Throughout its eight seasons, Game of Thrones always had a lot going on. With several ongoing conflicts and characters spread across the world, all competing for the ultimate goal of sitting on the Iron Throne, there was always something to watch. Yet even the massive scale of the story didn’t prevent some wasted time. Several scenes are just not important enough to the overall plot to justify their presence. While some of these unnecessary moments are at least entertaining, like Podrick Payne’s (Daniel Portman) inexplicable talent in the pleasure houses, others don’t even provide a laugh, often venturing into the graphic sex or overwhelming violence that gives the show its reputation.
The scene in question takes place in the Season 4 episode, “The Breaker of Chains,” between Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). It depicts non-consensual sex, which instantly makes it hard to watch. The lack of consent, coupled with the added issues of the incestuous relationship between Jaime and Cersei and the proximity to their dead son, makes this scene particularly problematic. It serves no purpose in the plot or for the characters except to disrupt Jaime’s path to redemption and degrade Cersei.
The scene’s biggest issue is that it depicts rape, which is not uncommon in the series. However, unlike other similar scenes, this one lacks relevance to the story and the characters’ relationships. Not only does it not fit with Jaime’s character arc, but it also does not have a lasting impact on Jaime and Cersei’s relationship. Furthermore, the scene is uncomfortable due to the egregious factors of incest and the proximity to their dead son.
Jaime’s character development from infamous Kingslayer to a more sympathetic man is disrupted by this scene. His actions in this scene do not reflect the progress he has made throughout the show, making it pointless and detrimental to his character arc.
The inclusion of this scene is questionable, as it serves no purpose to the plot or character development and is completely useless to the overall story. It appears to have been included for shock value, despite the fact that it hinders Jaime’s character development.
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