Lena Headey delivered one of the finest performances on the small screen with her portrayal of Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. The diabolical queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei is arguably the show's main villain, a wicked, selfish, and narrow-minded woman without any boundaries or remorse. Cersei kills anyone in her way, becoming increasingly more numb as the show progresses.
Although Cersei was outright vicious and cruel, her savage and unforgiving quotes were also quite entertaining. Indeed, watching her deliver spiteful verbal takedowns was one of the best parts of the show, especially when they were delivered to characters who were more despicable. These are Cersei Lannister's best quotes, which effortlessly prove her cruelty while still being memorable and even occasionally witty.
Game Of Thrones
TV-MAAdventureDramaFantasyActionNine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
Release Date April 17, 2011 Creator David Benioff, D.B. Weiss Cast Peter Dinklage , Lena Headey , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Emilia Clarke , Kit Harington , Sophie Turner , Maisie Williams Main Genre Drama Seasons 810 "Nobody cares what your father once told you."
"Second Sons" - Season 3, Episode 8
In season 3, Tywin tells Cersei she must marry Loras to further secure the alliance with House Tyrell. Although she refuses, Tywin's will is stronger and seemingly overpowers her. Resigned to his fate, Loras approaches her and tries to give some words of wisdom, which she immediately shuts down.
The quote is not only biting but utterly hilarious. Headey's delivery is a large reason why the line works, with the actress sounding tired and uninterested in anything poor Loras has to say. His humiliated expression as she walks away from him is quite funny, but it's especially humorous considering his father is the oafish Mace Tyrell; thus, nothing that came from him could've been interesting, let alone useful.
9 "If you ever call me sister again, I'll have you strangled in your sleep."
"Second Sons" - Season 3, Episode 8
Loras' sister, Margaery, was Cersei's best rival in King's Landing. Unlike Sansa, whom she could easily dominate, Cercei could never defeat Margaery. Indeed, Margaery was just as cunning but far more clever, choosing instead to manipulate with kindness and easily becoming one of Game of Thrones' best female characters.
Cersei and Margaery had several verbal sparrings, each trying to one-up the other. However, the best has to be the one they share in the Great Sept of Baelor, where Margery makes the mistake of trying to act kind toward Cersei. Keeping true to her character, the lioness retells the tale of the Reynes of Castamere, whom her father obliterated, before retorting with this menacing quote. It's one of the few times where Margaery is left speechless, as Cersei's matter-of-fact tone lets her know this is no empty threat.
8 "The gods have no mercy; that's why they're gods."
"Blackwater" - Season 2, Episode 9
Cersei's interactions with Sansa Stark are among the highlights of season 2. Along with the other ladies of the court, the two take refuge in Maegor's Holdfast during the pivotal Battle of the Blackwater. As Cersei drinks more and more wine, she becomes increasingly cynical and shameless, delivering several wicked pearls of wisdom to the shocked Sansa.
When Sansa reveals she is praying "for the gods to have mercy on us," Cersei fires back with this brutally honest quote. The line is a perfect encapsulation of Cersei's cynical nature but also a much-welcome dose of reality to the still-innocent Sansa. In a world as brutal as Westeros, where only the strongest and most ruthless survive, it's logical that people believe not a forgiving, loving god but a brutal and merciless one. Cersei doesn't deny the existence of the gods—she just doesn't like them very much.
7 "I will burn our house to the ground before I let that happen."
"The Children" - Season 4, Episode 10
The powerful House Lannister is at the peak of influence in Westerosi society. Led by the infallible Tywin Lannister, the Lions of the Rock are a force to be reckoned with, always paying their debts and never letting anyone forget their reach.
Cersei speaks this line as she threatens Tywin over the future of her son, Tommen. Cersei's rabid love for her children is her main driving force, even if it's also the main source of their pain. However, even Tywin won't deny that his daughter is indeed capable of burning the Lannisters to the ground, both figuratively and literally. As Cersei declares she'll reveal the true nature of her incestuous relationship with Tywin, there's a glimmer of fear in his otherwise stoic face. It's the first and only time anyone gets the last word over Tywin—the fact it was his own daughter just makes it even more shocking.
6 "Everywhere in the world, they hurt little girls."
"The First of His Name" - Season 4, Episode 5
Westeros and Essos are cruel, outright savage places where lawlessness rules; everyone knows it, and those who don't discover it quite quickly. Despite her power and influence, Cersei knows how things work, having seen for herself the great injustices of the world, many of which she commits herself.
