Rereading Tyrion III (ACOK)

[Lummel]

We continue to reread Tyrion from AGOT through to the not entirely bitter end of ADWD.

Our journey, co-hosted by Butterbumps! Ragnorak and myself began here and continued here. The last chapter post was Tyrion III (ACOK) and we are about a quarter of the way through all of Tyrion's chapters.

The iron rules and guidelines of this reread are

• please do not spend entire posts discussing future events
  
• read along with us - there's a handy guide to the page numbers of the different editions here if your copy of the books is unmarked
  
• agreeing to differ is an option
  
• relevant perspectives from psychology, sociology, literature, art and architecture, folk lore and so on are welcome but not compulsory
  
• it is going to be useful sometimes to compare Tyrion with other parallel POVs and to supplement his vision with insights from other POVs, particularly those in the same place as Tyrion. All POVs in GRRM are unreliable, but some are more unreliable than others. ;)
  

We aim to reread (in order) at an unsteady waddling pace of two posts introducing a chapter per week, and to appreciate, analyse and be critical. Not to whitewash or tar and feather Tyrion, but rather to understand what he's about and his part in ASOIAF. There are no prizes in this thread for being the fiercest champion of the view that Tyrion is a saint or a devil. Those who

should be open to the text and what we can learn from each other in discussion.

The competition for a working theory of Tyrion remains open, at least until the end of the reread!

[Lummel]

Tyrion IV (ACOK)

To go forward we must first go back to Tyrion IX

“Let her say what she likes. Her son needs to be taken in hand before he ruins us all. I blame those jackanapes on the council – our friend Petyr, the venerable Grand Maester, and that cockless wonder Lord Varys. What sort of counsel are they giving Joffrey when he lurches from one folly to the next? Whose notion was it to make this Janos Slynt a lord?...And dismissing Selmy...If Cersei cannot curb the boy, you must. And if these councillors are playing us false...”

Tyrion knew. “Spikes,” he sighed. “Heads. Walls.”

We saw in Tyrion I ACOK that Cersei has been taking advice from Littlefinger about Selmy and in Tyrion II we saw Tyrion remove Slynt. In Tyrion III he sees again how dangerous Petyr Baelish is...now is the time to tighten his grip on the ever smaller council.

Overview

In order to isolate Cersei and learn about the information flows Tyrion sets out on a caper to smoke out the mole(s) and gives us another chapter full of trickery.

First he breakfasts at Grand Maester Pycelle's table. A message to Prince Doran is sent in duplicate (since Tyrion sees just the one raven flying south it's a fair guess that one copy of the message stays with Pycelle) offering a seat on the council, revenge justice for Elia and Myrcella as a ward to be married to Tristane in due course. While Pycelle is away Tyrion takes one of the jars of medicine for future use. Tyrion stares down and deflects all attempts by Pycelle to learn the content of the message and insists the reply should be given to him alone.

On his way to his next meeting Tyrion pauses and gets some news from Bronn. Cersei is passing and has a terse conversation with Tyrion before he reaches his own chambers, changes and has a meeting with Littlefinger. In exchange for Harrenhall Lord Baelish is tempted to sweet talk Lysa Arryn in to accepting Myrcella as ward, acknowledging Joffrey as King and providing troops to assist the fight against any of the Lannisters' non-Stark or non-Tully enemies.

Finally Varys for the fourth time in four chapters swoops in at the end. He guesses that Tyrion has offered Doran of Dorne Tommen – he already knows that Myrcella was offered to Lysa.

Tyrion's work here is done. The three have been set up. Now he just needs to wait to see which, if any, tale reaches Cersei.

Observations

• “leave us child” is Pycelle's servant the one Tyrion will discover in Pycelle's bed? Another unusual household.
  
• “it was easy to see that every potion had its place” and so I've always wondered why Pycelle never noticed that one was missing. Oh well.
  
• Pycelle's beard, from symbol of confidence to desperate lifeline. “Pycelle's spotted hand was clutching at his beard the way a drowning man clutches for a rope. It made Tyrion's heart glad.” Heh heh.
  
• Trouble from Braavos – moneylenders after their repayments, a seed that will bear fruit in AFFC
  
• Joffrey's poor maths skills commented upon again harking back to Tyrion I
  
• “The king is fighting hares with a crossbow...The hares are winning” an image of futility? Suggests something like Nero fiddling while Rome burnt?
  
• “If there are any Tullys left when we are done.” Hmm. “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
  
• “My father once told me that a lord never lets sentiment get in the way of ambition...”
  

