Does Jaime Lannister Deserve a Redemption Arc?
Jaime Lannister is one of the most compelling and complex characters in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Despite having some redeeming characteristics, does he deserve a redemption arc or is it best to leave him as a character we love to hate?
Author’s Note: For the purpose of the article, I will only be focusing on the A Song of Ice and Fire book series. This article contains spoilers for the first five books of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
George R.R. Martin is famous for writing compelling characters. Even with a large cast of characters, he gives his readers complex and dynamic characters. The deep culture and history of the world he has created adds to the experience. We see how the world has built and destroyed people, cultures, and nations. One action is capable of starting a war, changing who is on the Iron Throne, and creating new enemies. The way characters react to these situations fits what the world has made them. Jaime Lannister is one such character. In the age of redemption arcs, I cannot help but wonder if he is deserving of one.
Does every character deserve a redemption arc? Are all antagonists worthy of being redeemed? For a while now, it has been the trend to redeem all villains, especially those who have been given a backstory to explain their behaviour. While I am a fan of redemption arcs, I do enjoy stories where the villain is just a villain. The backstories also help because it allows us to see why they became whom they did. Jaime Lannister is no different. If you are familiar with George R.R. Martin’s writing, then you know that he writes backstories for most of his characters, which gives us a deeper understanding as to why they are what they are.
Jaime is a knight in House Lannister. He is the eldest son of Tywin and Joanna Lannister. He has a twin sister, Cersei, and younger brother, Tyrion. At the age of fifteen, he joins the Kingsguard and swore to protect the king at all costs. He is the youngest member and becomes a knight. He is very good at his job. He is a natural warrior. He even goes as far as saying that fighting is one of the few things that makes him feel alive. This does not mean that he is a mindless soldier and follows orders without a question.
The longer Jaime serves in the Kingsguard, the more he starts to realize that things are not what they seem. His entire life has been dedicated to protecting King Aerys II. However, the deeper he gets involved, the more he comes to realize how mad the king is. The Mad King is growing insane, burning people alive, and executing people on a whim. When Jaime starts to question this, he is reminded that he must serve and not judge. These events are so troublesome and disturbing to him that he will retreat inside his mind to escape what was happening. It works and he starts to encourage others to do so. However, there was no hiding what was happening. The final straw comes when King Aerys orders Lord Jon Arryn to send him the heads of Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon. The result is war. Jaime did not jump in right away. He does his duty and did what he was trained to do. He protects the king and does not judge.
By doing his duty, it allows him to have an insight as to what is going on. He is in the background. The king does not pay much attention to him. This gives Jamie his chance to see the truth and see how corrupted things are. Aerys sees Robert as a major threat to Targaryen rule. However, he is not about to surrender to this group of rebels. Instead, he decides that it would be best to let the city burn. His closest advisors are against this plan. The King’s Hand confronts King Aerys about it and could not convince the king that this was a terrible idea. The Hand resigns, which results in him being burned at the stake. The king also does not trust the new members of the Kingsguard and prefers to rely on those who have been in service for a while. Jaime sees this. He knows that the king is officially out of control and that something is going to have to be done about it.
There is another instance of Jaime being conflicted. One night he is charged with guarding the king while he visited his wife’s chambers. Instead of this being a normal bedding, Aerys rapes the queen. Jaime doesn’t know what to do. He wants to protect the queen. He points out to another member of the Kingsguard that they are sworn to protect the queen. However, Jaime’s brother reminds him that they have no such duty to protect her from the king. The fact that Jaime was concerned about the queen’s well-being hints that he does understand right from wrong and that he does truly want to do the right thing.
Another instance that hints that Jaime may be deserving of a redemption arc are the found in the main reason why he killed the Mad King. King Aerys, as we have already seen, is capable of executing those who went against him, willing to burn King’s Landing, and raping his wife. He is beyond reason. He would much rather destroy the city instead of seeing it fall. By letting the king do this, it would not only cost thousands of people their lives, but Jaime would also have to kill his father. Jaime knows that King Aerys is unstable and unfit to rule. He decides to take matters into his own hands. He knows that Aerys has wildfire, which is unpredictable. Jaime is also the only member of the Kingsguard still at King’s Landing. This is because Aerys has ordered the rest of them to go protect the prince, Rhaegar. This is not a random act. Aerys hopes to use Jaime against Tywin. Now, Aerys still thinks that Tywin is on his side and is surprised when he begins to sack the city.
