History Main / TheKingslayer

** Jaime Lannister's InSeriesNickname is "The Kingslayer". In the backstory, he killed the arguably evil, [[TheCaligula and unarguably mad]], King Aerys II Targaryen. In doing so, he ended a massive CivilWar and saved over half a million lives, as the Mad King had hatched a TakingYouWithMe plot that was intended to burn the entire capital city to the ground. That being said, he was also a member of the king's PraetorianGuard -- and, more importantly, only one other character (and the audience) have ever actually learned his motivations. As a result, he is reviled throughout Westeros as TheOathbreaker, OnceDoneNeverForgotten; plus, he's also a scion of the arriviste Lannister family that the rebels saw as "Johnny come latelies" who parlayed their opportunistic actions to grab royal favor. And, of course, he's engaging in {{Twincest}} and, when a child found out about it, he [[WouldHurtAChild threw that child out a window.]] In short, he is seen by many as a disagreeable KarmaHoudini who should at the very least be ReassignedToAntarctica rather than continue as bodyguard, and a big part of his CharacterArc is deciding to show the world -- not by self-serving excuses, but by word and deed -- that he is more than an opportunist.

** Jaime Lannister's InSeriesNickname is "The Kingslayer". In the backstory, he killed the arguably evil, [[TheCaligula and unarguably mad]], King Aerys II Targaryen. In doing so, he ended a massive CivilWar and saved over half a million lives, as the Mad King had hatched a TakingYouWithMe plot that was intended to burn the entire capitol city to the ground. That being said, he was also a member of the king's PraetorianGuard -- and, more importantly, only one other character (and the audience) have ever actually learned his motivations. As a result, he is reviled throughout Westeros as TheOathbreaker, OnceDoneNeverForgotten; plus, he's also a scion of the arriviste Lannister family that the rebels saw as "Johnny come latelies" who parlayed their opportunistic actions to grab royal favor. And, of course, he's engaging in {{Twincest}} and, when a child found out about it, he [[WouldHurtAChild threw that child out a window.]] In short, he is seen by many as a disagreeable KarmaHoudini who should at the very least be ReassignedToAntarctica rather than continue as bodyguard, and a big part of his CharacterArc is deciding to show the world -- not by self-serving excuses, but by word and deed -- that he is more than an opportunist.

The reason why killing a monarch has always been such a big deal is twofold: one aspect of it is that before the rise of nationalism, the monarch was the carrier of the state's sovereignty (afterwards, it was the people through the social contract). In simpler terms, [[UsefulNotes/LEtatCestMoi the monarch was their country]], so anyone attacking them automatically set themself against all the state institutions. Likewise, any revolution against the King was effectively de-legitimizing all the institutions (Church, Army, Titles) that had formerly depended on royal patronage, or which had legitimized royalty before. Kings who ruled by [[DivineRightOfKings Divine Right]] were likewise considered to be ruling with {{God}}'s approval--and anyone attacking an anointed monarch automatically infringed upon ''God's'' prerogative of deciding who is a suitable ruler and who should go. This is especially the case in nations like England and Russia where royalty was part of the Church hierarchy as a whole. However, there were some theoreticians who allowed {{Tyrannicide}}. Additionally, monarchs had very good reason to disapprove of regicide, even towards rival monarchs, since they obviously wanted to discourage any thoughts of disposing of monarchs in general.

* ''WesternAnimation/Nimona2023'': As the main trailer reveals, main character Ballister Boldheart has been framed for the murder of his nation’s queen. He seeks to catch the real killer and clear his name.

!!As a DeathTrope, spoilers will be unmarked on this page.

* ''Manga/VinlandSaga'': After King Sweyn forces Askeladd to choose between no longer aiding [[TheUnFavourite his son Canute]] or [[TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive having his ancestral homeland of Wales raided by the Danes]], Askeladd [[TakeAThirdOption picks a third option]]: [[OffWithHisHead decapitate Sweyn where he stands]].

* ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'''s manga makes it explicit than Ganondorf murdered princess Zelda's father when he took over Hyrule.

** A nameless Amelekite tells David that he has killed King Saul ([[DrivenToSuicide at Saul's own request, no less]]).[[labelnote: *]]It's ambiguous whether he actually did the deed or if he was embellishing the story: at the end of 1 Samuel we're told Saul fell on his own sword[[/labelnote]] Since Saul had been trying to kill David, the Amelekite clearly expects to be rewarded for this. Instead, David has him executed for daring to kill God's anointed king.

*** Baelor the Beloved could have been poisoned by his uncle Viserys II, who was the next King, but may have acted as he had been running the realm efficiently for years and Baelor's pious policies threatened this. However many people believe Baelor died from his excessive fasting.

** It takes a king, Isildur, to slay Sauron, the SorcerousOverlord of the dark forces in the backstory of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. However, Sauron's One Ring of Power acts as a SoulJar, keeping him kind-of-sort-of alive until Frodo Baggins goes on a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Ultimately, though, it's Gollum who destroys the Ring and Sauron--and he does it completely by accident.

* Galbatorix himself is one: Oromis mentions to Eragon that Galbatorix's first act upon defeating the Riders was to descend on the city of Illirea, capital of the Broddering Kingdom, depose and murder King Angrenost, then [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt claim Angrenost's crown and kingdom as the first part of his Empire]].

