Spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8, episode 4.
That's right. One of the most anticipated acts in all of Game of Thrones has officially happened, obliterating the most hilarious and often poignant love triangle on the show. Brienne of Tarth and Jaime Lannister finally got together—sorry, Tormund, but it seems like he rebounded just fine—and we got two glorious nights of bliss. Fans even have a word for the long-awaited moment: OathSex, lol. For a moment, it felt like Jaime might choose happiness in his life, and be with a woman who 1) loved him in the same way he loved her, 2) wasn't his sister, 3) was a stable, loyal, kind knight and person, and 4) definitely not his sister.
And then, just like that, Jaime left for Cersei. There may be some very good reasons why, including a potential prophecy that might foretell that it's his destiny to kill her. But in the moment, it felt like he was choosing, instead, to be destroyed with Cersei. He seemed to choose his own death over a potentially happy life, leaving Brienne heartbroken and begging him to stay.
So is that it? Are these two "dissimilar characters" (in the words of creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff) who opened up just enough to let each other in for a moment doomed for the rest of the series? Or is this another epic misdirect from a show that specializes in them?
The creators explain in the "Behind the Episode" that in the moment, when Jaime hears what Cersei's done (ambushed Dany and killed one of her dragons), he takes a good, long, uncomfortable look at who he is. And he doesn't like what he sees.
So he knows he's bound up with Cersei, one way or the other. So he can't take the one chance at happiness that's been given to him. But, if he somehow survives, and Brienne does too (she's not at the center of the fighting, so the odds seem good), I absolutely guarantee he'll come to her. So it all rests on this: Whether Jaime Lannister survives. I hope he does—because damn, I want the whole world for Brienne. She deserves it, and she's made Jaime a better person.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
