Avaleigh

I think if the choice is between dream or weirwood flashback, I'llgo with Cersei dreaming about the prophecy since there are so many other things I'd like to have Bran see. I don't even really see the point of Bran learning about that story. How would it help him or anyone else? The main reason I don't think Melisandre will stumble upon the truth about Jon is because she's so committed to seeing what she wants to see and seems practically willing to bury her head in the sand when it comes to the idea of AAR. She looks into the flames and seems to be a fire priestess who is looking for evidence to support the idea that Stannis is AAR rather than a priestess who is looking into the flames to simply gain knowledge without it suiting her particular agenda. I just can't help but think that Moqorro would have had a very different take on Jon, Stannis, Alys, etc. Another reason, very possibly the main reason, I want Victarion kept is because of Moqorro. I suppose he could somehow tag along with Tyrion and Varys but IMO that sounds kind of lame. I want Moqorro to be kept because I want people to be able to compare Mel with another worshipper of the red god, someone other than Thoros of Myr.

Cersei proposed to Jaime in the books? I know she had dream that Jaime was her husband and she told him she only wanted to be with him but I can't recall anything else. I remember Jaime proposing with Cersei rejecting it and thinking that he was crazy to try to be open about it all. I remember her claiming that she wanted it just as much as Jaime, but she's either deluding herself or lying because it's obvious that she isn't willing to give up power for him the way he did and would have still done for her had she only had the inclination/courage to ask. The idea of life with Jaime and their son at Casterly Rock wasn't enough for her even though she admits she'd much prefer to live there rather than KL if she could make it happen without threatening Tommen's claim. On the show there's little to nothing that indicates Cersei would have been willing to give up power just to spite her father and get out of a marriage that probably wouldn't have had to take her away from Tommen as there's little reason that she and Loras wouldn't have been able to go on living at KL for the foreseeable future.

Why wouldn't the Unsullied just think Catelyn could be returning for either a dream or flashback sequence? They've already set up the possibility with Bran glimpsing Ned from last season.

Re seeing Highgarden in the series--I would be beyond excited to get an Olenna or Willas prologue or epilogue. Nothing against either character I just think I'd want a Tyrell POV to lead me through whatever ends up happening that would take our attention there as they'd have the most to lose.

Re: LS, Jaime, Brienne--it does give me hope for Jaime but it is going to suck if the detour is a complete waste of time. I think Freys can be killed without LS and agree that there isn't any point in having the character played by a different actress. A recast for a character like Daario or Tommen or Myrcella, those are things I can easily understand and get behind but with a character like Lady Stoneheart IMO one has to be able a glimpse of what Catelyn used to be otherwise it just doesn't work. I wouldn't expect for characters who knew her before to recognize her and I don't want to have to suspend disbelief in this case. I can totally empathize when it comes to having busted theories. I was so into Oberyn poisoned Tywin and it was completely crushed this season, even the Ellaria angle. Even if they do keep the smelly, smiling corpse, some of the sting is taken out of it for me if the Martells didn't at least get that bit of revenge. I still think Sansa is going to be Littlefinger's downfall but I can also see a scenario where he basically screws himself over, seals his own fate and Sansa ends up being a bystander or maybe fails to speak in his favor when she easily could. Their stories are so entwined at this point it's hard to imagine Sansa not having something to do with his likely/hopefully violent death. If they had time for pointless Myranda they can find time for Jeyne Poole next season. Similarly, I'd have preferred having had the Jeyne Poole character established in the first and second seasons as opposed to the Ros character.

What sort of wedding would bring about those feelings though? Sansa and Harry the Heir--even if they did genuinely fall in love (no way will that happen IMO) LF's machinations are going to make an occasion like that seem ominous because it would be what he wants to happen and that's unlikely to be to anyone's benefit but his own. Aegon and Arianne wouldn't really be able to be a big wedding and I don't know how happy everyone would be considering all of the uncertainty. How would JonCon feel about that union for example? What about the shadow of Dany during something like this since we know Aegon has thought about her in that sense. Jaime and Brienne can't get married and even if they could who in the story would be happy and celebratory over it with them? Myrcella and Trystane- -I don't think those two will be lucky enough to make it..No way would the two families involved be happy about letting that union go forward. Tommen could marry again after Margaery's execution although. I can't even hazard a guess as to who would be next in line.

