This story originally appeared on Out.
Note: This post contains spoilers for HBO's House of the Dragon season 3, episode 6.
House of the Dragon may have quietly added another queer character to Westeros. Or maybe fans are getting a little ahead of themselves.
Season 3, episode 6, called "Faceless Man," has HOTD viewers debating whether Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), Alicent Hightower's (Olivia Cooke) younger brother, might be gay. The speculation isn't coming completely out of nowhere. In this episode, Gwayne's cousin, Ormund Hightower (James Norton), cracks a couple of crude jokes about Gwayne's sexuality during their reunion at Tumbleton — comments TVLine described as "homophobic jokes."
Gwayne: "I've marched a long road. Fought and killed and suffered my comrades to be killed about me."
Ormund: "Yes, you have endured much. I'm sure you found solace with some of your brothers in arms."
Gwayne: "I am fatigued. It's been weeks since I've seen a feather bed. By your leave."
Ormund: "You might see Ser Gwayne to his quarters, Your Grace. Make sure he bathes. Oh, and, uh...mind yourself. Backs against the wall."
The exchange was enough for plenty of viewers to take it as confirmation. A Reddit post laying out the supposed clues quickly began circulating, while the pop-culture source Fiction Horizon declared Gwayne's sexuality one of the show's newest mysteries.
from Hotd
But are we ready to add Gwayne to our list of LGBTQ+ characters in the Game of Thrones universe? Not yet.
First, Ormund's jokes tell us what he thinks — or at least what he thinks will embarrass Gwayne — not who Gwayne is actually attracted to. Gwayne himself has yet to say or do anything that confirms the speculation.
The complicated dynamic among the Hightower men is very much intentional. In HBO's House of the Dragon: Inside the Episode, Fox, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (who plays Daeron Targaryen), and Norton discuss the secrets surrounding Ormund, Daeron's fear of him, and the way he looks to Gwayne for protection. What exactly Daeron fears remains a mystery, and the show keeps us guessing for now.
Fans have also zeroed in on a later scene in Sunday's episode, in which Gwayne realizes that a group of supposed Baratheon knights are actually assassins. He points out that the real Ser Arrion Baratheon has light chestnut hair, is about a foot taller and, "as it happens," is "far more comely."
Yes, "comely" means attractive. But context is doing a lot of work here.
Gwayne delivers the line while holding up the head of a mud-covered assassin whose throat he has just slit. He's explaining how he knew the man wasn't Arrion — listing the differences in his hair, height, and appearance. Calling another man comely — especially when you're comparing him to someone covered head to toe in mud — isn't exactly proof of attraction.
But then there's Ser Criston Cole.
Ser Criston ColeTheo Whiteman/HBO
Some fans have looked back at Gwayne's relationship with Criston (Fabien Frankel) for romantic subtext, but episode 5 has even less clues to work with. Facing assured defeat on the battlefield, Gwayne offers Criston sanctuary at Oldtown and the chance to serve House Hightower, then later tries to talk him out of what he realizes is essentially a suicide mission. Criston refuses, as he is determined to meet the Riverlanders in battle even if it kills him.
Apparently, worrying that your fellow soldier is marching to his death is romantic now. Criston's feelings, meanwhile, are crystal clear. He talks about hoping Alicent will one day hear songs about his final battle, and when that battle comes, his last act is to wrap her handkerchief around the hilt of his sword.
Fans have also pointed to the fact that Gwayne remains unmarried. But an unmarried man isn't automatically gay, even in Westeros. Ormund doesn't appear to have a wife either, so by that logic, should we be asking if he's gay too? Once fans start treating details like that as evidence, almost any character can be made to fit whatever theory we're looking for.
So, is Gwayne Hightower — bends wrist — gay?
Maybe! Ormund's homophobic comments certainly give fans something to theorize about. But since when do we listen to homophobes? There's a difference between another character making insinuations and Gwayne actually showing or telling us who he's attracted to. As of season 3, episode 6, he hasn't.
For now, Gwayne remains just outside the gates of our LGBTQ+ Westeros list. But there are still two episodes left in season 3, so we'll see what happens!
House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 p.m. Eastern on HBO and is streaming on Max.
