Lioness: Cersei Lannister in the Game of Thrones books
Summary
TLDRThis video delves into the complex character of Cersei Lannister from 'Game of Thrones,' exploring her pursuit of power and the influence of her father Tywin. It discusses her incestuous relationship with Jaime, her brutal actions, and the role of prophecy in her life. The video suggests that Cersei's fear of a prophecy may lead to her downfall, possibly involving wildfire and a tragic end involving her brother Jaime. Sponsored by Audible, the video encourages viewers to try the platform with a free audiobook offer.
Takeaways
- đ§ Audible is offering a free audiobook for a trial sign-up at audible.com/asx, which supports the channel.
- đ Cersei Lannister is depicted as a complex character who seeks power and recognition, often resorting to cruel and ruthless actions.
- đ„ Cersei's ambition for the Iron Throne and her desire for visible power are deeply influenced by her father Tywin's teachings and the patriarchal society of Westeros.
- đĄïž Cersei's actions, such as executing innocents and undermining political systems, contribute to the instability and warfare in Westeros.
- đ§âïž The prophecy by Maggy the Frog haunts Cersei, influencing her actions to protect her power and her children, and potentially leading to her downfall.
- đ Cersei's relationship with her twin brother Jaime is incestuous and deeply intertwined with her quest for power and love.
- đ¶ The prophecy that predicts Cersei's children will die and her eventual downfall is a significant source of her fear and desperation.
- đ” Cersei's view of other powerful women in Westeros is filled with hatred and misogyny, reflecting her internal conflict and self-loathing.
- đ„ Cersei's fear of the prophecy might lead her to use wildfire to destroy King's Landing, mirroring the Mad King Aerys' plan.
- đ€ There's a possibility that Jaime, Cersei's 'little brother,' might be the one to fulfill the prophecy by killing her, ending her reign and their shared story.
Q & A
What is the promotional offer from Audible mentioned in the script?
-Audible is offering a free audiobook to those who sign up for a trial at audible.com/asx, with no cost even if the trial is canceled.
How does the script describe Cersei Lannister's relationship with her brother Jaime?
-The script describes Cersei's relationship with Jaime as secret, incestuous, and deeply intertwined, with Cersei considering Jaime as 'more than a brother and sister' and seeing him as an extension of herself.
What are the three main themes of Cersei's story according to the script?
-The three main themes of Cersei's story are power, love, and prophecy, which drive her actions and motivations throughout the series.
How does the script portray Cersei's pursuit of power?
-The script portrays Cersei's pursuit of power as relentless and ruthless, with her being willing to hurt, kill, and undermine the political system to achieve her goals.
What is the significance of the prophecy given to Cersei by Maggy the Frog in the script?
-The prophecy given to Cersei by Maggy the Frog is significant as it haunts her and influences her actions, leading her to make attempts to change or avoid its fulfillment, particularly regarding her marriage, children, and her eventual downfall.
How does the script analyze Cersei's reaction to the patriarchal society of Westeros?
-The script analyzes Cersei's reaction as deeply frustrated and conflicted. She desires the direct and visible power that is typically reserved for men, and this exclusion fuels her ambition and resentment.
What role does Tywin Lannister play in shaping Cersei's personality and actions according to the script?
-Tywin Lannister is portrayed as the primary influence on Cersei's personality and actions. His obsession with power, legacy, and pride shapes Cersei's ambitions and her ruthless pursuit of power.
How does the script suggest Cersei's relationship with her children might be influenced by Maggy's prophecy?
-The script suggests that Cersei's fear of Maggy's prophecy about her children's deaths ('Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds') leads her to become overly protective and desperate in her attempts to keep them safe, ultimately leading to their demise.
What is the potential significance of the 'valonqar' prophecy mentioned in the script?
-The 'valonqar' prophecy suggests that a younger brother will strangle Cersei to death. The script explores the possibility that this could be Tyrion or, more dramatically, Jaime, leading to a tragic end for Cersei.
