Game of Thrones: A Defense of Jaime Lannister’s Character Arc

Tonight is the series finale of Game of Thrones, and fans are eager to discover who will survive the final episode. However, this season has already seen the deaths of multiple beloved characters, including Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). After fighting for Winterfell and starting a romance with Brienne, Jaime gave in to his biggest weakness and left his progress behind to be with his sister and lover, Cersei. Many fans were upset by Jaime's choice, claiming that the writers destroyed his character arc by sending him back to Cersei. Here's why his choice deserves more credit…

Jaime Lannister had a wonderful, complex character arc. He changed completely and not at all, which in many ways makes it the most believable arc in the entire series. Going back to Cersei doesn't discount the good he did, and the good he did doesn't discount the bad.

Jamie was permanently labeled disloyal the moment he drove his sword through the Mad King's back, and it set him on a path of evil (sure, he was already having sex with his sister, but that's not EVIL, just… icky.). However, we learned from the bathtub scene in "Kissed By Fire" that there was more to Jaime than the man who pushed Bran Stark out of a window, attacked Ned Stark in the streets, and killed his cousin.

From that moment on, fans saw his path to redemption. He saved Brienne more than once, armed her so she could find Sansa and Arya, and ultimately left Cersei to fight the Battle of Winterfell. A choice he made knowing he would likely die. Jaime chose the realm over his sister, but once the realm was saved, he had to be true to himself.

He may have grown a lot over the years, but he was still sleeping with Cersei as late as season seven. He was still making threats for her as late as season six. Don't forget he told Edmure Tully he would catapult his baby over the walls of Riverrun. He meant it, too. A redemption arc that seamlessly travels from Point A to Point B is both dull and unrealistic, and it was never Jamie's path.

Sure, we'll never fully forgive him for breaking Brienne's heart, but who among us hasn't been wrapped up in a toxic relationship? Now, imagine if that relationship lasted your entire life. That's a hard addiction to break. Staying with Brienne would have been lovely, but it wouldn't have been realistic. Jaime wanted to love Brienne as much as we wanted him to, but their mutual respect and post battle euphoria wasn't enough to wash away 40 plus years of an intense, messy, and (unfortunately) true love.

Many of us have had a Brienne in our lives or been the Brienne. Heck, even Brienne has a Brienne! (We're sorry, Tormund.) Dying in Cersei's arms was a choice most true to Jaime's conflicted character. He died as he was meant to, and it was tragic and beautiful.

The series finale of Game of Thrones airs tonight on HBO TV at 9pm EST.