As I sit anxiously awaiting this week's episode of Game of Thrones (The Battle of Winterfell), I'm spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to see happen, especially for Ser Brienne of Tarth. Since I'm pretty sure she's on the chopping block in this upcoming episode (did you see how happy she was when Ser Jaime knighted her?!), I need to get these hopes out to the world now before they are rendered completely irrelevant.
I've seen a lot of talk since last week's episode (S8:E2) where people talk about how they're pretty sure that Brienne is in love with Jaime, but I just don't see that. I think Brienne respects Jaime as a soldier, much like she had such great respect for Renley Baratheon because of how he treated her and what he did for her at her birthday party when she was younger. Remember, everyone thought she was so devoted to Renley because she was in love with him, but she told Jaime she knew he was gay. Instead, she was devoted because when all the other boys at her party made a joke out of treating her kindly, Renley was truly kind. And let's face it, when all is said and done, Jaime Lannister is every asshole that made a joke out of Brienne. But before he lost his hand defending her, he was a damn good knight, and that's something, along with his defense of her honor, that she can respect deeply.
But maybe I'm wrong and she really does love Jaime. I hope not though, because I'm pretty sure that relationship would turn toxic real quick. For one thing, now that Jaime has lost a hand, Brienne is easily the better knight, and while Jaime can be okay with that at the moment, do you really think he wouldn't start to resent Brienne in a romantic relationship? She's even the reason he lost his hand in the first place. And when he starts to resent her prowess, he'd just chime in, "You're only a knight because I knighted you and it's your fault I lost a hand." About the only thing Jaime would really bring to that table is the ability to make pretty babies. So for anyone currently shipping Jaime and Brienne, I hope you don't get your wish.
I know I'm not alone in shipping Brienne and Tormund, and I still desperately want Brienne to recognize what she could have in Tormund. Tormund is a man who has been enamored with her from the second he saw her for being exactly who she is. He loves her size, he loves her strength, and he's astounded that she wasn't already a knight. He was the first one to suggest that she should be and mean it. Brienne deserves a man who will love her for being who she is, and Tormund does that. I even imagine he'd brag about her being a better fighter than he is; it would be a source of pride for him.
But I understand why Brienne would be hesitant, and even why she would seem repelled by his actions. For one thing, as a wildling, his etiquette by nobility standards is sorely lacking. But more importantly, it's not a whole lot different from the assholes at her party. They made her believe they were truly interested in her just to make a joke out of her, and I'm willing to bet that's not the first or last time that happened. So Tormund acting interested in her would naturally be a turnoff at this point in her life. It's safer not to trust him and get her hopes up. I just want her to realize that he's being genuine, and that maybe, just maybe, she could be really happy with him.
So what do you think? Are you team Jaime or team Tormund? Or are you team "she's dying anyway so it doesn't matter anymore"? - Katie