(Book & Show Spoilers) Was it just me bothered by the Brienne & Cersei scene

[jaimereborn]

I found Brienne's reaction to Cersei's 'do you love him' to be heavily unnecessary. It takes a lot of the mystery out of Brienne and Jaime's unspoken connection, and creates a previously non-existent romance to root for that was never overly suggested in the books at all. What I so liked about Jaime & Brienne's relationship was just how unconventional it was and how little it revolved around ideas like love and sex. It seemed to be based more around shared experience, admiration and trust. I was disappointed that they felt the need to throw a 'Hollywood' kind of romance into this dynamic. Also, Brienne's reaction was completely unbelievable, she easily could have denied it.

[SheRa Seastar]

I think there is a love between Jaime and Brienne in the books though. Brienne didn't say yes or no, and I think any sort of connection between them has marked brienne as an enemy of Cersei's now because cersei is the only one (in her mind) allowed to have any sort of relationship with Jaime. I expect cersei to be vile to brienne in the coming episodes, instead of just plain mocking.

[MyLittleFinger]

That scene was the one part of the episode that completely sucked (maybe the Loras-Oberyn "YO I LIKE DUDES TOO REMEMBER?"). Just didn't work. Seems like an unnecessary addition because you might as well use all the actors since they're all there.

[TheonsPhantomCock]

I'm beginning to find Brienne really irritating. Gwendoline Christie just seems really wooden this season in particular. Cringeworthy. And yes, I didn't like it at all. Unnecessary to spell it out like that,

[Le Cygne]

What I find fascinating is that even after the author called out the romantic connection that was clearly there in the books some are insisting it wasn't there.

[Fylimar]

I don't know - I found Briennes reaction quite normal. The Queen asks her about her personal feelings, I'm sure - being shy myself - I would not have answered either, because I would be shocked. And even if Brienne loves Jaime - that doesn't necessarily mean relationship-love, it could mean brotherly love

[The Black Wolf]

I'm really torn on this... On the one hand, I don't like how direct, open and "in your face" Brienne's feelings for Jaime became. It was, I don't know, too soon? The wrong moment? On the other hand, this is totally what Cersei would have done if she met Brienne at the wedding, and I think Brienne would have been very embarrassed and silent.

[Ghosteline]

Yeah, I didn't like it either as it didn't fit Brienne and her and Jamies storyline. from the books I also had a complitely different kind on connection in mind which may or may not be romantic.

Brienne always seemed tough lady with a sharp wit and tongue that it would be hard to get her off-guard but TV Briennes reaction to Cersey was just too vulnerable.

[boojam]

It's a strange bit of dialog since it was not in the novel.

Yet George wrote this episode, unless Dave and Dan did a modification, which has happened before.

There is an interview with Gwendoline Christie about that scene, can't seem to find it again, she asked about the dialog, but gives such an oblique answer I could not make out what she was saying.

[Will&Chrismom]

What I find fascinating is that even after the author called out the romantic connection that was clearly there in the books some are insisting it wasn't there.

This, a thousand times. Do people not recognize rather obvious romantic subtext when it is written down plainly on the page? I'm not asking to be snarky, I'm asking in all seriousness. I read all the books twice through and the Brienne chapters are full of pretty blatant romantic subtext; the Jaime chapters a bit less so, but not much. Whether their mutual attraction (heretofore unacknowledged by either in the books) leads anywhere is open for debate, but the feelings? Nope.

I had no problems with the Cersei/Brienne scene at all. In fact, on a second viewing I find it rather brilliant. Cersei just basically dumped Jaime in the prior episode for the stupidest reason possible: he "took too long" to get back to her (like that was his fault), and oh yeah, he's minus a hand and Cersei doesn't like that. And yet in the very next episode she's calling out another woman for having feelings for Jaime. If Cersei can't have Jaime--even if she doesn't much want him anymore--then nobody can. It's another fine example of Cersei's awesome bitchiness that was on display pretty much through the whole episode. She's just never happy unless she's undercutting somebody else, especially another woman.

