What Did You Think of Arya and Gendry Hooking Up in Season 8 Episode 2 of Game of Thrones?

Meh... She should have saved herself for Hot Pie.

Is There Any Concern Beyond Fiction?

Why should anyone care in the fictionalized work unless you are telegraphing disapproval of the behavior of teens or young adults today? Perhaps you think your kids are not looking at porn on their phones. These cats in Westeros are ready to pawn off their daughters to some old geezer lord as soon as they have their first period. In this case, they are young adults that think they are not going to survive until the next day. I am just a passenger viewer. I don’t judge or get outraged.

Was There Mutual Attraction?

There was a mutual attraction there, and who else could she lose her virginity to? The Hound? He is in love with Sansa, so that's not going to happen. And really, the only other person she had a crush on is her bastard of a brother, Jon, who is no longer her brother but her cousin, but he is in love with his aunt, and it's just getting really weird!

It was perfectly in character for Arya. There was no declaration of love. It was translated into actions, and Arya went headlong into it as Arya has done with everything. Besides, she's been in love with him since like halfway through Season 2. Everyone knew it was going to happen, but I think the way it happened shocked people. But she knew what who she wanted and she got what who she wanted. And it's fitting that it was Gendry.

Consent and Character Development

I was absolutely fine with it. Maisie is 22, well overage for a sex scene. The showrunners told her she could show as little or as much as she wants. I like that we didn't see too much. This wasn't a porn scene, this was Arya losing her virginity to the one guy she ever truly cared about who wasn't related to her.

Arya in the show is either 18 or old enough to decide when she wants to have sex. Gendry is about 5 years older than her in the books, so by Westerosi standards, they're actually pretty close in age. I don't see Maisie as a child. She's grown up a child actress but the fact is that she is an adult. Arya and Gendry are so into each other that Arya has probably been in love with Gendry since about mid-season 2, and Gendry reciprocates those feelings now. It was CONSENSUAL on both parts, and it was a decision made by a woman, not a child.

If Arya Stark having sex or Maisie Williams performing a sex scene is the thing on Game of Thrones that weirds you out, you really need to reevaluate what you consider weird. Just sayin’.

Conclusion

When it comes to Arya and Gendry’s relationship, many view it as an evolution of the character rather than an exhibit of teenage behavior. This scene, while shocking to some, was a natural progression in Arya’s story and reflects the complexity of the show’s narratives. Whether you find it controversial or empowering, it adds another layer to the dynamic and beloved characters of Game of Thrones.