How does the script connect Cersei's use of wildfire to her ultimate fate?
-The script connects Cersei's use of wildfire to her ultimate fate by suggesting that in a final act of rage and desperation, she might use it to destroy King's Landing, mirroring the Mad King's plan, which could lead to her death at the hands of Jaime.
Outlines
đ Power Struggles and Cruelty of Cersei Lannister
The paragraph introduces the character Cersei Lannister from 'Game of Thrones' and her quest for power. It discusses her early actions undermining the political system of Westeros, her cruel treatment of others, and her eventual rise to power. The paragraph sets the stage for understanding Cersei's character development and her journey from a cunning schemer to a ruthless ruler.
đ° The Impact of Tywin Lannister on Cersei's Ambitions
This section delves into the influence of Tywin Lannister on Cersei's life, exploring how her father's obsession with power and family legacy shaped her desire for visible power and pride. It also discusses the patriarchal society of Westeros and how it limits Cersei's direct pursuit of power, leading to internal conflicts and a complex relationship with her gender and identity.
đ Unfulfilled Love and Cersei's Emotional Turmoil
The paragraph examines Cersei's personal relationships and her quest for love, which is fraught with frustration and denial. It details her incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime and her unfulfilled dreams of marrying Prince Rhaegar. The emotional turmoil caused by these relationships contributes to her cruelty and her eventual transformation into a more ruthless character.
đź The Prophecy of Maggy the Frog and Cersei's Fears
This section discusses the prophecy made by Maggy the Frog to young Cersei, which predicts her future as queen, the number of her children, and her eventual downfall. The prophecy's influence on Cersei's actions and decisions is explored, showing how her fear of its fulfillment leads her to make choices that may inadvertently bring about the very outcomes she fears.
đ„ Cersei's Downfall and the Potential for a Fiery End
The final paragraph speculates on Cersei's potential end, drawing parallels between her and the Mad King Aerys and his use of wildfire. It suggests that Cersei might use wildfire to destroy King's Landing in a final act of defiance, leading to a tragic confrontation with her brother Jaime. The paragraph concludes with a discussion of how Cersei's life of unfulfilled desires and fears might culminate in a fiery and destructive finale.
đ» Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments
The closing paragraph offers thanks to various individuals and communities that contributed to the video script, including feedback providers, the fan community, and Patreon supporters. It also includes a call to action for viewers to sign up at Audible for a free audiobook, which supports the channel, and a general sign-off.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄAudible
đĄGame of Thrones
đĄCersei Lannister
đĄPower
đĄProphecy
đĄWesteros
đĄIncest
đĄIron Throne
đĄWildfire
đĄValonqar
Highlights
Audible is offering a free audiobook for a trial sign-up at audible.com/asx.
Cersei's actions are examined, including her secret relationship with Jaime and the political turmoil it causes.
Cersei's cruelty is highlighted by her treatment of Arya Stark and the execution of Lady.
Cersei's manipulations and murders, including King Robert and her nephew Tommen, are discussed.
Cersei's character development is explored through her point of view chapters starting in the fourth book.
The influence of Cersei's father, Tywin, on her pursuit of power and pride is analyzed.
Cersei's frustration with the patriarchal society of Westeros and her desire for direct power is highlighted.
Cersei's complex relationship with her brother Jaime and its impact on her character is examined.
The role of prophecy in Cersei's life, including a prophecy from Maggy the Frog, is discussed.
Cersei's fear of the prophecy and her attempts to change its course are analyzed.
The possibility that Cersei's downfall may be caused by her fear of prophecy rather than the prophecy itself is presented.
The potential for Daenerys or Brienne to fulfill the prophecy of casting Cersei down is considered.
The theory that Jaime might be the 'valonqar' prophesied to kill Cersei is explored.
The possibility of Cersei using wildfire to destroy King's Landing in a final act of rage is hypothesized.
