HBO released a slew of photos from Game of Thrones season 8 today, giving us a last first look at many of our favorite characters. The great majority of them are gathering at Winterfell, but Jaime Lannister looks like he’s elsewhere. What else can his image tell us?
The last time we saw Jaime, he was wearing this same armor on his way out of King’s Landing and away from his sister Cersei in the season 7 finale, “The Dragon and the Wolf.” However, there are two key differences, the first being the beard. Jaime was relatively clean shaven at the end of season 7, and had slightly shorter hair. Wherever he is, some time has passed, at least a few weeks.
Next are the armored shoulder pads. Jaime has sported those before, although they’e always been far more ornate. These are weatherbeaten things, indicating that he’s gotten in a few scraps on the way north.
Alternately, the worn armor could be a way for Jaime to blend in. He’s technically a fugitive now and can’t afford to ride around in his Lannister finery. Finally, he knows he’s heading into danger up north. Whether it’s for disguise or combat, he’ll need that armor.
We know Jaime is headed north to fight against the White Walkers. That makes Winterfell his eventual destination, even if that’s not where he is in this picture. The transition could be rocky — the last time he was at Winterfell he pushed the young Bran Stark out a window, after all — but there are two people who could vouch for him: Brienne and Tyrion.
Importantly, those two people have sway with two different camps. Daenerys may not want the man who murdered her father fighting alongside her, but Tyrion’s counsel should go a long way toward smoothing that over. Jon or Sansa may not want the man will crippled their brother in the castle, and Brienne could be key in resolving that dispute.
Unfortunately, these picture don’t answer the most important question: if Jaime is on his way to Winterfell, is Bronn with him?
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