Queer people have existed for millenia. You might act like the woke mob has only managed to bring them into existence over the past decade or so, but that simply isn’t true. Our stories have been told throughout history, even if at times we had to hide away in the shadows. Now though, there is less reason to feel ashamed, and more opportunities to harbour pride in who we are, and those who came before. As a queer trans woman who critiques video games, animation, and many other veins of popular culture for a living, that inevitably blends into my working life.
So when I play a game for review, preview, or just for general coverage, if something slightly fruity pops up, my eyebrows raise in curiosity. This is precisely what happened when I sat down to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in Prague for a few hours last month. I immediately read the relationship between protagonist Henry and his lord Hans as more than meets the eye.
They begin the game as good friends who find themselves thrust into an awkward working relationship. Henry is a caring squire who wants to approach every situation with level-headed reason while he tries to stop Hans from agitating rival lords or getting everyone killed, because he decides to camp outside in the open next to a gorgeous lake where everyone can see them. It becomes obvious from the first moment that Hans has lived a sheltered, privileged life behind castle walls, and Henry is the only person in his world able to pull him out of that.
I have no idea if there is any truth to the queer reading I have of Henry and Hans’ relationship, but this is partially what makes it so beautiful to delve into.
At first, it feels like a sibling dynamic, a relationship defined by care and duty where the two are happy to spar and joke when danger isn’t afoot, but the second a threat emerges, it all changes. Henry becomes stronger and more cautious, while Hans' obnoxious persona will give way to one of spontaneous aggression. They are both layered characters, as we saw with Henry in the first game, but this time around there is something much deeper to it all.
Once Henry and Hans are separated from their company and forced into the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on their backs, they are made to take shelter in a random cottage. But it isn’t discreet enough to hide from the Holy Roman Empire that hunts them. Henry is almost killed as Hans stands watch, defending him from any possible threats until he himself falls up against death’s door. Henry is visibly distressed and panicked that Hans will die if he doesn’t do something to help him. You could chalk this up to him being aware of the harsh punishment that awaits him if the son of a lord dies on his watch, but to me, it felt way deeper.
If you want to see the more intimate parts of Henry and Hans’ relationship, I would take time to analyse every little dialogue option and piece of body language. I am definitely not in over my head with this one.
It felt as if Henry was harbouring hidden feelings that only bubbled up in a brief moment of peril, where failing to act would see Hans perish. We watch as the inverse happens too, and it’s obvious from the opening that Hans also deeply cares for Henry. They survive their encounter with the empire to fight another day, but are fundamentally changed in their outlook on life.
It changed how I viewed Henry as a character, now undeniably seeing him asqueer-coded. I mean, it’s an RPG, so there’s a solid chance you can not pursue romance with anybody, or it may be folded into the main narrative and act as a daring love story set in 15th century Europe.
Upon arriving in a small town after failing to gain entry to a fort commanded by a local lord, the two take on work at a local pub to pay their way forward. Henry gets to work lifting sacks of grain into a wagon while Hans sits on his hands (sorry). It doesn’t take long for the entitled little twerp to pick a fight and get himself into trouble.
Henry intervenes to defend him, throws some punches, and both of them end up locked in the stocks. Cue a lover’s tiff that ends with the two of them parting ways following an explosive argument. This is where my time in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 came to an end, and boy has it given me some fruity ideas.
Naysayers will note that Henry and Hans show attraction towards women in the game and even mention prior romantic relationships with them. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be queer.
I can see both men regretting their actions, reuniting, and then confronting a bunch of very confusing feelings while the main narrative continues to propel them forward. As a player, we’ll hopefully get a chance to act on
them or steer our main character in a certain direction, as there is so much potential for this to be a heartwarming love story. Or a tragic one given the time period in which it takes place and how this sort of relationship might be perceived.
How delightful would it be to frame an otherwise macho and historical RPG like this with a queer love story at the centre? And not just that, it could take into account the political and social machinations of the era to make it so much more enthralling. The son of a lord falling for a lowly squire and having to figure out whether that relationship is worth pursuing when you break it down is incredibly juicy, and a tale bound to be lined with equal parts tragedy and triumph.
Deep down I am not sure Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is moving in this direction, but god I hope it does.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Warhorse's Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a realistic RPG set in Medieval Europe, specifically 15th-century Bohemia. The game has an expansive open-world, real-time first-person combat, deep customization, and hours of cinematic