I'm inclined to agree that Cersei wouldn't feel any guarantee that she could ever hope to dominate a man like Euron especially as she is no longer at the height of her beauty. (Not that I think sex and beauty could contol a man like Euron anyway, I just feel like this would be Cersei's general thought process.) Plus, I figure if she was resistant to marrying a seemingly nice guy like Willas she'd be even less willing to put herself under the so called protection of a psychotic IB man. The one that could have been interesting is Cersei/Littlefinger with Cersei thinking that she is in control only to suddenly realize that she'd been completely played as Ned had once been.

I thought I'd read all of TWoW sample chapters but I don't recall confirmation For some reason I thought that chapter was placed prior to the battle but I guess not. Gah, how do I not remember that? ITA, blixie. I too want Varys to get a dose of hey, maybe it's not that easy---he was almost smug with Kevan when he was talking about Aegon. I can't help but think Aegon would likely be disappointing to him and agree that the cyvasse scene is probably supposed to be an important look into his character. I'm also assuming that GRRM is shoving the cyvasse down our throats is because it's another subtle way of giving clues. I know when I was reading a chapter in TWoW that I immediately felt that there was a significance to I can't recall if we get any details of the cyvasse games that Myrcella and Trystane play apart from being told that Myrcella is the better player between the two of them. I don't have a huge problem with Dany and Tyrion taking ages to really interact but I am bummed about hearing that the Dothraki are coming back in a big way. I *hate* the thought of them being let loose on an already ravaged 7 Kingdoms. (Not that I actually think they'll arrive in TWoW.) What's worse is I feel like Dany is probably going to travel around with them for a few chapters and do stuff like reminisce about Drogo or perish the thought, even a pointless trip back to Vaes Dothrak instead of some cool place we haven't been to like Asshai which we're apparently never going to see.

I really do need read the books again one of these days. There's obviously a lot of stuff I've forgotten. I didn't remember her making a pass at him, that is interesting. There's no way she could know that Ned isn't really Jon's father but anyone who had spent about an hour in Ned's company would know that he wouldn't be interested in that sort of proposition even if we were to take crippled Bran out of the equation. It's odd that she thinks this would work on Ned but has the sense to see that it would never work on Stannis. Agreed that Cersei's sexuality is played down somewhat on the show. Even her relationship with Lancel is downplayed and there's very little sense that she was trying to make him into Jaime 2.0 just in case the original failed to come back. I wonder how many Unsullied even remember the one quick scene confirming that she was sleeping with him. Even more of a reason it just isn't going to work if Jaime is primarily upset at the idea of her supposedly being a cheating whore.

I've definitely reevaluated my expectations regarding both whether the series will ever be finished (I lean towards unlikely but not impossible--certainly not before the show is over) and whether or not I think I'm going to end up liking how everything concludes. Re the first I definitely think we'll get TWoW but I'm skeptical as hell about ADoS especially if it ends up being broken into two parts. As far as whether or not I'll enjoy the books, I'm slightly more confident here. AFFC and ADWD were both disappointing and problematic in different ways, but I can't pretend that there weren't a lot of parts I enjoyed reading and since he's in the home stretch he's going to have to make shit happen plotwise. He doesn't really have a choice. Between the two battles, the Frey wedding, the Sansa/HtH plot, Jon's fate, Aegon's Landing, Theon's redemption, the two trials, Sam at the Citadel, Victarion and the dragon horn, and Jaime's trip with Brienne, I have a lot to look forward to considering not all that much happened in the past two books. Oh, plus there's Bran and the weirwood flashback potential. I feel like a lot of stuff would have to go wrong for me to not enjoy TWoW namely I'd feel a bit cheated if LS killed Jaime since I still feel like he has to return to KL and/or Casterly Rock one final time. I'll be pissed if both queens walk from their trials. What's the point in setting that up only to not execute either one? Margaery is the logical choice for execution IMO as it will do the most to get the ball rolling in KL in terms of plot. Apart from the above mentioned expectations there are things I won't be at all surprised if we don't get. Dany making it to Westeros for one. I also won't be surprised if there isn't any progress on the R+L=J front. Eta: How could I forget Sansa and Littlefinger?! That might even be what I'm looking forward to seeing most.