The video concludes with the idea that Cersei's pursuit of power and love will ultimately lead to her destruction.
Transcripts
This videoâs sponsored by Audible, who are offering a free audiobook if you sign up for
a trial at audible.com/asx.
If you havenât read the Game of Thrones books before, or you wanna re-read, youâve
gotta try listening to the audiobook â itâs a totally different way to experience the
story.
Audibleâs offering the first book of Thrones, or any other audiobook, for free â and even
if you cancel your trial, you can keep the book.
So please sign up at the link below â you get a free book, and itâll really help out
this channel.
Thanks.
In Season 6 of the Game of Thrones show, Olenna Tyrell wonders if Cersei is âthe worst person
[sheâs] ever metâ . Cersei does do a lot of terrible things.
While the wife of King Robert, she has a secret incestuous relationship with her twin brother
Jaime, passing off their illegitimate kids as Robertâs rightful heirs â undermining
the political system of Westeros and leading to war.
When Arya Stark tangles with Cerseiâs son Joffrey, Cersei has the innocent direwolf
Lady executed , and tries to get Arya âmaimedâ or killed . Cersei kills King Robert by getting
him drunk during a hunt . Then she ignores the kingâs will to have Ned Stark serve
as regent , and instead has Ned imprisoned.
Thatâs all in Book 1.
In Book 2, Cersei has Robertâs baby bastard Barra murdered along with her mother . Cersei
has an innocent woman, Alayaya â Ros in the show â brutally beaten in an attempt
to hurt Cerseiâs brother Tyrion . She may also be responsible for Ser Mandonâs attempt
on Tyrionâs life . In Book 3, Cersei wrongfully accuses Tyrion of killing Joffrey , which
gets Tyrion sentenced to death.
In Book 4, Cersei really goes to town â she has the High Septon killed , has some innocent
dwarfs killed , has some innocent guards killed , and tries to have Bronn and Trystane Martell
and Jon Snow killed.
She just loves killinâ . She also sends a bunch of women to Qyburn to be âusedâ
in horrific experiments , and brutally tortures an innocent bard . She tries to frame Margery
Tyrell and others for crimes that they didnât commit , and makes a bunch of bad political
decisions â she stops paying the crownâs debts , gives an expensive fleet of ships
to an unqualified pretty boy who steals them and becomes a pirate , and she lets the Faith
Militant arm themselves , leading to the rise of the High Sparrow.
After this farce and disaster, Cerseiâs crimes catch up with her â sheâs imprisoned
by the Faith, and takes a walk of shame.
Thatâs as far as the books go so far â but in Season 6 of the show, Cersei wreaks revenge.
She blows up the sparrows and Tyrells with wildfire, and crowns herself Queen of Westeros
â in her final form as a sort of Maleficent, Evil Queen type.
So Cersei kind of is⊠âthe worstâ . She hurts and kills innocent people, destabilises
the country, and contributes to war.
Should we call her⊠a villain?
A âmonsterâ ? Is she just cruel and selfish and stupid, a âvile ⊠evil bitchâ, in
Margaeryâs words ? Or could there be more to Cersei Lannister?
In the first three books of Thrones, we only see Cersei through the eyes of other characters
â but starting in the fourth book, we get chapters from Cerseiâs point of view.
We read her thoughts and feelings, her hopes and dreams, her past, and glimpses of her
future â so we can start to understand, and maybe sympathise with this complex character.
We can even predict how Cersei might die.
Her story basically comes down to three main themes â power, love, and prophecy.
The first line of Cerseiâs first chapter says that she dreams of sitting the Iron Throne,
âhigh above them allâ . âCersei wants to ruleâ â she âlusts for power with
every waking breathâ . And itâs a particular kind of power that she wants.
People like Stannis and Robert Baratheon and Robb Stark have power that you can see â they
wear crowns and swing swords and lead armies, and everyone knows that theyâre in charge
. In contrast, people like Varys and Littlefinger and Olenna have a more subtle kind of power
. They donât wear crowns or swing swords or lead armies â instead, they have secrets,
spies and schemes . Their influence is invisible â but very significant.