Analysis

Lann the Clever

We have spoken about the shock and awe power of House Lannister, contrasted the leadership styles of Tywin and The Ned, thought of the pull being Tysha and Tywin, seen Tyrion and giant and imp, but it's time to remember that House Lannister was founded by Lann the Clever who tricked the Casterly's off their rock and stole the foundation of Lannister power.

Tyrion is carrying out his his father's orders but also fighting battles in the wider war “with quills and ravens” demonstrating that he sits “a chair better than a horse” and more effectively too.

Perhaps in his use of cunning Tyrion is actually the truest to ancient Lannister tradition of all his family?

Sibling affection

Nice contrast here. Tyrion's words “those lovely white shoulders of hers” and “you look lovely this morning” seem to seek to publicly define Cersei as though she were only a beautiful woman. He knows that she is dangerous. Cersei herself presents a martial figure, with her military retinue riding out to inspect the defences – publicly playing a masculine, decisive role one that she insinuates her brother can't play adequately enough “Father must have been mad to send you. You're worse than useless.” At the same time of course Tyrion is manoeuvring to immobilise her both physically and politically. More mummery, mummery everywhere. :)

“If ever truly a man had armored himself in gold, it was Petyr Baelish”

I just wanted to draw attention to the info dump here telling us about how Baelish has embedded himself into the financial system and his background. Although minor, he's made himself indispensable like salt in the folk tale and Tyrion doesn't know if he dares move against him yet, drawing on him to finance the regime as he is. Still a fine duel here and more displays of how dangerous Baelish is casually mentioning that he had the maidenheads of both the Tully girls. His new doublet not in his house colours suggests his protean nature.

The wicked uncle

Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years

Hath not yet div’d into the world’s deceit:

No more can you distinguish of a man

Than of his outward show; which, God he knows,

Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart.

Those uncles which you want were dangerous;

Your Grace attended to their sugar’d words,

But look’d not on the poison of their hearts:

God keep you from them, and from such false friends!

Richard III, act III, scene I

“Prince Tommen is a good boy”

“If I pry him away from Cersei and Joffrey while he's young, he may even grow into a good man.”

“And a good king?”

“Joffrey is king.”

“And Tommen is heir, should anything ill befall His Grace. Tommen whose nature is so sweet, and notably...tractable.”

“You have a suspicious mind Varys”

This idea of removing Joffrey and replacing him with the ...tractable Tommen will reappear again. It is a strong temptation for Tyrion, not because of their bad blood so much as Joffrey is an obvious liability to the ambitions and hopes of House Lannister. Where Cersei led in winning the love of the smallfolk in Tyrion III by promising to smash their hands on their unbroken anvils, Joffrey promises to follow showing his love for the people with spears and whips. Of course after ADWD Varys words questioning if Tommen, although tractable could grow into being a good king take on a further meaning, because if he won't or can't Varys has a boy in mind who can.

Food and drink

Tyrion and Pycelle pointedly don't break fast together. The castle is still eating, feeding off the Roseby and Stokesworth estates while the city is going hungry despite Tyrion's efforts in the previous chapter. However there is a hope that the castle may become self sufficient in hares (a fertility symbol I think, ominous then that Joffrey shoots at them).

[Dr. Pepper]

This chapter has always confused me. What sort of trickery was Tyrion trying to pull? How was his ploy meant to find the one who squealed? Varys comes in and readily admits that he knows of the things he's told to Pycelle and LF, though he conveniently switches Tommen when discussing Dorne. Then Tyrion goes on to tell Varys everything else he offered Doran: council seat, lands, Elia's killer(s). If that's not enough, he tells Varys exactly what the game is about:

“And if Her Grace were to discover your intentions before your plans are ripe?”

“Why,” he said, “then I would know the man who told her to be my certain enemy.” And when Varys giggled, he thought, Three.

It's impossible to ask questions to clear up my confusion without jumping ahead, so please feel free to put this aside until then.

We find out later that Tyrion believes it was Pycelle who spilled the beans. I have always found Tyrion's even going after Pycelle to be foolish and it almost seems as though he set him up to be the fall guy so that he could say that he did seek to clear the council of shady folks. Between the three he met with in this chapter, Pycelle seems to be the most harmless, at least when it comes to House Lannister. Does Tyrion really think that Pycelle had time to open, read, and reseal the letters? He notes how slowly he moved before the ravens are released and then has time to check out the medicine shelves, take a bottle and finish another egg before Pycelle ever returns. Surely he has to be aware that Varys is the one who told?

