'House of the Dragon' closes a chapter in history, but not without first striking a painful chord

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Warning: Contains spoilers for the fifth episode of "House of the Dragon," which premiered on September 18.

(CNN) --

The fifth episode of "House of the Dragon" is significant for logistical reasons, essentially marking the end of the chapter before the show jumps back in time, introducing older versions of some characters and shuffling the deck cards. somehow

However, the episode could create a lot of buzz over a brutal death that occurred, inviting discussion of old concerns and hurts about the way LGBTQ characters are treated, and more specifically, killed, in TV dramas.

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Progress made in terms of greater inclusivity has coincided with debate over how those characters are portrayed and the fates they face, giving rise to a much-discussed trope known as "Bury Your Gays."

The phrase refers to a story in which gay characters have been disproportionately killed as a plot element, creating the impression that they are more expendable in the narrators' eyes.

Given that, the "Game of Thrones" prequel potentially ran into controversy with its most recent episode, subtitled "We Light the Way," which again proved, among other things, that there never is a lot going on in Westeros. good things at weddings

(The series airs on HBO, which, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

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As part of the plot, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) has agreed to an arranged marriage with Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate) -- a royal merger designed to strengthen the power of their respective lines, where they can indulge their "appetites" elsewhere. .

Knowing that Laenor is gay, Rhaenyra, after being reminded by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith) that the marriage is merely a political arrangement, assured her that they would essentially live separate lives, allowing her to continue her relationship with Ser Joffrey Lonmouth.

(Solly McLeod).

Rhaenyra, meanwhile, had been flirting with a knight of her own, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).

At the wedding feast, Joffrey let Criston know that he was aware of the knight's relationship with Rhaenyra, which clearly unsettled and disturbed him.

When the event chaotically erupts into violence a short time later, Criston is on top of Joffrey, brutally beating him to death during the melee.

He then flirts with taking his own life, before Alicent (Emily Carey), Rhaenyra's budding political rival, intervenes.

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Martin's vision is of a medieval world where life is often cheap.

That includes everything from orgies to incest, and from the horrors of childbirth to securing royal succession, even if that means marrying off underage girls.

Still, introducing the relationship between Laenor and Joffrey only to dispatch the latter so quickly and horribly almost immediately prompted questions on Twitter Sunday night about whether the "Bury Your Gays" trope applies here.

In particular, past discussions of the practice have often centered around science fiction and fantasy series, including "The 100" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and more recently, BBC America's dark spy thriller "Killing Eve".

It's also worth noting that during the heyday of "Game of Thrones," some questioned whether the show had a "gay problem," as Vulture put it in a 2016 article citing the number of LGBTQ characters they had, up to that point, met. to a violent end.

Laenor's character arc does not conclude with the last episode.

How that story unfolds could make up for or soften this latest turn of events in the eyes of those who would criticize it.

For now, though, based on the high-profile nature of the franchise that magnifies just about everything about the series, "House of the Dragon" could face some short-term strain.

HBO turned down a request to board the episode.

House of the Dragon