Aerys starts to grow even more out of control. This is when he starts to deeply consider burning the city. This leaves Jaime in a very difficult position. He is not willing to let the city burn nor he is willing to kill his father. It becomes clear that Aerys has to go. However, killing him doesn’t cross his mind at first. Instead, Jaime turns to reason and attempts to talk Aerys out of it. He wants Aerys to see what he is asking Jaime to do. He wants him to pull out. However, Aerys is not about to listen. He attempts to flee and Jaime kills him. This may seem cruel. However, if you look at the core values of the Kingsguard, you will find that this does make sense. Jaime has chosen to uphold these values, which are honour, upholding their vows, and sacrifice. He is also required to protect the weak and innocent. He also believes that Aerys has broken his vow as a king. With Aerys ordering the burning of King’s Landing, he broke this vow and was unfit to rule. By knowing this, it can be said that Jaime by killing the king made a very moral choice. He saved lives and the country.
However, is this backstory enough to redeem Jaime? Does knowing this make him that much more of a likeable character? Does this make his actions later on forgivable?
In A Game of Thrones, we first meet Jaime when he comes to Winterfell with the rest of the Lannister family. Jaime is the beloved son of the Lannister family. He is talented and attractive. He carries himself like a king should, which is noted by Jon Snow. However, he is also full of dishonour. After all, he killed his king. This makes him untrustworthy.
We see how cruel he can be. After all, he is behind one of the most memorable sequences in A Song of Ice and Fire. Bran catches him having sex with Cersei. If Bran were to tell, this would cause Jaime, even more, dishonour and shame. Rather than trying to reason with the child, he flings Bran from the tower with the intent of killing him. You could argue that he did this to protect his sister’s honour. However, it still does not change the fact that he attempted to kill a child. Since Jaime is not yet a point-of-view character, we assume that he shows no remorse for this.
It can also be said that Jaime did show Ned a little bit of mercy. Ned Stark ends up being beheaded. However, Jaime did not order it. By not killing Bran’s father directly, it can be argued that he was showing a little remorse. This did not stop Jaime from murdering Ned’s friends. As you can see, from the picture we get of Jaime in the first book, he is not worthy of a redemption arc. Martin has given us this villain and person whom we are not supposed to cheer for.
However, there is still hope for his character. We see his devotion to his brother, Tyrion. Catelyn Stark captures Tyrion. When Jaime finds out, he breaks the Kingsguard’s oath of naturality. He gathers men loyal to him and leads an attack on Ned. The result is many people lost their lives. Robert orders Jaime and Ned to make peace. However, this is not an option for Jaime. He has already joined his father. Together, he and his father start building an army, ignoring all of those who question their motives. When Robert dies and Joffery ascends the throne, the Lannisters make their move. Jaime marches on the river lords takes, the Tully heir capture, and lays siege to Riverrun.
Back at home, he becomes the leader of the Kingsguard, meaning that he now has full command of the knights. Jaime is at the top of his game and believes that nothing can go wrong. However, this all changes when he and his army are ambushed by Robb Stark. Jaime knows that he has lost. This does not stop him from fighting and taking out as many of his foes as possible. He is taken captive, which is a huge blow to the Lannister cause. He is placed inside a comfortable tower and promises not to escape. The promise of not escaping keeps him alive.
In a Clash of Swords, Jaime is held captive at Riverrun. Tyrion appeals to Ceresi to bargain for Jaime’s release. He wants her to exchange Ayra and Sansa for Jaime. This, once again, hints at a brotherly connection between them. Tyrion sends a rescue party. It fails. Jaime is recaptured as soon as he regains his freedom. He has broken his promise of not trying to escape. This makes him even more untrustworthy. As a result, Edmure has him transferred to the dungeon where is starved and kept in chains.
