#got s8e2

Grey Worm:

I’ve been thinking a lot about the amount of hate both The Last of Us Part II and its in-the-works HBO show have been receiving, mainly in regards to Ellie’s sexuality, and I realized it reminded me a lot of the hate Game of Thrones (/D&D) received for Arya’s storyline in season 8, particularly at the end of episode 2, when she got together with Gendry. 

Ellie and Arya have a lot of similarities, and have been bashed for the same reasons: they are two powerful females who still want to be loved. 

Nothing baffled me more than the uproar that occurred after Arya admitted “I want to know it’s like”. She had always been an incredibly caring character, yknow, the “made friends with everyone she met” type. Everything she’d ever done was arguably out of her love for her family, which yknow, included Gendry. Arya is a loving character. We, as the current fandom, know this. We also know how shocking it was when people argued it was shit writing because they saw Arya as cold-blooded, a walking weapon, incapable of feeling. Because she had murdered and Was still very much a murderer, they felt she was nothing but an empty tool to kill off other characters. Yknow, regardless of how each of her kills were specific to vengeance and compassion and targeted horrible (specific) people who had performed some horrific cruelties to her friends and family.

But we know this, we’re a year passed this. 

With Ellie, although homophobia surely plays a part, I think it has more to do with her being a killer, as well. I’ve never indepth read some of the complaints people had for including her sexuality in the game & HBO series, but from the parts I’ve seen, it sounds like people are more upset that she’s able to find a love at all, being a killer. She shouldn’t have the time to stand idly, catching feelings for a girl, because she has an agenda for vengeance that should be consuming her entire being at all moments.

It’s worth noting the irony in this, given the preview showing Ellie & Dina’s shared kiss, before cutting to the gameplay preview, Ellie covering a dude’s mouth as she stabs in the throat, in tears. Of all things, her recalling that sentimentality is more consuming-at-all-moments, even in the presence of her hatred. But I’m just rambling. 

Similar arguments were made after the Left Behind DLC, that her gayness had to be aligned with the narrative of the apocalypse, and was only valid if it represented a greater, post-apocalyptic, societal theme. 

I believe I read somewhere that there are behind the scenes videos that discuss the backlash the game has received for Ellie’s representation, but I have yet to seek them out. I might elaborate on this more after I do. 

Sansa: ...

Brienne: ...

Jon: ...

Davos: ...

Tyrion: ...

Arya: ...

Bran: is this so I'll stop making hand jokes at you?

Jaime: ...

Jaime: ...

Jaime: ...

Jaime: ..... no.