WARNING! This post contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1, episode 5!Cersei may have been the worst Lannister in Game of Thrones, but Lord Jason Lannister is giving her a run for her money in House of the Dragon. Considering House of the Dragon is set 200 years before Game of Thrones, it’s not too surprising that the members of the Great Houses are so different in each show. Whereas Game of Thrones' House Lannister possesses the prestige, power, wealth, and intelligence they always desired, Jason Lannister proves the family was far more pompous and ignorant in House of the Dragon, with their only true strength being the gold in their mines.
House Lannister significantly differed from House Stark in Game of Thrones in regard to their likability, with every member of the Starks being a protagonist while the majority of the Lannisters were anti-heroes at best. Tyrion Lannister remains one of the greatest characters on TV, Jaime Lannister had one of the series’ greatest redemption arcs, and the ruthless Tywin Lannister knew how to play the game of thrones better than anyone in Westeros. As intelligent and powerful as Cersei was in Game of Thrones, she was also one of the most compellingly heinous villains of the original series. From blowing up a sept filled with innocents to being genuinely cruel to anyone outside of her children, Cersei Lannister took the cake for being an almost entirely irredeemable figure.
Jason Lannister hardly reflects the family from Casterly Rock in Game of Thrones, proving just how astonishing it was for Tywin to rebuild his family’s power to such a dominating level. Rather than the more high-stakes type of atrocious that is typically attributed to Game of Thrones’ antagonists, Jason is the “worst” in the sense that he’s someone who is way too easily found in real life. In a series highlighting the patriarchal values ingrained in Westerosi society, the rich Jason Lannister is the poster boy of a self-important misogynistic figure who has little going for him but his money and title – and he knows it. Nearly every word he says justifies an eye roll or mockery from the Targaryens, such as when he gives his congratulations to Viserys at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding in House of the Dragon episode 5. From entirely disregarding Rhaenyra in his congratulations to indirectly insulting her by making a joke about women taking a long time to get ready, Jason humorously continues to become more of a caricature with each piece of dialogue in House of the Dragon.
How Jason Lannister Is Different From Cersei (But Is Equally As Bad)
The twins Jason and Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) differ remarkably from Game of Thrones’ family members, with their lesser power also giving Jason a very different sense of being the "worst.” Whereas the pompous Jason Lannister warrants an eye-roll every time he speaks, the villainous Cersei Lannister was at least an incredibly well-written character whose actions were part of playing the game of thrones. Cersei herself would have sneered at Jason’s demeanor, whether it be his sexist comments about women running late, inability to warrant respect in a room, or frequent humiliation by the Princess.
Both Cersei and Jason Lannister are characters that are terribly hard to root for, but not for the same reasons. Cersei was a particularly evil character, but House of the Dragon's Jason Lannister is truly obnoxious as someone who is entirely undeserving of his vast wealth and power. Jason has none of the cunning mind and strategic ability of the Lannisters in Game of Thrones, making his arrogance all the more laughable in House of the Dragon. Ultimately, despite arguably being the most outwardly self-important, Jason is the only prominent Lannister in Game of Thrones’ shows to accomplish very little. Cersei sat on the Iron Throne, Jaime became Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, both Tywin and Tyrion were Hand of the King, and even Jason’s twin brother Tyland Lannister holds various offices on the small council. The Dance of the Dragons will certainly be the time when Jason must prove his worth outside of inherited goldmines.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.