Why does Jaime sit on the throne?

[Black Mike Secret]

As I remember, the Mad King was not yet Mad before Selmy saved him; he was thought of as eccentric; but had not become a tyrant. It was his captivity at Duskendale that seems to have triggered, or escalated, Aerys' paranoia and cruelty.

As for why Jaime sat on the Iron Throne after killing Aerys - because he could. Jaime was either covering his inner horror at the kingslaying by doing another brazen act and behaving proudly before the world (he was not the sort, even as a boy, who would willingly show weakness in public) or he was proud of his act and wanted to show it.

I understand, the only reason I typed "the mad king" was because I had a brainfart and couldn't spell Aerys. Same logic applies, though.

[Kienn]

He wanted his father to find him there so he could explain why and finally get his father's love.

Instead Ned found him there which made Jaime feel childish, invoking a guilt/pride response of not saying exactly why he did it.

[Goreshank]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a combination of shock and, "What the hell, I just killed the king."

[Zman1863]

Like Robert in the first book, I've always found it a bit odd that Ned found it such an important thing that he found Jaime sitting on the Throne. He tells Robert the story like it's this big revelation of infamy that somehow was worse than the act of killing the king itself.

The next time we hear about it in ASOS Jaime says that when Lannister men entered the room directly after the killing, they asked him whether he had intent to proclaim a new king. But this is sort of an absurdity itself- as if all these things were just a simple foot race that anyone can win. If Jaime had made a power play and tried to proclaim his father the new king (something that you would think would be in the hands of Tywin himself and not his 17 year old son), Tywin would still have had to contend with Stark and Baratheon and Tully and Arryn with no guarantee that Tyrell and Martell would aid his own cause.

Everything else in the series goes against the notion of a magic throne that recognizes the first ass that sits on it as the only lawful authority. Why do both Ned and Jaime have these strange thoughts that Jaime's actions actually mattered at that moment?

[Ser Creighton]

To wipe his ass on the D-bag Kings seat, it's a total show of disrespect for Aerys. I think Jaime who is not a real deep thinker at times, thought it was funny, he didn't know about the kids yet and probably thought Robert or his dad would walk in. He's only 17 at the time.

[Mirri Maz Duur]

Jaime was in shock as to what he had just done. He was 15 at the time and the magnitude of it was starting to hit him all at once. Ned came in and assumptions rolled from there. Ser Jaime never told anyone until he told Briene why he did it. He should have explained sooner.

shocked? When Ned comes in, he says 'Just keeping it warm for Robert. That sounds a bit of a jocular thing to say if he was so shocked by what he done.

[Team Martell]

I don't think there's any meaning to it. He was just reflecting on what he'd done. He was an emotional teenager, deeply in love with his sister, and had just killed the man he had vowed to protect when he received his white cloak. I doubt he even realized he was sitting on the throne when Ned walked in.

[Lost Melnibonean]

I always thought it was just him being cocky.

I think you're right.

[SerJeremiahLouistark]

It says in aSoS he sat there just to see who would come and claim the throne.

[DaarioKnowsBest]

probably the same reason i always sit in the Ferrari at the dealership where me friends dad works

[eggs]

There's nowhere else to sit in the throne room, I guess. Regicide is tiring work!

this. I'm more interested in why he put on a friggin crown.

[eggs]

Like Robert in the first book, I've always found it a bit odd that Ned found it such an important thing that he found Jaime sitting on the Throne. He tells Robert the story like it's this big revelation of infamy that somehow was worse than the act of killing the king itself.

The next time we hear about it in ASOS Jaime says that when Lannister men entered the room directly after the killing, they asked him whether he had intent to proclaim a new king. But this is sort of an absurdity itself- as if all these things were just a simple foot race that anyone can win. If Jaime had made a power play and tried to proclaim his father the new king (something that you would think would be in the hands of Tywin himself and not his 17 year old son), Tywin would still have had to contend with Stark and Baratheon and Tully and Arryn with no guarantee that Tyrell and Martell would aid his own cause.

Everything else in the series goes against the notion of a magic throne that recognizes the first ass that sits on it as the only lawful authority. Why do both Ned and Jaime have these strange thoughts that Jaime's actions actually mattered at that moment?

Jaime could have very easily crowned Tywin. Doesnt mean they couldve kept the throne though. No one knew Ned was ghosting into the city at the time.

[mindchap]

There's nowhere else to sit in the throne room, I guess. Regicide is tiring work!

Damn you took my answer.

[Ser Not Appearing]

Foreshadowing the end of the series... somehow Jamie reigns.

Ok, maybe not. Though the thought has crossed my mind before.

[Lost Melnibonean]

I'm reading Game for the 5th time and I've noticed two interesting referrences to this. When Ned confronts Cersei she tells him that Jamie told her how Ned made him yield up the throne. And Just before LF's betrayal in the throne room Ned recalls "forcing" Jamie from the IT.

[Khal Shaggydog]

He did what any self respecting Kingslayer would do.

Exactly.

I also believe that we can all agree that Jaime's sitting on the IT at that time doomed his eventual offspring to be marked for death because of the IT. Same thing happened to Aerys, Robert, Ned, Jon Arryn, and most other people who we know of who have sat there. Its like picking up the phone in whatever that idiotic scary movie was about death by cell phone.

[shalimar1012]

My opinion is that he wanted to see how it is to sit on the throne. He sees his king going mad and maybe he wanted to fell if it is a burden to sit on it. English is not my language so be a little patient with me. My son once told me that he wanted to spend a day as me to see why I was so tired at the end of the day, after he saw me sitting on a chair. So maybe this is what he was trying. To imagine how it is to sit on the throne with all the responsibility and burden of seven kingdoms. And he did kill the king to save half a million people, taking the decision by himself, knowing that it will affect the kingdom, but not knowing in what way. Kind of like a king does everyday.

[DaveSnow House Stark]

I'm sure there are many reasons. He had just killed the Pyromancer and the King, he was young, cocky and arrogant. He was probably like, yep, let me see how this fits my ass! Do I think he had any plans to stay there, no, not for a second. I think it became more of an issue because he felt judged by Ned.