Game of Throneshad several prominent noble houses that kept the show interesting. However, few families were more important to the story than the mighty Lannisters. The Lions of the Rock were as crucial as the Starks of Winterfell, with the three Lannister siblings and their intimidating father masterminding several of the show’s most notable events.
The Lannisters appeared in nearly everyGame of Thronesepisode, leaving their mark on the show. However, a few chapters are more Lannister-focused than others, revealing new sides to the family and cementing their place as the show’s most interesting family.
10"The Spoils Of War" - Season 7, Episode 4
Season 7 ofGame of Throneswas far from perfect, but it had one of the show’s greatest episodes. “The Spoils of War” sees Jaime Lannister facing Daenerys and her Dothraki on the open field. She destroys his army with Drogon and nearly kills him after he foolishly charges against her before being saved by Bronn.
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“The Spoils of War” is a technical marvel. The loot train attack is stellar, proving Daenerys' might and leaving poor Jaime broken. The episode also ends a series of Lannister victories following their destruction of House Tyrell and their successful ambush of Dany’s army at Casterly Rock. More importantly, it features a turning point for Jaime’s character as he realizes the Lannisters can’t win the fight against Daenerys.
9"The Dragon And The Wolf" - Season 7, Episode 7
The season 7 finale, “The Dragon and the Wolf,” features a massive assembly of main characters as the Lannisters meet with the Starks and their allies to negotiate a truce. The episode features the long-awaited reunion between Cersei and Tyrion, with the two having one of their famous heart-to-hearts and culminating with Cersei’s apparent agreement to cease fire.
Alas, Cersei proves herself one ofthe most evil characters inGame of Thronesby revealing she played Tyrion and has no intention of taking her armies North, prompting Jaime to finally turn his back on her. “The Dragon and the Wolf” is a major turning point for the Lannisters, as Jaime continues his road to redemption while Cersei sinks further into cruelty and loneliness.
8"You Win Or You Die" - Season 1, Episode 7
Poor Ned Stark realizes too late that he is no match for the Lannisters' cunning. Upon realizing Cersei’s children are Jaime’s and not Robert’s, Ned does the honorable thing and warns her of his intentions to reveal the truth to the king. Cersei responds by delivering one of the most iconic quotes inGame of Thronesbefore departing to put her own plans into action.
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“You Win or You Die” is the first time audiences see the true extent of Cersei’s cruelty. The queen has her husband killed before apprehending Ned, accusing him of treason. The episode is crucial toGame of Thrones' larger story and understanding Cersei’s complicated and twisted psyche.
7"A Man Without Honor" - Season 2, Episode 7
Jaime Lannister’s long and complicated path to redemption officially begins after Catelyn Stark releases him into Brienne’s care. Everything before showcases Jaime at his worst, presenting him as a selfish and careless man without honor. The appropriately titled season 2 episode, “A Man Without Honor,” sees Jaime killing his cousin, Alton, and Rickard Karstark’s son in a futile attempt to escape his imprisonment."
A Man Without Honor" is Jaime at his worst, taking advantage of others to sneak out of peril. The episode also sees him playing his mind games with Catelyn, insulting her and Ned’s honors. Jaime is a fascinating character, but the early seasons showed him as an awful and reprehensible character seemingly incapable of redemption.
6"Walk Of Punishment" - Season 3, Episode 3
Brienne of Tarth is one ofthe best female characters inGame of Thrones. She spends most of season 3 paired with Jaime on their way to King’s Landing, with their dynamic softening his personality and making him care for someone other than himself. The episode “Walk of Punishment” is the first time he protects Brienne, although his overconfidence leads to tragedy after Locke, the man who captured him and Brienne, cuts his sword hand.
Jaime is one of the best warriors in the show; thus, losing his sword hand is a massive tragedy for him, and he never fully recovers from it. The episode is vital to understand Jaime’s character, showing him at his most vulnerable and proving there is more to him than just a cruel and careless man.