Brienne, meanwhile, has a perfect reaction to Cersei's in-your-face comment: stunned silence followed by a lack of denial. And this is a wonderful example of Brienne's innocence, that has been rather in hiding up to now. All the criticism of Brienne's early introduction on the show--she was too hard, too "mean", not sweet enough--well, there it was. When she talked about how Jaime rescued her, her face just melted into this glorious smile. Gwen Christie's dimples helped to add to the youthful, girl-in-love effect, but her whole face just changed significantly, and we saw the innocent, vulnerable girl beneath the hard, toughened Woman Knight exterior. It was so fitting, too, that it would be Cersei--the one woman with any claim on Jaime--who would cut Brienne down. Cersei is the opposite of Brienne in every way and probably nobody else could make Brienne feel as insecure.

I loved the whole scene, and hey, the author wrote that episode, so clearly the author himself has decided that at a bare minimum, Brienne is in love with Jaime, even if an actual romance between them never materializes.

[Le Cygne]

This, a thousand times. Do people not recognize rather obvious romantic subtext when it is written down plainly on the page?

I know, it's like let's pretend this isn't happening, because we don't want it to happen. I want her/him to be with X or Y instead (usually someone they never met, or completely ruled out)...

I put this together a couple of years ago because I thought, well, maybe a little text will make the point, and we can move forward and talk about the rest of the story. Nope...

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/63197-odds-of-jaime-and-brienne-ending-up-together/page-13#entry3372068

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

Thought it was obvious that there was something between them.

[Mother of Mini Dragons]

I actually really liked it and loved GC's face and think she had a perfect reaction. She's talking to the King's mother, which is automatically awkward and uncomfortable and then here she is asking these rude questions and making these rude comments to Brienne. Uncomfortable/awkward and would render me speechless, too. I think you can interpret Brienne's not saying anything in several different ways. I too also like that we got to see a softer, sweeter side of Brienne in that moment. It's that side of her counter-balanced with how she is perceived that makes her an interesting and fully human character in the books.

[Batman]

No subtlety, just a sledgehammer of a scene.

[Angmar]

What is it with people in the ASOIAF fandom hating anything involving romance? Just like that Brienne/Jaime shippers thread, "i want to burn any shipper I find"

You people are beyond boring. :D

Anyways, I liked that scene. I found it fitting- Cersei would be aggresive, and Brienne would be shy. She's not really one for verbal insults or attacks like the sort.

[Mr Fixit]

A great scene. Brienne was very sweet and not at all sure of her own feelings, and it's these very insecurities that Cersei thrives on. I don't see what's "unsubtle" or "wrong" with this.

[Señor de la Tormenta]

I find much more disturbing that Sansa Stark is there and Brianne doesnt give a damn.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

We still haven't accepted that many things in the show have to be OBVIOUS because we can't read the character's mind like in books, isn't? Just because Cersei has figured it out doesn't mean Jaime and Brienne have. Jeez. Besides, Jaime has just lost his son and his brother is accused of murder: I doubt him and Brienne will discuss their relationship or their mutual feelings.

[Ser Maneth Grossart]

Was I the only one who read that Brienne's "big eyes" reaction was also due to the realization that Cersei had just "gone there"? I mean she had heard all the rumors but to presence Cersei acknowledging the whole thing just took her by surprise. If this was the intention, and I think it was because her eyes just widened even more in the end, then it was a powerful scene. No the "do you love him?", but rather Brienne seeing with her own eyes the truth about Jamie and Cersei.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Was I the only one who read that Brienne's "big eyes" reaction was also due to the realization that Cersei had just "gone there"? I mean she had heard all the rumors but to presence Cersei acknowledging the whole thing just took her by surprise. If this was the intention, and I think it was because her eyes just widened even more in the end, then it was a powerful scene. No the "do you love him?", but rather Brienne seeing with her own eyes the truth about Jamie and Cersei.

Interesting. And yes, probably, because in a previous scene, Loras let Jaime know he already knows. Also, when Jaime sends Brienne away she figures it out and even asks him if he's true. He doesn't deny it.