The most powerful and feared man in all of Westeros, Tywin Lannister was the Hand of the King. He once led the Lannister armies against the Stark armies of the north and was awarded the title of “Savior of the City” after his victory against Stannis Baratheon at the Battle of the Blackwater. He was the patriarch of the Lannister house and was willing to do anything at all, moral or not, to preserve the proud family name. Tywin was killed by his son Tyrion.
Jaime, the eldest son of Tywin, is a knight of the Kingsguard. Unbeknownst to his father, Jaime carries on an incestuous relationship with his twin sister Cersei, the queen mother. After his slaying of King Aerys, the “Mad King”, he became known as the “Kingslayer”, much to his chagrin. He also pushed young Bran Stark, son of Eddard, out of a tower window after Bran had witnessed he and Cersei having sex. After the war begins between the Starks and the Lannisters, Jaime is captured in battle but later set free by Catelyn Stark in exchange for her daughters’, Arya and Sansa’s, safe return from King’s Landing. He vows to bring them back safe, the first honorable act he attempts in the story. Along the way, he loses his right sword hand. Afterward, he develops some respect for his escort, Brienne. After King Joffrey’s untimely death, he sides with his brother Tyrion against the false accusations that he killed young Joffrey and later helps him escape.
Cersei, twin brother of Jaime and daughter of Tywin, is the self-centered queen mother. She craves power and authority. She is cold-hearted and will go after anyone who disagrees with her.
Joffrey is the oldest son of Cersei and Jaime. He ascends to the Iron Throne after his thought-to-be father King Robert is killed. He takes after his mother in being very cruel and sadistic. He wrongly executes Eddard Stark for treason and, afterward, displays his head on a stick. During his wedding, he is poisoned and dies.
Tyrion is Cersei and Jaime’s dwarf brother and Joffrey’s uncle. He, along with his brother, are the only Lannisters to show any kind of remorse for the family’s cruel ways. Whoring and drinking are frequent things he does. He is viewed as an abomination by Tywin after Tyrion’s mother died giving birth to him. Tyrion was falsely accused of Joffrey’s death and convicted. But, as stated earlier, he escapes with Jaime’s help. After learning a horrible truth about his father, the dwarf kills his father and flees King’s Landing.