I honestly didn't get the impression that the crowds were being vile to Cersei because of things like the terrible crime against Robert's bastards or hunger. During the riots of KL we definitely got comments from the crowds about the food situation but with Cersei's walk the comments were basically either sexual and/or misogynistic and there was very little variation. Occasionally someone might call out for Stannis or even Margaery but the comments were primarily about Cersei's body and sexual activity. Brotherfucker, rude propositions left and right, comments on her body, threats, the very real possibility of rape, etc. I totally disagree that the crowds would have been well behaved, sympathetic, nice, etc if Margaery had been forced to take a walk. A good man like Ned Stark was shouted down and jeered at by the crowds and he wasn't some naked vulnerable highborn woman. Lollys was a harmless woman who didn't do anything to incite the wrath of the crowd apart from being a highborn woman. Pretty Margaery being led naked through KL after confessing to some supposed sexual sin? IMO there's no way she wouldn't have been surrounded by a river of horrible shit.Eta: I honestly don't see the big deal about Cersei and Jaime having sex on the morning of her wedding. Does anyone really think Robert spent his final night as a bachelor alone? I can sympathize with a situation where people are marrying for political reasons and would want to be able to have their own private final moments before their lives are forever changed by a new alliance. Jaime and Cersei had no way of knowing how effectively they'd be able to carry on their relationship so I can definitely see them wanting to take advantage of one last time prior to Cersei's marriage. I feel like the situation would have been similar had she wed Rhaegar only I'm unsure as to whether or not she would have been inclined to betray Rhaegar with Jaime especially if Rhaegar had been good to her. I always liked that little story about young Cersei creating a drawing of herself with Rhaegar flying on the back of a dragon and Cersei lying to Jaime and saying that the girl in the picture is supposed to be Alysanne rather than herself. She was lying to Jaime even back then lol, no doubt she underestimated a bit when she said that she and Tyrion had lied to him a thousand times.

I couldn't believe nobody caught the cousin/nephew mistake regarding Lancel. Anybody know if that was corrected for the paperback? It seemed like a major minor error only because Cersei happens to be on trial for incest so you'd think that wouldn't be the sort of error that would slip through the cracks. Plus it puts a harsher tone to Kevan's anger over the situation that isn't quite the same IMO.

Re:Tywin marrying Joanna-- I agree that he definitely loved her and agree with the poster who noted that it was probably some unspoken rule that it was a subject that was considered off limits to everyone even Kevan and Genna. I also thought GRRM once said something about Tywin choosing to marry a Lannister in order to merge what were essentially the two most powerful Lannister factions in order to avoid any potential unrest within the family when it would come to someone making a claim down the road. They were basically trying to consolidate the family line. This being the case I'm unsure if it was a political alliance plus a love match or a political alliance that quickly turned into one, but they didn't just get married because they were in love.

In the show Cersei actually seems like she tried to give the marriage a chance. That's why I thought Robert's comment to her about how there was never a time or a moment when he felt that their marriage could work was so telling because it showed me that he was always checked out of the marriage and never bothered to try. With Cersei though it doesn't seem like she stopped trying until some time after the death of their first child. When they have that conversation she acts as though she been wounded all over again but tries as usual to pretend that she doesn't feel anything when insideshe's thinking at least Robert isn't leaving her with any regrets about her choices on that score. As far as the books I thought it was apparent that Robert and Cersei's marriage was a lot worse in those than on the show. He was sexually abusive and it went beyond what would have been deemed acceptable from a nobleman in Westerosi society. Robert in fact is ashamed of his behavior with Cersei and tries to make it seem like he doesn't remember or that the drinking would somehow excuse it. She would tell him that he hurt her and while he'd at least have the grace to look embarrassed it still didn't keep him from doing it again and again. I don't think that Cersei's affair with Jaime should have given Robert permission to be abusive. (Not saying anyone is saying that.) I feel like things might very well have been better for the realm if Robert had at least tried in the beginning and not just with his marriage. As far as how Robert behaved before the wedding night, I'm sure he seemed like a good guy but I think Cersei was physically attracted to him and was turned on by his victory more than having seen anything in his personality that intrigued her.

