Let’s go back into the past when Game of Thrones didn’t get everybody going in a negative way. When season one debuted, we were introduced to a character who almost resembled Prince Charming from the Shrek movies. Unfortunately, there was nothing charming about him, as we all learned when he pushed the young Bran Stark off a rooftop. We all remember the reason why, but in that moment, we learned that Jaime Lannister was not a man of honor. As season one progressed, we all learned why he earned his infamous nickname, “The Kingslayer,” something he pretended to thrive on, but it actually bothered him greatly. The show was riddled with great characters, but very few had the unique development Jaime Lannister had. How is that possible due to his terrible deeds? Well, just like any good show would do, they took the opportunity to expand on this character’s flaws and make him learn from them. As the show came to an end, Jaime changes for the better and while he doesn’t become a better swordsman, he does become a better man. Sadly the writers also took a nose dive in his final episode and threw away every bit of character development that made him a better character.
1. He Is Humbled After Losing His Hand
The second the audience is introduced to Jaime, his appearance pretty much speaks for itself. He’s a foppish pretty boy all dressed in fancy gold armor with wavy blonde hair. While he spoke like the arrogant, spoiled kid nobody liked, his fame was greatly due to his skill in swordsmanship. After seeing his duel with Ned Stark (which was really a draw), we learned that Jaime isn’t just the typical loud-mouthed pretty boy, he was indeed a great fighter, which only overinflated his ego. Even as a prisoner of war, his pride remained intact, but this came to an end when he lost his right hand, which was basically his most useful fighting tool. For Jaime, losing his right hand was like losing a gold medal. Simply put, his reputation for being one of the finest swordsmen in Westeros was over. When he lost his hand, Jaime truly learned for the first time what it was like to be vulnerable and to feel helpless. Being unable to fight like he did, being unable to cut his own meat, and having Bronn smack him around during practice was the first stage in Jaime’s development. With any other character, losing a hand could’ve only made them weaker and while Jaime did lose his fighting skill, he began to learn humility from it and was the beginning of his journey to becoming a better man.
2. He Found True Companionship In Brienne
Being The Kingslayer in Westeros made Jaime popular in the worst way possible. Anyone who wasn’t a Lannister was essentially an enemy to him, believing that he was a treacherous man without any real sense of honor. However, after meeting another warrior who was shunned by the public of Westeros, Jaime found true companionship. Brienne of Tarth was essentially an outcast and initially disgusted by Jaime. However, in an uncharacteristically selfless moment, Jaime speaks up for Brienne’s defense, saving her from being assaulted and losing his hand as a result. Shortly after that event, the two share a tub together, where Jaime explains to her how he earned the nickname, “Kingslayer.” In that moment, we learn that Jaime was only a traitor to a mad king, and secretly the true hero of Westeros. His heroic act saved thousands, but he was scolded for stabbing his king in the back ever since. From that point on, a new light was shining on Jaime, as he was not the man without honor we originally thought him to be. His subsequent interactions with Brienne only strengthened his resolve, as he willingly put himself in danger to save her from being mauled to death by a bear, and sending her on the quest to save the Stark girls, helping her fulfill her promise to the late Lady Catelyn Stark. The relationship between Brienne and Jaime was probably the most dynamic out of all the others in the show, as it led to both characters changing from the experience and it gave Jaime a reason to fight for the right reasons.
3. He Turned His Back On Cersei To Fight For The North
Toxic relationships are always sad to see. For Jaime’s case, it was the reason behind nearly all of his deplorable deeds. His unhealthy obsession with Cersei drove him to a deep and dark rabbit hole, where he was riddled with dark acts of violence. So when the season seven finale came, it was very satisfying to see him finally stand up to Cersei and turn his back on her, even when being stare downed by the undead Mountain. If anything else, this was the ultimate character developing moment for Jaime, as he selflessly decides to walk away from Cersei and fight with the North against the dead. From the very beginning, Cersei was the monkey on his back, and it was a long road for him to remove that nuisance. From being a prisoner of war, to losing his hand, building a friendship with Brienne, it all led to Jaime making this character-changing decision and cemented his transition from villain to hero on the show. Being in that kind of relationship is bad, but it takes guts for someone to get out of it. For Jaime, it was a decision that not only led him to a more heroic path, but sparked another attempt at love, this time with Brienne, someone who was far more ideal to love.
4. And He Later Returns To Cersei And Dies
And now to how the best character development in the show went into a downward spiral in just one episode. After everything he went through, and after turning his back on his toxic sister/lover, and even after finding love in someone who is actually good for him, Jaime runs back to Cersei to save her from certain death, only for both of them to meet their very anticlimactic demise. To be clear, Jaime going back to Cersei to save her is not solely the reason why his character development went south. Cersei sends Bronn to kill both him and Tyrion, and secretly sleeps with Euron Greyjoy, making her “love” for him all the more toxic. It’s understandable that Jaime would feel obligated to go back to King’s Landing and save her, but there was a missed opportunity that would have been perfect to exploit. Once Jaime returns, he is confronted by Euron, who reveals that he indeed slept with Cersei. This would have been a moment where Jaime’s rage could have surfaced, killing him and Cersei in revenge. Instead, he brushes it off, like it was no big fuss, and quickly got over it. We all remember how it ends, with the two of them embracing each other as they are crushed by rocks. The problem is that it was unearned and basically ignored all previous development for both characters. Why was Jaime so unfazed by Cersei sleeping with Euron? Why would he embrace her after learning the truth instead of killing her? Why didn’t he realize in that moment that he made a mistake and just let her die? I guess these are questions only the writers can answer, except I’m guessing the answers would be equally dissatisfying.
Final Thoughts
With all of these reasons listed, do you think Jaime’s character development really went south? Did he lose his honor after spending so much time redeeming his dishonorable deeds? To be fair, his honor may not have been lost by the time of his demise, as he still had noble intentions of wanting to save his sister, but it was ultimately an unearned moment and didn’t feel like a heroic act.
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