Highlights
- Cersei's plan to align with the Faith and use the High Sparrow backfires when the Sparrows become out of control and cause chaos in King's Landing.
- Cersei plots to narrow down the small council and uses the High Sparrow and his militants as pawns in her game, leading to the arrest of Ser Loras and Queen Margaery.
- Cersei's plot reaches a climax when she blows up the Sept of Baelor using Wildfire, killing the High Sparrow and her enemies, but also causing the death of her son Tommen.
When Cersei Lannister decided to align the crown's interests with the Faith, little did she know her underhanded plan would come back to bite her. In Game of Thrones season 5, episode 3 "High Sparrow," Cersei visits the titular leader of the Sparrows - a religious movement within the Faith. This sect emphasizes a puritanical, and fundamentalist interpretation of the Seven, and the distinguishing feature of the Sparrows is the harshness of their sentences. The sect becomes the object of revulsion for the head of the Faith of the Seven - the High Septon, and he forewarns Cersei and the small council of the dangers that this growing movement of zealots can cause. He fears if the High Sparrow goes unpunished, the situation will take a turn for the worse.
"The faith and the crown are the two pillars that hold up this world. One collapses, so does the other," Cersei tells the High Sparrow in Game of Thrones season 5. Having played her part in the War of the Five Kings that impoverished the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei is indifferent towards the gods, the smallfolk, and the needs of the many. Clearly, she has ulterior motives for meeting with the High Sparrow. She gives the High Sparrow a free hand in the city of King's Landing and this move costs her dearly when the situation gets out of hand.
Cersei's Plotting
Cersei wants to narrow down the small council to yes-men and aims to win the confidence of the High Sparrow in order to use him and his militants as pawns in her game. She meets with the High Sparrow in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 4 "Sons of the Harpy" and communicates her intention to revive the traditional justice-dispensing powers of the Faith Militant. When the High Sparrow points out that the Faith Militant was disarmed more than two centuries ago by the Targaryens, Cersei assures him her son, King Tommen Baratheon will gladly sign a decree arming the believers:
"An army in service to the gods themselves, and to you, of course as the chosen representative of the Seven."
And so, the High Sparrow walks out with the assurance that from now on he is the chosen representative. In the next scenes, armed zealots raid Littlefinger's establishment in King's Landing, flood the gutters with wine, and smash the idols. Queen Margaery's brother, Ser Loras Tyrell, who remains closeted is arrested after the High Sparrow is tipped off by Cersei. Game of Thrones' "Sons of the Harpy," shows Cersei's cousin, Lancel Lannister playing a part in these operations. The Gold Cloaks turn a blind eye to this chaos and Loras Tyrell is locked away.
Tommen is unable to free his brother-in-law, and even Lord Baelish warns Cersei that it isn't wise to have the heir to the Highgarden arrested. In Game of Thrones season 5, episode 6 "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," Ser Loras' holy inquest is held. He denies the charges of "fornication" and "blasphemy," and Margaery swears her brother remains innocent. But soon Olyvar is called forward, and he tells the High Sparrow that Margaery walked in on them once, insinuating that she knew about her brother. The Faith brings a formal trial for Ser Loras and for Queen Margaery for perjury.
Cersei's Arrest, Atonement, And Trial
King Tommen fails to take back the Sept - the epicenter of religious worship for the Faith, and the seat of the High Sparrow. After Cersei visits Margaery in her cell in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 7 "The Gift," she herself is arrested because her cousin, Lancel has confessed to their affair. Later, Qyburn visits her and tells her that she's in for "fornication, treason, incest, and the murder of King Robert." Her own uncle, Kevan Lannister who serves as the Hand doesn't want to visit her, and Tommen remains in his chambers.
Cersei finally confesses to adultery in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 10 "Mother's Mercy" and the High Sparrow permits her to return to the Red Keep. She's forced to make a naked Walk of Atonement through the streets of King's Landing and all the way to the Red Keep. Qyburn who waits for her at the castle's gates, embraces her and presents the newest member of the Kingsguard - the reanimated Ser Gregor. Cersei's trial is scheduled to take place in Game of Thrones season 6, but Qyburn has a plan for their enemies.
In Game of Thrones season 6, episode 3 "Oathbreaker," Qyburn gets to work. He hires the same "Little Birds" i.e., the children who spied for Lord Varys when he was the Master of Whisperers. The small council is polarized between Kevan Lannister, Olenna Tyrell, Grand Maester Pycelle, and Mace Tyrell while the other bigwigs, Cersei, Jaime, and Qyburn intrude. The High Sparrow insists that Cersei must stand trial before the Seven Septons. Margaery meanwhile plans to free herself and her brother from the High Sparrow's clutches.
Cersei Blows Up The Sept Of Baelor
In Game of Thrones season 6, episode 6 "Blood of My Blood," Jaime and Mace Tyrell lead the Tyrell army to the Sept of Baelor to prevent Margaery's Walk of Atonement, but the High Sparrow announces that her walk won't be necessary as she has atoned by bringing another into the Seven. It turns out, the High Sparrow and King Tommen have agreed that the crown and the Faith will be twin pillars of authority. Tommen sends Jaime to deal with the Blackfish in the Riverlands, Olenna leaves for Highgarden and refuses to help Cersei fight the High Sparrow.
In Game of Thrones season 6, episode 8 "No One," Cersei refuses to meet the High Sparrow in the Sept and the undead Clegane kills a Sparrow who forcibly tries to take her. Shortly after, Tommen announces Loras and Cersei Lannister's trial and outlaws Trial by Combat, leaving Cersei no choice but to plot a war against the Sparrows. After Qyburn confirms that there exist Wildfire barrels beneath the Sept of Baelor, the duo set their Wildfire plot into motion. Game of Thrones season 6, episode 10, "The Winds of Winter," opens with the day of Cersei and Loras' trial. Loras is brought before the Seven Septons, but Cersei and Tommen are missing. Loras abandons the Tyrell name and the High Sparrow has the Faith's symbol carved into his forehead.
Those in attendance include Margaery, Mace Tyrell, Kevan Lannister, and the people of the King's Landing. Cersei has had Tommen confined within his chambers in the Red Keep while the High Sparrow orders Lancel to bring her to the Sept. Pycelle is stabbed to death by Qyburn's Little Birds while Lancel, on his way to the Red Keep, is distracted by one of them. Lancel follows this boy down a dark passageway and is horrified to see barrels of Wildfire in the tunnel. The boy stabs him in the back and runs. Lancel drags himself to burning candles on puddles of Wildfire at the far end of the tunnel. Margaery suspects foul play and tries to warn the High Sparrow but is prevented from walking out of the Sept. She tells everyone to leave, but the Sparrows block the way. The Wildfire is ignited and Cersei happily watches the Sept of Baelor blown to smithereens. She sips her wine while her son removes his crown and jumps out the window at the end of Game of Thrones' "The Winds of Winter."