I would add that the final shot of Jon and company in the boat suggests that their future, and the future of Westeros is completely un-ruddered, unsecured. It's the same idea behind the last shot in Children of Men as well.

The comparison to Merchant of Venice is incredibly apt, and it doesn't even end with what this article describes. Obviously, like Tyrion's trial, Shylock's trial is also a farce with an outcome that has already been decided. One could spend pages comparing Tyrion to Shylock….