After weeks of major queer vibes between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower — which the actors have confirmed was intentional — House of the Dragons fans finally got what we really wanted, an actual, gasp, gay character.
Spoilers for House of the Dragon, Season 1 episode 5 are below.
Laenor Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s betrothed, had long been rumored to be gay in Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on. However, the show has finally confirmed the character’s sexuality.
In episode 5 the two are officially engaged to be married and have a little chat on the beach, where she keeps it very real with her future husband, discussing the logistics of their future marriage, and telling him in a roundabout way that she knows that he is gay. She suggests that while the two have to uphold their duties as a married couple, the two also continue to “dine” separately, in their marriage. That way Laenor can continue his relationship with Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, and Rhaenyra can continue her love affair with Ser Criston Cole.
Theirs will be a political marriage that merges her power with that of House Velaryon, strengthening her claim to the iron throne, while also giving them both the freedom to love who they want. It should have been a win-win, however, this is Westeros, and we can’t have anything nice, so instead, tragedy soon struck. Queer fans are understandably not happy.Courtesy of HBO
Following the couple's wedding Ser Joffrey told Ser Criston that he was aware of the knight's relationship with Rhaenyra, and in response, later that evening Criston beats him to death, then nearly takes his own life. In other words, right after we meet our queer couple, the “bury your gays” trope rears its ugly head and one of them is killed off.
Fans on Twitter shared their feelings and frustration on the horrifying turn of events.
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