I remember reading this chapter several times my first go-around, and then coming back to it another several times after seeing what happens to Pycelle. Now I've read the chapter another several times and I still don't understand it at all. So what was the point? Is this chapter (along with what happens two chapters later) to reveal that Tyrion isn't quite as cunning as we think he is, can't quite read people the way he thinks he can? Or, and this is what I fear most, is his cunning so great that I'm simply unable to understand the game being played?

[Axrendale]

I remember reading this chapter several times my first go-around, and then coming back to it another several times after seeing what happens to Pycelle. Now I've read the chapter another several times and I still don't understand it at all. So what was the point? Is this chapter (along with what happens two chapters later) to reveal that Tyrion isn't quite as cunning as we think he is, can't quite read people the way he thinks he can? Or, and this is what I fear most, is his cunning so great that I'm simply unable to understand the game being played?

I fear that it is the latter, but I wouldn't feel too bad about it. :) The scheme that Tyrion carries out here is such a convuluted one that it is very easy to miss some of the more subtle aspects of how it works. This has always been one of my favorite chapters in the series, precisely because the beautiful complexity of his machinations makes it one of the best moments when we see Tyrion living up to the legacy of his family - being as much a Fox as he is a Lion.

* When Tyrion delivers the message for Prince Doran to Pycelle, he makes a point of giving him two copies of the letter, ostensibly in order to make sure that the message gets through to the Martells, but in reality to bait the trap for the Grand Maester. He observes that only one raven left carrying a message, and so he knows that Pycelle kept one of the copies to read for himself. Tyrion also makes a point of refusing to speak about what was in the letters (the offer of Myrcella and a SC seat) except to say that it must be sent to Prince Doran and that the reply must be brought only to him, so that even if Varys' "little birds" are listening in, the Spider won't know anything except that an offer has been made to Dorne.

* The false offer that Tyrion gives to Littlefinger is not only a way of gauging the man (we are given a few small clues into Petyr Baelish here), it also functions as the second half of Tyrion's ploy to misdirect Varys. Because this offer (unlike the one with Pycelle) is made in open conversation, Varys' spies will be able to hear about it, and report back the information to him, while in the meantime Littlefinger only knows about one offer that has been made - the one that he was the recipient of. Because Baelish is unable to immediately act on this offer, it can be safely discarded later once its purpose has been served.

* Sure enough, when Tyrion runs into Varys, the eunuch has learned exactly as much as the Imp wanted him to. Varys knows that an offer (contents unspecified) has been made to Doran, and he knows that an offer has been made to the Arryns (with Myrcella). He deduces (as Tyrion intended him to) from this that the offer to Doran must have been about Tommen, since he doesn't realise that one of the previous two offers Tyrion made was actually a sham. Tyrion encourages him in this misperception by sweetening the lie with some some truths - letting the Eunuch know some of what was actually in the offer to Dorne (but leaving out the crucial part about Myrcella, so Varys will still think that it's Tommen), and noting that he will consider the man who tips off his sister to be a mortal enemy (though Varys cannot know how Tyrion will know immediately who that man was).

* So each of the three primary courtiers of the Small Council now thinks that he knows something very specific about Tyrion's intentions (and Tyrion knows what each of them thinks he knows):

- Pycelle thinks that Myrcella is being offered to Dorne.

- Littlefinger thinks Myrcella is being offered to the Vale of Arryn.

- Varys thinks Tommen is being offered to Dorne.

Tyrion knows that whichever one of these options ends up being believed by Cersei will tip him off as to the identity of her trusted spy. So when she later accuses him of plotting to send Myrcella to Dorne, he knows that it was Pycelle who told her (because if it was Littlefinger she would have accused him of sending Myrcella to the Vale instead, and if it was Varys she would have thought it was about Tommen) - after he read the copy of the letter that he kept. Tyrion can then take appropriate action to remove the informant from the Council.

* Tyrion probes each of the three men in ways other than just setting a trap to see who is reporting to Cersei. Varys is the one who has been most hepful to him so far, so he is the one to whom Tyrion drops a hint as to what sort of game is really afoot (Varys doesn't realise that all of the "offers" that have been made are actually distinct from each other, and so only one of them can actually be true - which is the whole point of Tyrion's trap). By making the offer of Harrenhal, he lures Littlefinger into dropping his guard, even if only a little. And he observes the facade (of a harmless old man) that Pycelle presents to the world, while making use of the Grand Maester's resources (his ravens and potions) to put his actual diplomatic initiative into play, and to prepare for another scheme that he has planned for the future.

