Jaime ("Kingslayer") Lannister

• Individual Picture Notes
  • Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister in HBO Game of Thrones

• General Notes
  • 
    Younger twin to Cersei, and son of Tywin and Joanna, Jaime Lannister is one of the most famous knights in all of Westeros.  He became a knight and ascended to the elite Kingsguard, the members of which can neither hold lands nor marry. Two years after his induction, he murdered Mad King Aerys during the sack of King's Landing, earning him the epithet "Kingslayer". Though he shares his sister's arrogance, amorality, and striking good looks, he is much more reckless and easily amused.
    
    Jaime was an immensely talented warrior from his youth, fighting gallantly against the Kingswood Brotherhood (an outlaw band).  He was invited to join the Kingsguard of the Iron Throne at the age of 15, becoming its youngest inductee. He agreed to the appointment because of the honor involved, and also to be close to his sister, Cersei – with who he was in incestuous love.
    
    Jaime’s father, Lord Tywin, had taken Cersei to court with him to match her with a suitable suitor, preferably Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. However, within a day of Jaime’s appointment, he discovered that King Aerys, paranoid of Tywin's power, had extended the invitation to turn him into a hostage and deprive Tywin of his heir.  Lord Tywin, slighted by this and by Aerys' refusal to wed Rhaegar to Cersei, resigned his office of Hand and returned with Cersei to Casterly Rock, separating the erstwhile lovers once again.
    
    Finally, it became endlessly clear to Jaime that Aerys deserved his moniker ("the Mad"), especially after witnessing the deaths of Brandon and Rickard Stark.
    Shortly before the Sack of King's Landing, Jaime learned that King Aerys planned to immolate the city with wildfire should it be taken by enemy forces, killing not only the rebellious army but all its citizens as well. To prevent this mass slaughter, he slew Aerys -- as well as the infrastructure the king had placed to ensure his orders were carried out.  Jaime later reflected that he is often reviled for what he considers his finest act.  Faced with scorn for his oathbreaking ways, Jaime embraced the arrogant and amoral personality people seemed to expect from him.
    
    After Cersei married Robert Baratheon and became Queen, she and Jaime continued their incestuous relationship, and Jaime fathered all three of her children. He attempted to protect the secret of their relationship while at Winterfell, throwing seven-year old Bran Stark from a window.  This, among other factors, incited the War of the Five Kings that followed.
    
    During the War, Jaime gave battle to Robb Stark at the Whispering Wood and was captured there, subsequently spending much of the war imprisoned at the Tully stronghold of Riverrun. He was eventually freed by Catelyn Stark under oath to (among other things) exchange his life for those of her daughters (Sansa and Arya), and to never take arms against the Starks or Tullys again.
    
    Catelyn appointed Brienne of Tarth to escort him to King's Landing.  At once annoyed and impressed by Brienne's honor and idealism, Jaime still attempted to kill her out of simple malice and arrogance.  Brienne was able to defend herself, but would later admit that if Jaime's hands had not been shackled, and had he not been weakened by months of imprisonment, she would not have had any hope of victory.
    
    During Jaime and Brienne's capture by the Brave Companions, Jaime's sword hand was cut off. Deprived of his identity-defining martial prowess, troubled by Brienne's noble behavior, and realizing he no longer liked having (in his own words) "shit for honor," Jaime began re-evaluating his life, beginning with risking his own life to rescue Brienne from the Brave Companions. When he returned safely to King's Landing, he assumed the office of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and took his post seriously.
    
    Jaime's newfound responsibilities caused problems with his family relationships: conflicted by the discovery of Cersei's infidelity with several other men of her Court, Jaime's feelings toward Cersei soured; he also refused to leave the Kingsguard and become Tywin's heir, causing his father to disown him.  Going completely against his family, he charged Brienne to find the missing Sansa Stark and keep her safe from the wrath of House Lannister. He gave her a Valyrian steel longsword his father had fashioned for him out of Ned Stark's greatsword "Ice," and bade her name it "Oathkeeper."
    
    Finally, he rescued his brother Tyrion from execution and admitted to betraying him during a traumatic moment in Tyrion's youth.  When Tywin was murdered by Tyrion, it was Jaime who stood vigil over his father’s body in the Great Sept of Baelor, out of guilt and remorse for his part in his father's death.
    
    Later, Jaime was ordered to end Riverrun's defiance by Cersei (who wanted Jaime away from her). Jaime complied with the order, but only on the condition he could take Adam Marbrand, the commander of the city's gold cloaks, and Ilyn Payne, the King's Justice with him. Cersei was pleased to oblige because she trusted neither of the men.  (Marbrand was a boyhood friend of Jaime, and she partly blamed Payne for Tyrion's escape since, as the King's Justice, Payne is meant to be in charge of the running of the dungeons).
    
    Before leaving the city, Jaime had a hand of gold forged so he could attach it to his armour; the hand allowed him to strap a shield (clumsily) over his right arm.  Since his departure, Jaime has been sparring nightly with the mute and illiterate headsman, Ilyn Payne, hoping to eventually become just as good at fighting with his left hand as he ever was with the right; progress, however, has been very slow.
    
    Jaime's oath to Catelyn Stark was put in jeopardy when he went to Riverrun to end Brynden Tully's resistance. He managed to take the castle bloodlessly by releasing the prisoner Lord Edmure Tully and threatening the life of his unborn child should he refuse to yield the castle. Though he succeeded in keeping his oath to Catelyn, the incident added to Jaime's already-monstrous reputation as Kingslayer, child-killer, and sister-lover.
    
    Jaime recently received a letter from Queen Cersei, asking him to save her life; Jaime commanded that Cerseit’s letter be thrown into the fireplace. Whether he is actually ignoring Cersei’ts pleas or simply destroying the letter, which might otherwise be used as evidence to prove their incestuous relationship, remains to be seen.
    
    

Pictures

• Picture Notes
  • Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister in HBO Game of Thrones