In the meantime, Catelyn believes that her youngest sons are dead. She questions Jaime, who despite his conditions remains beautiful and has a sense of power about him. He is vile and cruel in his words, using what he knows to get a reaction out of Catelyn. He bargains with her as well, even though she reminds him that he is a captive. He still believes that he has the upper hand. Catelyn does agree to answer his questions as long as he truthfully answers hers. It is during this questioning that Jaime admits to throwing Bran off the tower and to being the father of Cersei’s children. He doesn’t show remorse and claims that if he wanted to kill Catelyn’s sons, he would have done so himself. This hints at Jaime’s sense of honour. If something requires him to get blood on his hands, he will do it himself, not someone else. He does believe though that his actions protected his sister and that this makes up for what he did. He also tells Catelyn that he is not in the business of killing children. What he did was for love, not malice. Still, whenever Catelyn mocks him for being the Kingslayer, he puts a wall up. Though his tone is light, we can tell that it bothers him.
As you can see in the first two books of A Song of Ice and Fire, Jaime is not worthy of a redemption arc. Even knowing his backstory, his actions make him unworthy of one. He shows no remorse for his actions. I would say that given the chance, he would repeat them. Although, he may do something different when it comes to King Aerys. Despite this, Jaime becomes a very compelling and key player in the books. A lot of this has to do with the fact that in A Storm of Swords, he becomes a point-of-view character. As a result, we are a deep insight into his character and his mind. It is here that I started to dive into his character and found him to be much more interesting. If there is one thing that George R.R. Martin is good at, it is getting us to see how complex human nature can be and how everything is not always black and white.
In Storm of Swords, Jaime gets a lot of character development. He becomes a point-of-view character and takes on a more central role in the plot. Acting of her own free will, Catelyn Stark releases Jaime. This may seem like a usual move on her part. She is putting her trust and faith in a man who has never given her a reason to trust. She wants her daughters back and believes that Tryion will hold up his end of the bargain. She does not trust Jaime to go alone. She sends Brienne of Tarth and Ser Cleos Frey to accompany him. Jaime is forced to shave his head so that he will not be recognized. This is a blow to him because it makes him look like a child and he is known for the beauty of his hair.
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Almost as soon as they begin their journey, they run into trouble. They are ambushed and Ser Cleos Frey is killed. However, Jaime and Brienne manage to escape with their lives. They retreat to an inn, where the supposed innkeeper offers them some advice about the roads. Brienne does heed the advice, which Jaime approves of. This is the first sign that we get of Jaime letting his guard down a little bit around Brianne. He recognizes her intelligence and values her input. After all, she has kept him alive until this point and her plans have been thought out. Plus, she can think and see the situation when things are bad. This ability to think quickly and calmly in the face of danger is something that Jaime values. Still, this does not mean that he is going to go easy on her.
Jaime tries to escape Brienne. He duels her, thinking that he will have the upper hand. Brienne does not give him an easy battle. She is bound by duty and honour, much like Jaime. However, she upholds her vows, no matter what the cost. While the two are engaged in their duel, they lower their guard. They are so focused on defeating each other that they miss the dangers around them. If they had worked together, it may have saved them both a lot of pain and grief. However, what happens is not without reason. Had these events not happened, Jaime’s arc would have morphed into the story that we know and love. While they are duelling, bandits sneak up on them and take them both captive. This group, led by Vargo Hoat, have turned their backs on the Lannisters and now supports the Starks. If Jaime and Brienne are turned over to the Starks, they can explain what they are doing and be on their way again. Those who know that George R.R. Martin loves complex plans already know that this is not the case. Vargo does not trust his superior, Lord Roose Bolton. He believes that Bolton is going to change sides and support the Lannisters. He orders Jaime’s sword hand to be chopped off, hoping that Bolton will get the blame and will cause the Lannisters to turn on him. Then, he intends to give Jaime over to Lord Rickard Karstark and let him have a go at him. Why? Jaime killed his sons. It seems like all is lost for Jaime.