Varys runs a conspiracy, Littlefinger causes war, and Olenna kills King Joffrey and grows
the power of her house.
Without anyone even knowing it, these three are some of the most powerful people in Westeros
. But Cersei isnât interested in this subtle kind of power.
In the show, Littlefinger tells Cersei that âKnowledge is powerâ â but then Cersei
demonstrates, in her words, that âPower is powerâ . She doesnât want to influence
events from the shadows, she wants people to know sheâs in charge.
She wants to sit the Throne, and for âGreat lords and proud ladiesâ to kneel before
her.
These ideas about visible power and pride are at the core of Cerseiâs personality,
and they seem to have mostly come from Cerseiâs father, Tywin.
Tywin was Cerseiâs only parent growing up â after her mother Joanna died giving birth
to Tyrion.
And Tywin is obsessed with family legacy â with Lannister power and pride . He says âWe
must demonstrate the power ⊠of Casterly Rock for all the realm to seeâ . These ideas
had a big impact on Cersei . She often thinks on the lessons Tywin taught her . And after
Tywin dies â killed by Tyrion â Cersei thinks of herself as Tywinâs heir . She
wants to be seen as the inheritor of his legacy , and she tries to act as he would . Thing
is, Tywin was brutal.
Heâs responsible for some of the worst atrocities in Westeros â the extermination of the Reynes
of Castamere , the sack of Kingâs Landing , Cleganeâs raids in the riverlands , the
Red Wedding â not to mention his cruel treatment of Tyrion, and Tysha, and others.
The lessons Tywin taught are barbaric â stuff like âNever wound a foe when you can kill
himâ , and âThe only way to keep your people loyal is to make [them] fear youâ
â that people are tools to be used , and that love is worthless . Cersei follows Tywinâs
cruel example, and in some of her darkest moments, like when she tortures an innocent
bard, or thinks about wiping out all the ironborn, she tells herself that these things are okay,
because itâs âwhat [Tywin] would have doneâ . So a lot of Cerseiâs brutality
in her pursuit of power and pride comes from the lessons Tywin taught her.
But thereâs a deeper conflict behind all this.
Cersei thinks of herself as Tywinâs âonly true sonâ , âas Lord Tywin with teatsâ
. Thereâs a tension here â because Cersei Lannister is a woman.
There are powerful women in Westeros.
Look at Olenna Tyrell, Asha, Catelyn, Sansa, Arya, Daenerys, Visenya and Rhaenys.
But Westeros is a patriarchal medieval society, which means unless youâve got dragons, women
usually arenât allowed to hold direct power in their own right.
Some women hold subtler kinds of power like Olenna â but Cersei isnât allowed to be
powerful in the direct, visible way that Tywin is powerful.
She canât sit the Throne as Hand of the King like Tywin.
She canât hold a war council like Tywin, or lead an army like Tywin.
When Tywin speaks, âmen obeyâ â but when Cersei speaks, people often contradict
her, or refuse her, they âpush her asideâ â because, Cersei says, sheâs a woman
. And this deeply frustrates Cersei.
She is desperate to be the heir Tywin wanted, but she âlack[s] the cockâ . Cersei constantly
broods on the injustice of being âexcluded from power on account of her sexâ . She
recounts how when she was a child, Cersei and her twin Jaime looked so alike that no
one could tell them apart.
But they were treated âso differentlyâ â Jaime was trained âto fight with sword
and lanceâ, while Cersei was taught to smile and please.
Jaime was âheir to Casterly Rockâ, while Cersei was to be married off to some lord.
Jaimeâs fate was âglory and powerâ, while Cerseiâs was just marriage and childbirth
. Cersei often wishes that she was born a man , because if she was a man, she âcould
rule [the] realm in [her] own nameâ , and fight her enemies with a sword.
