The odds are slim that Jaime Lannister will survive to see the end of Game of Thrones — but most fans think the Kingslayer will kill Queen Cersei and then either die or kill himself. A new theory, however, gives him an entirely different death. And, intriguingly, it uses an old George R. R. Martin project.
One Reddit user posits that when Jaime told Bronn in Season 5 that he wanted to die “in the arms of the woman I love,” that woman will not turn out to be Cersei but Brienne.
Even if the show never presents Jaime’s love for Brienne as romantic, he definitely loves her. This makes sense as a surprising turn of events — Jaime would still kill his sister and lover Cersei, tragically becoming a Kingslayer twice-over. But he’d then fall in battle or be taken out by Cersei’s guard, the Mountain, drawing his final breath in Brienne’s arms.
The part that’s really interesting, however, is that this fan thinks that Jaime and Brienne will get together sometime before this event, and she’ll then give birth to his kids. The reasoning? The 1987 CBS show Beauty and the Beast, which George R. R. Martin worked on before he wrote A Song of Ice and Fire.
“GRRM has been writing for “beauty and the beast” series in late ‘80s just before he started writing a song of ice and fire, and he still says that he loved that series,” the fan writes. “In that series beauty died in the beast’s arms after giving birth to his child.”
George R. R. Martin has praised the series, where he was on the writing staff, as “such a smart show.” In March he told The Hollywood Reporter, “I think the experience I gained while working on Beauty and the Beast served me in good stead when I did later work, including Game of Thrones.”
Game of Thrones has always highlighted the “Beauty and the Beast” aspect of Jaime and Brienne’s relationship. Jaime has long been discussed as one of the most handsome men in the Seven Kingdoms, and he referred to Brienne as a “beast” when they initially met. In the Season 7 premiere, Jaime also questioned Cersei about “who” they would build a dynasty for since their children are dead. Since Jaime has brought up progeny and legacy, this twist, therefore, wouldn’t be entirely out of left field.
Plus, the children could get a hell of a stepdad.
Game of Thrones Season 7 is currently airing Sunday nights on HBO.