Hoster Tully is another one. Why didn't he take one for the House Tully team and marry again? As ruthless as the Ironborn are I'm surprised that Asha and Theon's mother hadn't been gotten rid of long ago. Curious too that Robert wouldn't have insisted that Renly marry a woman of his, Robert's, choosing. Or maybe there was talk of it and I'm just not recalling. Going back for a moment to hypothetical marriages, imagine how different things might have been if the proposed Stark/Baratheon alliance had been Robb and Myrcella with Myrcella remaining in Winterfell. Then they could still look for a rich bride for Joffrey and Sansa and Arya as daughters of the Hand could be used to make up for any alliance Myrcella might have made. In the books Cersei tells Sansa her highborn marriage amounted to Robert being able to rape her whenever he liked, he could beat her, and eventually she could also have looked forward to him finding a way to trade her in for a younger woman which he likely would have done in the form of then 14 year old Margaery Tyrell. Of all of Cersei evil deeds the murder of Robert might be the least troubling to me. It was either him or her so she chose herself and I can't say I blame her considering that awful marriage and Robert's repeated abuse. I feel like Robert was ultimately responsible for his own unhappiness and eventual end. On the show too he's consistently a mean bastard to wine provider Lancel who hadn't done anything to be treated in such a way. I can criticize Cersei for a load of other stuff but I basically shrug my shoulders when it comes to her actions wrt Robert.

Looking back I think it was probably a mistake to have not established Jeyne as a character early on. The name drop wasn't enough. But thinking on it now I feel like there are a few things they could have done with her character that wouldn't have taken too much time but would still have given us a better idea of who she was and why Theon might care. Plus it could have been interesting to compare her journey with the journies of the Stark girls to remind us that they're still lucky in certain ways even though their lives have both taken such terrible turns. We could have seen her first as a friend to Sansa, maybe we could have observed a look of envy early on as Joffrey was still attempting to be charming at that point; we maybe could have seen her tease Arya ; we'd see her being taken to LF and then maybe get a scene of him explaining how she can make herself useful to him in terms of getting personal details on Sansa in addition to getting the implication that she'd have to "train" at the brothel. I just think it's too bad that the Unsullied audience won't have a sense of the relationships between the three girls prior to them all leaving Winterfell for them to truly see how odd and unsettling it will be for Jeyne to be forced to pretend to be Arya and having Theon as the unwilling witness to it all. It's a disturbing scenario whether Jeyne had been intimately acquainted with the Stark family or not but the fact that she also lived in the castle and probably envied Sansa (and Arya) on some level, and would have likely freaked out with happiness if she'd been told back then that she'd one day be the Lady of Winterfell--for it toall turn out the way it has...lol I'm imagining Sansa, Jeyne, and Arya having their fortunes told by Maggy and Jeyne being told she'll be the Lady of Winterfell one day. (Hehe, think how annoyed Arya would have been in such a scenario.) It's alsokind of fun to imagine how Sansa would have reacted upon being told that she would one day marry the Imp while she was under the impression that she'd marry her handsome prince Joffrey.

Eh, knowing Catelyn as we we know her though, I just see her frowning and getting all judgmental over Arya somehow weaseling out of the match after House Stark had already given their word. Not saying that she wouldn't empathize to a degree for her daughter but ultimately I feel like she'd expect Arya to suck it up as she did unless we were talking about some openly extreme douchebag like Ramsay. I think for me when it comes to Catelyn's character I sometimes feel like I expect more from her or at least better behavior in general. I don't expect for her to be perfect, I understand why she'd have hurt feelings over the Jon situation, and I don't think she's a horrible person. I've just found myself bristling when it comes to moments she's had with various characters most notably Jon, Tyrion, Brienne, Rickard Karstark, etc. The self righteousness from characters like Cat and Ned is just something I can't bring myself to ignore especially if I'm supposed to see them as the "good guys". This all makes me think about the criticism that D&D don't necessarily see Tywin as a monster. While I don't disagree about Tywin's monstrous behaviour as a character, I think I take issue with the level of criticism he sometimes receives while other characters are often cut a lot more slack. Robert Baratheon- -I feel like people think the two characters aren't even in the same league when it comes to the Monstrous Asshole Award and I find that to be puzzling because I feel like Robert was just about as offensive as Tywin when I examine their overall behavior. The big difference between them to me is that Robert was more jovial and fun loving so that he almost comes across as a nice guy, but I think the majority of the people who had to deal with him in any significant capacity could see what a selfish, cruel, and horrible man he could be more often than not. Re: favorite characters, Jaime also became my favorite in ASoS. I was super intrigued by the chapter of him with Catelyn in ACoK and remember being excited to see that Jaime would now be a POV. The only other times I got that excited about getting a new POV were when I heard we'd be getting a Barristan chapter and a Melisandre chapter. The latter was especially exciting to me as I never thought it would happen- -I assumed that she'd know too much.

