Over the years, though, Cersei’s proven that she’s not just a hissing demon, here to ruin life for the Starks. She’s just a woman doing what it takes to survive in this blasted world. She continues to demonstrate that there are reasons — good reasons — behind her vitriolic madness. Dare I say she’s grab-a-beer-worthy? Even in the first season, when she’s perhaps at her most villainous, she’s not entirely unsympathetic. When Ned Stark captures Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and attacks Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), he seems like a hero. (He’s Mr. Moral Code Ned Stark, blah, blah, blah.) But he still captured an innocent man, and put out his pitchforks for another who was just following orders. Cersei, on the other hand, wants Ned to pay for what he’s done — for what he’s done to her family., “I should wear the armor. And you the gown.” For which, she is promptly slapped. Cersei’s had it rough.