We have always been told that Lady Joanna Lannister died giving birth to Tyrion, but then there is this dream sequence. (Obviously this is a fan theory, so spoilers everything ASOIAF)
That night he dreamt that he was back in the Great Sept of Baelor, still standing vigil over his father’s corpse. The sept was still and dark, until a woman emerged from the shadows and walked slowly to the bier. “Sister?” he said. But it was not Cersei. She was all in grey, a silent sister. A hood and veil concealed her features, but he could see the candles burning in the green pools of her eyes. “Sister,” he said, “what would you have of me?” His last word echoed up and down the sept, mememememememememememe. “I am not your sister, Jaime.” She raised a pale soft hand and pushed her hood back. “Have you forgotten me?” Can I forget someone I never knew? The words caught in his throat. He did know her, but it had been so long . . . “Will you forget your own lord father too? I wonder if you ever knew him, truly.” Her eyes were green, her hair spun gold. He could not tell how old she was. Fifteen, he thought, or fifty. She climbed the steps to stand above the bier. “He could never abide being laughed at. That was the thing he hated most.” “Who are you?” He had to hear her say it. “The question is, who are you?” “This is a dream.” “Is it?” She smiled sadly. “Count your hands, child.” One. One hand, clasped tight around the sword hilt. Only one. “In my dreams I always have two hands.” He raised his right arm and stared uncomprehending at the ugliness of his stump. “We all dream of things we cannot have. Tywin dreamed that his son would be a great knight, that his daughter would be a queen. He dreamed they would be so strong and brave and beautiful that no one would ever laugh at them.” “I am a knight,” he told her, “and Cersei is a queen.” A tear rolled down her cheek. The woman raised her hood again and turned her back on him. Jaime called after her, but already she was moving away, her skirt whispering lullabies as it brushed across the floor. Don’t leave me, he wanted to call, but of course she’d left them long ago.-AFFC Jaime VIII
Now, I don’t think that there is anything strange about Jaime dreaming of his mother. Or at least I wouldn’t If it weren’t for the fact that she goes out of her way to point out his lack of a hand.
This particular dream sequence takes place a while after Jaime’s funeral vigil.
At that particular time, Jaime was so exhausted and sleep deprived that any conversations he had might not completely register with his brain. Though I must admit that the likelihood of hallucinations was also increased. The fact that, rather than seeing Jaime hallucinate his mother’s presence at his father’s bier, which would not have been out of place, we see him dream about that day after some time has passed. That is suspicious to me. Converting a memory into a dream that takes place much later could be a way to disguise a scene that would have given too much away. The reappearance of reportedly dead characters is also very common throughout a Song of Ice and Fire. Joanna Lannister being alive could very well be possible, all things considered.
Of course, if she really is alive and well, the real question would be: What is the narrative purpose of Joanna Lannister in the story? These books are already quite long, so why waste pages on a character that does not add something vital?
1. The false myth of the great Tywin Lannister
The first option that I can think of would be the continued unraveling of Tywin Lannister’s myth, as that man valued his reputation and that of his house more than anything. That he died with a whore in his bed certainly means that Cersei’s belief in her father’s love and devotion to her long dead mother must be questioned.
Of course, the obvious proof of Tywin and Joanna’s less than happy marriage has been here all along.
His father’s mouth grew hard. “Your brother’s birthright?” “The knights of the Kingsguard are forbidden to marry, to father children, and to hold land, you know that as well as I. The day Jaime put on that white cloak, he gave up his claim to Casterly Rock, but never once have you acknowledged it. It’s past time. I want you to stand up before the realm and proclaim that I am your son and your lawful heir.” Lord Tywin’s eyes were a pale green flecked with gold, as luminous as they were merciless. “Casterly Rock,” he declared in a flat cold dead tone. And then, “Never.” -A Storm of Swords Tyrion I
Tywin’s persistent refusal to consider Tyrion as his heir (or son) must be noted. It does not matter whether this rejection is motivated by a willful denial of a child he considers his greatest humiliation or by his sincere belief that Tyrion is not his son.
