In Game of Thrones by George R. Martin (TV), the romance between Grey Worm and Missandei is fully expressed in season seven episode two when they get intimate. This scene shows how regardless of gender and physical status, physical and emotional attraction transcend what some people think of as viable. Grey Worm and Missandei’s relationship subtly address a unique, outside the male female gender norm romance. With no way to actually engage in traditional sex, Grey Worm and the Unsullied warriors are seen as gender-less, sexless, and without desire for anything carnal. The pair’s romance can be seen as an initiation for accepting this newer norm of gender acceptance.
When it is found out that Unsullied warriors are visiting brothels for unknown reasons, Missandei questions whether or not an Unsullied truly has no desire. Having these questions gives the audience a new perspective on the Unsullied as having a gender and carnal desires despite lacking the ability to act on them. In a way, this is representative of the struggle of someone who does not define themselves as a male or female or as strictly straight or gay. Without exactly knowing how to define their gender and sexuality, the Unsullied are removed from the romantic pool, much as a person who has an alternate gender is often removed from the ‘normal’ male female dating pool.
The progression of Grey Worm’s self-discovery about what and whom he is attracted to could be viewed as a discovery of his sexual orientation. When Grey Worm is caught viewing Missandei’s naked form while bathing, Grey Worm is clearly unable to tear his gaze away; this is his first step towards discovering an attraction to Missandei’s physical form. With this initial barrier of discovering Missandei’s outwards beauty, love can be partially defined as having a desire of one form or another towards a physical body.
With Missandei’s teaching of a new language to Grey Worm, Grey Worm’s and Missandei’s emotional attraction grows stronger. Missandei’s growing curiosity and attraction towards Grey Worm grow apparent when she asks whether or not all of the Unsullied’s privates were removed during their initiation as elite slave warriors. Despite having a differing physical state from an average male, Missandei’s desire is made clear when she and Grey Worm become intimate. She makes Grey Worm reveal himself as a way of accepting all of him as he is.
The interactions between Missandei and Grey Worm reveal insights into how love is defined and how sexuality and genders are perceived by others. Additionally, their eventual intimacy is both a comparison and hope for the future with regards to acceptance of unique genders and sexuality in actual, modern society. As the number of people who are accepting of outside the norm genders and sexuality increase, the importance of this episode and aspects of Game of Thrones (TV) that promote diversity and equality becomes greater.