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“House of the Dragon” closes a chapter, but not before touching on a delicate theme

The fifth episode of the series “The Dragon House” is significant for logistical reasons as it especially marks the end of the episode before the story goes back in time, introducing older versions of some characters and shuffling the cards in some way.

However, the episode can create a lot of buzz about a brutal death that took place, inviting discussion of old concerns and grievances about the way LGBTQ characters are treated, and more specifically, killed off in TV dramas.

The progress made in terms of greater inclusion has coincided with debate over how these characters are portrayed and the fates they face, giving rise to a much-discussed phrase known as “Bury your gays”.

The phrase refers to a story in which gay characters were disproportionately killed off as a plot element, creating the impression that they are more expendable in the eyes of the narrators.

Given that, the “Game of Thrones” prequel potentially ran into controversy with its most recent episode, subtitled “We Light the Way” which once again proved, among other things, that in Westeros not much good happens in marriages.

As part of the plot, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) agreed to an arranged marriage with Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate) – a fusion designed in fact to strengthen the power of their respective lines, and accepting that they can satiate their “appetites” elsewhere.

Knowing that Laenor is gay, Rhaenyra, after being reminded by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith) that the marriage is merely a political arrangement, assured her that they would live separate lives, allowing her to continue her relationship with Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod). Rhaenyra, meanwhile, was flirting with a knight, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).

At the wedding feast, Joffrey let Criston know that he was aware of the knight’s relationship with Rhaenyra, which clearly unsettled and upset him. When the event chaotically erupts into violence a short time later, Criston is on top of Joffrey, brutally beating him to death during the melee. She then flirts with taking her own life, before Alicent (Emily Carey), Rhaenyra’s political rival, intervenes.

Martin’s vision is of a medieval world where life is often cheap. This includes everything from orgies to incest, and from the horrors of childbirth to ensuring royal succession. Even if it means marrying underage girls.

Still, introducing the relationship between Laenor and Joffrey only to dispatch the latter so quickly and horribly almost immediately sparked questions on Twitter Sunday night about how the phrase “Bury your gays” applies here.

In particular, previous discussions of the practice have often focused on science fiction and fantasy series, including “The 100” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and more recently, the BBC America spy thriller “Killing”. Eve”.

It’s also worth noting that during the heyday of “Game of Thrones,” some questioned whether the show had a “gay issue,” such as “Vulture,” which put it in a 2016 article citing the number of LGBTQ characters they had. , which up to that point had met a violent end.

Laenor’s character arc doesn’t end with Sunday’s episode. How this story unfolds can offset or soften this latest twist in the eyes of those who criticize it.

For now, though, based on the nature of the franchise and the success to date, “House of the Dragon” could face some short-term tension.

HBO declined a request to speak about the episode.

This content was originally published in “House of the Dragon” closes a chapter, but not before touching on a sensitive topic on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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