WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Season 8 of Game of Thrones.
The first time Jaime Lannister arrived in Winterfell on Game of Thrones, he was the Golden Lion and the pride of his house. He was a great warrior, renowned throughout the Seven Kingdoms as the “Kingslayer.” He was not at all a very likable character, despite his golden hair and good looks, as he did terrible things for the love of his twin sister, Cersei.
The terrible things Jaime Lannister did for Cersei, “for love,” in Game of Thrones have been many, beginning with him pushing Bran out of a window in the series' first episode. Since then, he’s waged war against the Starks, threatened to catapult babies into castles and even tried to kill the Dragon Queen. By the time he arrives in Winterfell at the beginning of Season 8, he has a lot to atone for.
Now that Jaime has returned to Winterfell in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” he has to face his crimes. Daenerys calls him out for killing her father all those years ago, an act that earned him the nickname “Kingslayer.” While he maintains most of what he’s done was because of war, he still has to face Bran, the boy he crippled.
It’s in this conversation with Bran that Jaime’s journey comes full circle. Jaime apologizes to Bran with eight words: “I’m sorry for what I did to you.” The Jaime of Season 1 would have never apologized for doing something in the name of preserving his house. Bran even says that Jaime wasn’t sorry then, but Jaime asserts he has changed.
It’s one thing for a character to say this, but we actually see evidence of Jaime’s evolution in this episode. Jaime admits to Tyrion that Cersei has fooled him more than anyone, though Tyrion says in response that Jaime always knew what she was doing and he loved Cersei anyway. It’s still a big moment for Jaime to admit his love for Cersei was misguided.
While Jaime walks away from Cersei at the end of the previous season, it’s even more significant that he’s able to talk about how he was wrong, to someone else in his family no less. Jaime’s love for Cersei is what got him into all of the problems he’s encountered on the show, from failed battles to getting maimed. Leaving her was the first step in his redemption tour.
Jaime’s redemption also comes through in conversation with Brienne. He, like everyone else, used to make fun of her; it became the foundation of their rapport. He’s had heartwarming moments with Brienne prior to this episode, such as giving her Oathkeeper, but this episode the change in him is so remarkable that Brienne is genuinely perplexed as to why he’s being so nice to her.
Jaime tells Brienne, “I came to Winterfell because I’m not the fighter I used to be. But I’d be honored to serve under your command if you’ll have me.” The Golden Lion Jaime would’ve never served under someone he fought against, let alone a woman. Not only does he defer to Brienne’s authority, but he later knights her in a moving scene around the fireplace. If his last pre-battle act is knighting Brienne, Jaime’s proven himself capable of decency and honor, everything that a good knight should have.
With all of this closure, it’s hard to imagine that Jaime Lannister, along with most of the characters featured this episode, will survive the battle at Winterfell next week. Though he’ll be remembered as the Kingslayer in The White Book of Kingsguard deeds, his legacy on Game of Thrones is a lot more nuanced.
Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, Game of Thrones stars Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Maisie Williams as Arya Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow.