Jaime Lannister [#4] Game of Thrones

Jaime Lannister accompanies the royal family to Winterfell, where King Robert Baratheon hopes to persuade his old friend Ned Stark to serve as Hand of the King. During the visit, Ned's young son Bran inadvertently spies Jaime and Cersei having sex in a remote tower, at which point Jaime pushes the boy out a window, intending to kill Bran to keep their relationship secret.[8] Bran managed to survive, though crippled, and when an assassin later tries to kill Bran, Catelyn Stark accuses and arrests Tyrion. In revenge, Jaime instigates a brawl with Ned and his men in the streets of King's Landing, killing many on both sides. Ned later discovers that Robert's three children are actually the products of Jaime and Cersei's affair, but is executed by the oldest child, Joffrey Baratheon, upon the latter's ascension as king. Jaime then rides for the Riverlands to aid Tywin in his campaign against the Riverlands, taking command of half the Lannister host. He captures the Riverlands' capital of Riverrun, but his army is waylaid by Robb Stark's army in the Battle of the Whispering Wood. Jaime is taken prisoner and incarcerated in Riverrun. Despite his capture Joffrey names Jaime as commander of his Kingsguard.

Robb brings a captive Jaime with his camp as they march through the Westerlands, as Robb fears Tywin may coerce one of his bannerman into freeing Jaime. At one point Jaime attempts to escape by beating his cousin and fellow inmate Alton Lannister to death and strangling his guard Torrhen Karstark when he comes to investigate; though unsuccessfully, the anger of Torrhen's father Rickard proves fatal for Robb's campaign in the coming months. After Jaime goads Catelyn by mentioning Ned's infidelity, she releases him and has Brienne of Tarth escort him to King's Landing to trade for Sansa and Arya.

Jaime and Brienne are captured by a squad of Bolton soldiers. Jaime manages to convince them not to rape Brienne, but their leader Locke takes umbrage when Jaime tries to use his status to secure his own release and chops off Jaime's sword hand. The two are taken to Harrenhal, where the former maester Qyburn treats Jaime's wound and Jaime reveals to Brienne why he killed Aerys. Roose Bolton lets Jaime return to King's Landing but insists on keeping Brienne prisoner for abetting treason, though Jaime ultimately returns to rescue Brienne from being killed by a bear for Locke's amusement. The two return to King's Landing and Jaime is reunited with Cersei.

Tywin gifts Jaime a sword forged from Ice and asks him to resign from the Kingsguard and rule Casterly Rock, disowning him when he refuses. Qyburn fits Jaime with a gilded steel hand and Tyrion arranges for Jaime to have sword lessons with his bodyguard Bronn. Cersei initially refuses to resume their relationship, but ultimately relents and has sex with Jaime in front of Joffrey's body, lying in state. Jaime gifts Brienne Tywin's sword and the services of Tyrion's squire Podrick Payne, asking her to find Arya and Sansa and take them to safety. With Tyrion accused of Joffrey's murder, Jaime convinces Tywin to spare Tyrion in return for leaving the Kingsguard, though Tyrion later chooses trial by combat. Tyrion loses the trial and is sentenced to death, but Jaime releases him from his cell and helps him escape to Essos.

Cersei guilts Jaime for releasing Tyrion, and Jaime later admits to Bronn that he will kill Tyrion the next time they meet. When a message arrives from the Martells subtly threatening Myrcella as revenge for Prince Oberyn Martell's death in Tyrion's trial by combat, Jaime and Bronn travel to Dorne in secret to retrieve her. As they make their escape they are accosted by Oberyn's bastard daughters, the Sand Snakes, and engage in a fight before all five are arrested by the Water Gardens' palace guards. Doran Martell realises that the message was sent by Oberyn's paramour Ellaria Sand and decides to send Myrcella and his own son Trystane back to King's Landing with Jaime. As the ship sets sail, Myrcella admits to Jaime that she knows and is happy that he is her father. The two share a brief embrace before Myrcella suddenly collapses and dies, having been poisoned by Ellaria.

Jaime returns to King's Landing with Myrcella's corpse. He orders Trystane to stay on the boat outside the city to protect him from Cersei's wrath, and sends word to Doran naming Ellaria as Myrcella's killer, though Ellaria promptly kills Doran, has Obara and Nymeria kill Trystane and seizes control of Dorne. At Myrcella's funeral, Jaime confronts the religious leader, the High Sparrow, for having forced Cersei to walk naked through the streets of King's Landing as punishment for adultery, but is forced to stand down at the arrival of the Faith Militant. Jaime enlists the Tyrell army to march on the Sept of Baelor to secure the release of Margaery and Loras Tyrell. However, they find that Margaery has seemingly become a follower of the High Sparrow and that Tommen has forged an alliance with the Faith Militant. As punishment for taking up arms against the Faith, Jaime is removed from the Kingsguard. He is sent to Riverrun with Bronn to assist House Frey in ousting Brynden "Blackfish" Tully and the occupying Tully forces. After a failed parlay, Brienne arrives and beseeches Jaime to end the siege without bloodshed, so the Tully rebels can help Sansa Stark retake Winterfell. Brienne also fails, so Jaime manipulates the captured Edmure Tully into thinking his infant son will be killed if Edmure does not order a surrender. Edmure is released and promptly opens the gates to the Lannisters. Jaime sees Brienne and Podrick fleeing by boat from the castle walls, but only waves a discreet farewell and does not alert his men.

Despite his discomfort at the circumstances leading to Cersei's coronation, Jaime remains loyal to his sister, with Daenerys Targaryen and her forces sailing on Westeros. Cersei agrees to marry Euron Greyjoy after the war against Daenerys is won, but continues her relationship with Jaime, no longer attempting to hide their intimacy to their servants. Jaime negotiates with Randyll Tarly to pledge allegiance to the Lannisters; with the help of House Tarly's forces he leads the Lannister army to defeat the Tyrell army at Highgarden, following Olenna Tyrell's defection to Daenerys following Cersei's role in the death of the other Tyrells. In the aftermath of the battle, Jaime allows Olenna to commit suicide by poisoning. Before she dies, Olenna reveals that she was responsible for poisoning Joffrey.

As the Lannister forces return to King's Landing, they are attacked by Daenerys, with her horde of Dothraki and her dragon Drogon. Although the Lannisters suffer heavy casualties, Daenerys is forced to dismount Drogon after Bronn wounds the dragon with a scorpion. Jaime attempts to kill Daenerys but is narrowly saved from being burned alive by Drogon by Bronn's intervention. Jaime and Bronn fall into the Blackwater Rush, and survive the battle by being carried downstream and away from the carnage. Jaime returns to King's Landing, where he warns Cersei that the Lannisters are doomed if Daenerys escalates the conflict further and tells her of Olenna's confession