An opinion piece on Collider argues that Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau across all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, was the show's best character but was let down by his ending in the finale. The writer contends that Jaime's journey from an arrogant, incestuous "villain" figure in the first episode to one of television's most compelling redemption arcs was undone by the way the series concluded his story, disappointing fans who had invested in his development.

The article traces Jaime's transformation, noting he began as someone willing to do anything for House Lannister, including pushing a child from a tower window, but evolved significantly after meeting Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) and travelling with her to King's Landing. The piece frames this growth as some of the strongest character work in the series, making the finale's treatment of him feel like a betrayal of that development, a criticism that echoes wider fan and critical disappointment with how Game of Thrones concluded overall.