Warning for spoilers for The Dragon Prince season 4 ahead!
Introduction
The ending of season four of The Dragon Prince has left fans reeling with exciting possibilities for future developments of a storyline we have been keenly attuned to for four years. Escape from Umber Tor, the season finale, left one of the three protagonists, Rayla, with the gift of not just one, but all three coins which hold both her parents. This includes Lain and Tiadrin, and the young elf’s mentor figure, Runaan—the latter of which is canonically queer and in a same-sex marriage. To sum it up, the initial situation was caused by a dark magic spell which sealed these elves into their unusual yet cruel prisons. Such an invigorating turn of events in the new season has left waves of fans exceptionally excited, as the idea of these characters being brought to their well deserved happy endings seems to become more and more possible thanks to this new revelation. Queer followers of the show are especially pleased; however, as a result of this very fact, we are also scared.
I need not go into gratuitous detail about the trope of "bury your gays" or the fact that many queer storylines in media often end tragically. (However, if you are interested in a more in-depth analysis, we did cover this topic in a recent episode of Phōnē H-Ohm, where Nicole and I spoke about sapphic rep in media with brief mentions to queer rep as a whole). Most minorities in fandom know very well that their favourite character who represents their inner feelings and identity could end up falling victim to an unfavourable fate; it is all too common.
Introduction to the Show
The Dragon Prince is not only rich in extraordinary world-building and captivating storylines, but it also holds a diverse cast which broadens our visions of who can exist in fantasy stories. It’s the tale of an elf and two human boys who go on a quest to return a stolen dragon egg to his mother, and thus try to help make amends to the continental divide of their world, where the East and West are delegated to humans and elves, respectively. To briefly mention a few of the identities that have been shown so far, this original story includes a deaf lesbian of colour, a transgender man in the middle of his transition, two happily married husbands, and two women who were queens, along with many more. In addition, the very nature of this fictional universe proves that such diverse individuals can exist in peace. The deaf character in question has an interpreter, and the world seems to work in favour of her disability instead of the other way around. Her loved ones learn ASL and make sure that she understands their every word. When she brings her then friend, now boyfriend, Callum home to meet one of her father figures, Rayla tells him about how she was sent to live with the man and his husband many years ago, to which Callum listens with interest rather than surprise. Queerness and disability are woven into the world of The Dragon Prince in a way that is seamless, inspiring, and impressive. Therefore, it only seemed fitting that the fandom followed suit.
The TDP fandom is not a large one, however it is quite evident that there are many people who are devoted to the previously mentioned ‘happily married husbands’ Ruthari, as they have been nicknamed by the fans—an affectionate mix of their names: Runaan and Ethari. When they are not being highly regarded by their loyal fanbase, they catch the eye of many queer folks who happen across GIFs or fan-arts of them, or casually watch the show. Although their screen time—as it stands—is limited, it is exceptionally stunning and lovingly made; the couple embracing with a tender kiss, complemented by loving words and an organic chemistry. Such an enthralling scene is infectiously lovable, as half, if not more of the fan-made content of them is posted with comments about wanting the two to finally reunite after spending two years apart due to the aforementioned tragic capturing event. It goes without saying that I am highly devoted to this ship in its entirety and have been following it with a close eye since 2019, before they were confirmed to be a couple—I am quite literally in the core of this small community as it lives and breathes with joy and excitement. For what it’s worth, I have never in all my years in this fandom seen anyone say they don’t want this pair to reunite. Such a statement almost seems unheard of, as the heart of the fandom beats with the desire for Ruthari to be okay once more. It is not easy to miss or ignore.
The Revelation
When the coins appeared in the season finale for season 4, it was as if the world had stopped turning. After the tumultuous exchange of deception, which ended up giving way to mercy, with Rayla finally holding the coins in her hands, I was inconsolable: openly weeping and quite literally needing to pause the episode so I could get all my feelings out. I could not believe it. Her loved ones were finally in safe hands after so long—two years—and one step closer to possibly escaping their prisons. But with relief comes wariness that I—we—may not end up getting what we so desire.
With the storyline of Rayla and her coined family basically being confirmed to be taking centre stage in season 5, it leaves the show and its fans at a precarious standstill as we await the fates of these characters. Will Runaan return to his widowed, grieving husband, or will he share a similar fate to other LGBT characters who have preceded him? You would be hard pressed to find a fan who genuinely, whole-heartedly believes that tragedy will strike. The idea is often taken into consideration, but the widespread agreement across the community is that everything will most likely end up positively.
Why it Matters
What the writers decide will not only be a story choice, but a business one. In season 2 of the show, a bittersweet tale of two queens who sacrificed their lives for the good of their drought-ridden kingdom played out. Despite being beautiful in numerous ways, many queer people criticized the show for killing off a gay couple, especially considering they were the first to be shown in the series. Although I believe that this plotline was breathtaking and inspiring, I cannot help but imagine the cataclysmic fallout if such an event were to happen again, and to characters who have been publicized, celebrated, and openly revered by fans and crew alike.
Conclusion
If you catch me at a good moment and ask me how I think things will end, I will tell you that I am positive things will be okay. This queer storyline, unlike many others, will most likely end in tears of joy, with the two husbands embracing each other and living out a life of quiet contentment. But I still have moments of fear that something tragic will befall them, and Runaan will be discarded for the sake of letting go of the past. I have faith that this will not be the case, but fear is what queer people know best. I hope with all my heart that the writing crew chooses a happy ending for the cherished husbands.