Few shows manage so boldly to set a standard for television writing as Game of Thrones did. From the opening moments to almost the very end, the show was continuously breathtaking, managing to enrapture millions of viewers with every second.
Jaime Lannister is a character who never really found his true destiny. His journey from arrogant Kingslayer was a fine one to watch, and many viewers began to feel, despite his early transgressions, that he was not such a bad man, for a time at least, before his final choice led to an underwhelming ending for him. Despite this, he doesn’t have the same way with words that some other characters do, but he nevertheless manages many fantastic lines and quotes throughout the series.
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8 “The things I do for love.”
Season 1, Episode 1
- Said to Cersei Lannister
The opening episode of Game of Thrones ended shockingly, revealing that Jaime and Cersei Lannister were sleeping together despite being brother and sister. This revelation and the fact that Cersei’s children belonged to Jaime started every war that would follow, and the first attempt to cover it up came in the form of the attempted murder of Bran Stark.
Pushing Bran out of a window, a ten-year-old boy, was one of the worst things Jaime had ever done. Showcasing immediately to the audience that Jaime and Cersei were lying to everyone, engaging in acts that spoke against the laws of nature, and were willing to kill children for selfish reasons, set the audience squarely against them from day one.
7 “It’s a strange thing, the first time you cut a man.”
Season 1, Episode 2
- Said to Jon Snow
It is strange to look back at the beginning of the series and see the untarnished arrogance of Jaime. He is unbearably smug in almost every conversation, including this brief encounter with Jon Snow. Having been ordered to the Night’s Watch, Jon was getting his sword prepared when Jaime asked if he’d ever swung it at anyone.
Having killed many, and constantly reveling in his sword skills, Jaime told Jon it was strange to realize that people were all just sacks of flesh. This horrific view of the world was a step for Jon towards becoming the soldier he was destined to be and another early chance for the audience to see the evils of Jaime’s character.
6 “By what right does the wolf judge the lion?”
Season 3, Episode 5
- Said to Brienne
Nothing ever made fans feel so sympathetic towards Jaime as his relationship with Brienne, and the events that unfold throughout their time together. In particular, Jaime’s monologue where he tells the truth about the day that he killed the Mad King, and why he was pushed into doing so.
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Not only did Jaime have to choose between bringing the head of his father to the Mad Targaryen king and killing him, but he had to kill the King to stop him from ordering the city destroyed, including the many thousands who were within the walls. This single act of bravery shows the hero that Jaime wants to be at his core, but never quite manages to reach any time within the series.
5 “Why have the Gods made me love a hateful woman?”
Season 4, Episode 3
- Said to Cersei Lannister
Cersei and Jaime loved each other, but Cersei saw the uselessness of love in general and used sex as a weapon, even against Jaime. He, however, was almost always completely devoted to her. After returning to King’s Landing, Jaime finds his son, Joffrey, dead, and Cersei is unwilling to return to his arms.
Instead of dealing with this healthily and realizing that Cersei was no good for him, Jaime showed his most violent and terrible traits, proclaiming that it was unfair he couldn’t stop loving her, and then raping his sister, next to the body of their dead child. This horrific act was by far the most egregious ever committed by Jaime and reminded the audience that he wasn’t capable of true change, despite wanting it.
4 “We’re the only ones who matter, the only ones in the world.”
Season 6, Episode 1
- Said to Cersei Lannister
Jaime and Cersei have a troubled relationship throughout Game of Thrones. This is partly because she is manipulative, he is arrogant, and they both constantly lie to each other and everyone else. However, it is also because love is difficult, and whatever else this pair is, they are also a couple, deeply in love. They even lose all of their children throughout the show, almost ending the Lannister bloodline.
When Jaime returns to King’s Landing with Myrcella’s body, it hits them both hard. Cersei shows more of herself through her grief, believing she couldn’t be all bad if she created something as wonderful as Myrcella. However, Jaime tries to remind her that they have each other and that they will take everything from the people who wronged them. Love, by itself, was never enough for either of these two. Power, revenge, there always had to be more driving factors.
3 “Oh the Gods won’t mind, they’ve spilled more blood than the rest of us combined.”
Season 6, Episode 2
- Said to High Sparrow
The High Sparrow set out to gain as much power as possible for his sect in King’s Landing, and he had succeeded by the time Jaime returned with Myrcella’s body from Dorne. Even Cersei wasn’t able to stop him, after giving him access in the first place, and nobody like Tywin was left around to scare him off.
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By the time Jaime returned to King’s Landing, the High Sparrow had too much power to be shut down. Even so, Jaime showed him he retained much of Tywin’s strength of character, and was prepared to stand in the face of the rising religion. He was even happy to spill blood in a holy place, reminding the Sparrow that the Gods had killed more than anyone, one of the rare moments of fascinating wisdom from Jaime.
2 “She’s always been good at using the truth to tell lies.”
Season 8, Episode 2
- Said to Tyrion Lannister
When Jaime leaves Cersei for what seems to be the last time, until it wasn’t, he and Tyrion bonded at Winterfell over being tricked by her. Jaime, despite his continuing love for Cersei, shows that he understands her character incredibly well, as opposed to being as foolish about her as everyone believes him.
Jaime does know how manipulative his sister is, he just can’t help himself returning to her and loving her despite everything she’s done. Even knowing that he has no real sway or control over her, he accepts his role as a fool doomed to be in love with her, which results in the tragic, almost Shakespearean ending for Jaime that was inevitable all along.
1 “To be honest, I never really cared much for them. Innocent, or otherwise.”
Season 8, Episode 5
- Said to Tyrion Lannister
The short moment when Tyrion and Jaime are reunited before Tyrion helps Jaime escape to go back to Cersei is one of the more emotional moments of the final season. They know, either way, that they are saying goodbye for the final time. While they do so, they reminisce about several things, but also highlight what the clearest difference between them has always been.
Tyrion speaks about sacrificing himself to the wrath of Daenerys to free Jaime, if it gives Jaime a chance to save King’s Landing from bloodshed by convincing Cersei to surrender, which she should have done. While Jaime says this quote, which proves that he is, inherently, a selfish man, and cannot bring himself to care about regular people. This proves, once and for all, that Jaime, like his sister, was never fit to rule.
Game of Thrones
- First Episode Air Date
- April 17, 2011
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
- Spin-offs
- House of the Dragon
