Happy House of the Dragon day!
Later tonight, HBO’s prequel to the gigantic Game of Thrones will drop its first episode. House of the Dragon takes place 300 years before the events of the original series. On top of that, the series focuses on the powerful but infamous House Targaryen.
But for LGBTQ fans of the original series, there is some concern and caution before going into this new show. Not only did the original series end terribly, but the series’ LGBTQ representation was… disappointing. The show’s small number of LGBTQ characters either ended up or as large shadows of who they once were. With that in mind, LGBTQ fans who enjoy LGBTQ representation may not be open to another visit to Westeros.
With that in mind, I started to wonder, “Will there be any LGBTQ representation in House of the Dragon?” If you’re wondering the same thing, here’s some beginner info to help you decide whether the show is worth the watch.
Emma D’Arcy
First and foremost, we have Emma D’Arcy to look forward to. At first glance, it seems that Emma D’Arcy will be filling in the shoes of Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen. Playing the grown-up version of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, D’Arcy has appeared front and center in the show’s marketing. HBO wants you to know there will be a female ruler with platinum blonde hair riding dragons in this series. And even better, Emma D’Arcy is a non-binary actor. So there’s one guaranteed route for representation. Granted, you have to know that info going in.
Characters?
As for actual representation in the plot, there are some sure bets and some possibilities. The one for sure bet is in the character Laenor Valaryon. Laenor, cousin to Rhaenyra, was canonically gay in the source material book Fire & Blood. He even had two lovers, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth and Ser Qarl Correy. And yes, we were also triggered when we read the first lover’s name. So far, the lovers have not been confirmed in the show’s cast. But fingers crossed that they will appear in the series.
There’s also one other couple to look out for. In Fire & Blood, the Lady of the Vale, Jeyne Arryn, has a relationship with Jessamyn Redfort. But, neither character was announced in the initial cast list of the show. Perhaps they’ll be a surprise addition later in the season or in future seasons. But for now, we have to wait to see.
Related: 14 Game of Thrones Hotties That Keep Us From Heartbreak
The Maybes
Then, we have all the possible LGBTQ couples and characters. As with a lot of George R.R. Martin’s works, the story is relayed through rumors and biased perspectives. As such, the following characters and couples are not confirmed as LGBTQ but hinted to be that way.
Remember Rhaenyra Targaryen? While we know she’ll be portrayed by a non-binary actor, we might also get queer representation out of the character herself. It was rumored in the book that the princess and her friend Laena Velaryon were VERY close. While the Targaryen’s were known in the world’s mythos for practices like keeping marriage in the family… if you catch my drift, would they be open to sapphic romances? We’ll see if the writers decide to handle that question.
Lastly, Black Aly and Sabitha Frey were rumored to have shared a tent during days on the field. Again, this was just a rumor but the show could go on to confirm it. Here’s hoping.
LGBTQ Rep in House of the Dragon
That’s all we know so far based on the source material. To find out IF we get queer rep, we’ll have to watch the show to see. We’ll keep our fingers crossed until then.
