TL; DR: Jaime is the "Golden Hand" hero that will use diplomacy to resolve conflict with the White Walkers.
Valyrian words for gold and hand are aeksion and ondos, respectively. The Valyrian words for lord and light are aeksio and onos, respectively. Could a translation error have led to the erroneous creation of a religion? Will the true savior be the “Gold Hand?’ Artifacts point to the mistranslation – for instance, the Lord of Light’s army is called the “Fiery Hand”. These kinds of misinterpretations and mistranslations are discussed by Aemon to alert us to look for them. But, whom do we know with a golden hand? Hmm....
That's right - Jaime Lannister.
Jaime? Seriously? Yeah, seriously. The whole story has followed Jaime/Kingslayer as he has undergone a redemption arc. The timeline of events highlights specifically the span of time during which Jaime’s events have been relevant. We begin with Jaime pushing Bran from the tower “for love” of Cersei. Later, Jaime loses his hand, sending him on his “hero” journey.
I believe Jaime “Forges his Hero’s Sword” by shedding his “Kingslayer” persona. In order to rid himself of the “Kingslayer” he must first lose the symbolic representation of this perceived corruption – his sword hand. Jaime even says, “I was that hand” linking his character to his hand. Forging a hero’s sword is metaphorical for forging a hero’s character or allowing the hero to surface, being “reborn” as Jaime. This begins to occur immediately after Jaime loses his hand.
If you recall, Jaime must forge his sword three times, as in the prophecy. I believe this is because with each attempt, his connection to Cersei corrupts him, or “shatters/breaks the steel”. This cycle will eventually leads to the fulfillment of the Valonqar and Nissa Nissa/AA prophecies in the same act – the death of Cersei at the hand of Jaime.
The AA and Prophecy of Forging a Hero’s Sword:
If you are unfamiliar, the books discuss a prophesied hero, Azor Ahai that will save man from the white walkers. Jaime's story fits the AA prophecy which ultimately leads one to believe Jaime will ultimately resolve the conflict:
He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over.
After Jaime loses his hand, he begins his ascent. His first attempt to shed the “Kingslayer” occurs when he shares the Aerys story at Harrenhal in the bath with Brienne. He is tempering/testing “Jaime” in water.
Show Clues: When Jaime passes out, Brienne calls out for help referring to him as “Kingslayer” but he replies, “My name is Jaime!” an important clue to that which is listed above. Additionally, in the bath, that odd line that appears in book and television “Careful, you’ll rub the skin off”. I believe this is a subtle reference to this first act of change, shedding his skin. In the same scene, the characters also mention “rebirth” and prevalence of visual steam in the baths I believe is also important.
What happens after this rebirth scene continues the hero story. However, Jaime is re-corrupted by his love for Cersei. His continual references to “the things I do for love” is a reminder that he engages in questionable moral behavior for Cersei’s sake alone.
Immediately prior to his second redemptive act, Jaime faces the “Kingslayer” directly by reviewing the History of the Kingsguard book.
The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered.
Jaime’s second attempt to shed the Kingslayer occurs when he defies Tywin. He does so by freeing Tyrion from the cells after he is implicated in Joffrey’s death. The Lightbringer imagery may be at play, we see Jaime predominantly carrying the torch in the dungeon.
When Jaime frees Tyrion, Tyrion drives an arrow into the lion’s heart. This is meant to mislead, as Jaime did not do the act directly. There’s so much lion imagery before Tywin is killed, it’s insane. They're shoving it in your face. But, Tyrion did it, right? So how does this relate to Jaime?
There’s an important scene where Cersei blames Jaime, and he blames himself. “Tyrion may be a monster, but at least he killed our father on purpose. You killed him by mistake with stupidity.” Jaime is told not only he murdered Tywin, but also his sense of moral responsibility caused it. Jaime assaults Cersei in the same scene, the first act of domination over her, leading to her eventual murder. He says, “Why do I love such a hateful woman?” This makes sense given the controversy surrounding the scene. It was critical to the plot.