So it was indeed Pycelle who spilled the beans to Cersei after falling into Tyrion's trap, while Tyrion has also brought a potential alliance with Dorne into the game, strengthened his partnership with Varys, and gained a small (but satisfying) measure of revenge against Littlefinger for the incident with the dagger.

Is this chapter (along with what happens two chapters later) to reveal that Tyrion isn't quite as cunning as we think he is, can't quite read people the way he thinks he can?

On the contrary, this chapter is meant to reveal that Tyrion is actually more cunning and able to read and out-wit people than even the readers had suspected prior to this point.

[Mark Antony]

Great post

Great post

Like button is missed

[Axrendale]

Like button is missed

Thank you. :)

[Foxhound]

Except there's no way to differentiate between Littlefinger and Varys if Cersei came in demanding why Tyrion was going to send Myrcella to the Vale.

[Axrendale]

Except there's no way to differentiate between Littlefinger and Varys if Cersei came in demanding why Tyrion was going to send Myrcella to the Vale.

There is - if Varys was passing the information to Cersei, she would have also "known" about Tommen being offered to Dorne. If all that Cersei "knew" about was the Myrcella offer, then that would have fingered Littlefinger (pardon the pun).

Even if for some reason Varys had decided to tell Cersei about the "Myrcella to the Vale" offer but kept "Tommen to Dorne" to himself, Tyrion would still have been able to tell, as his sister would have bitten off Baelish's head for cooperating in the plan (another tell would have been whether or not Cersei gained knowledge about Tyrion's offer of Harrenhal - something that Varys might have reported, but which Littlefinger would probably have omitted if he was reporting to the Queen).

[Lummel]

... I have always found Tyrion's even going after Pycelle to be foolish and it almost seems as though he set him up to be the fall guy so that he could say that he did seek to clear the council of shady folks. Between the three he met with in this chapter, Pycelle seems to be the most harmless, at least when it comes to House Lannister...

Pycelle is the least dangerous. Tyrion recognises that Littlefinger is dangerous in every chapter so far, that's inevitable - there was always that business with the danger that got him arrested by Catelyn and slung in a sky cell at the Eyrie, not the kind of thing that orget in a hurry, but he acknowledges that he needs Baelish's money spinning abilitiy too, Varys is already so close to Tyrion that I wonder if he could have dropped him, it certainly would have been risky. But anyhow seen it turns out that it is Pycelle who is the mole feeding information to Cersei that's the weak link, that's the one he's got to destroy to isolate Cersei.

[Natalie_S]

To be fair to Tyrion, he was not the one who thought of making Shireen's Patchface's, but yes he does go along with it and appreciates how useful of a lie it would be. It's actually quite stunning how nobody even feels the least bit sorry for poor little Shireen. Pycelle is upset about the slander against Selyse, or at least can't believe it, but an already mutilated child nobody cares about.

In fact, I think above all, Littlefinger's outright cruelty is highlighted here: he's the one who mentions the gargoyle joke, that little Shireen looks like a gargoyle. Tyrion reflects earlier on the tax imposed on people trying to enter Kings Landing as being efficient but cruel, yet here he doesn't seem to reflect on how cruel it is towards Shireen. Is this another example of the internalised aversion to "monsters" that we see both the Hound and Tyrion express to various degrees, despite being monsters themselves?

To be honest, Tyrion's reaction to LF's idea is not at all appreciative: he appears aghast and only reflects about how dangerous a man that can come up with that sort of cruel lie is.

His appreciation was only earlier, when he admitted that the idea of making believe that Stannis was a cuckold, fighting fire with fire, was actually good, but he proposed Selyse's brother as possible father and never mentions's Shireen illness but only her "Florent ears".

“Your Grace, your brother has the right of this.” Petyr Baelish steepled his fingers. “If we attempt to silence this talk, we only lend it credence. Better to treat it with contempt, like the pathetic lie it is. And meantime, fight fire with fire.”

Cersei gave him a measuring look. “What sort of fire?”

“A tale of somewhat the same nature, perhaps. But more easily believed. Lord Stannis has spent most of his marriage apart from his wife. Not that I fault him, I’d do the same were I married to Lady Selyse. Nonetheless, if we put it about that her daughter is baseborn and Stannis a cuckold, well . . . the smallfolk are always eager to believe the worst of their lords, particularly those as stern, sour, and prickly proud as Stannis Baratheon.”

