Editor's note: This post contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon season two, episode six, "Smallfolk."
Since the early days of season one of HBO's epic Game of Thrones spinoff prequel series House of the Dragon, fans have speculated about a romantic relationship between Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and her ex-best friend Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). The two seemed to be in tune in more ways than one, however it was never directly stated that either of them were queer. Although we had the incredible Ser Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillian) in the first season, he was quickly on the run with his man by the end, so for season two, we have yet to have a queer character to root for.
But now that we're nearing the end of popular fantasy series' second season, we finally get the answer we wanted when it comes to the question of the show's LGBTQ+ representation! Warning: MAJOR spoiler ahead!
Queen Rhaenyra has a very steamy kiss and intimate moment with her sidekick/prisoner Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno).
An the kiss in question wasn't even in the initial script! According to reports, nonbinary HOTD actor Emma D'Arcy put it together!
"It wasn’t scripted as a kiss. I think it was scripted as...there’s just breath between them or something, and then whatever happens is interrupted," Mizuno told TheWrap in a recent interview, revealing that it was D'Arcy who suggested how the kissing scene should play out.
"Because we were separate in the room … [and] Mysaria has told this story, [D'Arcy] felt the instinct to hold her, to comfort her," she continued. "From that, it felt so organic to go into the kiss."
In a separate recent interview with Variety, D'Arcy said, "Initially, there's huge feelings of empathy and gratitude toward this person. Rhaenyra is hugely affected by the life that Mysaria has lived so bravely. Then, they are two bodies completely overrun by touch. As soon as they embrace and their bodies are touching, I think it's pure bodily desire."
Let's just say, we can feel that desire through the screen! The sexual tension between these two is something serious. This is a serious win for the fans, not only do we have confirmation of two more queer characters within this universe, but one of them is the damn QUEEN. A win is a win!
House of the Dragon is streaming on Max.