Francie

Mark me, I think they did it so that Tyrion will later play the Ned role when Dany dies giving birth to Baby Ice and Fire. She'll have never revealed that Jon was the father, and he'll be dead as well. Only Tyrion will know the importance of this baby.

Most of Cersei's evidence against Tyrion was truly legit, and she truly believed he had murdered Joffrey. Tyrion had taken over Pycelle's lab, he had stolen poison (in the books, he used some on Cersei to make her seriously ill for several days), Trent was telling the truth about the threats issued by Tyrion in the throne room; Cersei recited word for word, accurately, the threat Tyrion issued to her. Tyrion knew he had himself to blame for the words he used. Even half of Shae's testimony was true, and the look on Cersei's face when Shae starts to lie, and Cersei knows it, is interesting. Also keep in mind that Shae was Tywin's prisoner at the time (she had been taken to his room his the purple wedding), and thus likely testifiying under his direction. And that doesn't even take into the fact that Tyrion didn't have to go back and kill his father. He was freed. And by enacting his revenge, he sent his siblings' lives, and her children's lives, into a tailspin. All so Tyrion could have that moment of satisfaction. That's mainly what she's berating him for in this episode. He had put himself ahead of the family.

With the early season comparisons of Sansa and Cersei, it's interesting that of the two women faced with killing someone whom they believed betrayed them, Sansa pulled the trigger, while Cersei did not. I think the purposes of this season -- which really felt like a part 1 of a season -- were, in order: 1) To have the wall come down: 2) Put Jon and Dany instead a sexual relationship; 3) Reveal Aegon Targaryen and that Robert's Rebellion was built on a lie; 4) Groom Sansa for an even bigger leadership role; 5) Send Jaime north; and 6) Cull the non-essential characters for the final showdown (bye Littlefinger, Olenna, Thoros, and the Sand Snakes).

"I'll give you a dragon for all your slaves." "Psych!" I think the real point of the moment was to show that Jon is no diplomat. He can rule on a small scale, but he would be ineffectual as ruler of a kingdom, where one has to placate in order to not cause dissension, or worse. I thought it interesting that he compared himself to Ned in that regard.

I think it was more, "Look for an opportunity to find a reason to publicly break your alliance with me and leave."

Anyone else notice that both Sansa and Jaime said they were slow learners this season? I'm not sure what to make of that.

"The seed is strong" means nothing in connection to Jon. That had to do with whether Baratheon or Lannister genes were dominant. Jon is neither a Baratheon nor a Lannster. Jon is one half Stark (brunette) one half Targaryen (silver). And apparently the Stark side won out.

Raise your hand if you're shocked that Cersei didn't have Tyrion killed. Yeah, me too.

Jon and Jaime can have a heart to heart about that next season.

From what I've heard, the issue was on his end. He was having trouble keeping his head in the game when shooting scenes she was in. In any event, I think it was just a reason to take out two actors who had no further purpose in the scenes. I do think the better scene would have been hanging with them instead of some of the others.

I will bet that the end will be anything but Dany and Jon co-leading Westeros .

At least play coy, man. Try, "I'll go North for now, and then let's see how it goes."

I now you're quoting the show, but I have to say it was anticlimatic for me.

You know the man has taken the arm sample and has already manufactured 3 of those things in his dungeon laboratory. "Your own Army of the Dead will be ready to march in a fortnight, my queen."

Peter and Lena's scene was one of the top 5 of an admittedly weak season. Tyrion's and Cersei's relationship is one of the dynamic ones that was missing this season. Too many weak pairings of characters this season. I raged a bit at Tyrion's omission of extending his condolences to Jaime for Tommen's death, so I was glad to see it, and Myrcella's acknowledged between Cersei and Tyrion, at least. Calling Jaime stupid is the hallmark of an abusive couple. I see the writers left no stone unturned in that department. It was weird to see Jaime in non-Lannister garb at the end. But what about his bff Bronn? I imagine him taking one look at Cersei, Qyborn, and the Mountain and being all, "You know, I didn't need a castle all that badly, after all."

I think it was a message to the audience -- don't get too attached. Don't start rooting for them.

Wait, so if Dany hadn't taken her dragons north of the wall, the wall would be standing now? That officially makes going north of the wall to capture a wight to show to Cersei the dumbest plan. Ever.

So, it looks like the dragon has its second head. What the heck does the dragon have three heads mean, then?

He looked too much like Viserys. It was giving me PTSD.

Rhaegar Targaryen. The George Forman of Westeros.

Season 2 Littlefinger: Knowledge is power. Season 7 Arya: I gotta agree with Cersei. Power is power.

Holy crap. Uh oh.

That's the thing about prophecies. They are like a half-trained mule. The minute you think they can be useful, the moment you trust in them, they kick you in the head. We'll see. Cersei's pregnant. So she already thinks she's beaten the prophecy. I'm looking forward to seeing Lena playing the meet up, though.

I agree wholly that Cersei will concentrate on physical looks. But Cersei is positively incapable of seeing any other woman as physically more beautiful than she is.

From Cersei's POV neither Margaery nor Daenerys would be more beautiful either. It's not from Cerei's, in any case. It's from Maggy's. And it's not going to be something up for debate. It's going to be a non-physical answer. It's not even going to be a "rate their soul" answer. It's going to be an "I told you so; the answer was right there under your nose" answer. Himself.