Jaime Lannister is a great Game of Thrones character, but the original plan for him would’ve been very different – and, perhaps, worse. Jaime started off the show (and before that, the A Song of Ice and Fire book series) as a clear villain: a dashing, sword-wielding, king-slaying, sister-loving rogue. By Game of Thrones‘ ending, things were a lot more complicated: still dashing, no longer as good at wielding a sword, the king-slaying contained a hidden tragedy, and he both loved and loathed his sister, and hated himself for good measure.

From pushing Bran Stark out of a tower to being crushed by the Red Keep, Jaime’s arc is a fascinating one that makes him, across books and show, one of the strongest characters, and certainly one of my favorites (tied only with Arya Stark, for what it’s worth). However, things were almost more straightforward, as George R.R. Martin planned for Jaime to become king. That he was once almost the man ruling over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, rather than the person known for removing its ruler, would’ve changed a lot, and highlights how good he really is.

George R.R. Martin’s Plan For King Jaime Explained

What Happened & Why It Changed

Martin’s original structure for the series involved writing three books: A Game of Thrones, A Dance with Dragons, and The Winds of Winter. The first, which was the most fleshed out, would center around the conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters; the second would be about Daenerys Targaryen’s invasion; the third would be the fight against the White Walkers. The initial story followed some broad strokes that are present in the final version: Joffrey Baratheon becomes king, Ned Stark is killed, etc. But there are several key differences, and Jaime is among the biggest.

“Tyrion Lannister will continue to travel, to plot, and to play the game of thrones, finally removing his nephew Joffrey in disgust at the boy king’s brutality. Jaime Lannister will follow Joffrey on the throne of the Seven Kingdoms, by the simple expedient of killing everyone ahead of him in the line of succession and blaming his brother Tyrion for the murders.” – George R.R. Martin, in his original outline for A Song of Ice & Fire.

Martin’s plan for Jaime comes amid a slightly different focus for the Lannister vs. Starks battle, which positions Jaime and Tyrion more at the head of the lion. Notably, it also mentions their forces fighting against Robb Stark, who is defeated on the battlefield. Jaime in this version is ruthless and a more outright villain, but Martin’s story grew (and grew!) as he wrote it.

It’s likely that he developed Cersei Lannister a lot more after this (she isn’t mentioned in the plan), and she took on more of Jaime’s less desirable traits over time. Meanwhile, the author explored Jaime’s backstory as the Kingslayer, and re-framed his journey as one of tragedy and redemption.

Why Jaime’s Story Changing Makes Me Love Him More As A Character

Martin Pulled Off One Of His Best Character Feats With The Kingslayer

I’ve long been aware that Martin isn’t a detailed planner of things, so it’s not too surprising that Jaime’s arc changed so much from what he originally envisioned. But it nonetheless makes me more impressed at just how he handled it from that starting point, pulling off quite a remarkable turnaround with the character that really highlights why it’s one of the strongest character stories in both A Song of Ice and Fire and, subsequently, Game of Thrones.

It’s possible to see elements of the original Jaime in the first book and season 1, where he is simply more antagonistic. Indeed, he’s the kind of guy that, while you may appreciate his roguish charms, you can’t imagine loving. That really shows the skill of Martin’s writing, and, later, that not only of the show’s writers, but also Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s wonderful performance, which I long felt was a standout among Game of Thrones‘ cast.

With that bit of backstory, just filling in the truth of the name Kingslayer, and, crucially, that unlikely relationship with Brienne, Jaime transforms into a complex, misunderstood, and tragic figure.

What’s particularly great is the relative simplicity of it. Jaime being captured by the Starks changes the dynamics and how we see his character a bit, but it’s really when he opens up to Brienne in A Storm of Swords, or Game of Thrones season 3, episode 5, “Kissed By Fire” – one of my favorite book chapters, and an all-time great (and really, underrated) episode – that everything changes. With that bit of backstory, just filling in the truth of the name Kingslayer, and, crucially, that unlikely relationship with Brienne, Jaime transforms into a complex, misunderstood, and tragic figure.

His crimes aren’t forgotten, sins aren’t washed away, and he doesn’t just suddenly change into a hero, but that makes it all the better for me. Redemption should be messy, because people do fail and try again and fail some more; it’s a lot more realistic. So that Jaime started as someone who, on paper, seems pretty one-note, and became a character with a lot more notes than most, only reinforces my belief he has the best character arc in the books (and, for the most part, the show, despite the controversial choices of Game of Thrones season 8).