Cersei's death - terrible decision.
It was terrible in that it wasn't satisfying, after seeing all of the horrible shit she's orchestrated over 8 seasons, but it was kind of the perfect way for her to go out... frightened and shocked in a way she had never felt before, alone with just a husk of her former lover present, with the world she built crumbling around her, everything she placed her misguided faith in literally caving in... but even in the end, she wouldn't give the world the satisfaction of seeing her die in the horrible way that she deserved. Defiant and petty to the end.
Jamie's death - even worse than Cersei's.
Yeah, I'm with Phork... he should've choked her out as they waited for the Red Keep to collapse on top of them. I thought they were going to parlay it into "mercy killing" where Jaime still retains a bit of his dignity in a twisted and warped way.
why is she given so much screen time stumbling around? I guess it was a good view of the carnage?
You answered your own question. I know a lot of people don't like how central they've made her, but it at least made sense for her to find herself in the middle of the action. It makes sense that she'd be hunting down the final name on her list, but it makes even more sense that she'd be following Clegane. Either way, she was going to find herself in the middle of the Red Keep, and thus be the best set of "eyes" to show us the carnage of the Mad Queen.
Goodbye Varys, good spider.
I've been enjoying this season for the spectacle. Character development got dumped for the sake or writing big set pieces, and decision are being made that defy logic, but I can look past that stuff.
I hit my "Nope. No way." moment last night when Varys, the Spider, the Master of Whispers and Lord of the Little Birds, was OPENLY COMMITTING TREASON AND THEN STUCK AROUND FOR HIS PUNISHMENT. Dude is the smartest guy in Westeros, probably, and a master of deceit and disguise.
After he made his open play to Jon, and Jon refused, he should have high-tailed it out of there and disappeared until the dust settled.
Instead, he tells Tyrion that he's going to commit treason against the lady that promised to burn him if he committed treason, and then just... waits in his chamber and continues writing his treasonous letters until they come for him?
It made zero sense. It could've been solved by a simple "I'm tired, Lord Tyrion. I will cast my lot and let the pieces fall. No more whispers and birds." But they didn't even give him that. They just gave him a throwaway line about "great reward requires great risk," but that still doesn't mean he needed to throw his life away while risking it to get the word out about Jon's claim.
Tyrions role is the only remaining interesting plot point. He gave his friend over for execution and made yet another mistake. For being one of the smartest men in the 7, he hasn't made a single good decision since assuming power. At least not that I can remember. This is a gaping hole in character development.
Dinklage is famously pissed about how dumb his character became. He is the master of thinly-veiled disgust whenever he's interviewed about the way things have played out for Tyrion, the smartest man who became the dumbest man.