5"Blackwater" - Season 2, Episode 9
“Blackwater” features one ofthe best battles inGame of Thrones. The episode revolves entirely around Stannis' assault on King’s Landing, following Tyrion’s defense of the city and Cersei’s increasingly drunken and jaded behavior while locked in Mageor’s Holdfast with Sansa and the other ladies of the court.
Aside from being a technical masterpiece, “Blackwater” is an incredible episode for Tyrion and Cersei. The tense and urgent narrative allowsGame of Thronesto show new sides of both characters. Tyrion becomes more assured, even as he faces his first murder attempt. For her part, Cersei sinks further into cynicism and vile, to the point where she’s willing to kill her youngest, Tommen, to spare them from Stannis' punishment.
4"The Children" - Season 4, Episode 10
Tyrion has an infamously troubled relationship with his father, the dominating and vicious Tywin Lannister. Their journey ends in the season 4 finale, “The Children,” with Tyrion killing Tywin with a crossbow after being released by Jaime following his death sentence during the trial for Joffrey’s murder. Earlier in the episode, Tywin receives the shock of his life when a daring Cersei confirms her incest with Jaime, thus soiling Tywin’s precious legacy."
The Children" is a dramatic tour de force forPeter DinklageandCharles Dance. The final confrontation between Tyrion and Tywin remains one ofGame of Thrones' most tense and cathartic moments. It’s also a turning point for the Lannisters, as Tywin’s death leaves Cersei to her own devices in King’s Landing while Tyrion is spirited away across the Narrow Sea.
3"Mother’s Mercy" - Season 5, Episode 10
Tywin’s death leaves a power vacuum in the city that allows for the rise of the Faith Militant, a dangerous organization Cersei foolishly backs to get rid of the Tyrells. However, the Faith Militant turns against Cersei, imprisoning her and forcing her to walk the streets of King’s Landing naked and humiliated by the common folk. The episode also features a major development for Jaime, as he confesses to Myrcella he is her father and receives her acceptance before her tragic death.
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“Mother’s Mercy” is a visceral hour of television, anchored byLena Headey’s bravura performance. Cersei’s walk of shame is among the most intense and cruel scenes inGame of Thrones, making audiences sympathize with one of the show’s most vicious characters. “Mother’s Mercy” is the point of no return for Cersei, as the experience eliminates any trace of empathy left in her, turning her into the show’s ultimate antagonist.
2"The Winds Of Winter" - Season 6, Episode 10
“The Winds of Winter” is the season 6 finale and arguably the show’s last great episode. The plot sees Cersei eliminate her enemies in one fell swoop by blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor with Wildfire. With no one left to oppose her, she is crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms as a confused and distrustful Jaime looks on. Across the Narrow Sea, Tyrion is named Hand of the Queen before sailing to Westeros beside Daenerys.
Thrilling and dramatic, if a tad too convenient, “The Winds of Winter” is one of the show’s finest hours. Theepisode is among the highest-rated in HBOhistory, providing an exciting and thematically rich set-up forGame of Thrones' last act. “The Winds of Winter” is one of Headey’s finest hours in the show and provides Dinklage andNikolaj Coster-Waldauwith some of the best development for their respective characters.
1"The Laws Of Gods And Men" - Season 4, Episode 6
Every major Lannister spends most of season 4 dealing with the aftermath of Joffrey’s murder: Tyrion desperately trying to prove his innocence and Cersei and Tywin furiously trying to prove his guilt, with Jaime caught in the middle. Things reach a boiling point in the sixth episode, “The Laws of Gods and Men,” in which Tyrion loses his composure and launches an angry tirade against his family and the citizens of King’s Landing before demanding a trial by combat."
The Laws of Gods and Men" might be Dinklage’s best episode in the show. Tyrion’s monologue is heartbreaking and haunting, with the character chastising his father for hating him for no apparent reason. The episode marks the beginning of the end for House Lannister, as it sets up Tyrion’s eventual killing of Tywin and shows the early signs of mistrust between Jaime and Cersei.
