But in Season 5,a scene was so egregiously problematicthat it caused an outcry from the fans.
Sansa’s Rape Scene Was Absolutely Unnecessary
The sceneignited backlash from fans and critics alike.
From a narrative point of view, the scene doesnt add anything to the story.
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Its not as if Sansa hadnt suffered enough.
She was forced to watchher father’s beheadingand condemn him as a traitor.
She was married off to one ruthless, sadistic brat before being married off to another ruthless, sadisticbrat.
And after all of that, she was raped by Ramsay.
The lengthy and brutal clips of him torturing Theon pretty much ensured everyone would fear and loathe Ramsay.
A big chunk of the scene plays outwith the camera shifting its focus on Theons face.
This leaves the audience to imagine the gory details as his face shudders and recoils.
By doing this, the scene emphasizes Theon’s humiliation rather than Sansa, the actual victim of rape.
But this isnt the first time thatGame of Thronesactors have spoken against the gratuitous sexual violence in the series.
And she didnt know where she could draw the line and say no to scenes that made her uncomfortable.
B. WeissandDavid Benioff,who reportedly shouted, Momoa, just take it off … sacrifice!
Do it for your art!"
Image via HBO
They’re a major power couple, after all.
And secondly, they make the depiction as realistic as possible.
The controversial scene involving Sansa invited an unprecedented amount of criticism.
Image via HBO
There were many debates, think pieces, and YouTube videos discussingGame of Thronesissues with sex.
It was clear that something needed to change.
InGame of Thrones, the female perspective was often entirely missing.
Sex was a tool for men to establish their power and masculinity.
Even in a narrative sense,the sex scenes didnt help progress the story.
The sex scenes inHouse of the Dragonare a far cry from what was shown onGame of Thrones.
The female perspective and female pleasure are also taken into consideration in the prequel.
It’s something thatGame of Thronesrarely explored.
But inHouse of the Dragon,Daemon tells Rhaenyra that pleasure is for both men and women.
During its entire run,Game of Thronesonly had one female director,Michelle MacLaren.
The difference between the two shows, when it comes to sex and intimacy, feels cavernous.
Actor safety and comfort take priority over the desire to portray gratuitous lust.
The end result is beautifully crafted intimate scenes that do no harm and are meaningful to the narrative.
House of the DragonSeason 2 premieres on June 16.
Season 1 is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
WATCH ON MAX