Either way, every time he rejects Tyrion, he automatically questions Joanna’s fidelity. We don’t know when he came to this conclusion, or whether there is any truth to it, but it certainly means that things turned sour in their marriage. Was he so unable to accept Tyrion as his son that he forsook his wife? Was their marriage ever a love match?
Remember, Tywin’s father Tytos was still alive when he wedded Joanna and legally, he could have been the one to arrange his son’s marriage, as he did for his daughter Genna. Which automatically invalidates the following statement.
The scurrilous rumor that Joanna Lannister gave up her maidenhead to Prince Aerys the night of his father’s coronation and enjoyed a brief reign as his paramour after he ascended the Iron Throne can safely be discounted. As Pycelle insists in his letters, Tywin Lannister would scarce have taken his cousin to wife if that had been true, “for he was ever a proud man and not one accustomed to feasting upon another man’s leavings.” –A world of Ice and Fire Aerys II
There is some indication that Tywin was happy in his marriage, but of course this does not tell us anything about Joanna’s feelings. And any statement of Maester Pycelle, Tywins’ most devoted fan, should be regarded with some skepticism.
“Only Lady Joanna truly knows the man beneath the armor,” Grand Maester Pycelle wrote the Citadel, “and all his smiles belong to her and her alone. I do avow that I have even observed her make him laugh, not once, but upon three separate occasions!” -A world of Ice and Fire Aerys II
As Queen Rhaella exiled Joanna from court not long after her marriage to Tywin their marriage would have been a long-distance relationship, as Tywin’s duties would have kept him in King’s Landing for most of the year. This probably would not help their marriage.
“Jaime,” she said, tugging on his ear, “sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna’s breast. You smile like Gerion and fight like Tyg, and there’s some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak . . . but Tyrion is Tywin’s son, not you. I said so once to your father’s face, and he would not speak to me for half a year. -AFFC Jaime V
If Tywin and Tyrion are truly so much alike, regardless of the degree of their relatedness, it could mean that they react to a betrayal similarly. Ask Shae what that means. Tywin’s fear of kinslaying (Joanna was still his cousin) could have been enough to save her life, in this scenario, but every other form of abuse would still be an option. Lord Tywin is not known to be gentle or forgiving and the more he truly loved her, the worse his reaction.
A divorce would have brought too much shame to House Lannister. Tywin would not choose this option. And Joanna would not have this choice. This means either Joanna left, fearing Tywin’s anger, (though it would not be easy for a woman to flee so shortly after childbirth) or he quietly exiled her from their home, possibly by sending her to the silent sisters, as he has done with other inconvenient women. There is also the suspicious timing of House Martell’s visit.
A queer time to come visiting. His mother had died giving him birth, so the Martells would have found the Rock deep in mourning. His father especially. Lord Tywin seldom spoke of his wife, but Tyrion had heard his uncles talk of the love between them. In those days, his father had been Aerys’s Hand, and many people said that Lord Tywin Lannister ruled the Seven Kingdoms, but Lady Joanna ruled Lord Tywin. “He was not the same man after she died, Imp,” his Uncle Gery told him once. “The best part of him died with her.” -A Storm of Swords Tyrion V
Did Lady Joanna request assistance from her old friend, the princess of Dorne. Was the timing of her pregnancy suspicious enough to endanger her? Joanna visited Kings Landing (and therefore Aerys) at some point in the year before Tyrion is born, that much is known. But Tywin was there as well. Did Aerys drunken remarks finally trigger Tywin to the point that he no longer trusted his wife (and made her life hell)?
Even if the Martells arrived too late to meet Joanna, this could still be a hint that she may have reached out to others or made preparations to leave. Joanna would have ruled the household at Casterly Rock during her husband’s long absences. Surely there would have been someone among her servants and relatives who would have been willing to assist her. All of this requires her to be somewhat prepared, though. Still, if she truly knew the man under the armor, she would have known his wrath too.
