Cersei Lannister is many things but a pushover isn’t one of them.
So why she gave Euron Greyjoy exactly what he wanted in the Game of Thrones Season Eight premiere is beyond me.
How does a strong independent woman who has survived the death of her three children, made it through a religious hazing and blown up whole buildings let a horny male get the better of her?
Lena Headey, who plays Cersei on the show, was just as dumbfounded at her character’s decision.
“I kept saying, ‘She wouldn’t, she wouldn’t,’ that she would keep fighting,” she said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“But [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] obviously know what they’re doing and were adamant Cersei would do what she had to do.”
The question here is why does Cersei feel like she HAS to do anything?
The obvious answer would be pressure: toxic masculinity is real and Euron most definitely pushes himself on to Cersei. On multiple occasions. The guy isn’t exactly subtle. Or polite, for that matter.
Euron talks a big talk.
But Cersei’s decision to sleep with Euron has nothing to do with him pressuring her. She’s pressuring herself.
Her internal dialogue is one constant strategy play: she’s constantly thinking and worrying about how to maintain the upper hand.
At this point in Game of Thrones, Cersei’s power stems primarily from her reputation. She is respected and feared because of things she has done in the past.
If she loses her reputation, she loses her power. If she shows any sign of weakness, she loses her power.
And being pregnant with your brothers child during a war when said brother is about to swear allegiance to your enemy is what I would call a weakness.
So Cersei decides to sleep with Euron to save her own arse.
Strategically, it makes perfect sense. Emotionally, it takes a toll on her.
Cersei’s decision takes a visible toll.
It’s a man’s world out there and female anxiety is real. We are our own worst enemies.
Our inner critic might be exhausting but it’s there for a reason- often it is the only thing which saves us from being swallowed whole.
“Cersei is such the ultimate survivor in all of this,” Lena told EW.
“She refuses to fall to her knees. She goes to the place where she doesn’t want to go.”