But, she says, âthe gods in their blind malice had given her the feeble body of a
womanâ . Cersei does use her sex to her advantage sometimes â she uses seduction
to influence people like Jaime and Lancel and Osney . But she never really works out
the kind of subtle power that makes women like Olenna so influential.
In fact, Cersei hates Olenna â calls her a âdisgusting old croneâ , calls Margaery a "whore",
and murders her in the show.
And Brienne, another powerful woman, Cersei calls âa
huge, ugly, shambling ⊠creatureâ âdressed in manâs mailâ.
She calls Princess Elia Martell âfeeble ⊠with black eyes and a flat chestâ , calls
Lady Lysa Arryn âa cowâ , and calls septas âwrinkled cuntsâ who âare probably praying
for a good rapingâ . Cersei not only fails to emulate other powerful women â she hates
them, and is cruelly critical of their female bodies.
Cerseiâs like, a self-hating woman, a female misogynist â and this is one of many contradictions
in Cerseiâs personality.
She is desperate for power and pride like her father, but sheâs deeply frustrated
by the limitations imposed on her as a woman.
Cersei is also frustrated in her attempts to love.
Her mother died when she was young, and her father Tywin was often âaway in Kingâs
Landingâ . She never had many friends â there were âbedmaids and companionsâ, but âfew
lasted very longâ . Cerseiâs closest relationship was with her brother Jaime â theyâd play
in Casterly Rock as children, and from a young age they started to experiment sexually . When
a maid âcaught them at itâ, the twins were separated and chastised â because,
yâknow, incest.
But the message to Cersei here was that her most intimate relationship was something seen
as shameful and wrong, something she had to hide . For a while, there was hope that Cersei
might have a more socially acceptable relationship â cause Tywin promised that Cersei would
marry Prince Rhaegar , the son of King Aerys Targaryen.
For years, Cersei was happy and excited about the prospect of marrying Rhaegar â he was
âbeautifulâ and sensitive and strong, a dragon prince . Cersei dreamed of being
his queen . But on the day Cersei was promised sheâd be betrothed to Rhaegar, Aerys refused
the match â and Cersei didnât get to marry the prince.
She felt heartbroken and betrayed â a memory that still hurts all these years later . Cersei
was then told sheâd marry someone âbetterâ instead , but the man she ended up with was
Robert Baratheon â the man who killed Prince Rhaegar . At first, Cersei was optimistic
about this new husband â but on their wedding night, when they first had sex, Robert drunkenly
called Cersei âLyannaâ . Lyanna Stark was the sister of Ned, and died giving birth
to Jon Snow.
Robert loved Lyanna â and never could let go after she died.
As Cersei says in the show, Lyanna âwas a corpseâ and Cersei âwas a living girlâ
but Robert loved Lyanna more than her . Cersei came to hate Robert . She hated his drinking
, and his infidelity , and his irresponsibility , and that heâd hurt her sometimes . And
so Cersei secretly continued her relationship with Jaime.
Cersei says that she and Jaime âare more than brother and sisterâ.
They âare one person in two bodiesâ.
They âshared a womb togetherâ and when he is in her, she feels âwholeâ . The
incest aspect is pretty icky here, and their relationship is messed up in other ways too.
Cersei lies and manipulates Jaime , and cheats on Jaime , and apparently only loves him to
the extent that he looks like her â does Cersei really love Jaime, or does Cersei just
love Cersei?
Itâs a dysfunctional relationship â but itâs the realest love that Cerseiâs ever
had.
Jaime is there for Cersei , fights for Cersei, and is the father of her three children.
Cersei dreams of loving Jaime openly, of living with him as husband and wife, with their kids
. But, because of the incest, and because of Cerseiâs marriage to the king, she can
never openly be with the person she loves.
Her whole relationship history is a series of frustrations and denials â she wants
Jaime, she canât have him.
She wants Rhaegar, she ends up with Robert.
