Sorry, But That Scene With Brienne and Jaime on Game of Thrones Was B.S.

This post contains spoilers for the final season of Game of Thrones. Consider yourself warned.

During the Battle of Winterfell, the women of Game of Thrones kicked some serious butt. Of course, Arya Stark landed the final, fatal blow against the Night King, but everyone from Daenerys to Sansa had moments too. I dare say, nobody fought harder than my girl, Brienne of Tarth, who is arguably the most honorable and loyal character on this show.

Over the seasons Brienne has exhibited her tremendous skills as a fighter. She's also a fierce protector of the Stark children and a true friend to Jaime Lannister—a man with many flaws that include a longtime affair with his own sister and pushing a young Bran Stark out of a window. Brienne was rewarded for her bravery in the second episode of the season when she was knighted by Jaime, and it was incredibly touching to watch. But she took a turn last night that I—and many others—found out of character.

Last night's episode picked up after the big Battle of Winterfell, with many of the characters celebrating their victory with much merriment and even more booze. And because this is Game of Thrones, the sexual tension was palpable in those scenes—including the bubbling emotions between Jamie and Brienne, who finally consummated their relationship after some of the other men teased her about being a virgin during a drinking game.

Some will call it fan service, but I was here for it. Frankly, I think we should have gotten a little more of the action onscreen. It's not like this show has ever shied away from sex, and this was actually consensual—something many of the encounters on GoT are decidedly not.

What I take issue with, though, was Brienne's response once Jaime decides to return to Cersei. Suddenly, this stoic warrior of a woman was sobbing and begging for her new lover to "stay with me" in a way that felt entirely out of character to me. That's not to say that Brienne shouldn't or can't have emotions, but this response felt surprising for a woman we've come to know quite well over the years. There are other ways to allow her to be a complex woman with real feelings without making her a hysterical mess. Perhaps more women in the writers' room might have helped?

I was not alone in this opinion, as many fans took to social media to express their thoughts:

Even so, others felt that Ser Brienne would truly be emotional over the loss—and they make some good points. "I reject the perception that this isn’t consistent with Brienne’s character," one fan wrote on Twitter. "Jamie just made her a knight, took her virginity, and fought along side her against zombies. Damn, let my dawg be in her feelings." Some think Jaime only hurt Brienne so she wouldn't follow him and that he actually plans to kill Cersei. That's an interesting theory, but it doesn't negate her reaction.

Wherever you land in the debate, the fact that people feel so passionately one way or the other proves Brienne of Tarth is one of the most beloved (and multi-dimensional) characters on Game of Thrones. I think we can all agree that we hope she makes it until this end of this wild ride—with Jaime Lannister or without him.

Abby Gardner is a contributing writer at Glamour. You can follow her pop culture musings on Twitter @abbygardner or in her weekly newsletter, We Have Notes.