I think you answered your own question here. And recall what else Olenna said, something like "You did good work with Joffrey. The next one will be easier."
Because of what Sansa said about him? "He is a monster". I suspect she would not really like the prospect of her granddaughter married to a sadistic sociopath, who also happens to be the most powerful man in the realm. I don't really see the big surprise in the Queen of Thorns expressing relief at the end of that marriage. Even though this does not necessarily mean she was guilty of it. The tone of her conversation with Margaery actually seemed to convey quite the opposite. On top of that, she did raise a good point: the best time to kill Joffrey would have been after he put an heir in Margaery's belly. It would have solidified her claim to the throne. Now she is only slightly better off than after Renly was killed. Also, it'll take a brave King to marry Margaery after two of her royal husbands have already died on her.
I think she meant that to mean that she managed - on a few occasions - to dull the sharpest edges of his behavior?
Stannis threw three leeches - filled with bastard's blood - into the fire while uttering the names of three usurpers he wanted dead. Robb Stark - check Joffrey Baratheon - check Balon Greyjoy better watch his back.
Rape scenes are tricky, and almost always veer toward exploitative. I have to admit it was uncomfortable watching Jaime rape his sister after the journey of - I can't call it "redemption," but it was something, right? - growth he's been on. The way the last two years have played out, I almost forgot the fact that he was a child murdering sister-f*cker. He was a guy figuring out stuff about himself, and showing layers of complexity beneath the veneer of awfulness. Then he returned to King's Landing, and has been powerless. His father has disowned him, his nephew-son didn't respect him, the other Kingsguard were silent (but I'm going to choose to believe they were s************ing behind their facemasks), and he was less than half the man he used to be thanks to the loss of his swordhand. That swordhand represents his loss of power, and yes, the severing of that limb definitely brings to mind the other appendages that have been severed in this show. Jaime and Theon are a lot alike, and neither has been able to exert their manhood. So when he started training with Bronn, he was training to reclaim his agency, and combat his own loss of power. Cut to: he rapes his sister at the first possible opportunity. And juxtapose it with the Hound breaking his own code in the same episode! Well done, GoT writers/directors - this episode managed to be shocking, but still a subtle and nuanced meta-critique on the series and the characters. No matter how charming or charismatic or seemingly "good" these folks are, this is the world they live in. Cheer for them at your own risk. Previous episodes were never so layered.
You know it's a weird show when a guy basically rapes his sister next to the body of their dead child, and he's not the creepiest dude in that episode (that designation going to Sir Petyr Baelish).
Jaime has always been self absorbed and vain. It doesn't surprise me he would revert to his olde self. The dangers of life on the road are now a thing of the past.
Not sure if anyone else picked up on it but I have to admit I found it a bit odd that Aiden Gillen whipped out a far more western Irish accent on the boat compared to the Anglo-Irish accent he typically uses in Kings Landing. Makes me intrigued though that we might fit to find out more about Littlefingers background in the coming weeks. Or else he might get have just figured there are more sailors and fishers out there.
That scene was very TV friendly but in terms of the battle tactics presented, not very realistic. The level of skill required to time and aim that dagger throw just right would be off the charts. Hence why no military commander ever trained units of dagger-throwers to face cavalry.
So does Margaery have any standing right now at all? She was the queen, but it wasn't consumated, there's no heir in her line. Does she have any standing as queen? Or does it blindly fall to Joeffry's brother? The grandmother seemed to hint that now wouldn't be the time to push the issue, maybe meaning there is a claim that can be made? Cersai was called the "former queen regent" which implies, I believe, that she was a queen ruling on her own. Can Margaery make the same claim?
I'm guessing I will never get to find out, but I feel like I could hit a horse with a dagger from 5 feet away.
She is still queen, just the queen of a different king. Unless she has takes part in the court, she can't do much iirc.
I really don't like the re-casting of Daario with this actor. He's not a bad actor, he's just not suited for this role.
Check that gif. The horse is more like 20-25 feet away when it hits the deck, which means the dagger impacted with its head when it was still further away. So lets say 30 feet (which is a very conservative estimate considering the horse is near full speed and even carrying an armor-clad warrior would still likely be moving at 25+ mph).