The loss of his hand is a pivotal moment for Jaime. Without it, he is not the knight and fighter he has been his entire life. He will never be what he is. Depression sets in and he believes that he has nothing left to live for. However, Brienne reminds him that he still does have things to live for, most importantly his family and revenge. These small words of comfort keep him fighting. The loss of his hand also does something more: it brings out his more human side. The bandits threaten to rape Brienne. The old Jaime probably would have pushed for this. After all, it was a part of the war. Instead, he offers her a bit of comfort and advice. He tells her to go inside her mind and escape from this. This is the same advice he offered the Kingsguard during Aerys’ reign. This is not the loss of his hand changing him. Brienne is also the person to whom he opens up. At Harrenhal, they share a bath. Jaime shares with her what happened that night he killed Aery and reveals the king’s plot to burn the city. This is the first time that we as the reader hear the events from Jaime’s point of view. It makes it seem that what he did was terrible, but not as evil as what we have been led to believe. Brienne acknowledges that Jaime is somewhere between being a god and a corpse, meaning that he still holds an aura about him even though he has hit rock bottom. The pair has a meal with Roose Bolton, where he offers Jaime freedom if he forgives him for his hand. Jaime agrees and starts for King’s Landing, leaving Brienne behind. This is the Jaime Lannister that we know. He will turn his back on those who have helped him to better himself. It appears that he has not learned anything from this experience.
This is not to be the case though. It is here that we see the beauty of how George R.R. Martin creates characters. While Jaime does leave, this is not the end. He remembers all that Brienne has done for him. Jaime leaves with a group who have been tasked with keeping him healthy. One night, Jaime has a dream about Brienne and she is below Casterly Rock. This dream moves him. He, accompanied by Walton, goes back for Brienne. When he arrives, she is in the middle of fighting a bear. Without giving a second thought to his safety, Jaime puts himself between Brienne and the bear, while Walton kills the bear. The Jaime in the first couple of books may not have done this. However, knowing what we know about his past, this move does fit into his character. He is loyal to those around him. Brienne has managed to gain his trust and loyalty. Now, he will do anything to protect her. Her actions will never be forgotten by him. She has changed him and brought out some of his better character qualities.
Jaime and Brienne make their way to King’s Landing. It is not without more pain and more loss. George R.R. Martin does not make this easy on Jaime. The path to redemption is not easy. It has to be worked for and there are going to be setbacks. The most memorable redemption arcs involve the character having to work for it. When they have this horrible past, it takes time for people to see the good in them and to earn their trust. Jaime learns that Robb and Catelyn Stark have been killed by Roose Bolton, Tywin Lannister, and Walder Frey. Before this, Jaime had extended a little bit of goodwill toward Robb. He asked Bolton to give Robb his regards. Bolton does so, right before killing Robb. This makes it appear as if Jaime had wanted him dead, when it was, in fact, the opposite. He learns that Joffery, who is his son, has also died. It seems like everyone who has offered Jaime a bit of hope and a helping hand is dying.
Despite all of this, Jaime and Brienne press onwards to King’s Landing. Once they reach King’s Landing, we see, once again, how much Jaime has changed since the start of the series. His hair has grown, but he is still thin and hollow, with dark lines under his eyes. This gives him a much older appearance. When they reach King’s Landing, Ser Loras Tyrell greets them and accuses Brienne of killing Renly Baratheon. Instead of letting him kill Brienne, Jaime asks that Brienne be arrested. This is his way of showing her mercy. However, he doesn’t try to free her right away and, instead, goes to Cersei, who is in mourning. The two of them end up having sex in front of Joffery’s dead body. This will be the last time they do so. From here on out, Jaime and Cersei’s relationship will be in turmoil, which hints at just how much Jaime has changed.
Jaime’s travels with Brienne have greatly changed his character. The first hint of this is the fact that his and Cersei’s relationship falls apart. The reason behind this is Jaime has been exposed to the harsh realities of imprisonment. This alone can change anyone. However, the biggest change does not come from this. It comes from Brienne’s idea of honour and how she sticks to it. As a knight, honour is very important to him. He has lost it and now sees the true impact of being honourable. Another hint at Jaime’s change comes when Lord Tywin gives him a sword crafted of Valyrain steel. Jaime, who at one point would have loved a gift like this, feels insulted. Without his hand, he is not the warrior he was. He feels like he has lost a big chunk of himself. However, when Tywin wants him to resign from the Kingsguard, he refuses, which hints at his resilience. Despite feeling like he is less than everyone else, Jaime is not about to allow this to prevent him from carrying out his sworn duties. He made knightly vows and he has to uphold them. He calls a meeting with the Kingsguard and reminds them of their duties. All of this stems from Brienne and what she has shown him.