Due to Cersei’s influence, Jaime slips once again into Kingslayer character. Immediately prior to the potential third act, he faces Edmure Tully. Edmure gives a long speech about Jaime and his character. As a result, Jaime states he would “launch (Edmure’s) baby into the river for Cersei.” The Frey’s also remind him of what being the Kingslayer means immediately prior to returning to King’s Landing in S6E10 “We are the same” setting the stage for the final act.
The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew before hand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast.
Jaime returns to King’s Landing and sees the Sept burned to the ground. He sees Cersei on the throne and begins to understand that he must kill her. He knows what he must do to finish the blade. She’s gone too far. Killing Cersei will finish Jaime’s “blade” by removing her corrupting influence permanently.
He drove his sword into her breast, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer, while her cry of anguish and ecstasy left a crack across the face of the moon.
Jaime and Cersei have the only relationship fitting of the prophecy. Theirs is a love that has been the focus of the series. No other characters could meet and exhibit a deep, meaningful love in two short seasons. Other theories that cite Jon or Dany and previous deaths of loved ones do not take into account that Lightbringer is prophesized to appear immediately after the death of Nissa Nissa.
When Cersei realizes Jaime is the Valonqar (instead of Tyrion), she would be in both anguish and ecstasy in dying due to her understanding that the prophecy holds and her children were marked for death. Who else would be in “ecstasy” during death?
WTF is Lightbringer?
Wait - How could Cersei be strangled via the Valenquar prophecy and also be Nissa Nissa??! This is purposeful deception. Lightbringer will not be a sword, but Jaime’s hand ablaze. A fiery hand is Lightbringer. What was once Jaime’s corruption embodied is reborn, the mark of a prophesized hero.
One very strong piece of visual evidence occurs when Bran asks Jojen, “When will we know it’s the end?” and Jojen replies… https://youtu.be/ozPholpWbCw?t=2m50s
BONUS TINFOIL: Tyrion says to Cersei “The day will come when you feel safe and happy, but your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth.” Could it be that Tyrion dies first, so Cersei believes she has avoided the prophecy? Then, Jaime strangles here with a fiery hand and literally leaves ashes in her mouth?
Recall, as well, Cersei points out how cold Jaime’s new hand is.
General Thoughts:
Jaime is the hero. He displays a pattern of putting others before himself. Saves King’s Landing from Aerys, not for the throne or recognition. In fact, he suffers for his sacrifice. Jaime also defies Tywin to free Tyrion. Jaime routinely preserves life and avoids conflict.
Riverrun (when compared to “Dragon’s Bay” and “Battle of the Bastards”) is a peaceful resolution. As much as I enjoyed those conflicts from a purely aesthetic perspective, I think there’s a reason they occurred at the same time – we can see the differences in the character of Jaime, Jon, and Dany. Jaime is a champion for all, unlike Dany or Jon, who brutally kill those that oppose them. Jaime is a leader and a warrior not motivated by his own greed for power, land, etc. Perhaps this is how Jaime will resolve the conflict with the White Walkers - through diplomacy.
GRRM discusses the major theme as “conflict of the human heart” and that war sucks – Jaime’s story. It’s still a bit of an archetypal Messiah story but with a unique twist. What could be more painful than sacrificing oneself? Sacrificing a loved one that you consider to be a part of yourself.
The hero being the hero all along is boring. Redemption and growth are interesting. Lannisters aren’t evil because they’re Lannisters; Starks aren’t good because they’re Starks. Anyone is redeemable and/or corruptible.
Bonus (Implausible) Theory: I think this theory would be rock solid if Bran was destined for alliance with The Others. Ice/Fire, Bran/Jaime. The story would mimic its beginning, a conflict between these two. But, ultimately, Bran is corrupted as a "hero for the other side" and Jaime is the traditional hero. In S1E1, Jaime and Cersei are in the tower, Jaime appears to wrap his hand around Cersei’s throat, Bran catches them in the act so Jaime pushes him. Jaime chokes Cersei, Bran flies. Perhaps we will see some mirror of this occur in the finale?
Submitted May 28, 2017 at 07:29PM by byrd82 http://ift.tt/2rvwnwD
No comments:
Post a Comment