i will call you M'Lady. (SPOILERs to NON Book READERS)

[wandering]

Ayra loves Gendry like a brother, nothing more. There's nothing in the books or the show to support any kind of romantic element.

[Aegnor]

GRRM wrote they thought about it, it would be too out of place for either character to say something about it in this scene right now. Later on might Jaime say something to the mute guy he spares with or could Brienne mention it to Pod? It seems possible.

Ilyn Payne. Which brings up a delicate issue which I wonder how they will handle. The actor who plays Ilyn will likely be dead in the next few months. The character's part in the series increases later on with the sparing with Jamie. Do they recast? Or do they eliminate the character like they did with Old Nan. Is it disrespectful to Wilco Johnson to recast the part?

[WiDMNDBAMMD]

Ilyn Payne. Which brings up a delicate issue which I wonder how they will handle. The actor who plays Ilyn will likely be dead in the next few months. The character's part in the series increases later on with the sparing with Jamie. Do they recast? Or do they eliminate the character like they did with Old Nan. Is it disrespectful to Wilco Johnson to recast the part?

The reason I didn't say "Ilyn Payne" is because I don't know how they'll deal with it. The important thing for Jaime is he finds someone he can trust not to talk about how he's no good with his left hand. Ilyn Payne fit that role perfectly as he cannot write and cannot talk.

I remember that they didn't mention "The Joker" at all in the third Batman movie out of respect for the late Heath Ledger. It's not so simple with Ilyn Payne though, he will continue to get mentioned in Arya's death wish list nightly prayer whether they recast or not.

[BluePG]

Ayra loves Gendry like a brother, nothing more. There's nothing in the books or the show to support any kind of romantic element.

Mhmm, debatable.

Maybe I would agree with you, if you only read Arya's chapters at face value. But I think that would be doing a disservice to GRRM’s works. There is a reason they couldn't film scenes like Acorn Hall or the Peach.

No matter what Arya is feeling (and between her showing jealousy over him with other women and protesting so quickly about him being her brother; I'm fairly certain I could argue that she at 11, doesn't understand exactly what she is feeling), I just don't buy that Gendry hasn't thought about it.

He's 16 at this point in the story. Acorn Hall is the first time he sees her in a dress. We learn later at the brothel that a man calls her a “pretty little peach” when she is once again wearing a dress. You're telling me a 16 year old boy who has largely been in the company of men, doesn't notice this as well?

His actions indicate he is taking notice. Asking her to tour the smithy at Acorn Hall, telling her she looks nice and then proceeding to wrestle with her only to end up tickling her? Arya takes the wrestling seriously, clearing trying to win, annoyed that Gendry is laughing about it. But once Gendry has her pinned, he proceeds to tickle her, not claim his victory as you might expect from two friends having a wrestling match.

Or we could move on to the Peach where Arya doesn’t understand Gendry’s anger. Why is Gendry angry? Is it just because he is lowborn? Why does he suddenly care so much about being lowborn in comparison with Arya? Why does he turn down free, willing sex?

What emotion/feelings would account for all of Gendry’s behavior during/after Acorn Hall?

But most importantly, if it can only be interpreted as brotherly affection, then why didn’t they film these scenes for the show?

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Ayra loves Gendry like a brother, nothing more. There's nothing in the books or the show to support any kind of romantic element.

Ehh, no. You kind of missed it. Arya is pissed off that Gendry would give attention to silly whores. Why did she get so pissed off there? There's an obvious romance there at least in her eyes. But alas he leaves her behind.

It's actually surprising to me that anyone could miss the obvious tension in that scene where she tells Gendry to let the girl ring his bells or however it's phrased. You ought to re-read I think,

[lannistergold]

For once, I'm on the shipping... ship. While they're not around to see it, it would be the Stark-Baratheon (who knows, maybe Gendry will be legitimated) union that Ned and Robert hoped for.

[Peptalk]

No, no, no! I did not see any romance in the novels and I haven't in the TV series so far. I'm not shipping that route. Perhaps in a far off future when they are both much older, but certainly not now.

[Master Forel's Fro]

I think the friendship they formed would last a lifetime like their parents. Why can't they be bro/sis/bff like their fathers were bros without it leading to anything.

[Theda Baratheon]

I always read it as some romance that wasn't even understood by either character yet.

[superdeluxe]

I think the friendship they formed would last a lifetime like their parents. Why can't they be bro/sis/bff like their fathers were bros without it leading to anything.

You didn't read the part about Ned and Robert doing a little hanky panky?

[Starks Among Us]

But what if it is revealed that Gendry really is Robert and Cersei's kid.

Gendry did tell Ned that his mother had yellow hair and Cersei could have easily killed or paid off anyone who knows that she actually gave birth to Gendry.

Cersei did tell Cat that she lost a child one time. What if she lied and actually had one of Robert's children and Gendry is it.

I had a similar thought when I first started reading the books. Then however, I thought that it would be near impossible for Cersei to be pregnant, have an entire pregnancy in the public eye, give birth, and then give the baby away or get rid of it after the birth. I think Robert would have noticed. Plus, if Gendry remembers his mother had yellow hair, he would have been old enough to remember having had a mother, doubtful Cersei could keep a child around for about five years and then just get rid of it without anyone's suspicions getting raised.

[jom]

I had a similar thought when I first started reading the books. Then however, I thought that it would be near impossible for Cersei to be pregnant, have an entire pregnancy in the public eye, give birth, and then give the baby away or get rid of it after the birth. I think Robert would have noticed. Plus, if Gendry remembers his mother had yellow hair, he would have been old enough to remember having had a mother, doubtful Cersei could keep a child around for about five years and then just get rid of it without anyone's suspicions getting raised.

I never really noticed this. I just thought the reason behind Gendry mentioning his mother's hair color was to show that Baratheon's "seed" was strong. I thought it was just one of the clues that lead Ned to see that Cersei's children could not have been Robert's.....