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Jaime Lannister - A True Knight


Isewein

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While I fully share the apprehensions and misgivings about the rushed execution and sloppy writing of the last season, one common criticism I don't understand is that Jamie returning to Cersei would somehow ruin his redemption arc. What was he supposed to do? He rode north to face the death to finally prove to himself and the world that he was not an oathbreaker, and probably didn't expect to live through it. But this was never about a rejection of Cersei as far as I can tell, only about him choosing to be the man he wants to be. And when that man survived the Battle for the Dawn, what would we expect him to do? I know that his tirade of self-loathing when confronted by Brienne seems excessive, but for me the key words were the first: Have you ever shied away from a fight? What sort of knight would he be if he left the woman he loves and whom he believes to be pregnant with his child to die without even trying to save her? It doesn't even mean that he chooses Cersei over Brienne or that he relapses into his old narcissist persona, and in the end I think Brienne understands that as well. He rode north because he realised he could never look himself in the eyes again if he broke another oath. And he then rides south for essentially the same reason. I find that a natural end to his arc; the only truly satisfying among all the POV characters, really. It would have been nice to see him play a larger role in the fight against the WW, but that aside I couldn't really see his story play out any other way under the circumstances.

 

People who weren't satisfied with Jaime's arc, what would you have wanted to see? Or what are you hoping to see in the books? :)

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I like the way you put this. The actor who played Jaime just gave an interview saying that his code of honor was with his family, and he never, ever saw that character killing Cersei. He said Jaime knew Cersei would never give up, and he knew Daenerys was going to bring fire and blood after Euron killed the dragon. So he saw it as his mission to try and save Cersei or either die with her. 

What would I have wanted him to do instead? I guess when you spend seven years watching a character become a better person--he certainly was a shadow of the arrogant, entitled prick he was in season 1--you would hope he learns from his mistakes. Is it too much to ask for him to finally realize that Cersei really is evil? Is it too much to ask for him to come to his senses after she refused to help others fight an apocalyptic threat, and after watching so many others sacrifice themselves so not only Cersei and his unborn child could be saved, but the rest of humanity with it? Is it too much to ask that the guy realize that she never was a really good mother in the first place and that her "love for her children"--and for him, for that matter--was just part of her narcissism? Is it too much to ask for him to conclude that Tommen committed suicide because she wasn't emotionally available for him when he needed her most and for Jaime to reject Cersei's description of their youngest child as having "betrayed" her?

Cersei belittled him time and time again. She cheated on him. She rejected him after he lost his hand. Theirs was not an epic love story; it was a tale of a narcissist and her co-dependent. 

Lady Olenna told Jaime he was foolish for loving Cersei, and the grand dame correctly predicted that his sister-lover would be the end of him. I guess I just wanted Jaime to stop being a fool. Even Jon Snow, who knows nothing, knew when it was time to give up on a lost cause. 

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With all said and done I think that Jaimie's arcs is one of the most intact. 

I do wish him and Brienne had remained platonic but oh well.

I know the go-to thing for people to do when defending the show is to screech about people having book expectations bleed into watching the show. I think, however, this is one case where thats actually the case- Between the prophecy, the more severe division between the two, etc. 

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When he killed the Mad King, he willingly broke the Kingsguard oath because he could see that the King didn't deserve his faith any more and knew it was more important to save thousands than follow an insane tyrant.  I thought it might cure Jaime of Cersei when she accomplished with Wildfire what he stopped Aerys from trying.  

With Jaime and Dany both unable to overcome their backgrounds, it's for me not to think's the showrunners' message, even though it felt for years they were saying you can influence your destiny and rise above.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The 'Inside the Episode' explained what D&D intended, but I don't really like it.  It ends with them calling Cersei  'the woman he loves,' and how they belong together and he wanted to die in the arms of the woman he loves.  Instead of his story ending with him becoming better, it cements that he is the stupidest Lannister.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/22/2019 at 6:34 AM, Showwatercheronly said:

Cersei belittled him time and time again. She cheated on him. She rejected him after he lost his hand. Theirs was not an epic love story; it was a tale of a narcissist and her co-dependent. 

Right.

On 5/22/2019 at 6:34 AM, Showwatercheronly said:

 Lady Olenna told Jaime he was foolish for loving Cersei, and the grand dame correctly predicted that his sister-lover would be the end of him. I guess I just wanted Jaime to stop being a fool. Even Jon Snow, who knows nothing, knew when it was time to give up on a lost cause. 

I fully agree. 

On 5/22/2019 at 3:57 PM, kevinbgwrites said:

With all said and done I think that Jaimie's arcs is one of the most intact. 

It's a fine arc and I am sure it is the same arc as in the books. This story line fits to GRRM.

Several other arcs are well presented in the show, too. I like Sansa's and Arya's arc pretty much, too. 

The rushed and in parts foolish story telling in S8 is below-standard, but the arcs itself are quite good and GRRM's work.

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