Jaime and Brienne are not finished with each other. He gives the sword, Oathkeeper, to Brienne and makes her promise that she will keep Sansa Stark safe from Cersei. This is Jaime’s way of keeping his promise to Sansa’s mother. He made a vow to return the Stark sisters and this is him upholding that vow. He also makes sure that Brienne has all the supplies she needs and gives her a pass from King Tommen to ensure that no harm will come to her. Again, this shows us that Jaime will do anything to protect those who have been entrusted to him. He is also on the path to reclaiming his honour.
In the meantime, Cersei has accused Tyrion of murdering Joffery. Despite the trial and the duel providing that he did do it, Jaime does not believe it. This shows us that, once again, Jaime does care about Tyrion. Jaime arranges for Tyrion to escape. During these arrangements, Jaime comes clean about something in the past. He says that he is repaying his debt. While the truth does seem horrible, it is Jaime’s way of making amends for a terrible deed. He does not downplay the severity and wrongfulness that he did. He owns up to it. Again, this is a big change in his character. Tyrion had married a girl named Tysha, who was a whore hired by Jaime. Tyrion did not know this. Tywin had his soldiers and Tyrion raped her. She did love Tyrion. Tyrion hits Jaime, which Jaime thinks he deserves. Then, he goes one step further and tells him about Cersei’s other lovers and admits to knowing that he knows that Joffery is Jaime’s son. Tyrion, then, falsely claims that he killed Joffery. This hints at the mark and gives Tyrion revenge on Jaime. Tyrion doesn’t stop there though and kills Tywin.
A Feast of Crows features even more character growth and development for Jaime. His hair has grown out. Cersei even goes as far as to attempt to make Jaime Hand of the King. He refuses, which, again, shows us the cracks in their relationship. Jaime keeps vigil over his father’s body. Cersei is not about to let her offer to go so easily. She, once again, offers him the job and he refuses again. Cersei storms out and says that she regrets ever loving him. This turmoil will only deepen as the book goes on. The next day is no better. Tommen visits Tywin’s body and the sight of it disturbs him. He runs and Jaime chases him, offering him comfort, by telling him that he must go inside and escape. Again, this is the same advice that we have seen him offer time and time again. Jaime proposes the idea that Tommen and Margaery Tyrell be married. This adds more to the tension between Jaime and Cersei. Jaime attempts to offer consul, but he is not met with much support.
The tension accelerates. After Tywin’s funeral, Cersei orders Jaime to leave King’s Landing, which seems like it’s the final straw in their relationship. Jaime agrees, as long as he can bring the King’s Justice with him. It’s as if he understands his relationship with Cersei. He can see all of the evil and injustice she is bringing to the kingdom. Now, there does not mean that Cersei is letting him go. She wants him to retake Riverrun, which is one of the Stark’s last strongholds. However, Jaime does not head to Riverrun right away. He has a golden hand forged for him. While he can strap it to the stump. It is sturdy and allows him to somewhat hold a shield. He still has a long way to go before he becomes the fighter he was before.
The forging of the hand hints at Jaime’s determination to return to fighting. He has a lot of work to do and does put in the time. This is where it becomes clear why he brought the King’s Justice, Ser Ilyn Payne, with him. Payne cannot talk and therefore makes the perfect sparring partner. This also hints that Jaime still has a strong sense of pride, as he does not want others to know how weak he is. He works at night to fight left-handed. This is not easy and he has to work hard. This is a brilliant move on Martin’s part. Jaime’s return from rock bottom doesn’t come easy. These are the bones of a great redemption arc.