** Queen Cersei Lannister is the mastermind behind the death of her husband, King Robert Baratheon by letting her cousin, Lancel, gave more potent drink to Robert, which got him killed by a boar during their hunting trip. Later on, Lancel wasn't proud for what he had done and took a FaithHeelTurn which got Cersei exposed for adultery and murder by the ChurchMilitant.

*** When Aegon and his sisters conquered Westeros, they also killed the kings who ruled over the Reach (Mern IX Gardener), the Iron Islands and the Riverlands (Harren Hoare), and the Stormlands (Argilac Durrandon). Houses Arryn, Lannister, and Stark, who ruled the Vale, the Westerlands, and the North, respectively, chose to bend the knee, and as a result they were spared and allowed to rule as vassals in Aegon's new realm, the Seven Kingdoms.

** There have been numerous historical examples, such as Aegon II, who was poisoned as Cregan Stark approached the city towards the end of the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Even though Cregan was fighting against Aegon II, he still felt a King's murder should be punished. He arrested many of those present, sending most of them to the Wall, executing those who refused to take the Black, but pardoning Corlys Velaryon under political pressure. Who poisoned Aegon is still unclear though.
** Baelor the Beloved could have been poisoned by his uncle Viserys II, who was the next King, but may have acted as he had been running the realm efficiently for years and Baelor's pious policies threatened this. However many people believe Baelor died from his excessive fasting. Ironically Viserys died the following year, possibly poisoned by his son Aegon IV "The Unworthy".

* On ''Series/{{Forever}}'' one VictimOfTheWeek turns out to be a king-in-exile. He was only a child when he was deposed over 50 years ago and was forced to flee to the United States. Dying of cancer, he decided to apply for permission to return to his home country so he could die and be buried there. The day he makes his wish public, he is murdered. Henry tries to determine if the man was murdered because he was a king or because of more prosaic reasons.

* ''Literature/TheSagaOfTheJomsvikings'': Palnatóki, foster-father the young Svein Forkbeard, instructs his foster-son to raise a rebellion against his own father Harald Gormsson, King of Denmark. In the night after the first battle, Palnatóki sneaks near Harald's camp and assassinates him with a well-aimed arrow. With Harald dead, his troops submit to Svein, and Svein is made king. As king, Svein hosts a remembrance feast for his father at which he presents the arrow which killed Harald and interrogates all guests what they know about Harald's murder. Palnatóki bluntly admits that he killed Harald, upon which Svein at once (even though he owes his kingship to him) wants him killed. Palnatoki and his men can escape from the hall, but go into exile and never return to Denmark.

* In ''Literature/TwentyYearsAfter'', Milady de Winter's son Mordaunt becomes involved in the English Civil War and commits regicide, executing King Charles I, in spite of the efforts of d'Artagnan and the three former musketeers to prevent it.

* ''Film/TheReturnOfTheMusketeers'' is a loose adaptation of ''Literature/TwentYearsAfter'' (see above). King Charles I of England is to be executed, so Queen Anne of Austria sends d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Raoul to rescue him. They attempt a rescue by knocking out the executioner, but Justine de Winter takes his place and beheads Charles.

* The end of ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'' sees UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler get gunned down by Ulmer and the Bear Jew.

A character, for one reason or another, assassinates the King, the Emperor, the President, that one powerful guy whose position has massive mystique and glamor and charisma attached to it, no matter how badly they chose to use it. Usually the one to kill him is of the PraetorianGuard or someone equally close and trusted. However, it doesn't need to be a betrayal: it could perfectly well be an absolutely lawful execution after a fair trial. It won't matter to the people. He or she has ''slain'' a ''King''.

The reason why killing a monarch has always been such a big deal is twofold: one aspect of it is that before the rise of nationalism, the monarch was the carrier of the state's sovereignty (afterwards, it was the people through the social contract). In simpler terms, [[UsefulNotes/LEtatCestMoi the king was his country]], so anyone attacking him automatically set himself against all the state institutions. Likewise, any revolution against the King was effectively de-legitimizing all the institutions (Church, Army, Titles) that had formerly depended on royal patronage, or which had legitimized royalty before. Kings who ruled by [[DivineRightOfKings Divine Right]] were likewise considered to be ruling with {{God}}'s approval--and anyone attacking an anointed king automatically infringed upon ''God's'' prerogative of deciding who is a suitable king and who should go. This is especially the case in nations like England and Russia where the Kings were part of the Church hierarchy as a whole. However, there were some theoreticians who allowed {{Tyrannicide}}. Additionally, monarchs had very good reason to disapprove of regicide, even towards rival monarchs, since they obviously wanted to discourage any thoughts of disposing of monarchs in general.

Expect them to [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten never be allowed to forget it]], and carry this moniker or a variation thereof for all their lives, if they don't get ''executed'' for it. In some instances this is an attempt to get a KlingonPromotion, possibly involving TheCoup. May overlap with HeroKiller. Someone aiming to KillTheGod is not satisfied with mere mortal monarchs, though the tropes may overlap if they target divine monarchs. This trope also usually doesn't apply to killing a King in battle. In this situation, the character is not the Kingslayer, but rather TheUsurper (if he gets HistoricalVillainUpgrade) and TheConqueror (if he gets HistoricalHeroUpgrade). This is because there is a sense that defeat in battle and in combat is considered "fair play" as opposed to killing a King by assassination, or even by trial and legal execution.