Nikolaj Coster-Waldau On Jaime's Love For Cersei

Fans were devastated when Nikolaj Coster-Waldau‘s Jaime Lannister returned to Cersei’s side for the finale of ‘Game of Thrones.’ We’ve been watching him evolve through a beautiful character redemption arc and see him not only becoming a better person but falling in love with Brienne of Tarth and throw it all away. It was almost like audiences had never seen anyone in a toxic relationship before that they just couldn’t leave behind. Now imagine someone being in that toxic relationship literally from birth. Throwing it away when redemption and a better life was so close was quite believable even if it wasn’t something that we wanted to happen.

It all kicks in shortly after Jaime and Brienne have been together when Sansa shares what his sister did that takes him off the path to redemption:

“There’s the classic moment after where he’s like, “Oh no,” and reality sets in not long after. The battle for King’s Landing is looming. He hears this very specific talk between Sansa and Brienne, and you know Daenerys is going to torch the place. So he decides he has to go back to his sister.”

As to the scene where we first learn that he is going back on the redemption when he confronts Gwendoline Christie’s character:

“It was really weird. It was awkward. I was trying to laugh, and Gwendoline was like, “Don’t f—ing laugh!” but then he says goodbye. He’s like, “You don’t understand, I’m not a good man, I’m a terrible man, I’m just like my sister,” and it’s heartbreaking.”

While the actor agrees it would have been nice if he could have left the toxic relationship of his sister, he didn’t believe in that ending for the character. “It would have been wonderful if he could have made it. And him and Brienne could have had a life together. There’s no question about it. But he says it himself when he’s leaving Brienne. She says, “You shouldn’t do this.” He says, “Have you ever walked away from a fight? I have to do this.” ”

Audiences still held out hope that he was going from Kingslayer to Queenslayer, but as we all know, this isn’t how things played out. In fact, Nikolaj said that “Yeah. I never thought he would kill Cersei. He wouldn’t do that.” Of course, being ‘Game of Thrones’ it was surprising to have any happy ending and as he puts it:

“You know he’s gonna go back, and it’s not gonna have a happy ending, is it? The hardest thing is the fact they actually find the balance because he ends up with Brienne for a brief moment. He kinda knows himself there is no alternative. For a moment, he tricks himself into thinking there is an alternative to his life. As an audience, you want him to succeed in taking that different route. You wonder if he’s changed and if he’s escaped this destructive relationship. But you realize he’s so bound by this code of honor of family first, and him and Cersei have a strong bond on every level him. He didn’t say, “Cersei, I don’t love you anymore.” He said, “I’m going to fight for the living because ultimately, that’s the only way you and the child you carry can live.” He has to go back. She’s all alone. He’s the last one she has. He knows he has to back and try to save her.”

As to how fans feel about this character arc, “It is heartbreaking. It does make sense, even though you don’t want it to. And the way it ends with him, he finally finds her, and it’s a beautiful ending.”

I completely agree with this. It isn’t what I thought was happening, isn’t what I was hoping would happen, but fully understand why it happened. The actor also goes on as to how the two die in one another’s arms:

“I thought it was a great ending for that couple. She was never going to surrender. And he says it to Bronn in Season 4. Bronn asked, “How would you want it to end?” And Jaime says, “In the arms of the woman I love.” So this was foreshadowed, and that’s what happened. There’s a least a moment that they do connect: “Just look at me, just look in my eyes, it’s just you and me…” “

Do you agree with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau that Jaime was fated to end up back with his sister? Did you agree with me that this type of a toxic relationship is all too common and a believable choice for Jaime to have made after all this time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Source: Entertainment Weekly