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Movies & TV

29th May 2019

Game of Thrones star discusses one of the biggest issues fans had with Jaime Lannister’s arc

Paul Moore

Listen to JOE’s brand new GOT reaction show, The North Awaits, with Michael Fry & Carl Kinsella right here.

A major turning point for the Kingslayer that felt very strange.

As is the norm, spoilers are coming.

“The things we do for love.”

While the motivations and actions of Jaime Lannister have undoubtedly changed over the course of eight seasons, one thing has always remained constant about the Kingslayer, the love he has for his sister.

Before Jon and Daenerys were the newest and weirdest incestuous couple in Westeros, it was Jaime and Cersei that provoked those uncomfortable glances, but as the Lannisters met their maker when the Red Keep fell on them, Jaime managed to die the way that he always wanted, in the arms of the woman he loved.

Granted, the relationship between Cersei and Jaime isn’t what you would call healthy because after her twin decided to head north and fight alongside Jon Snow and Dany against the army of the dead, Cersei wanted vengeance.

In fact, she even hired Bronn and sent him into The North to kill both of her brothers, Tyrion and Jaime.

Thankfully, Bronn reneged on this deal after Tyrion promised to double her bounty and give him Highgarden if he betrayed Cersei. However, despite knowing that she wanted him dead, fans have wondered why Jaime was in such a rush to return to Cersei’s side?

After all, she did want him killed and for a few brief moments, it appeared that Jaime could have some sort of peaceful life away from King’s Landing. Brienne pleaded with him to stay in Winterfell but he left and returned to Cersei.

During an interview with the official Game of Thrones site, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) said that Bronn’s appearance in The North was a major turning point for his character because the beloved sellsword provided a “strange reality check”.

“Bronn appears and Jaime realises he was sent there by Cersei to kill him and Tyrion — it’s this strange reality check,” said Coster-Waldau.

“Cersei has a way of making sure you don’t forget about her. That act is such an extreme thing. I don’t think Jaime believes Bronn is going to kill them; because Bronn is a businessman.

“Then Sansa says: ‘I always wanted to be there when they execute your sister.’

“He knows that Cersei’s provoked Daenerys so much, and she’s underestimated her enemy — usually Cersei’s the one people underestimate. His whole life has been about trying to protect Cersei, and trying to be close to her.

“He loves her — it’s unconditional love, it’s so ingrained in him. Jaime and Bronn were together when the Lannister army was attacked by the dragons — they saw first hand what Dany can do. If you go against dragons you are going to die.”

During the behind the scenes interview on The Bells, Dan Weiss, showrunner on Game of Thrones, said that Cersei will always be the thing that matters the most to Jaime.

“I think he knows that they belong together and that they came into this world together, they need to go out of this world together,” said Weiss.

“I think Jaime by the end of episode five has come to terms with who he truly is and he may not be happy with who he really is, but he knows what matters to him and Cersei is what matters to him.”

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