Game of Thrones: Cersei's Plan Explained

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the Season 7 finale of Game of Thrones! Continue reading at your own risk...

The season 7 finale of Game of Thrones contains a seemingly endless number of massive revelations. One such moment was when Queen Cersei Lannister revealed her devious plan moving forward.

As the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei was faced with the decision to join forces with Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow or risk war against their superior armies. During a meeting held in the Dragonpit, Cersei tells the Mother of Dragons and the King in the North that she will send her army to fight alongside them in the looming war with the army of the dead.

Jon, Dany, and their allies leave King's Landing operating under the impression that Cersei is going to stay true to her word. However, fans soon learn that this is not the case. Cersei explains her plan to her twin brother, Jaime, and it is arguably Cersei's most devious scheme she's ever concocted throughout the series.

While Jon and Dany are heading north to fight the Night King and his army, Cersei plans to reclaim lands that had been taken from her and to rekindle relationships with past allies. Even though she was visibly terrified by the wight from beyond the Wall that came barreling towards her during the meeting in the Dragonpit, Cersei is primarily hoping to sit out the Great War in an effort to prolong her reign.

As Cersei keeps what is left of her army in King's Landing, she is working to expand her armies. During the meeting, Cersei's ally, Euron Greyjoy, took off after seeing the wight. Euron told the group that he was going to sail to the Iron Islands and avoid the war altogether, but he was actually being sent on a secret mission to Essos.

Euron is heading across the Narrow Sea to ferry the Golden Company mercenaries back to Westeros. The Golden Company consists of 20,000 warriors, with elephants, and will be instrumental in whichever war Cersei faces, whether it be against Jon Snow/Dany or against the dead army.

What Cersei likely did not count on was the fact that her commanding soldier and brother, Jaime, was unwilling to stand behind her in this double cross. Learn how Jaime leaving Cersei impacts Season 8 here.