Jaime Lannister

Jaime Lannister is introduced as one of the show's most despicable characters — an arrogant, amoral knight who pushes a child out of a window to protect his incestuous secret with his twin sister Cersei. Known throughout Westeros as the "Kingslayer" for breaking his oath and killing the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, Jaime is universally reviled as a man without honor. Yet over the course of the series, he undergoes one of television's most remarkable redemption arcs.

The turning point comes when Jaime is captured and loses his sword hand — the very thing that defined his identity as the greatest swordsman in Westeros. Stripped of his physical prowess, Jaime is forced to confront who he really is. His relationship with Brienne of Tarth, forged through shared captivity and mutual respect, draws out his better nature. His famous confession in the bath at Harrenhal — revealing the true reason he killed the Mad King was to save the people of King's Landing from wildfire — reframes his entire history.

As the series progresses, Jaime increasingly acts with honor. He sends Brienne to find and protect the Stark girls, he rides north to fight alongside the living against the White Walkers despite Cersei's refusal, and he knights Brienne on the eve of battle. For several seasons, it appears Jaime will complete his transformation from villain to hero, breaking free of Cersei's toxic hold.

However, in one of the show's most debated choices, Jaime ultimately returns to Cersei. He leaves Brienne weeping at Winterfell and rides south to die with his sister in the collapsing Red Keep. Whether this represents a tragic failure to escape his addiction to Cersei or a deliberate subversion of the redemption arc remains one of the most passionately debated aspects of the show's final season.