I can't let Catelyn off of the hook for her treatment of Jon because she was able to get over her hurt with Ned and didn't take her anger out on him in the way she did with Jon. That she blamed Jon in her actions and behavior way more than she blamed Ned is frustrating to me (although ultimately believable) because I feel like she knows she should be better than the sort of woman who takes her bitterness out on a child who had no choice in the matter. The entire issue just doesn't make Catelyn particularly likable. When we're at the point where the story is basically saying' 'Hey at least she didn't smother him to death the way Cersei would have' I don't know if it's saying all that much in Cat's favor as far as her attitude towards her stepson. I think Ned dropped the ball on a lot of things but I've always felt that Catelyn had the biggest hand in screwing things up for House Stark if the contest is between her and Ned. She's even the one who encouraged Ned to take the position as Hand. I agree that Ned ought to have been open with Catelyn about Jon eventually. ITA that his code of honor was beyond frustrating with its inflexibility.

I picked up the first book when I heard that HBO agreed to adapt the series. I remember reading the" Sopranos meets Middle Earth" comparison and I was curious. Now that I've read the books and seen the show I don't really think it's the best way to describe the series, but all the same I kind of like that it was my love for The Sopranos that drew me to ASOIAF. As far as good mothers in the series, I feel like we've seen strengths and weaknesses in the main ones. I actually agree that Catelyn is a good mother overall but the weaknesses she has on that front are glaring enough for me to not be able to ignore them. I feel like her attitude towards Jon had a negative impact on the entire Stark household. It wasn't just about Jon's hurt feelings. Catelyn's attitude and behavior ended up hurting Robb, Arya, Bran, and Ned in particular. As smart as she was about Theon her blindness where Jon is concerned is almost as bad as Cersei's attitude towards Margaery Tyrell. Her inability to recognize the goodness in Jon and his loyalty to Robb is on of the things that's hardest for me when it comes to her character. Another flaw I see in Catelyn in terms of how she is as a mother is her fairly obvious favortism. It's one thing for parents to have their favorites but to me she was too obvious about it. Rickon was lucky enough that he was too young to feel it as Arya did but IMO it would have been apparent in time. Cersei is obviously a terrible mother but there are times where I feel like she isn't necessarily given credit for displaying any positive attributes on that front and I don't know that this is necessarily true even in the books. One thing that stands out to me is how Sansa acknowledges in ACoK how she always feels safer around Joffrey if the Queen is also present. She makes it seem like Joffrey is at his worst when he doesn't have other people around to keep him in check. Often too it seemed like Joffrey would want to do something horrible and he'd then explain why his mother said that he couldn't do whatever is that he wanted to do. Cersei seemed to have some degree of control over him and I felt like this was also apparent in the show but in a different way. Book Cersei lso seemed to observe a lot less of Joffrey's monstrous side than show Cersei did. Book Cersei always seemed to be out of the room or looking away when Joffrey was doing something bad. Tyrion notices this and Sansa does as well. With Tommen she demonstrates physical affection and she constantly worries about him as Catleyn did with Bran and Rickon. Otoh I feel like we saw some of her most monstrous parenting with Tommen and when she would do things like wonder about whether or not he was eating well she totally sounds like she only cares out of self interest and can't even trouble herself to ask her son directly how he's feeling. If boarding school were an option for Tommen IMO she'd be all over it provided she could guarantee his safety. The stuff with the whipping boy and stunting his progress on every level is something Catelyn would never have been guilty of with her boys. Re: JoannaLannister- -- I'm not sure that I'm ready to believe she signed off on the disgrace of the former mistress. I'm also not sure that she was wrong in not telling Tywin about 8 or 9 year old Jaime and Cersei playing doctor. It wasn't like she didn't take any action once she suspected that things weren't right with the twins. Jaime and Cersei both think of it as having been ripped away from each other so it's not like Joanna was treating the incident as though it were nothing. I also think Genna's comment about the best part of Tywin dying with Joanna has to say a lot about her character because Genna presents it all in such a way that one would think the Lannisters were more or less a happy family prior to Tyrion's birth and that Tywin was a different, happier man. Joanna was also trying to arrange matches with her chilren that she thought would make everyone involved happy. She wasn't just thinking about power and alliances. It's still interesting to think what might have happened had the twins married the Martells. The marriages of Cersei, Elia, Lyanna, and Catelyn all seem like game changers especially Cersei's. When Kevan thinks about what might have been if Cersei had married Rhaegar, I couldn't help but wonder if the outcome would have been the same especially if Cersei had actually had Rhaegar's devotion. Where would that have left Jaime.I always thought it was interesting too that Jaime was intrigued by young Catelyn rather than Lysa. Imagine arrogant young Catelyn with arrogant young Jaime living at Casterly Rock? Lysa made that comment about Catelyn changing because of Ned and becoming more like him. I can only imagine what sort of influence Jaime would have had on Catelyn. Similarly, imagine what sort of influence Oberyn might have had on Cersei had they married as teenagers? ETA I basically still have my own picture of most of the characters. The big exceptions are Roose, Tywin, Stannis, and Ned. Gendry too now that I think about it. Lena's voice too has become Cersei's. Thorne's voice is another that has transferred over.

