(Note: Spoilers from A Song of Ice and Fire series, the Harry Potter series and the Legends of King Arthur.)
Jamie Lannister—the prodigy of the Seven Kingdoms, the youngest ever to join the legendary Kingsguard, the eldest son of Lord Tywin Lannister, the man who fucked his twin sister—the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The “Kingslayer,” at first, appears to be your typically over-confident rich boy who uses his family name to get what he wants. Well, that is true. And yet, by the time he becomes a P.O.V. character in A Song of Ice and Fire series, we view things from his angle (obviously) and get a full understanding of the man.
Jamie Lannister is a very complicated person, almost at the level of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series (I mean that in terms of personality, nothing else). For instance, both characters proved to be very talented in their areas of study that were expected from them. Severus Snape was so talented as a young wizard at Hogwarts he corrected the “mistakes” in his spell books. Jamie Lannister was deemed a prodigy swordsman by age ten.
Next, both men appear to be haughty and fixated on “revenge” against an individual, but we later find out that it is self-pity and annoyance surrounding the ignorance of past events that drives them. Snape joined the Death Eaters while he was still at Hogwarts. As time past, he eventually realized that the group had more hatred than he could handle. But, when he tried to protect his childhood friend, Lily Potter, from Lord Voldemort, he failed and never forgave himself for her death. Throughout the series, Harry Potter believes that Snape hated him because he was more like his father than his mother. Yes, Snape and James Potter never got along because both of them were in love with the same woman, it could be argued that Snape hated Voldemort more for killing Lily.
Jamie Lannister joined the Kingsguard after being “persuaded” by his sister Cersei. What neither of them knew was that the relationship between Mad King Aerys and their father, the Hand of the King, was on edge. It was widely believed that King Aerys accepted Jamie only to humiliate Tywin Lannister by disinheriting his “heir.” It was also immediately after joining the Kingsguard that Jaime realizes that the vows of knighthood did not mirror the vows of the Kingsguard. Jamie believed that the duties of a knight were “to protect the weak and the innocent.” However, Jamie felt worthless the longer he remained within the Kingsguard. He wasn’t even allowed to protect Queen Rhaella when her husband was ravishing her violently. It was at the Sacking of King’s Landing that Jamie decided he had to step in for the “kingdom” instead of the king. He killed Mad King Aerys and his pyromancers before fire could be set to the entire capital. Unfortunately, the only witness to the incident was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, and he had gotten inside the throne room after the deaths. Jamie knew that no matter what he said, truth or lie, he—a member of the Kingsguard—killed the King. Ned Stark would have seen it as dishonorable either way. So, Jamie becomes hateful towards Ned Stark simply because Ned Stark would not hear reason behind King Aerys’ murder.
Last, both characters are seeking redemption for their past actions. As of right now Snape managed to gain redemption, after death. According to J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter shares the memories of Snape with Professor McGonagall and several other wizards after the Battle at Hogwarts. Thus, it is proven that Snape was working with Professor Dumbledore the entire time and is praised for his actions. Jamie Lannister is trying to redeem his honor and that of the Kingsguard. While the Kingsguard is beyond his control in terms of “structure,” Jamie is focusing on making fair decisions throughout the kingdom and attempting to search, to find, and to protect the daughters of Lady Catelyn and Lord Eddard Stark, Sansa and Arya. Based on what George R.R. Martin has said, Jamie will attempt to, but never complete his journey for redemption. It is here when the comparisons between Jamie Lannister and Severus Snape stop. However, there is another fictional character that Jamie Lannister can be compared with.
Sir Lancelot is a character (or even a true person based on the legends) that many people throughout the world are familiar with. Most notably, he is one of the famous Knights of the Round Table, from King Arthur’s kingdom of Camelot. He was a good-looking, talented swordsman whose deeds proved him to be a “true” knight. That is the tale told within the numerous editions and variants of the story of Lancelot. However, no one is perfect. When Mordred—King Arthur’s bastard son with his half-sister, Morgause—reveals the love affair between Lancelot and Queen Guinevere, Camelot is thrown into a civil war, which brings about the end to the legendary kingdom. Hmm, this sounds very much like another popular story.
Jamie Lannister is most likely based on the character of Sir Lancelot, and to some extent King Arthur, from the Arthurian tales. Both men are handsome, are talented in the art of fighting, and are able to provide their talents for their king. Then, they commit adultery with their queen, and everything falls into chaos when the affair is revealed.
Sir Lancelot was said to be one of King Arthur’s best knights, and he was allowed to become part of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table. Jamie Lannister joined the Kingsguard when he was fifteen-years-old, the youngest ever to join the order in the Seven Kingdoms. Another thing both of these knights have in common is that they both love the queen they are supposed to serve and to protect. Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere (also spelled Gwenhwyfar) were in love with each other, but obviously Guinevere was already married to King Arthur (sounds like another romantic pair from A Song of Ice and Fire series, R+L=J!). In fact, some of the variants state that Sir Lancelot saved Queen Guinevere a few times when she was abducted or was in danger. However, this did not stop them from carrying out a love affair. When the affair is revealed, it is the distraction Mordred needed to start a war with King Arthur for rule over Camelot.
This is where Jamie Lannister mirrors King Arthur. King Arthur unknowingly sleeps with his half-sister, Morgause (or Morgan), and the result is Mordred, the (unacknowledged) bastard son of the king. Mordred was believed to have had a violent nature, and when his father left Camelot to fight a war, Mordred took complete control of the kingdom. Jamie Lannister carries an affair with his twin sister, Cersei, the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and that affair resulted in three children: Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen. The children are believed to be the heirs to King Robert Baratheon, until his brother, Stannis, and Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, begin to suspect the parentage. Joffrey has a sadistic nature, and when Robert Baratheon dies, Joffrey ascends the throne and starts a full-out war within the Seven Kingdoms. Like Mordred, Joffrey dies, and everyone is happy to see him go.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Mordred mortally wounded King Arthur, and Arthur is “buried” at Avalon. As of right now, Jamie is still alive and nowhere near his remaining children. In addition, Jamie displays no grief after Joffrey dies because he believed him to be an ineffective ruler. On one hand, in comparison to Sir Lancelot, Jamie and Cersei have ended their “relationship,” and Jamie, like Lancelot, decides to live the rest of his life honorably while seeking redemption. On the other hand, Lancelot lives the rest of his life as a hermit and in penitence. When Lancelot does die, he is buried at his castle where his tomb was already waiting for him. Jamie Lannister is making his way across the Seven Kingdoms with several companions, which include other knights and members of his family. When he does die, will be buried where he died, like the other members of the Kingsguard before him. It is unlikely that Jamie will be buried at Casterly Rock with his ancestors.
In all, Jamie Lannister is based on two Arthurian characters: King Arthur and Sir Lancelot. However, I argue that Jamie Lannister reminds fans of Severus Snape. I know GRRM does NOT want his fans to assume that his fantasy series will be anything like J.K. Rowling’s, but there are times when it cannot be helped. It means that these fictional characters are so well developed that we can automatically think of another rounded characters. At the same time, because we have an idea of the inspirations surrounding A Song of Ice and Fire (and Harry Potter) we have several theories and educated guesses as to what could happen to these characters in future tales.
