Lady Stoneheart wants Jaime Lannister dead heading into The Winds of Winter, but one Game of Thrones prequel character hints it won’t happen.

House of the Dragon has its own version of Game of Thrones‘ Jaime Lannister, and it actually bodes well for the latter’s book future in The Winds of Winter. Jaime’s fate in Game of Thrones‘ ending proved to be one of the more divisive elements of season 8, as he left Brienne of Tarth to go back to King’s Landing and, eventually, die alongside his sister Cersei. Buried by the rubble of the Red Keep, it was a surprising conclusion for two of the show’s best characters, but there’s reason to believe his story in the books will go differently.

For starters, the character is on a different path in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels. He’s already rejected one chance to go back to Cersei, and the biggest question now is almost a reversal of season 8: whether Brienne will betray Jaime for Lady Stoneheart (the resurrected form of Catelyn Stark who is hellbent on revenge for the Red Wedding). There are various theories on what will happen, but looking to House of the Dragon may help provide the answer.

House Of The Dragon’s Criston Cole’s Parallels With Game Of Thrones’ Jaime Lannister

The two Lord Commanders of the Kingsguard are very similar.

There are several similarities between Jaime Lannister and Criston Cole, with the latter fulfilling the same kind of role in House of the Dragon as the former did in Game of Thrones. Criston is the skilled knight who rises up to be Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; he’s a person with a twisted moral compass who is involved in the realm’s politics; and he’s someone who has relations with a person he ought not to (although not going as far as incest), that he later comes to despise.

Much like Jaime starts Game of Thrones as a villain, the same is true of Criston in House of the Dragon season 1. While Jaime was more villainous from the outset, Criston quickly turns into one, going from Rhaenyra’s sworn protector to someone intent on causing her downfall. Like Jaime would gladly kill someone undeserving of it, such as Jory Cassel, or push a young boy from a window, the prequel’s knight has no problem, say, beating a character to death, as seen when Criston kills Joffrey Lonmouth in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 5.

In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Jaime himself acknowledges the good and bad parts of Criston in a way that shows he even considers himself comparable. In A Feast for Crows, during a discussion about the Kingsguard with Ser Loras Tyrell, Jaime says that “the best and the worst… and a few who were a bit of both” will be the ones who are remembered, pointing to Criston as the latter, with the clear implication to view Jaime in similar terms.

Jaime Lannister Is Secretly The Opposite Of House Of The Dragon’s Criston Cole

That’s why Lady Stoneheart can’t kill him in The Winds of Winter.

For all the parallels between Jaime Lannister and Criston Cole, they are, in truth, very different people at their core. Jaime is someone who is aware of past mistakes, who makes some bad decisions but wishes he could be better (even if he cannot always achieve it). Criston, on the other hand, sees himself as a good person, but one who will gladly do any terrible deed in order to achieve his goals or those of the people he supports.

This difference is nicely highlighted by their nicknames: Jaime is the Kingslayer, and Criston the Kingmaker. And yet, those monikers hide the truth of their names: Jaime’s Kingslaying suggests villainy and has haunted him his entire life, but he did it for noble reasons; Criston’s Kingmaking, of Aegon II Targaryen, was done out of hate, spite, and to further his own position. Jaime is on a journey of redemption; Criston may see himself that way, but he’s only really on a path of self-righteousness.

With that, having Jaime be killed by Lady Stoneheart – or by Brienne or the Brotherwood without Banners on her orders, at least – would not be a fitting way to end his arc. Criston’s story ends in a brutal death in battle, and it’s not a noble ending. Jaime being killed at this point would feel similar to him, but it’s not something he’s deserving of. There needs to be more to his redemption arc, even if it does (as it likely will) eventually end in tragedy.

There’s more to tell with Jaime and Brienne, and with him and Cersei, in both The Winds of Winter and perhaps Martin’s planned seventh book, A Dream of Spring. It’s almost impossible to imagine Jaime being alive at the very end, as his story screams he’s destined to die, but he needs to better develop his relationship with Brienne, and their true feelings for one another should play out. He should have a chance, like he did in Game of Thrones season 8, at fighting for the right side. That’s because he would genuinely want to, unlike Criston Cole.

What Will Happen With Jaime, Brienne & Lady Stoneheart In The Winds Of Winter

Is Brienne going to save him?

If Brienne doesn’t betray Jaime, and thus he isn’t killed by her or the Brotherhood at the behest of Lady Stoneheart, then it opens up a major question about how, exactly, that storyline will play out. It’s one where Jaime’s death is arguably the easiest option, as there’s a neatness to it, even if it would cut off a lot of other potential storylines and be a very premature ending for his character arc.

There are various theories about what will happen, none a perfect fit but each plausible. It’s possible Brienne and Jaime will escape, in some way. There could be a trial by combat, like the Hound vs. Beric Dondarrion, with Brienne serving as Jaime’s champion. Jaime and Stoneheart may reach an agreement, with him helping her take back Riverrun and wipe out the Freys in exchange for his own freedom (especially if he convinces her of the truth: that he wasn’t behind the Red Wedding). Brienne could even sacrifice herself for Jaime, though that feels ill-fitting and problematic for her narrative.

There’s no doubt that the storyline between Jaime, Brienne, and Lady Stoneheart is one of the most intriguing heading into The Winds of Winter. But while there are several options on the table for what happens there and what comes next – whether it follows closely to Game of Thrones or, more likely, does not – House of the Dragon does a good job of highlighting why Jaime shouldn’t, and probably won’t, die facing Lady Stoneheart.