Game of Thrones: Brienne and Jaime’s romance was always doomed

When these beloved characters finally got together, everyone cheered. Moments later, we were crushed. It was always going to happen.

When a world is as consumed by deadly ambition, violence and nefarious schemes as Game of Thrones was, there’s scant time for romance.

But the buds of attraction, chemistry and respect can bloom in unlikely places and among unlikely pairings. Enter, Brienne of Tarth and Ser Jaime Lannister.

He started off as a hostage and she his sort-of guard, and their initial antipathy towards each other was strong – but not in that kind of adorable bickering Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks way. But their relationship helped them both grow.

Equals.

Speaking to news.com.au before the final season, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau said: “I think they’ve had a huge impact on each other, but for a long time they’ve resisted acknowledging that. If you look at these six years they’ve had together, they’ve both changed for the better.”

Gwendoline Christie added, half-jokingly: “I don’t think Jaime Lannister really had any impact on Brienne of Tarth. I think that she has sort of shaped and moulded him through nonactive means, just from being around him, into a much more likeable character and man.”

If you flash back to that first meeting in season two, there’s little indication they would eventually consummate their relationship.

From this …

… to this

But bumping uglies they did, in the most tender, respectful and still passionate way possible. After an intense battle, where they would’ve surely died if not for some creative choreography, and sharing some very loaded glances across the table, Brienne and Jaime finally gave in to the inevitable.

Fans whooped. They deserve this, we cried! We deserved this! What a satisfying pay-off for seven seasons of sexual tension.

It didn’t last. It didn’t even last the night. Like a Tinder date sneaking out in the night, so did Jaime Lannister, a tragic character resigned to his fate to be forever bonded to his twin. He can’t be happy and content because he doesn’t feel like he deserves it. So he legged it back to his megalomaniacal twin, and they left the world as they came in, together.

Jaime and Brienne were torn asunder by the whims of the writers, a raw break-up scene that felt as much as if we, the viewers, were getting dumped as much as Brienne was.

Some fans said they had “emotional whiplash” afterwards.

But we should’ve seen it coming. It was always going to end like this.

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Tear-jerker.

Brienne’s destiny was never to be nestled in the arms of Jaime Lannister. She’s a warrior who fights, not someone to be happily domiciled.

She may be a complex character with more than one desire, but Brienne is still an archetype of sorts – women with a strong sense of purpose to serve tend to not have a happily ever after in the romance department.

To bring in another controversial splitting of a fictional couple (spoilers ahead) – Veronica and Logan in Veronica Mars – VM creator Rob Thomas said he killed off Logan because Veronica’s calling is to be a kickarse detective, and that life doesn’t include a husband waiting at home with a casserole or turkey leg.

Brienne is the same. She feels that purpose to serve, as she once told Pod about just wanting to serve a good Lord. She’s not chasing her own desires, that’s not who she is, even though she seems to have settled on a balance between duty and feeling like she can admit to wanting certain things, like a knighthood.

Arise, Ser Brienne.

Asked if Brienne will ever be her own champion, Christie said: “That is an interesting thing to explore, and I think we move into that kind of territory in the new season.

“What I loved about the show is in terms of character development, it’s taken a character who is fascinating and feels new, and we then see more of the human being. And I would say Brienne definitely develops a greater sense of autonomy,” she said.

Maybe that seems like Brienne is destined to live a lonely life, but never underestimate the value of a life spent doing what you’re supposed to do – in Brienne’s case, as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under Bran.

What Jaime gave her was the realisation she can go after what she wants, and that’s to do good work.

Game of Thrones’ final season and complete collection is available now on DVD and Blu-ray.

The writer travelled to London as a guest of Roadshow

This is Brienne’s real destiny