“He has never been much loved, that’s true.” Cersei considered a moment. “So we pay him back in his own coin. Yes, I like this. Who can we name as Lady Selyse’s lover? She has two brothers, I believe. And one of her uncles has been with her on Dragonstone all this time . . .”

“Ser Axell Florent is her castellan.” Loath as Tyrion was to admit it, Littlefinger’s scheme had promise. Stannis had never been enamored of his wife, but he was bristly as a hedgehog where his honor was concerned and mistrustful by nature. If they could sow discord between him and his followers, it could only help their cause. “The child has the Florent ears, I’m told.”

So here is when he's somewhat appreciative (albeit grugdingly) of LF's idea.

Here's the reaction to the Patchface option:

Cersei smiled the sort of smile she customarily reserved for Jaime. “Lord Petyr, you are a wicked creature.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“And a most accomplished liar,” Tyrion added, less warmly. This one is more dangerous than I knew , he reflected.

It is definitely a big leap to state that Tyrion has some sort of aversion towards Shireen. He simply does what he has to do, but it's obvious that he's not happy about it.

He's not enthousiast of LF's idea like Cersei, but rather wary and taken aback.

[anonymouseuser]

Pycelle is the least dangerous. Tyrion recognises that Littlefinger is dangerous in every chapter so far, that's inevitable - there was always that business with the danger that got him arrested by Catelyn and slung in a sky cell at the Eyrie, not the kind of thing that orget in a hurry, but he acknowledges that he needs Baelish's money spinning abilitiy too, Varys is already so close to Tyrion that I wonder if he could have dropped him, it certainly would have been risky. But anyhow seen it turns out that it is Pycelle who is the mole feeding information to Cersei that's the weak link, that's the one he's got to destroy to isolate Cersei.

Plus IIRC when the "chick hatches" and Tyrion discovers "what colour it is" he's quite disappointed to find Pycelle is the mole because he's already decided the maester is not much of a threat. In other words he would have preferred LF to be the mole I'm guessing so he'd have something to use against the council member he thinks is the most dangerous and trusts the least.

[Datepalm]

I've never actually been a fan of Tyrions scheming here. I like the chapter for it's character insight into the council members, but I thought the actual ploy was a little bit adolescent, Nancy Drew stuff. It's clever, but it's a very pointed, self aware sort of cleverness, assuming everything is nice and clean and divided into proper factions, rather than reflecting the real murkiness and tangle of personal and professional relashionship that tend to characterize this sort of thing that we see in other chapters.

[anonymouseuser]

To be honest, Tyrion's reaction to LF's idea is not at all appreciative: he appears aghast and only reflects about how dangerous a man that can come up with that sort of cruel lie is.

His appreciation was only earlier, when he admitted that the idea of making believe that Stannis was a cuckold, fighting fire with fire, was actually good, but he proposed Selyse's brother as possible father and never mentions's Shireen illness but only her "Florent ears".

“Your Grace, your brother has the right of this.” Petyr Baelish steepled his fingers. “If we attempt to silence this talk, we only lend it credence. Better to treat it with contempt, like the pathetic lie it is. And meantime, fight fire with fire.”

Cersei gave him a measuring look. “What sort of fire?”

“A tale of somewhat the same nature, perhaps. But more easily believed. Lord Stannis has spent most of his marriage apart from his wife. Not that I fault him, I’d do the same were I married to Lady Selyse. Nonetheless, if we put it about that her daughter is baseborn and Stannis a cuckold, well . . . the smallfolk are always eager to believe the worst of their lords, particularly those as stern, sour, and prickly proud as Stannis Baratheon.”

“He has never been much loved, that’s true.” Cersei considered a moment. “So we pay him back in his own coin. Yes, I like this. Who can we name as Lady Selyse’s lover? She has two brothers, I believe. And one of her uncles has been with her on Dragonstone all this time . . .”

“Ser Axell Florent is her castellan.” Loath as Tyrion was to admit it, Littlefinger’s scheme had promise. Stannis had never been enamored of his wife, but he was bristly as a hedgehog where his honor was concerned and mistrustful by nature. If they could sow discord between him and his followers, it could only help their cause. “The child has the Florent ears, I’m told.”

So here is when he's somewhat appreciative (albeit grugdingly) of LF's idea.

