Next season they'll just run the Essos CSPAN feed.

Yes, the irony of Tywin's obsession with his family legacy is that he was the only thing holding it together.

Sad trombone?

OK, Internet. Please get busy dubbing the audio from a Varys/Tyrion scene over R2 and C3PO wandering around in the desert.

Newb prediction: Mountain 2.0 eventually kills Cersei, Jaime or both.

Ah, right. I knew it was something ridiculous.

I was sure both Brienne and the Hound would die horribly, then they'd cut to Arya slipping Needle into Podrick's throat. Relieved on both counts.

True, but that didn't stop her from making a place for Barristan — King Robert's commander of the kings guard. I think between Jorah leaving and Dracon (or whatever?) going AWOL, this season was setting Dany up for a bit of desperation. Coming up, I could see her accepting new allies, even from Westeros, if she thinks…

I imagine Varys's commitment to the realm is intact; that this is more of a strategic retreat. He needs a different horse to bet on, now that the Baratheon/Lannister era is crumbling.

One blast for poisoned, two blasts for stabbed, three blasts for on the toilet.

Right on. Chaos is a ladder for the likes of Littlefinger, but stability is a ladder for someone like Varys.

Yeah, the brains really left KL this week. It'll be fun to watch all the lesser intellects duel it out next season.

Varys, Tyrion and maybe even Arya on Team Dany? Sign me up.

Happy Father's Day, Tywin! {bolt} You're the best! {bolt}
Hilarious.

Here's to hoping that GoT's success prompts HBO to remake Rome as a 10 season show.

I love how the Experts have become the White Walkers of the Newbies thread. Some of us regard them with mortal terror, the rest doubt they even exist.

Anyone looking for an account name could do a lot worse than "Twyin Lannister's barber's sister's bastard child"

But within the show it's never been explicitly stated, right? It seems to have purposefully been left kind of vague — unless I missed it?

This! This is why I come here, and slog through Disqus choking on every comment after #500, and come back three days after the show aired to make sure I didn't miss any. Great perspective on the story.

Hodor?