While all of this is largely speculation, Joanna’ survival undermines Tywin’s reputation in any case.
2. A+J=J+C
While the revelation of Joanna’s survival could have a profound effect on Jaime, it is unlikely to change his course in any way or have any particular effect on his personal arc. There is another theory, though, that would affect his sense of identity. The often-discussed A+J= J+C.
If the world of Ice and Fire is any indication, rumors about an affair between Joanna and Aerys must have been far spread. Otherwise Yandel, the Lannister lickspittle author of A World of Ice and Fire would not mention them at all. He only does so in a futile attempt to dismiss them.
Ironically, Jaime and his siblings may be the only ones who haven’t heart them, for the same reason that the Stark children have not heard about Ashara Dayne. Few people would want to tell their bosses children unsavory rumors about their parents.
Theories that involve the parentage of this character or that, are difficult to prove or disprove, as there usually aren’t many witnesses. In the absence of paternity test kits, Joanna Lannister would probably be the only truly reliable source of information when it comes to the parentage of Jaime, Cersei…and also Tyrion. So, if any of these theories are meant to be true, she needs to be alive in order to prove them.
3. Trouble with the faith militant uprising
The third option involves Joanna’s apparent position as member of the faith (or as someone who is pretending to be one). Cersei is not on good terms with the current High septon. Should Jaime return to Kings Landing, he’ll be drawn into the conflict. If either of them had access to knowledge or assistance from an insider, it might help them at a crucial time. It is unlikely that Joanna Lannister is currently close to the High Sparrow and his militant and radicalized followers, though.
4. Another valonqar…
There is another potential consequence of Joanna Lannister’s continued survival: She could have had more children. And thus, there would be more potential valonqars, for Cersei. It has already been discussed that the Valyrian language knows no gender, thus any new half-brother or half-sister would do.
The same for Inkpots, whose true name appeared to be Tybero Istarion. “Tybero?” said Tyrion. “That sounds almost Lannister. Are you some long-lost cousin?” –ADWD Tyrion XII
Tyrion seems to think that any name beginning with Ty- could be a Lannister name. While he is likely just joking around, it should be noted that most occurrences of such names are indeed within house Lannister, or among the admirers and lickspittles of this house. While I don’t think it that strange for a foreigner such as Tybero to have such a name, Tyene Sand is another matter.
And what of me?” asked Tyene. “Your mother was a septa. Oberyn once told me that she read to you in the cradle from the Seven-Pointed Star. I want you in King’s Landing too, but on the other hill. The Swords and the Stars have been re-formed, and this new High Septon is not the puppet that the others were.-ADWD The Watcher
Tyene Sand was born approximately three or four years after Tyrion Lannister. Her mother has been described as a Septa and not as a silent sister, but this distinction means little. The people of Westeros have no means to identify a traveling stranger, and any woman that dresses and prays like a Septa would be treated as such by the locals. Attending Tywin Lannisters funeral in Kings Landing would bring Lady Joanna (if it is her) close to many past acquaintances, thus the added layer of anonymity that comes with a silent sister’s veil would be necessary. She would need to permanently disguise her identity anyway.
Why would Joanna Lannister have any children with Oberyn Martell? (We don’t really need to explore Oberyn’s motivations in this scenario, or do we?) Who knows. Oberyn’s mother has been noted to be a close friend to Joanna, so they might have been in contact. And he can be very charming…
Tyene was raised by her father, though, and is currently headed towards King’s Landing pretending to be a member of the faith. Meanwhile, Cersei is constantly surrounded by Septas and novices, none of whom she knows well. Of all the many potential Valonqar candidates Tyene is the only one who combines the murderous intent towards Cersei (and her kids) with the necessary skills and the easy access. Moreover, Tyene’s preference for poisons means she is familiar with the tears of Lys…
“And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.” – AFFC Cersei VIII
Of course, Tyene’s Septa mother could simply originate from a lesser branch of house Lannister, but what would that add to the story?