Achilles vs. Jaime Lannister: Why I Give the Edge to Achilles

Achilles versus Jaime Lannister: who wins? These are two of the greatest swordsmen in their respective universes, and I think this would be an incredible fight. But for as good as Jaime is, I've got to give the edge to Achilles. It comes down to how ridiculously fast and skilled he is.

Jaime comes from Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011), and Achilles from Troy (2004).

Jaime Lannister was considered maybe the greatest swordsman in Westeros

Jaime Lannister is no joke. Before losing his hand, he was considered maybe the greatest swordsman in Westeros. He became a member of the Kingsguard when he was 15 years old, and he spent practically his entire life training and fighting.

During the Battle of the Whispering Wood, Jaime tries to fight his way through Robb Stark's army to kill Robb himself. He comes close, too, going up against several of Robb's personal guards before he finally gets overwhelmed.

Then there's his fight against Brienne of Tarth. Even after spending months as a prisoner with his hands chained together and his body weakened, Jaime still managed to put up a serious fight against one of the most formidable warriors in Westeros. So a fully healthy Jaime with both hands and a sword would be incredibly dangerous. He'd beat just about anyone.

Achilles in Troy is practically superhuman and doesn't lose fights

But Achilles is practically superhuman, and he doesn't lose fights. At the beginning of Troy, he takes down an enormous warrior who absolutely towers over him with a single strike.

Then, during the assault on Troy's beaches, he tears through groups of Trojan soldiers, using his sword, spear and shield to take down everyone in his path.

And of course, there's his fight against Hector. Hector is easily the greatest warrior in all of Troy. He's essentially the equivalent of Jaime Lannister, and Achilles still managed to defeat him in a straight up duel.

Jaime's armor could be a significant advantage against Achilles

I think Jaime does have one pretty significant advantage: his armor. If we're giving Jaime his full armor, Achilles isn't going to be able to stab him anywhere and expect to kill him. He's going to have to target the gaps in Jaime's defenses.

But that's exactly the kind of thing Achilles is incredibly good at. He's constantly changing angles in fights, attacking from unexpected positions, and getting through even the smallest openings in his opponent's defense. While Jaime is an exceptional swordsman, he hasn't shown off that same level of speed and agility.

So while Jaime might be one of the greatest knights in Westeros, I don't think he's beating the greatest warrior in Greece.