‘Game of Thrones’ Stars Reveal Why Tyrion and Jaime Are Still Loyal to Each Other

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the latest episode of Game of Thrones! Read at your own risk…

Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones, which was titled “Eastwatch,” saw the reunion of multiple major characters. Arguably the most heart-wrenching scene of the entire episode was when Tyrion Lannister finally came face-to-face with his brother Jaime for a secret meeting.

During an “Inside the Episode” segment, actors Peter Dinklage (Tyrion) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) spoke out about the relationship their characters have on the HBO series.

“When they finally meet, it’s a really interesting, beautifully written scene. I don’t think [Jaime] had any idea [Tyrion] would ever return,” Dinklage said.

The 48-year-old actor says that the reunion with his onscreen brother was like a “family reunion” of sorts.

“I know family reunions for everyone are very awkward. Everybody has the drunk uncle or the mean grandmother, or whatever it is, I don’t know your life. But let’s just say the Lannisters are a complicated bunch,” Dinklage says.

In the scene, Dinklage says that there was a degree of uncertainty before the meeting.

“[Tyrion] doesn’t know what to expect really. He doesn’t expect a warm welcome, that’s for sure,” he said.

Coster-Waldau addressed why his character, Jaime, has mixed emotions during the encounter.

“He used to trust his brother. I think deep down he stills does, but even his brother betrayed him. He feels like he betrayed him because he killed his father,” Coster-Waldau said.

Coster-Waldau, 47, says that scenes like the one between Jaime and Tyrion have a distinct tension because of the connection the Lannister brothers share.

“For me, it’s always the intimate story, the character story, what links these people. And the bond between those two brothers is so strong,” Coster-Waldau said.

Dinklage says that his character still holds Jaime in high regard in his heart.

“It’s this really complicated thing. he’s really looking forward to seeing him. Because he still loves him,” Dinklage said.

The discord between Jaime and Tyrion is the result of their upbringing, according to Coster-Waldau.

“It’s at the very core of who they are as in they have been raised, they have lived in this bubble and the most important thing is your family. Even if you have fights within the family, you are loyal. For Tyrion to just jump ship and go straight to the enemy of all enemies,” he said.

Even though Jaime views Tyrion’s actions as a betrayal, the two still seem to have an underlying loyalty to each other.

“The loyalty to Jaime is still really strong. This show is a lot about loyalty and about how it manifests,” Dinklage said.