Game of Thrones: Are Daenerys and Yara Westeros' New Power Couple?

Who would have guessed Meereen would steal the spotlight during Game of Thrones' much-hyped Battle of the Bastards?

In Sunday's episode, Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon (Alfie Allen) arrived in Meereen to present Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) with their offer of an alliance. And rather than simply taking what she wanted by fire and blood, Daenerys actually listened and used diplomacy. This is a huge step forward for the Dragon Queen, but some fans are hoping the scene also hinted at another big development in Dany's life - that she and Yara would potentially enter into a romantic (or at least sexual) relationship.

This isn't an example of fans reading into something that isn't there. The tension between Yara and Dany is immediately apparent. And based on this Season 1 moment, it appears that Dany is attracted to women as well as men. (In the books, she often had sex with her female handmaidens, so there is precedent for her being bisexual.)

Whether or not Dany and Yara will act on their flirtation, we can only wait to find out. But it's easy to see why the pair connected so intensely, so quickly. Both women have spent their lives being belittled by the men around them. They both have terrible fathers, whose legacies they're determined to surpass. And after only one brief meeting, Yara and Dany's relationship has already proved to be mutually beneficial, helping both of them to walk away better rulers.

Game of Thrones just revealed its endgame

Yara got Daenerys to chill out with the conquering by giving the Iron Islands their independence, and Daenerys got Yara to agree that the Ironborn will no longer "reave, rove, raid or rape," which is pretty huge, considering those are the foundations of the Ironborn's entire lifestyle. It's unclear how well their partnership will actually work moving forward (good luck getting the Ironborn to agree to Dany's new rule), but the fact that Game of Thrones has given us a powerful all-female alliance is a huge turning point in the series.

For far too long, Game of Thrones was dominated by men. And not just men, but men who undervalued women and enjoyed placing them in very strict, gendered roles. But now, Game of Thrones appears to be suiting up for The War of the Four Queens. Daenerys, Yara, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Ellaria (Indira Varma) have all made great strides this season fighting against the proverbial Man and literal men, and then taking power for themselves.

These women have learned from men's mistakes and seem determined not to repeat history. What tore Westeros apart during the War of the Five Kings was the refusal to compromise. If Dany and Yara's alliance inspires the other women of Westeros to find ways to get what they want without alienating themselves from each other, there's nothing in the world that could stop them.

And if two of these women just so happen to fall in love along the way, I don't think anyone would be upset. We know Yara would be down.