“House of the Dragon” has made it abundantly clear that Westeros is not the most progressive place. Its deep patriarchal traditions mean that even the Realm’s most powerful woman, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, cannot escape the duty to marry and eventually bear children.
The fifth episode of the HBO prequel series sees Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) finally betrothed and then married to her cousin, Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate). And in introducing Laenor’s story, “House of the Dragon” follows “Game of Thrones’” tradition of failing its LGBTQ characters.
Laenor, like Rhaenyra, is not actually interested in marriage — at least to a woman. Perhaps because the language to describe and define multiple sexual orientations doesn’t exist in Westeros, his family speaks only in euphemism, but Laenor is gay and his lover is Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod). And, just as in “Game of Thrones,” it’s not considered appropriate for a man to love another man openly in “House of the Dragon.” Laenor’s father, Lord Corlys, even calls it a phase.
