“Highgarden bought us the most powerful army in Essos, the Golden Company — 20,000 men, horses, elephants, I believe."
Those were the words uttered by a boastful Cersei Lannister to her brother and lover, Jaime, that made him realise she was too far gone and he couldn't take it anymore and left to fight for the living in Winterfell.
So imagine Cersei's shock and disappointment when the Golden Company's leader, Harry Strickland arrived with Euron Greyjoy and there were no elephants?
“I was told the Golden Company had elephants," she said. It clearly was a major problem for her because even after sleeping with Euron, she mentioned how disappointed she is, telling him: "I wanted those elephants."
undefinedThe Golden Company is a famous group mercenaries. Skilled fighters, they are sell-swords and fight for the highest bidder.
This is important to know because most of the men fighting the Westerosi wars are just simple farmers and fishers. Family men. Even the Dothraki mention this in the seventh season, on how Westerosi men cannot fight.
So it would make sense for Cersei to get the best fighters that money can buy. Like the Unsullied, they are purely there to fight for whomever their master is at that moment.
They are skilled fighters, great horsemen and they are also known for their use of elephants when fighting.
Queen of Elephants
Do we blame Cersei for being upset at there being no elephants at her disposal? Beyond that she was promised, but Daenerys has dragons (as does the Night King), so she also wants a massive aninmal to help her fight whoever wins the Battle of Winterfell, when they eventually come to King's Landing.
And she might have a point.
Elephants are beasts and when trained for battle, can do massive damage to their enemies. Cersei wants that.
The Night King has undead giants, the perfect match for the elephants.
We saw how Mance Rayder, the dead King of the Wildings, used mammoths in the wildlings battle against the Night's Watch in the fourh season. They did considerable damage and I'm certain word got back to Cersei of how effective they are in battle.
But since she doesn't have any, she should make peace with the 20 000 strong men she purchased with the gold she looted from High Garden.
It's time Cersei learnt that you truly cannot have it all.
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