lyonel, and speaks about criston’s lowborn birth in a derogatory manner. “son of a steward,” he spits in contempt while lyonel reminds him that criston is a knight of the kingsguard. criston isn’t present for this, but it makes you wonder if he’s been subjected to this contempt before. his position - the one he worked tirelessly for and earned fair and square - questioned, simply because of his status. that would breed anger and resentment in the best of us.

and this also puts his relationship with rhaenyra into perspective. he fell in love with the princess, and he gave up the only thing he had - his honor, his vow - to be with her. despite refusing several times, despite hesitating for a long while. only to realize that the princess had used him for her own ends (her pleasure), not deeming him worthy to run away with him, only deeming him worthy to be her whore. he is reminded once again, quite sharply, that despite the fact that she gave him his position, he is ultimately nobody to her. a tool to be used and discarded. and replaceable to boot, when she turns instead to another knight to be her paramour but this time, one who is highborn.

which is why when alicent spares him and grants him some mercy when he comes clean about his oath breaking, it means something to him. when she saves this lowborn knight with no friends and no honor, he devotes himself to her. she trusts him with her children, who grow up to respect him, looking to him as a friend and a father figure. he crowns aegon, aemond confides in him and helaena holds onto him and alicent speaks intimately to him. when they see him, they do not see a lowborn knight, an impostor at court. they see him as part of their family unit. someone to trust and respect.

the first thing Criston thinks of after he wakes up is Aegon