That makes perfect sense, Amy. It's interesting that Lena is the only one of the major figures involved in the scene (onscreen and behind the scenes) who we haven't heard from.

really loathsome victim blaming.

Yes. For all that I dislike Cersei (and I do. I totally own that.), I agree with your whole sentiment.

In the Sept scene, instead of ending on Cersei's expression

THIS would have been fascinating. And might have gone a long way to helping the director's argument of what he was going for, depending on the choice they made. In any case, it would have made it very much Cersei's scene, which is what it was trying to be, up until that point.

you could construe the whole chain of events as Cersei's fault, which is really loathsome victim blaming.

I think this is pretty apt. In addition, (again, as someone who has not read the books), it makes me wonder about her previous statements about being as capable to rule as Jaime, and that she was resentful she didn't have a direct place in line.

Why doesn't SHE kill Tyrion herself if she really does see herself as a possible leader? It probably reinforces your statements above that she has increasingly felt powerless since Joffrey's betrothal, her upcoming marriage (is that still on the table), and now the loss of her son(s).

I can't stand Cersei. I loathe her about as much as I did Joffrey, although I'm willing to admit she was dealt a pretty shitty hand in life (if you overlook being, you know, blonde and rich), especially for someone with her own ambitions.

And I'm not certain that the writer or director meant for the scene to come off as victim blaming, but it seems way too easy to read it that way. Especially if the scene in the book wasn't slanted the same way.

the writer and director assert the scene as consensual sex.

Which is mindblowing to me.

her previous statements about being as capable to rule as Jaime, and that she was resentful she didn't have a direct place in line.

I think this is definitely her perception of herself. The extent to which it is true...I think not so much.

Why doesn't SHE kill Tyrion herself if she really does see herself as a possible leader?

Leaders don't do the dirty work themselves. For all that she is profoundly cruel, I don't know that she has the stomach for actual violence (Joffrey got his cruelty from his mother and his stomach from his father). Unless there's something I'm missing, she hasn't actually killed anyone, right? The only one I can remotely think of is Robert's unborn child.

her upcoming marriage (is that still on the table)

I'd lay a lot of money that it is.

I know I can't actually defend Cersei, but I don't dislike her. I mean, she is a terrible, terrible person, but I don't see how anyone raised in her position could have turned out otherwise, and I really do believe she's doing the best she can.

It's incredibly hypocritical of Tywin to want to separate Tommen from her because of Joffrey - if Joffrey is Cersei's fault, then Cersei is Tywin's. Look at the three children he raised to adulthood and tell me Tommen is better off with him.

He wouldn't be the first grandfather to think he could do it right the next time.

Or is that just my father?

I know I can't actually defend Cersei, but I don't dislike her. I mean, she is a terrible, terrible person, but I don't see how anyone raised in her position could have turned out otherwise, and I really do believe she's doing the best she can.

Totally legit. We can't always help which characters we like. There are relatively few properly defensible characters, and nearly everyone is a product of their environment, quite explicitly.

It's incredibly hypocritical of Tywin to want to separate Tommen from her because of Joffrey - if Joffrey is Cersei's fault, then Cersei is Tywin's. Look at the three children he raised to adulthood and tell me Tommen is better off with him.

Tywin is the smartest idiot in Westeros, especially when it comes to his own family. He has one child with the drive to grow up to be him, and one with the brains to do it, and he could give a fuck about either of them.

Tywin is the smartest idiot in Westeros, especially when it comes to his own family.

Love this.

It's incredibly hypocritical of Tywin to want to separate Tommen from her because of Joffrey - if Joffrey is Cersei's fault, then Cersei is Tywin's. Look at the three children he raised to adulthood and tell me Tommen is better off with him.

I don't know -- neither Cersei, Jaime, or Tyrion are completely insane or relentlessly sadistic.

I don't know that Tommen will be better off with Tywin, either, but I do think Tywin means Cersei to feel that she's being punished.