In the same way that Cerseiâs denied the power and pride she desires, Cerseiâs also
denied love.
And these frustrations feed much of her cruelty throughout the series.
But thereâs one more important theme to cover â prophecy.
When Cersei was ten years old, on the same day she hoped to be betrothed to Prince Rhaegar,
she and some friends entered the tent of Maggy the Frog.
Maggy was a witch, a fortune-teller, so Cersei marched in and demanded to hear her future.
Maggy granted three questions.
So Cersei asked when sheâd marry Prince Rhaegar, and Maggy said âNeverâ â that
Cersei would marry âthe kingâ . Cersei asked if sheâd be queen, and Maggy said
Cersei will be queen â âuntil there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast
[Cersei] down and take all that [she] hold[s] dearâ . Cersei asked if she and âthe kingâ
would have children, and Maggy said the king will have sixteen children, and Cersei will
have three . âGold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds,â Maggy said.
Thatâs as far as the show goes, but in the books, Maggy continued, and added that when
Cerseiâs âtears have drowned [her], the valonqar shall wrap his hands about [her]
pale white throat and choke the life from [her]â . Maggy also prophesied the death
of Cerseiâs friend Melara . Then the girls left.
So what does all this mean?
Well, Maggy said that Cersei wonât marry âthe princeâ, sheâll marry âthe kingâ,
and at first, Cersei thought this meant sheâll marry Prince Rhaegar after he becomes King
Rhaegar . But that never happens â Rhaegar is killed, and âthe kingâ Cersei marries
is Robert.
Maggyâs also correct about Cerseiâs children â Robert has sixteen bastards, including
Gendry and Barra and Mya Stone, while Cersei has Joffrey Myrcella and Tommen with Jaime.
And Cerseiâs friend Melara does die â after Maggyâs prophecy, Melara drowns in a well
. In fact, itâs strongly implied that Cersei pushed Melara , killed her young friend â partly
because she thought Maggyâs prophecy wouldnât come true if no one talked about it . So at
ten years old, this was Cerseiâs first murder â and it was motivated in part by fear of
Maggyâs prophecy.
Cersei is haunted by Maggyâs words for the rest of her life.
Maggy accurately predicted Cerseiâs husband and children, and the death of Melara , so
Cerseiâs afraid the other parts of the prophecy will also come true â the gold shrouds,
the younger more beautiful, and the valonqar.
The gold shrouds suggest that Cerseiâs children will die.
The younger more beautiful bit suggests that another woman will cast Cersei down.
As for the âvalonqarâ that will âchoke the life from [her]â, valonqar means âlittle
brotherâ , so Cersei believes that her younger brother Tyrion will try to kill her . Maggyâs
prophecy threatens everything that Cersei cares about most â her children, her power,
and her life.
So she tries desperately to avert the prophecy . She thinks Tyrion is the valonqar, so she
tries to have him killed . She believes Margaery is the younger more beautiful one, so she
tries to get her killed by framing her for adultery . And she does everything she possibly
can to protect her children â but itâs never enough.
Joffrey is murdered with poison and dies at his own wedding.
Her daughter Myrcella is sent to Dorne by Tyrion, and is attacked in the books, dead
in the show.
Tommen is married to Margaery, who Cersei feels is taking him away from her â and
he ends up committing suicide in the show â heâs still alive in the books, but probably
not for long.
So despite Cerseiâs best efforts, her children are taken from her, one by one, in golden
shrouds like Maggy predicted . Despite all her power, sheâs unable to protect the ones
she loves . Her attempts to protect herself by killing Tyrion also fail, and her attempts
to protect her power by framing Margaery totally backfire, getting Cersei locked up and humiliated.
The more she fights, the worse things get, and in Feast, Cersei spirals into fear and
paranoia , desperation and delusion , violence and cruelty . She sees âdwarfs in every
shadowâ, and makes âfoes of friendsâ . She convinces herself that Tyrion and Margaery
are evil schemers out to get her . She declares sheâd kill all the common people in Westeros
âif that was what it took to keep [Tommen] safeâ.