During a conversation about her daughter, Myrcella, currently living in Dorne, Oberyn tries to reassure Cersei by telling her, "(they) don't hurt little girls in Dorne." A defeated Cersei replies with this sobering quote, a reminder of the great pain women endure in this brutal world. Indeed, Cersei herself has been treated as little more than a bargaining chip by her father and former husband, and she knows that even princesses can suffer at the hands of evil men. The quote seems to have a great effect on Oberyn, a father of eight girls and brother of a brutally killed sister.
5 "Power is power."
"The North Remembers" - Season 2, Episode 1
Poor Littlefinger. Despite all his influence and secrets, he was no match for a Lannister lioness. When the ambitious and overachieving man tries to subtly hint at Cersei's incestuous relationship with Jaime, he is met with a Lannister dagger to his throat. Cersei toys with his life, unsubtly revealing she can have him killed on a whim, and no one would even bat an eye.
Talking back to someone as volatile as Cersei is a rare miscalculation on Littlefinger's part, leading to a humbling moment where he remembers his place on the ladder of power. Not even his many secrets can protect him from a sharp blade, especially if a Lannister is wielding it. Littlefinger is among the best villains on Game of Thrones, but he is brilliantly outplayed by Cersei here, who ends his entire career with three stone-cold words. Power might be a shadow, but Cersei cast a very large one.
4 "Everyone who isn't us is an enemy."
"Lord Snow" - Season 1, Episode 3
Cersei is a brilliant and fascinating villain, but even her most ardent fans must admit she was ridiculously short-sighted. The game's best players understood the value of alliances, realizing that no one could win standing on their own. Tywin knew this better than anyone, but he could never impart this wisdom to his eldest children.
Indeed, Cersei's lack of political intelligence led to her downfall and that of her children. This vicious quote is the perfect example; it's striking and terrifying but also further proof of her narrow-minded views. By alienating herself from everyone, Cersei created an everyone-against-me situation that she ultimately lost. This quote is a great way to understand her psyche and a wonderful verbalization of her villainy. Ironically, it's also the easiest way to understand her shortcomings as a mother and queen.
3 "I choose violence."
"No One" - Season 6, Episode 8
If there's a single line that explains Cersei Lannister's character, it's this one. Following her degrading walk of shame, Cersei is confined to the Red Keep awaiting trial. When the High Sparrow's minions arrive, demanding her presence before him, Cersei refuses and sends her zombified bodyguard, The Mountain, to teach them a lesson they won't forget.
The scene is a bloody display of violence that proves just how far gone Cersei is. She emerged from the walk of atonement a changed woman, having lost all ounce of humanity she still harbored within; now, violence was the only option. Heady's delivery of this now-iconic quote is chilling, savoring each word and barely hiding her delight at seeing The Mountain crush her enemies. It's stellar acting on her part and the earliest confirmation that Cersei was indeed the show's ultimate villain.
2 "Your gods have forsaken you. This is your god know."
"The Winds of Winter" - Season 6, Episode 10
Yes, Cersei was diabolical, evil incarnate. However, it was also incredibly satisfying to see her take down a group of religious fanatics who were arguably worse than her—up to that point, anyway. After blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor, practically killing all her remaining enemies, Cersei walks down to the dungeons, where she's saving the worst punishment for a very particular foe.
Septa Unella tortured Cersei during her imprisonment. In her words, Unella beat, starved, frightened, and humiliated her, grave offenses Cersei could absolutely not condone. Thankfully, Cersei's punishment for Unella is not seen, but this ominous quote is enough to make fans imagine a thousand different deaths for the Septa. This line is both a mockery of Unella's faith and a blood-curdling reminder of the extent of Cersei's cruelty. And while it's somewhat cathartic to see Cersei get her revenge, it's also utterly terrifying to realize there's no one left to oppose her—not even the gods themselves.
1 "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
"You Win or You Die" - Season 1, Episode 7 (2011)
Cersei's ominous warning to Ned Stark is possibly the best quote in all of Game of Thrones. During their pivotal conversation regarding the truth of Cersei's children, Ned tries to be honorable and warn her before Robert arrives. However, poor Ned doesn't realize Cersei doesn't play by the rules, largely because she understands the nature of the game they're playing.
This quote is pretty much the perfect summarization of what Game of Thrones is all about. Within these seventeen words hides the show's very essence, everything every major character fights for over the next seven years. Having grown surrounded by schemers, secrets, and lies, Cersei knows that once you start playing this game, there's no exit, no salvation, and quite possibly no absolution. Beware before playing.
All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are available to stream on Max.
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