Much has already been written about Sunday’s controversial episode of Game of Thrones. The episode itself was actually rather dull—a lot of exposition and little action—but one particular scene has already garnered thousands of keystrokes, hundreds of outraged tweets, and dozens of confused attempts at rationalization. Viewers will no doubt know exactly what scene I mean.

In the Great Sept, next to the dead body of their first born son, Jaime Lannister rapes his sister, the mother of his three children.

Immediately after this scene aired, fans were at their keyboards crying foul. Jaime Lannister would never! That’s not how it happened in the book! How could they?

I had waited anxiously for that scene. In the books, it was the first time Jaime and Cersei were reunited since he went off to war. It was an emotional, passionate, and bloody (period sex, fuck yeah) reunion. I assumed it wouldn’t happen since Jaime returned early on the show’s timeline and their reunion was less than enthusiastic. I was wary when they revealed that Jaime has been back for two weeks on the show’s timeline and they still hadn’t had sex. In the books, they were fucking within a matter of minutes.

“Hurry,” she was whispering now, “quickly, quickly, now, do it now, do me now. JaimeJaime Jaime.” Her hands helped guide him.“Yes,” Cersei said as he thrust, “my brother, sweet brother, yes, like that, yes, I have you, you’re home now, you’re home now, you’re home.” She kissed his ear and stroked his short bristly hair. Jaime lost himself in her flesh. He could feel Cersei’s heart beating in time with his own, and the wetness of blood and seed where they were joined.
Imagine my surprise when Jaime shows up to visit Cersei in the Sept then. Excitement stole through me. They were going to be true to the story after all. This would be their reconciliation, their grief would bring them