What did Tywin throw in the fire at the end of that first scene? It looked like a body?

The dire-wolf pelt that served as a scabbard for the big-ass Stark sword.

Oh! Gotcha.

I wish the shows I love didn't all feature such very dimly lit scenes.

arliss is Bev, yes.

Yes! Of course.

What did Tywin throw in the fire at the end of that first scene? It looked like a body?

I think it was the rest of Rob's direwolf.

Dorne! Dragons! Duncan the Tall!

That was a fantastic introduction to Team Dorne, especially the exposition on the precise nature of the bad blood between them and the Lannisters (also, oblique reference to...who is it that his sister's husband ran off with? ahem)

DUNK! My bag was about 6 inches away from being totally not at all correct for the show universe at all, as I've got the quadrants flipped from their Tarth (dammit)

Replacement Daario, but same Ser Dontos!

I like replacement Daario soooo much more.

The Hound/Arya show is awesome. The look on her face when she was following him on her own horse was priceless. Still, as badass as she was, it makes me a little wary -- I don't want Arya to become nothing more than Killer!Arya.

Yeah. As she was doing the "leg hurt?" monologue, it was like watching her humanity fade away. Not that it would be without reason, but, damn. Not being inside her head makes a huge difference in that, for me, at least.

The dragons were incredible, and Dany realizing that they might not be as tame as she imagined was really chilling.

Stealing sheep and coming close to taking her hand off? Yeah...

Other reactions:

Jaime's little hand-wave. I just...

Dammit, Tywin. You have a son who wants Casterly Rock. You have a son who would be fantastic at running Casterly Rock. Why are you insisting that the other one have it?

I liked that we didn't really see the second Lannister sword, so the other of the two swords in the title really is more Needle than not.

I may be joining Team Tyrell, which is a strange feeling. The decision to give Olenna that reaction to Brienne was the best thing ever (and Brienne's reaction. Brienne is my favorite). Also, lookit all the little Tyrellettes wearing knock offs of Maergery's dress

Shae is tryin' real hard to get herself killed. Book spoilers: I wonder if, given the changes they've made in her relationship to Tyrion, if they've decided to change how she dies.

Oh, Sansa, Sansa. You (book spoilers) suck at deciding who to trust

Fuck, yeah, Maester Aemon. Fuck. Yeah.

I haven't read more than the first book, plus half of the second, but shouldn't Olenna know who Brienne was? Or have met her before?

I may be joining Team Tyrell, which is a strange feeling.

Really? I've liked Maergery since she showed up, and Olenna, too.

I also loved Brienne and Jamie's conversation. In my head, they get all the sweetest/filthiest fic. Cersei should, as usual, die in a fire.

I love Tywin mostly because of Charles Dance's portrayal, even when I hate him, but I agree -- I think Tyrion has more than proved he's capable, and I can't stand the way Tywin just dismisses him out of hand. None of his children are what he wanted them to be, but he refuses to actually see what their strengths are.

The family line has always been, Tyrion killed his mother. Not "his mother died in childbirth" like a non-psychopath family would phrase it, Tyrion killed his mother. Tywin's wife. The mother of the children he doesn't hate. So no Casterly Rock for him, however disappointing Jaime and Cersei are.

I hate that trope. I forgot about that.

shouldn't Olenna know who Brienne was? Or have met her before?

She did know who she was. But hadn't met her before, which, given that King Renly was only ever in camp, that doesn't seem like the sort of place the Queen of Thorns would go.

Really? I've liked Maergery since she showed up, and Olenna, too.

I've liked them, but not, like, wanting-the-jersey liked them.

I also loved Brienne and Jamie's conversation. In my head, they get all the sweetest/filthiest fic. Cersei should, as usual, die in a fire.

Amy, I have been restraining my shippy burbling, but, OMG YES! Also the whole subtext of "are we related?" given, you know, Jaime and Cersei...it makes me giggle.

I prefer a longer downward trajectory for Cersei than death by fire. Maybe she'll get there in the end. Because, you know, dragons.

The family line has always been, Tyrion killed his mother.

Yes, and I totally follow the logic. It's his one blind spot, for all his pragmatic machinations. By all accounts, Joanna was the person Tywin legitimately loved. I still think it's damn stupid.

There are a number of characters who make decisions where I understand why they make that decision, but I just want to smack them upside the head. And then there's Joffrey. Who definitely needs to die in a fire. Sansa, Tyrion, Jaime, and Maergery would be glad to bring the wood, I'm sure.

I feel so bad for the kid who plays Joffrey, though.

Amy, I have been restraining my shippy burbling, but, OMG YES!

Brienne is the anti-Cersei, and I think even now Jaime knows she's the better person, even if he can't quite jump to "I should totally plight her mine troth."

The decision to give Olenna that reaction to Brienne was the best thing ever (and Brienne's reaction. Brienne is my favorite).

OMG yes to all this. I love the Queen of Thorns now.

Fuck, yeah, Maester Aemon. Fuck. Yeah.

Also yes to this! He is the veritable bomb diggety.