Shaw spent very little time with Flynn during the BFA campaign outside of the vault heist. Even if they spoke at the port during off time, I don’t think sexuality is a subject Shaw would initiate, unless Flynn mentioned it himself. In most cases Flynn bragged about his prowess with girls, and on some occasions he only said “ex”, which could be either gender, but it was never specified.
Yet, in the novel Shadows Rising, Shaw seemed very certain that he had a chance with Flynn, i.e., he seems to know that Flynn is capable of reciprocating romantic feelings with another man. Of course, as a spymaster Shaw probably already studied Flynn’s history inside out, but that leads to two addition issues:
What happens if Flynn asked Shaw, “Hey, how did you know I’m also into men?” Wouldn’t Flynn feel violated if he knew Shaw spied on his history?
If Flynn declined Shaw’s advance for any reason, wouldn’t that make their working relationship a little awkward? Flynn doesn’t mind flirting with coworkers, but Shaw would at least consider that possibility, yet in the book he seemed very certain that everything will end up well, such optimism is out of character for him.
In other words, Shaw’s behaviors in the book suggests that he simply “knew it”, and Flynn “knew that he knew it”. I assume the best explanation is that Shaw and Flynn had a chat behind the scene without players knowing, and Flynn mentioned his interests in men to Shaw. All good, though as a player and a reader I find it a missing opportunity that Blizzard didn’t hint it in-game. Sexuality isn’t something that needs to be mentioned all the time, but since Flynn had already been presented as an avid womanizer (albeit not successful at it), the sudden revelation of him being bisexual doesn’t carry enough weight. Shaw being gay is a lot more convincing than Flynn being bi because Shaw never talked about it, which leaves it open-ended. This is less of a logic problem and more of a writing/execution issue.
I adore Shaw and Flynn’s characters and relationship, I wish Blizz put more of their interactions in game. Lorthemar and Thalyssra’s relationship preluded during path 8.2, Shaw/Flynn could’ve gotten a little more showing.
Idk if you know any gays IRL, but having a gaydar is unironically a thing. Also, if they did have any mention of hint of it ingame, then you know that there would be utter chaos - Blizzard knew better, and put it in a book instead.
Also, lest you forget, Shaw is the spymaster of Stormwind, head of SI:7. If he didn’t have that kind of information in a report somewhere, he’d be a rather poor spymaster–especially since you need to know those kinds of things in order to know what motivates a person–and then be able to use them.
I’m not saying that’s what Shaw is doing, but…someone, at some point, researched Flynn, and Shaw knows things. Spies at work. <3
As for Flynn–he’s not an idiot–contrary to the way he portrays himself. He knows what a good spymaster is all about, and I think he’d be somewhat insulted if Shaw didn’t know those things about him.
Eh, Flynn wasn’t straight in my book to begin with.
This is like the Legend of Korra situation. The whole time I suspected Korra of being bisexual, as I am bisexual, and the majority of Fandom™ didn’t see it.
It’s really just gaydar if I’m honest.
I am surprised by Shaw, but if I’m honest IRL I’m a lot like Flynn and my first boyfriend was a lot like Shaw, so I began to suspect Things once the 8.3 “someone I want to talk to more” dialogue came up.
I dunno if it was gaydar or what, but I remember back in, like, season 2 I was like, “Man, forget those two guys, I want to see Korra and Asami get together. They have way better chemistry.”
And then I got to the end of the series and was surprised they actually did it.
I mean, the best recurring answer is the whole gaydar business. Like, IRL, you don’t ask couples of the same gender how they knew the other would be into them.
Heck, all relationships regardless of orientation don’t know for sure if it’ll work out but they start on the faith that they will. And a spymaster having a good intuition is hardly the most magical thing in WoW.
I mean, even if Shaw was wrong and misread the situation, apparently homophobia isn’t a huge deal in Azerothian society, so the worst that happens is a “Oops! Well this is awkward,” moment.
Well…there is this little quote from Flynn in the book: “Well, well, well. You know me well, Shaw? Do a bit of digging before we came aboard? What does the dossier on me say? Devilishly handsome? Irresistible in every conceivable way? Crack sailor? Deadly with a blunderbuss?”
The book makes it pretty clear Shaw has looked into Flynn’s history. Obviously. He’s the spymaster, it’s what he does. Flynn knows this, expected it, jokes about it, and isn’t phased by this at all.
Unless of course Shaw was interested in him from the start? and it IS his off time…
You know dating starts with simply talking to people.
I can’t help but feel you are over thinking this and right off the bat you are ruling out the most simplistic explanation for no other reason than because it is simple.
Gaydar is a thing, and they probably interacted and chatted when the player wasn’t around as well.
Also, not sure if Korra is an apt example for out of the blue stuff. That entire show was messed with by the studio for the duration of its run and they were constantly walking on eggshells. The media landscape has changed a lot in the last six years (the show ended in 2014) and it’s important to look at it through that context. I mean, the Nickelodeon execs were nervous to have a female protagonist initially, that’s the level of shift that’s happened since the show aired.
I think if anyone has a good gaydar in WoW it’s the master spy who spends his entire lifestyle reading people quickly. I think Shaw felt fairly secure that Flynn was at least a little curious, what with Shaw being a literal spymaster and all.
I AM gay, and most people around me couldn’t tell, including other gay people. “Gayness” isn’t something as overt as people romanticized it to be, and gaydar isn’t omniscience, it shouldn’t be used as a fact-check, especially after you add foreign cultures into the equation. When I came to study in the states a lot of Americans thought Asian men were all gay, because we were “slim, like to study, and avoid sports”.
I’ve known both straight and gay people who behave like Flynn, like Genn, like Magni, so a “digital” person’s behavior in game is hardly evidence unless they put it to words. And because they’re not real people, Blizz could always alter them one way or the other pronto, which I suspect to be a last minute thing; the same way Korra was changed during her series.
And I agree, everyone plays the game and only a portion of players read the book, so it’s definitely a strategy to avoid potential uproar.
I guess YMMV, then. Most of my friends IRL are problematic gays so I guess I’ve been conditioned in a certain way. Also the irony that I have unwittingly ‘gaysplained’ something to someone when I am rather unqualified to do so - whoops.
Regardless, it plays into the whole “anyone could be gay and stereotypes aren’t always correct” thing, I suppose.
