Key Takeaways: When Do Brienne and Jaime Get Together?
In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, there is no single canonical moment labeled “they get together.” The relationship evolves from sworn enemies to wary allies to mutual respect and, eventually, to an unspoken romantic bond. Across both media, consistent milestones include shared missions, life-saving acts, and prolonged proximity. Below is a table summarizing the most relevant confirmed events by medium and narrative year, followed by an evergreen explanation of how and when their relationship advances without hype or speculation.
| Date or Period | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Book 2 / Season 2 | Jaime pushes Brienne from the window in the Stark dining hall; they are captured together by Robb Stark’s forces. | Forced proximity begins; early hostility. |
| Book 3 / Season 3 | Jaime exchanges vows with Brienne to cross the Blackwater under Renly’s army (TV); in books, Jaime releases her and Brienne travels with Pod to find Sansa. | Oath companions; trust begins to form. |
| Book 4 / Season 4 | Brienne saves Jaime from the bear pit; Jaime acknowledges her skill; they part toward King’s Landing and the Riverlands. | First clear life-saving act; mutual acknowledgment. |
| Book 5 / Season 6 | Brienne finds Jaime at the ruins of the Sept of Baelor; they join forces to retake King’s Landing and reopen the gates. | Large-scale cooperation; deepening loyalty. |
| Book 6 / Season 8 | Jaime returns to Brienne while she guards the portal; he confesses the things he’s done and asks her to stay; later he rides with her to Winterfell and the Battle of Winterfell. | Explicit emotional acknowledgment; intimacy implied but not declared. |
| Book 6 Epilogue / Season 8 Finale | Jaime chooses to leave with Drogon and dies; Brienne writes his story and later becomes Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. | Tragic closure; Brienne preserves his legacy. |
How the Relationship Develops in the Books
In Martin’s novels, Brienne and Jaime begin as antagonists bound by duty to opposing houses. Their first major shared ordeal is the hunting accident and aftermath in A Clash of Kings, where Jaime’s choices place them in mortal peril together. As the series progresses, Jaime’s gradual internal shift and Brienne’s unwavering honor create a foundation for respect. By A Feast for Crows, their paths converge through missions involving Sansa Stark, and Jaime’s release of Brienne signals a turning point. In A Dance with Dragons, they operate in separate storylines but continue to influence each other’s outcomes, culminating in late-book encounters where mutual dependence and understated emotion are evident, though neither explicitly names the bond as romantic.
How the Show Handles Their Relationship
The television series compresses and rearranges beats from the books but preserves the core arc. In Season 2, Jaime and Brienne are thrown together after Jaime’s attempt to escape captivity; the show highlights vulnerability through shared danger. Season 3 frames them as oath-bound companions, with Jaime’s redemption arc intertwining with Brienne’s sense of loyalty. Season 4 delivers the bear pit rescue, a pivotal moment that cements Jaime’s reliance on her competence. Seasons 5 and 6 show them cooperating in King’s Landing and beyond, while Season 8 gives Jaime opportunities to articulate his debt to Brienne and to choose her openly in several moments. The finale leaves their romantic potential unresolved but makes clear that Jaime’s final choices are guided by Brienne’s presence in his life.
Notable Differences Between Book and Show
Although both mediums track the same directional arc, the books linger on internal monologues, whereas the show conveys meaning through action and casting choices. In the books, Brienne’s POV chapters provide insight into her private hopes and doubts, while Jaime’s chapters reveal his philosophical shifts. The show instead uses key scenes—such as the window throw, the oath, the bear pit, and their return to King’s Landing—to signal turning points. Neither medium offers a scene in which they explicitly kiss or label their relationship, but prolonged eye contact, protective behavior, and shared vulnerability imply emotional depth beyond friendship.
Book Milestones at a Glance
| Book | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| A Clash of Kings | Hunting accident and shared captivity | Hostility shifts to uneasy alliance. |
| A Storm of Swords | Oath of fealty to pass the Blackwater; release and parting | Trust established through sworn duty. |
| A Feast for Crows | Separate quests involving Sansa and Brienne’s continued integrity | Parallel growth; indirect influence. |
| A Dance with Dragons | Crossing paths in Meereen and aftermath of the Purple Wedding | Mutual impact without direct scene. |
| The Winds of Winter (anticipated) | No released chapters; status unknown | Future developments unconfirmed. |
Definitive Canon Sources and Limits
For this relationship, canonical evidence comes from the published books and the show’s completed seasons, supplemented by showrunners’ comments and the casting of mainstream moments. Direct sources include:
- Martin, George R.R. A Clash of Kings, chapters involving Brienne and Jaime’s hunting incident and initial conflict.
- Martin, George R.R. A Storm of Swords, the oath scene and their parting near the Blackwater.
- Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss interviews discussing Jaime’s redemption and Brienne’s role in it.
- Episodes: Season 2, Episode 5; Season 3, Episode 10; Season 4, Episode 2; Season 6, Episodes 5 and 9; Season 8, Episodes 2, 3, 5, and 8.
The main limitation is the absence of a declared romantic confession in either medium, which means any timeline of “when they get together” must treat confirmed milestones as emotional and narrative progress rather than explicit status changes.
Common Misconceptions and Rumors
Fans sometimes interpret protective behavior or shared hardship as confirmation of a romantic relationship. In reality, both characters grow through mutual respect, but neither book nor show confirms a physical or exclusive romantic connection. Rumors of a final kiss in extended cuts or in planned future material remain speculative and are not supported by the released canon. It is more accurate to describe their bond as one of profound loyalty and understated emotional dependence rather than a formally defined romance.
FAQ
- Do Brienne and Jaime ever kiss in the books or show? No canonical kiss is recorded in either the published books or the released seasons of the show.
- Does Jaime choose Brienne over Cersei explicitly? He renounces Cersei and aligns with Brienne’s goals, culminating in his decision to leave with her in Season 8, but he does not frame it as a romantic choice on screen.
- Does Brienne return Jaime’s feelings in the books? Her internal POV suggests deep respect and personal loyalty, but she does not explicitly acknowledge romantic interest.
- What is the bear pit scene about? In Season 4, Jaime is imprisoned beneath the Sept of Baelor; Brienne secures his release, marking a turning point in his reliance on her and in how others perceive their relationship.
- Will future books clarify their status? The Winds of Winter and other planned material may address their arcs; until then, the timeline remains defined by released content.
Conclusion
When do Brienne and Jaime get together is best answered as: they move from adversaries to oath-bound allies, with moments of life-saving trust and shared responsibility gradually forming a deep bond that the texts present as close to romantic without declaring it so. The milestones are clear, the emotional stakes are high, and the ambiguity around explicit commitment is consistent across both book and show. For readers and viewers seeking closure, the reliable framework is one of earned respect and understated connection rather than a conventional romance timeline.