Summary
The Lannisters are a cunning, coolly calculating, and ruthless bunch fromGame of Thrones. They are presented as foils to the Starks, and their patriarch, Tywin, lacks many admirable qualities, such as honor, compassion, and decency. The family is at the forefront of the War of the Five Kings.
The Lannisters stir up the war by placing the illegitimate king (Joffrey Baratheon) on the Iron Throne, who has Ned Stark executed on false treason charges.Almost all the Lannisters meet disastrous fatesand are broken by the conflicts they ignited in the first place. HBO’sGame of Throneshas a lot to say about the golden-haired, gold-mining lord of Casterly Rock and his kith and kin.
1"Everyone Who Isn’t Us Is An Enemy."
Season 1, Episode 3: “Lord Snow”
Joffrey makes the mistake of picking a quarrel with Arya Stark and gets bitten by her Direwolf, Nymeria, in the process. Since the boy is betrothed to the elder of the two, Sansa, his cunning mother, Cersei, advises him to play nice to win her affection back.
After the Kingsroad incident, Joffrey started to dislike the Northerners more and more. He proposes a back-breaking taxation system upon his ascendancy. A brief conversation with Cersei educates him about the importance of keeping his family close and enemies closer. Cersei tells Joffrey that the Lannisters are the only family he will ever have and that his betrothal to Sansa is a mere political arrangement.
Cersei’s remark is true, as Tywin and his kin emphasize family loyalty and everything else takes a backseat to their interests.
2"Explain To Me Why It Is More Noble To Kill 10,000 Men In Battle Than A Dozen At Dinner."
Season 3, Episode 10: “Mhysa”
Lord Walder Frey takes the blame for slaughtering the Starks at the Red Wedding, while Tywin is credited with securing a big win for House Lannister. He refuses to let guilt drag him down while conversing with his youngest, Tyrion.
Since Tywin was unable to defeat Robb in battle, he put elaborate thought into devising a strategy to eliminate him and his host. He orchestratedthe Red Wedding massacrewith the help of the Northern Lord, Roose Bolton, and the Riverman, Walder Frey. Frey plays host at the Twins and has Robb, Catelyn, and the Northern army massacred while Roose feigns loyalty and goes along with the plan.
Tywin excuses himself by saying that ends justify the means, and that’s pretty much his motto throughoutGame of Thrones.
3"Do You Know What ‘Legacy’ Means…"
Season 2, Episode 7: “A Man Without Honor”
Tywin is obsessed with leaving behind a legacy. He wants House Lannister to reign as the realm’s most powerful, richest, and most fearsome House. He wants to be an overbearing Lord not only in the West but across the length and breadth of the Seven Kingdoms.
Tywin tells Arya Stark at Harrenhal thatthe War of the Five Kingswill determine his legacy. He wants people to remember him on the same lines as Aegon the Conqueror. Everything he does is to secure the future of House Lannister, and he is ready to eliminate any threat to achieve that goal.
4"He Tells Me You S*** Gold. Just Like Your Father."
Season 4, Episode 2: “The Lion And The Rose”
After Jaime loses his sword hand, Tyrion advises him to train his left hand and hires Bronn to do the job. Jaime and Tyrion continue to be friends in need and also display occasional acts of selflessness. They use sarcasm and lighthearted jokes to gel with each other.
In their first session, Jaime calls Bronn a sellsword, and Bronn mocks his privileged upbringing the same way the Westerosi commonly do. Everyone knows that the gold-mining Lannisters are the wealthiest people in the Seven Kingdoms.
5"He [Tytos Lannister] Loved Us. He Was A Good Man. But A Weak Man…"
Season 2, Episode 6: “The Old Gods And The New”
Tywin saved his family from ruin by taking charge of the House during his father, Tytos' lifetime. He and his brothers were intent on restoring the ancient strength and pride of House Lannister. Tywin hated that his father had been taken undue advantage of and that, despite being an overlord, he was easily overpowered by his vassalage.
Once Tywin took charge, the nobles feared the Lannister name, while the smallfolk envied it. The Lannisters became powerful with time, and this quote fromThrones' Season 2 is a testament to the Lord of Casterly Rock rebuilding his House.
6"A Lion Doesn’t Concern Himself With The Opinions Of The Sheep."
Season 1, Episode 7: “You Win Or You Die”
Tywin feels Jaime wastes his talent and potential by serving in the Kingsguard and has yet to realize his inheritance’s burden. Shortly after attacking Ned in the streets, Jaime sees Tywin in the Lannister encampment.
Tywin tries to teach Jaime how he shouldn’t concern himself with people who call him “Kingslayer” behind his back and stop being reckless with the Lannister name. Tywin wants the best things for his eldest son, but it’s necessary to teach him some life lessons.
7"The Lannisters Send Their Regards."
Season 3, Episode 9: “The Rains Of Castamere”
The Red Wedding is a spine-chilling tale of the Lannisters' use of deception to win the war against the rebellious North. Robb Stark didn’t lose a battle to the Lannisters but was removed from the board via subterfuge on the occasion of Uncle Edmure Tully’s wedding to Roslin Frey.
Walder required Robb’s uncle to marry his daughter, Roslin, to establish a tripartite alliance between the Freys, the Starks, and the Tullys. He invited the Starks and the Tullys into their home,invoked the sacred guest right, and promised them protection. Because Robb had broken his previous betrothal to a Frey girl, Walder colluded with the Lannisters. He and Roose Bolton carried out a massacre on the day of the wedding and that’s how the Northern rebellion came to an end. The battle had a chilling effect on the North and the clever Tywin installed Roose as Warden of the North.
Roose Bolton passed on the Lannisters' regards as he plunged his dagger into a maimed Robb’s heart.
8"A Lannister Always Pays His Debts."
Several Game Of Thrones Episodes
This Lannister quote is on-brand with their ostentatious mannerisms and everything else that sets them apart from the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms. The family has a lot of money at their disposal at the beginning ofThrones, so they can pay off their debts (if any) without worry. The quote also means that the Lannisters do not let things slide.
Things change for the Lannisters once their gold mines run dry, and because of the various wars they wage. They count on the grain and army of the Tyrells and Tywin has to worry about the borrowings made fromthe Iron Bank of Braavos. He intends to secure his alliance with the Tyrells, while Olenna covers half the expenses of the royal wedding. Nonetheless, the Lannisters pay off their debts in one form or another. After Tywin’s murder, Cersei loots Highgarden and pays off the Iron Bank.
