25 reasons we love Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones

Good advice (ish)

There are times where Cersei can actually deliver good advice to her children. In particular, she’s better with Joffrey, because things have not gotten so terrible for her just yet. She still has all three of her kids, Robert’s dead, and Jaime still has both hands.

Case in point: this scene. Young Joffrey is furious and ready to go after the North full-force. However, his mother sits and starts asking pointed questions that make a lot of sense. The North would not stay at peace under the rule of a Kevan Lannister or someone else who’s loyal to the throne first and foremost. It doesn’t even do so well under a Bolton, though that’s several years ahead at this point. Additionally, running in with a big army would not send a great message to the northerners he would then have to govern.

Now, “everyone who isn’t us is an enemy” might also sound like bad advice. However, take a step back and think of it in terms of, say, influence. Everyone has an agenda — even Cersei. It just so happens that Cersei’s agenda includes making Joffrey believe her agenda is “help Joffrey.” (She has multiple items on the agenda. Joffrey is just a priority at that point.)

Of course, when you’re a Lannister, even people who are in the family count as enemies as one point or another.