Game of Thrones season 8: Arya Stark and Gendry sex scene leaves fans divided - 'It had me covering my eyes'

* Warning: the story below contains spoilers for the second episode of Game of Thrones's eighth season *

Clémence Michallon
New York
Monday 22 April 2019 15:07 BST
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Ayra Stark sleeps with Gendry in Game of Thrones

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A sex scene in the second episode of Game of Thrones season eight has left fans divided, struggling to decide whether it was empowering or just too uncomfortable to watch.

In the controversial scene, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has sex for the first time with Gendry (Joe Dempsie), having decided she ”wants to know what it feels like” before going into a major battle (and possibly die).

The moment left some fans feeling uneasy, in part owing to the fact that Arya was a child when the show started. The character is now 18, per HBO’s Twiter account, and Williams, who plays her, is 22.

“That Arya scene made me so awkward lmao. I mean, I’m happy Arya gets to do it before the world’s end but damn if it didn’t felt like watching my daughter do it,” one viewer tweeted. “Not that I have one. Anyway, good, but don’t need to see it.”

“How old is Arya supposed to be anyway?? That scene did not give good vibes,” another person wrote.

Some, however, supported Arya’s decision and thought it made for a great bit of character development.

“Arya is 18, in full control and making a choice. She’s having probably the least weird, and most empowering consensual interaction in the whole show. Ever. EVER,” someone else tweeted.

“She went with a guy she always liked, who has a little experience, a body she likes looking at, isn’t eight million years older, isn’t cruel, isn’t weird in some horrifying way, he’s never even been dead. It’s amazing.”

Others pointed out that having sex for the first time might be among the least extreme things Arya has done during her time on the show.

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