However, the show's been criticized for its use of Loras, who was depicted as a skillful knight but has since been thrown on the series' back burner. Another notable character is Loras Tyrell ( Finn Jones), who serves as Renly's love interest before the would-be king is killed. Of note, the show featured Renly Baratheon ( Gethin Anthony), one of the Baratheon brothers who claims to be the rightful heir to the throne after Ned Stark ( Sean Bean) reveals that Joffrey Baratheon ( Jack Gleeson) was the product of incest. As such, it's not surprising that the HBO series and its large cast has introduced gay characters on-screen, mostly adapted from the books. Game of Thrones: The world of Westeros is a wide-ranging one, with several cultures and religions depicted throughout the fantasy epic based on the George R.R.