Sheâs a terrible ruler.
Cersei becomes everything she hated about Robert.
She drinks too much, and cheats on Jaime, and makes dumb decisions â Cersei even has
sex with a woman and hurts her in bed, only to pretend the next morning it ânever happenedâ
, exactly like Robert . In her desperation to protect her power and her children and
her life, Cerseiâs choices get more extreme until she âdestroy[s] herselfâ politically
. Ironically it isnât Maggyâs prophecy, so much as Cerseiâs fear of the prophecy
that causes her downfall.
And prophecies are often like that in Thrones â âThe more you try to avoid them, the
more you [make] them trueâ . And the truth of Maggyâs prophecy is not what Cersei thinks.
Maggy said that Cersei will be queen âuntil there comes another, younger and more beautiful,
to cast [Cersei] down and take all that [she holds] dearâ.
Cersei thinks this is Margaery, who is younger, and arguably more beautiful . But Margaery
probably wonât be the one to cast Cersei down â sheâs dead in the show after all.
A more likely queen to cast Cersei down is Daenerys, now sailing to take Cerseiâs throne.
Dany is younger and said to be more beautiful â so she could perfectly fit Maggyâs prophecy.
But thereâs also another cool possibility in Brienne, the one who takes Cerseiâs dear
Jaime from her.
Brienne is younger than Cersei.
But she isnât more beautiful â in fact in the books, Brienne is very ugly â so
ugly that sheâs called âthe Beautyâ as a cruel sarcastic joke . But some fans
argue that Brienne has a metaphorical inner beauty â her heroism, loyalty and kindness.
Which does sound a bit lame and cliché, but it could make sense for Maggy the Frog.
Maggy in the show looks like a sexy Halloween witch, but Maggy in the books is very ugly
. Maybe sheâd want to teach vain young Cersei a lesson by referring to a womanâs inner
beauty . Also, Catelyn thinks that Brienneâs eyes are âbeautifulâ, and she thinks that
just after saying sheâd like to wrap her hands around Cerseiâs âwhite throatâ
and choke her â almost the exact wording of Maggyâs valonqar prediction.
So thereâs definitely some connection here between Brienne and Maggyâs prophecy.
But Daenerys might still be a better fit for the person to cast Cersei down.
Either way, all of Cerseiâs efforts against Margaery were probably pointless, and only
served for Cersei to screw herself over.
Cersei is also probably wrong about the valonqar â the âlittle brotherâ who will kill
her.
Itâs true that Tyrion threatens Cersei â and thinks he would like to strangle her . But
thereâs a different possibility that could be way more dramatic and cool â many readers
believe that the âlittle brotherâ who will strangle Cersei is Jaime.
Jaime is Cerseiâs other younger brother â he came out of the womb right after Cersei
did . Theyâve been lovers almost all their lives, but while Cersei grows ever more cruel
and crazy , Jaime in the books takes a different path.
After losing his hand, Jaime questions his identity , and starts to change , from the
arrogant selfish Kingslayer, a man with âshit for honorâ , into someone nobler, someone
beginning to seek redemption . He questions his relationship with Cersei until finally,
at the end of Feast, he rejects her entirely, burning a letter Cersei sent begging for help
. Maybe Jaime will finally realise that his twin has become a monster.
Maybe itâll be up to him to end her reign of terror.
In Season 6 of the show, Cersei destroys the Sept of Baelor with wildfire.
And there are a lot of hints that sheâll do something similar in the books â Cerseiâs
often associated with wildfire , and she knows how to use it . But in the books, she probably
wonât just blow up the Sept like she does in the show â in Book 2, weâre specifically
told that wildfire is removed from beneath the Sept . So book-Cersei will do something
else with wildfire â something far more dramatic.
