Game Of Thrones: 5 Ways Tyrion Was The Best Lannister (& 5 Ways Jaime Was)

“He is going to spend the rest of his life fixing them,” Bran said about Tyrion’s mistakes after naming him his Hand. It was a befitting end for Tyrion, the smartest of all the Lannisters in the show. Lannisters were supposed to always pay their debts, except in Game of Thrones, Cersei and Tywin accumulated the debts then Tyrion and Jaime paid them.

First, Tyrion almost died in the Eyrie for a crime he knew nothing about, then he still offered his brains to the service of the realm although he got little credit for it. Jaime’s case was a little different but sad all the same. A good man that lived all his life in the shadow of his evil sister. So, which of the “two fools” was the best Lannister?

10 Tyrion: The Battle Of Blackwater Bay

When Tyrion was put on trial, falsely accused of killing Joffrey, he cursed at everyone reminding them that he had saved the city from Stannis. Cersei’s plans of hurling pots of wildfire at Stannis wouldn’t have worked. As Bronn said, they would have thrown things at Stannis and Stannis would throw them right back causing a fire that would have burned the city.

Tyrion came up with a better plan and stayed with the men, fought for King’s Landing getting injured in the process. He even found the perfect ambush strategy taking the army through the Mud Gate. He never got any credit for his efforts, though.

9 Jaime: Robert’s Rebellion

After Robert won the Battle of The Trident, The Mad King got really mad and wanted to burn down King’s Landing with all its inhabitants. Aerys ordered Jaime to bring him his father’s head while ordering Pyromancer Rossart to ignite the Wildfire reserves, so Jaime chose the city over his oath.

Jaime chose to kill Rossart before he could burn down the city. He then killed The Mad King to prevent him from giving any more orders that could bring the apocalypse. For saving the city and everyone in it, Jaime was ridiculed as the King Slayer and oath breaker.

8 Tyrion: Saving Sansa

Sansa Stark suffered so much at the hands of Joffrey and Cersei. No one in King’s Landing seemed to care for her well being except Tyrion. During the riot in King’s Landing, Tyrion encouraged The Hound to save Sansa from rapists when Joffrey only said they could have her.

He also rebuked Joffrey for having Sansa punished and shamed for Robb’s mistakes. When they finally got married, Tyrion never touched Sansa despite pressure from his father to get her pregnant. Tyrion also protected Sansa when she was accused of having taken part in Joffrey’s assassination.

7 Jaime: Saving Brienne

When Catelyn freed Jaime from captivity in Robb’s camp, Brienne’s loyalty to Catelyn prevented her from giving Jaime a sword. Locke wouldn’t have captured them if Brienne had given Jaime a sword. Jaime still understood that Brienne was in danger and came to her aid when she was about to be gang-raped.

Jaime also fooled Locke into protecting Brienne on the promise of being paid sapphires. His loyalty to Brienne caused him to lose his hand, but he never lost his humanity after that. He still gave Brienne a sword with which to keep her oath to Catelyn after all that suffering.

6 Tyrion: His Service To Daenerys

When Daenerys disappeared in Mereen, Tyrion and Varys were the most high ranking lords left and could easily have taken advantage of her gains and organized a little coup. Tyrion chose instead to rule the city in the name of the lost queen rallying support for her from the peasants.

Tyrion then freed the chained dragons because he understood that Daenerys would need them when she finally sailed for Westeros. Tyrion continued to serve Daenerys faithfully giving her an advantage over his own family whom he actually loved so much.

5 Jaime: Tyrion’s Trial

Jaime Lannister was also Joffrey’s father, a point everyone, except Olenna and Tyrion, seemed to have forgotten. He got himself back into the King’s Guard to protect his son hoping he would make a better king than Robert. When Tyrion was accused of poisoning Joffrey, Jaime is the one person that had both the reason and the power to kill him.

Jaime still cut his little brother some slack and supported him when everyone called for his head. Jaime eventually freed Tyrion because he couldn’t stand to see his only brother die, even when he wasn’t sure of his innocence. He was the only Lannister that showed mercy to the poor imp.

4 Tyrion: The Dragonpit Summit

Tyrion had the option of advising Daenerys to sack King’s Landing before the battle of Winterfell and simply take the Lannister army to whichever battle she wanted them to fight. He instead chose to meet Jaime secretly to arrange the Dragonpit Summit.

Jon Snow then blew everything up, forcing Tyrion to come face to face with Cersei, a woman he knew very well wanted him dead. He went through all that just to prevent bloodshed and give his family a chance. Sansa was surprised that Tyrion didn’t see through Cersei’s lie when she promised to bring an army North but maybe he did. He just chose to give peace a chance.

3 Jaime: The Battle Of Winterfell

The Battle of Winterfell was greater than any individual family or personal interests, just the fate of all the living. Jaime realized just how toxic his sister was for the first time in his life, choosing to disobey her and do something for himself.

He had lived all his life in Cersei’s shadow, but he chose to abandon her protection to fight alongside her enemies. He had more enemies than he could count in the North and Daenerys could have easily executed him but he came anyway. It was Jaime Lannister’s ultimate redemption.

2 Tyrion: The Battle Of King’s Landing

The battle of King’s Landing was the ultimate test of Tyrion’s loyalty to what was right and even then, he remained compassionate. “I freed my brother, and you slaughtered a city,” Tyrion said in anger after Daenerys annihilated King’s Landing. It was him taking a stand against the most murderous woman in Game of Thrones.

He had done everything in his power to save King’s Landing including reminding Daenerys to stop the attack when the bells rang. He released Jaime hoping he would make it to the Red Keep in time and save their stubborn sister. He just hoped everything would end well despite the mess around him.

1 Jaime: The Battle Of King’s Landing

Jaime had a place in the North next to Brienne after the Battle of Winterfell but he couldn’t stand the thought of his sister and unborn child dying. He had every reason to choose himself and start over but his love for Cersei wouldn’t let him. He became the only Lannister in the show that actually died for love.

It was stupid of him to leave Brienne because Cersei’s death was certain but he did it anyway. It was the final sacrifice of a brother and a father, which is why Brienne gave him an honorable record in the books after his death.

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