I really love that idea of Jaime seeing that Myrcella is happy in Dorne and chooses to allow her to remain there even though that could mean the final blow to his relationship with Cersei. I also want to see the Water Gardens since they sound so beautiful. I hope they pick a strong Trystane since they're beefing up the role. I'm actually kind of excited about Jaime going to Dorne because I think it has the potential to be exciting due to all of the Oberyn tension, plus it's a chance for a new bright location, different costumes--just changing it up a little sounds like a good idea. l just hope the Sand Snakes aren't disappointing. I feel like that has the potential to go either way. Based on what I've read I'm cautiously optimistic , but we'll see. I thought Dany's story was boring this season. I sped through most of her scenes on rewatch apart from a couple with Jorah. Barristan needs to start talking soon. Something needs to happen to connect her more with Westeros. As far as the season overall I'd say I was happy with most of it. Lady Stoneheart not appearing this season wasn't a disappointment for me, I thought Ramsay was a lot more tolerable than last season (although I did dislike the Yara interlude for reasons that have already been stated). I loved most of KL save the Rape that Didn't Happen and Tywin's underwhelming exit,. I thought the Wall was hit or miss but wasn't let down by the battle or annoyed with the Bran interlude.

I say read them. Blanks will be filled, character motivation will often make more sense (not always but it's fun to compare anyway), you'll get a better sense of character backstory, the fights are better, the battles are more exciting, etc. On the downside GRRM's editors are apparently not actually allowed to do much editing so there's a lot of unnecessary repetition that can be frustrating to read particularly in the last two books. There are other issues too with the series, the wait being one, overall though I say if you're already enjoying the show and feel like you want to know more and are already reading Bookwalker threads, why not? I think season 5 should have the second episode built primarily around Tywin's funeral. It might be the last chance to have certain characters together plus I prefer the idea of seeing an episode centered around a funeral as opposed to a wedding since we've had a few of those already and are due for another one with Tommen and Margaery. There's potential for a lot of interesting conversation and setting up for plots that will play out through the season, so I think it would be a good setting. Oh and just to be clear, I'm not suggesting that the entire episode should be in KL just that the "A" storyline should be Tywin's funeral and related scenes. I have a feeling it's a long shot but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they keep in the detail of the smiling, foul smelling corpse.

