I don't know. . .I think Cersei may have just put herself in the running.

No. That was amazing. I mean, yes, sure, utterly evil. . . but amazing. Perhaps the most Lannister thing that any Lannister in history has ever done.

Good point. . . although I'd hate to see Arya deprived of the pleasure of killing Cersei herself. She's worked so very hard for it. . . .

Well, technically she was facing her trial. . . to watch it explode.

He talked her out of destroying two cities full of innocent people, when nobody else in her entourage would have lifted a finger to stop her. I think she fears falling prey to the hereditary Targaryen madness more than almost anything else, and he singlehandedly saved her from that by standing up to her. I think…

The Sparrows started out with popularity. . .but I think they were gradually losing it. By the time the High Septon released Queen Margery, the balance seemed to have shifted a bit. The Tyrells were absolutely ready to have a go at the High Septon, and nobody seemed all that eager to stop them.

Thanks for the reply!

Good point. Also, I suspect that whoever they finally do rope into replacing Pycelle will be in no great hurry to get there.

I know Pycelle wasn't as feeble and senile as he pretended to be, but even so, can you imagine the table he'd be dealing with? I'm picturing a counsel of Tormund Giantsbane, Randyll Tarly, Obarra Sand, Black Walder (in actuality Arya Stark wearing his face), Brienne of Tarth, and Littlefinger.

Well, yes; but at a certain level they're all usurpers. Dany's claim to the throne goes back a few centuries to Aegon the Conquerer, whose claim to the throne, in turn, was basically: "Dragons."

Well, sure; but the rule of law in the Seven Kingdoms has been breaking down for quite a while, now. It's one of the background themes of the show. Eddard Stark gathered evidence to attempt to unseat Cersei with a proper trial. So far as I can tell, literally nobody has made the mistake of assuming that there's a…

The Alchemist's guild whipped up some new batches of Wildfire for the Battle of the Blackwater. (The spells they use to create it worked much better than expected, which is why they had so much of it for the battle).

There weren't rumors. The Alchemist's Guild placed the wildfire in the sewers, and kept the fact that they had done so a closely guarded secret. Jamie knew because he was present for conversations between Aerys and the head of the Alchemists.

Possibly; although killing Walder and his eldest sons might have satisfied her hunger for vengeance against House Frey. She could be ready to move on to the Lannisters.

Well. . . there's no King, no Queen, and no heirs. I suppose she's claiming the throne as Tommen's next of kin?

I agree. Trial by combat was religious in origin. It would have made a lot more sense for Tommen to have forbidden Cersei to be championed by any member of the Kingsguard. . . which would have resulted in the delicious scene that I had in mind. . .

Well, we know for certain that he's Lyanna's son. . . and if the child she was carrying wasn't a Targaryen, half the Kingsguard wouldn't have been posted out front. So I agree.

I'm not so sure. When the sparrows first appeared, they embarked on a moral purge of Westeros that resulted in the arrest of people like Loras and Margery. . .but commoners guilty (or perceived to be guilty) of exactly the same conduct were killed on sight. We caught a bit of that, but not much because. . . well. . .…

Post-Dany, what the Lords want is going to matter just as little as what the smallfolk want. Dany's all about equality. . . in the sense that everyone is equally subject to her rule.

True. . .. although taking out the High Sparrow and his henchmen should probably go on the "plus" side of Cersei's moral ledger. If she hadn't created that problem herself, I might almost be inclined to call blowing up the Great Sept of Baelor a wash.