9. Jaime Lannister Loses A Hand ("Walk Of Punishment")
By Season 3, the Lannisters were beginning to feel untouchable. While the other noble families were amassing loss after loss, the worst that had really happened to the Lannisters was Jaime's capture, and Jaime was logically too important a hostage for him to face any real danger from his Northern captors. Well, logic went right out the window when Catelyn Stark went rogue and released him into the care of Brienne of Tarth to exchange for her daughters in King's Landing. All goes according to plan until Jaime makes an ill-advised escape attempt, leading to a sword fight that gets both he and Brienne captured by Bolton bannermen. As they are taken to camp, Jaime very frankly informs Brienne that she will be raped. Nevertheless, when she is dragged off into the dark, he pipes up and informs head henchman Locke that Brienne hails from the "Isle of Sapphires," and that she would be worth a hefty ransom...so long as she was intact. Brienne is spared. Unfortunately for him, Jaime pushes his luck just a little bit too far and ends up pinned down over a tree stump. He then makes matters worse for himself by mentioning Tywin. Drawing a knife, Locke bends down low over Jaime. "You're nothing without your daddy," spits Locke, "and your daddy ain't here. Never forget that." By the look on Jaime's face, he will be remembering for quite some time. He gets it. We get it. Everybody gets it. That should be the end, right? Wrong. With a single swing of his arm, Locke slices Jaime's sword hand clean off. Jaime cries out in pain and despair as his greatest asset falls from his arm. The scene fades to black, and the rock version of "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" blasts out over the closing credits.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