I actually agree in a way but then I wonder why, when Cersei directly asks Tywin who they can trust, Tywin insists that they can only trust themselves alone.Minor book spoilers: While it's a given that he was a better ruler than Aerys , I bring it up because I think Tywin took things like this as signs of the supposed superiority of House Lannister and consequently infected his children with an impossible kind of arrogance that even the strongest of personalities wouldn't be able to resist. Jaime and Cersei of course have to take responsibility for their own actions and choices but I feel like Tywin very much had a role to play regarding Jaime and Cersei being comfortable with having their long term relationship. Why wouldn't t prefer being with each other when their father makes it seem as though everything else is a step down but they have a duty to suck it up and deal because of loyalty to the family? Cersei blaming Tyrion for the death of their mother is especially understandable to me because it's the same attitude her father took and didn't trouble to hide. It's not unusual for a young child to be influenced by their parent. On some level I feel like nobody will ever be able to understand the Lannister siblings as well as they understand each other because of the unique experience of having a terror like Tywin for a father.

Considering that I want fAegon kept on the table, I want them to make Euron into a kind of Big Bad, and I want to keep Quentyn releasing the dragons, I think I'm fine with eight seasons and I don't think it would have to have any more filler than usual. Plus it's not like the theoretical eighth season couldn't have say six episodes as opposed to ten. I just don't want them to cut a bunch of stuff just so they can force the story to be told in some thirty remaining episodes. Quentyn actually shouldn't take much time anyway. Three episodes should be enough to tellhhis story, why not keep it? It amps up the drama in both Meereen and Dorne, it gives Dany somebody new from the seven kingdoms to briefly interact with (Barristan too), and could give us a notable little action sequence that will be a sharp contrast to Dany's triumph with Drogon. FAegon...I prefer for them to keep fAegon because I think it makes Varys's story make more sense. Would keeping him seriously be that confusing for the Unsullied? Euron--IMO we desperately need a villain other than Ramsay. The Mountain is going to be on ice for most of the season (and he's basically a faceless villain anyway, at least for me; he has no personality. ) Roose is a villain and he's the next best thing to Tywin for me, but he's also stuck in the North and can only interact with so many characters. Same with Melisandre. Euron though has the potential to get around.

You guys have me wondering now about the outcome of a Brienne vs. Bronn fight. I don't think Bronn is this spectacular fighter I'm just curious what the show would do since they really seem to like both characters. Anne Elk, I'm glad somebody else thinks Tywin ought to have called Cersei's bluff. It's just hard for me to believe that book Tywin would have been cowed by the threat show Cersei gave him. I don't think show Margaery is just a sex kitten. I've also decided that as much as I was disappointed that Jaime treated the Kingsguard room like any other room I feel like I'm okay with having this sort of progress take place next season. In fact, I feel like it might even heighten the stakes and make more of an impact when it comes to his emotional break from her once she goes into full-blown crazy territory. I thought the kiss on the golden hand was a beautifully manipulative touch.

With the exception of Jaime, three of the Lannisters have made it a point to treat Pycelle like shit in some way, I have no problem imagining him becoming pro Tyrell or at the very least a thorn in Cersei's side once she begins to get on the wrong side of the HS.Now that I've had a chance to watch the episode again I think I agree with the poster who said that Tywin didn't seem quite like himself. I feel like book Tywin could have easily flipped the conversation on Cersei in a way that would intimidate her (All right, let's tell Tommen right now; as of this moment your access to Tommen may only be permitted by my approval; the king is sending Jaime to _____ and he leaves tomorrow; your wedding to Loras will now take place *before* Tommen and Margaery's; what are you going to do after you tell everyone? Do you want Tommen to die? Myrcella? Do you plan on spending the rest of your days as an exile in some rat hole in Essos with your maimed brother?) I feel like there are any number of things he might have said to call her bluff so even though I very much enjoyed the "your legacy is a lie" moment, I think I would have preferred having a final moment of Tywin being strong, horrible, practical, etc than Cersei getting away with making such a hollow threat when her POV makes it seem unlikely that she'd give up the power without more of a fight. Jaime and Cersei could have fled with the kids back in season one but I don't think she would ever really consider something like that. Casterly Rock, sure, I can envision a scenario where she seeks refuge there with Tommen and/or Myrcella, but I can't see Cersei ever seriously fleeing to the east as Ned once suggested to her during the conversation in the godswood. Tywin's death was disappointing. I also agree with those who point out how little sense it makes that Tyrion would risk his life without also being enraged by the Tysha situation. I liked how surprised book Tywin was when he got shot and I didn't get that as much here. And if they couldn't give Shae more dialogue to explain a few things, why not allow Tywin to give us a bit of info on her and their relationship. Just a line or two would have made a difference IMO.