- "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
- ―Cersei to Eddard Stark.
Queen Cersei I Lannister (formal: Queen Cersei of the House Lannister, First of Her Name), known pre-coronation as Cersei Lannister, is a member of House Lannister, the former queen ofRobert Baratheon, queen mother of Joffrey Baratheon and briefly for Tommen Baratheon, dowager queen of Tommen Baratheon and, late in her life (in the show), Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Born as the only daughter of Tywin and Joanna Lannister, Cersei engaged in an incestuous relationship with her brother, Jaime, doing so in secrecy. Originally slated to marry Rhaegar Targaryen, she was rejected, but later married Robert Baratheon instead. Having his wine poisoned, Cersei hoped to gain control through manipulating her son Joffrey, but this proved impossible given his sadistic attitude. She tried the same with her son Tommen when he succeeded Joffrey, but her jealously of Margaery Tyrell ruined this. She was later imprisoned by theFaith Militant when they discovered her incest. In the show, she later destroyed them with wildfire, a decision that led Tommen to commit suicide, leaving Cersei as the sole heir to the throne. In the books, she has finished her walk of atonement, and awaits her trial.