Another hint that Jaime has changed is a close look at whom he brings with him and his stops along the way. Remember, he made a promise to Catelyn Stark to return Ayra and Sansa. He is someone who upholds his vows. His squires are from families who have fought for the Starks. On the way to Riverrun, Jaime stops at Harrenhal and releases the northern prisoners. If you don’t know, the Starks are from the north. Jaime also argues with those who question his motives and insult Brienne. He has the northers sent to his own home. He also removes those who are deeply loyal to King’s Landing. Again, this hints that Jaime is trying to make up for his past wrongs.
Jaime travels to Riverrun. There he is met by his cousin Ser Daven Lannister. He also meets with the Blackfish in the hopes of convincing them to let Riverrun go. It doesn’t. Even threats of hanging Lord Edmure Tully don’t work. It seems like it’s a lost cause and there will be no other choice but to fight. Jaime also speaks with his aunt and uncle, who are to get Riverrun once it has been captured. Jaime rearranges chain of the command and takes Edmure as his prisoner. Jaime offers him some terms. He promises Edmure that he will be let go and returned to Riverrun. He will also spare Edmure’s troops and allow them to join the Night’s Watch. This, again, hints at how Jaime has changed. He is offering Edmure a chance. Still, Jaime’s darker side is present. He is capable of being the same man from the past. If Edmure does not surrender, he will return his son to him by catapult. The intimation does not stop there though. He has “The Rains of Castamere” sung. This works. Edmure is taken prisoner to Casterly Rock. However, he does not do without getting back at Jaime. He allows Bryden to escape, which puts Jaime in a rage. Jaime gives chase.
In the meantime, Cersei has found herself in a very difficult position. She has been imprisoned by the High Septon and is to go on trial. She writes to Jaime, begging him to help her. After everything that Cersei has said and done to him, she still expects him to care for her and protect her. She has her full faith in him. Jaime does not come to her rescue. Instead, he burns the letter and acts as if he never got it. This is him going back on his vow to protect the weak and innocent. However, does Jaime believe that Cersei is weak and innocent? Is he breaking his vow?
Jaime does not have a major role in A Dance with Dragons. He goes to Raventree Hall, which is the last holdout of Robb Stark’s supporters. They are besieged. The siege itself is messy and Jaime hopes to end it soon. No one knows that Jaime is coming. Bracken, the commander, is with a whore. He fills Jaime in on the situation, which all comes down to a feud between Bracken and Blackwood. Jaime and Blackwood meet and, once again, Jaime puts up his terms. Jaime, once again, is allowing options rather than just storming the situation and killing those around him. He wants Blackwood to throw his support behind Tommen and give up his support for the Starks and Tully. He does not let Bracken off either. Bracken must give up some of his lands and send one of his daughters to King’s Landing to be a hostage. Why? Because he was an early supporter of the Starks. These moves hint that Jaime is still loyal to his family. It is also a grey area, given his promise to Catelyn Stark. This makes it unclear as to whose side Jaime is on.
Jaime moves on to Pennywood and is not allowed to enter. Others try to make him, but he doesn’t. Why? Because he does not the locals to see him as a threat and could be trying to regain their trust. Pennywood has another surprise for Jaime. Brienne finds him and tells him where Sansa is. She is with the Hound and only a day from him. Only Jaime cannot take anyone with him. He must go alone with Brienne or Sansa will be killed. We don’t know what Jaime does after this because this is his last scene in the book.
This brings me back to the initial question. Does Jaime Lannister deserve a redemption arc? Jaime is a very complex character who is currently going through a lot of changes. While some of his deeds are good, others are not. We still can see the monster that he is. However, he is currently on the path to regaining his honour and there are hints of him attempting to do the right thing. His path to redemption is not going to be easy. He has caused a lot of people harm and pain to get to where he is. While there are a few cases of him showing remorse for his past actions, there are many things that he is not sorry about and will probably continue to do those kinds of things. He is a character who cannot be fully trusted. For a redemption arc to work for Jaime, he is going to have to continue to work to gain trust and show that he is capable of being trusted. He is going to have to prove that he is capable of turning his back on his family.
Are the bones there for a redemption arc? Yes.
Can Jaime’s arc still go either way? Yes.
Do I think Jaime is deserving of a redemption arc? Maybe.
Why? He hasn’t fully proven to me that deserves one…Yet…
What do you think? Does Jaime Lannister deserve a redemption arc?