Cerseiâs interest in wildfire reminds Jaime of the Mad King Aerys . Aerys was a cruel
and unpredictable ruler, and towards the end of his reign, with Robertâs Rebellion about
to usurp him, Aerys had caches of wildfire placed âall over Kingâs Landingâ â planning
to burn down the whole city and everyone in it, leaving only ashes for Robert to rule
over . He would have got away with it too if it werenât for Jaime, who killed the
Mad King and his pyromancers â earning him the name Kingslayer.
But thing is, a lot of Aerysâ wildfire is still down there beneath Kingâs Landing.
Maybe Cersei will use this wildfire to do what Aerys attempted years ago â to destroy
Kingâs Landing and everyone in it.
This could go down when Daenerys Targaryen â or maybe Aegon in the books â attacks
the city.
Cerseiâll realise she canât beat the invaders, but she wonât want to surrender.
As we saw at the Battle of the Blackwater, Cersei would rather die than be captured by
enemies . And with her back against the wall and her defeat at hand, all her fury and frustration
will come to boil â all the slights on her pride and power, her exclusion due to her
sex, the denial of her loves, her fear over prophecy, her grief for her children, all
that pain will light a fire.
In Book 1, Cersei asks âwhat of my wrath, Lord Stark?â
. Game of Thrones is full of characters who fight and bleed for what they believe in â Robb
Stark wars to avenge his father, Daenerys conquers for her throne, Jon Snow fights to
protect the realm.
But Cersei has never gotten the chance to fight, to express her desires with action.
Sheâs always had to wait, to play a role â âthe dutiful daughterâ, the âbrideâ,
the âwifeâ.
Sheâs âsuffered Robertâs drunken groping, Jaimeâs jealousy, Renlyâs mockeryâ.
Sheâs âcontended with Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, and [Tyrion], all the while promising herself
that one day it would be her turnâ . But her turn never comes.
She never gets a firm grasp on power.
She never gets to openly love.
And of all her children die.
So in the end, maybe Cersei will finally express â[her] wrathâ, her rage from all these
years, in full, the only way she can.
She will set off Aerysâ wildfire to burn down Kingâs Landing, to destroy everyone
whoâs ever defied her.
And itâll be up to her twin Jaime to intervene.
Just as he killed Aerys to save Kingâs Landing before, heâll be forced to kill his twin
Cersei.
He will âwrap his hands about [her] pale white throat and choke the life from [her]â.
One of Jaimeâs hands is gold so he might strangle her with the Hand of the King necklace
that Tyrion used to kill Shae â the links of the chain are hands, and we know Cersei
has the necklace in Feast , and Jaime has thought about strangling a woman with a necklace
before . And in a Season 7 trailer, Cersei stands on a part of Westeros called the Neck,
while Jaime stands near a region called the Fingers.
So the hints are all here for Jaime to strangle Cersei to death.
Jaime will kill his lifelong lover, his other darker half â in an attempt to save the
city from wildfire again.
But this time, heâll be too late.
Cersei and Jaime âcame into this world togetherâ â and both of them believe that theyâll
die together . So as Jaime chokes his twin to death, the wildfire will rise around them,
killing them both, leaving only the ashes and burned-out throne room weâve seen in
visions . In her desperate greed for power and love , Cersei will destroy her Throne,
and her love, and herself . Thanks for watching.
Thanks to Nina Friel and to Lady Gwyn of Radio Westeros for feedback on this script â Radio
Westeros have a great podcast episode about Cersei and Jaime â check it out for another
great perspective on Cerseiâs character.
Lots of the ideas in this video come from the Song of Ice and Fire fan community â check
out the subreddits and Westeros.org.
And please do sign up at audible.com/asx â you get a free audiobook, and you help out this
channel.
Finally, thanks to the Patrons for making this video possible, including Nolan Conrad,
Anna-Maria Klaudt, Ishpaul Bhamber, Jennifer Rust, master994, and Jubec.
Cheers.
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