trollololol

Sorry. The hound shouldn't go out like that. BAMF

No way they cut Stoneheart. Thats a major story line and a WTF TV moment too good to pass up.

I agree.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Shae replaced Tysha as Tyrion's driving narrative/focus on the show. Sometimes narrative shifts like this are required to adequately develop a book character on a different medium. In the writing, Tyrion is able to reflect to himself over Tysha during his POV chapters in the series. While the drinking game conversation certainly felt organic, it may have been difficult to continue to generate discussions between multiple characters over Tysha's existence and the role she played in Tyrion's life.

IMO, Shae's reveal on Tywin's bed in the series (considering her richer character development and deeper connection to Tyrion on the show) was every bit of a shock as Jaime's reveal of Tysha's true identity in the book. I could see why the reveal over Tysha (who was mentioned, but didn't have the presence she did in the books) wouldn't have had the effect on the audience that it did on the bookreaders.

Awwww no Stoneheart.. that would have really blown the top off.

I don't understand why Varys thought he was ****ed, I guess. Bells, sure. But how could they pin anything on him?

You see how they pinned Joffreys death on Tyrion even though nobody could "prove" it. You think Jaime would take the fall from Cersei and her wrath? Who else had the ability to break Tyrion out? Varys knows the game all too well.

I always thought Daeneys was boring in the books up until about now.

She is boring period. I absolutely loathe her long useless stretches in the books.

I thought Dany was good in book 3. I loved the parts about her taking her Unsullied army and sacking Astapor and Yunkai, and the fight between Belwas and the Mereen chapion before they take Mereen was a great chapter too. But then she got boring in Book 5 until the end when she flies off on Drogon.

This episode was good in a lot of ways, and I enjoyed the Hound-Brienne fight which was a nice bonus (though Hound would win if he wasn't already injured), but it did leave me a little disappointed because:

(1) I didn't like them leaving out the Tysha part as that is such a central part of Tyrion's character and mental state,

(2) no lady stoneheart, I was looking forward to a whole off-season freak out by the non-readers, but not to be I guess, and

(3) the fireball throwing children of the forest was a bit over the top, and the zombies that had been slow moving wights before were completely different in this episode which just makes no sense.

Outside of those complaints, it was overall a good episode and good season. Not sure where they will go with it next season.

Someone please refresh my memory. Did Varys take off with Tyrion in the book? I don't remember that being the case.

He didn't leave with him but he did disappear from King's Landing.