Here's the reaction to the Patchface option:

Cersei smiled the sort of smile she customarily reserved for Jaime. “Lord Petyr, you are a wicked creature.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“And a most accomplished liar,” Tyrion added, less warmly. This one is more dangerous than I knew , he reflected.

It is definitely a big leap to state that Tyrion has some sort of aversion towards Shireen. He simply does what he has to do, but it's obvious that he's not happy about it.

He's not enthousiast of LF's idea like Cersei, but rather wary and taken aback.

Yes, I think it's safe to say that we see Tyrion having to make compromises with his sense of, well I suppose you'd call it sense of fair play or finer feelings, all through ACOK. Most of the compromises concern reactions to situations created by others. When Tyrion is making the moves - as he does in this chapter - the consequences for others are less horrendous and more consistent with his desire to do "justice".

[anonymouseuser]

I've never actually been a fan of Tyrions scheming here. I like the chapter for it's character insight into the council members, but I thought the actual ploy was a little bit adolescent, Nancy Drew stuff. It's clever, but it's a very pointed, self aware sort of cleverness, assuming everything is nice and clean and divided into proper factions, rather than reflecting the real murkiness and tangle of personal and professional relashionship that tend to characterize this sort of thing that we see in other chapters.

I see where you're coming from, but remember in the context of the plot GRRM needs things to happen fast and he also needs to establish Tyrion's game playing credentials. The kind of in-the-long-run, forward thinking cleverness exhibited by LF and Varys can only be accomplished with time. We are seeing a Tyrion that has to set up his own power base where others have already established theirs. Without going into detail about the future chapters I think we see more long-range planning and less flying by the seat of your pants stuff. Plus of course, Myrcella and the Dorne alliance is a ploy designed to bear fruits in both the short and long term.

[Natalie_S]

In Tyrion IV there's a nice contrast of Pycelle's portrait between his view and Ned's view of the old man in AGOT.

In both situation we have the Hand going to share a meal at Pycelle's apartment and being brought things by Pycelle's young servant.

But in AGOT Pycelle appeared old, well-meaning and harmless, while in Tyrion's portrait there's suspicion in every line.

They both comment that Pycelle looks "half-asleep" as he talks, but as Ned lets him go on and on about his memories, Tyrion often cuts in in the middle of the sentence to bring him back to order.

Ned complaines about the oversweetness of Pycelle's iced milk, while Tyrion says the opposite about his porridge:

Ned sipped politely at the iced milk. It was pleasantly cold, but oversweet to his taste.

The porridge was too thick, Tyrion felt, and wanted butter and honey.

I don't know if that has a particular meaning (does it mirror Pycelle's "sweetness" and tractability according to the 2 men?) or it simply explains that Tyrion and Ned have different habits in food, or even just that Pycelle's cook never gets it right when it comes to honey? :)

“That’s just the sort of fellow I am.” Tyrion returned to the unsatisfactory porridge. “Considerate. Cersei is my own sweet sister, after all.”

“And a woman, to be sure,” Grand Maester Pycelle said. “A most uncommon woman, and yet . . . it is no small thing, to tend to all the cares of the realm, despite the frailty of her sex . . .”

Oh, yes, she’s a frail dove, just ask Eddard Stark.

Here there's also a nice contrast between Pycelle's dismissal of Cersei's ability and women in general, while Tyrion knows better and shows that he doesn't underestimate Cersei on the basis of her gender.

“Who’s the boy in the checkered blue surcoat with the three eyes on his shield?”

“Some hedge knight. Tallad, he names himself. Why?”

Bronn pushed a fall of hair from his eyes. “He’s the best of them. [...]

Here we also have the first mention of Ser Tallad, that later we will see flirting with Shae on the stairs and talking to her on various occasions.

The shipper inside Tyrion :D will even make him consider the arrangement of a marriage between Shae and Tallad.

This Tallad guy seems quite a good match for Shae actually: here there's some praise of his martial ability, and Tyrion will later comment also on his good looks.

These days the sellsword was looking almost respectable. His dark hair was washed and brushed, he was freshly shaved, and he wore the black breastplate of an officer of the City Watch. From his shoulders trailed a cloak of Lannister crimson patterned with golden hands. Tyrion had made him a gift of it when he named him captain of his personal guard.

In Westeros giving a family cloak to someone is a symbol, because it is the same gift given by the groom to the bride during the wedding (as a wedding ring in most western cultures).

Perhaps it means that Tyrion considers Bronn as close as family?

(Is it just me or this scene has a strong bromance vibe to it??)

“No taste for stuffed goose?” Bronn grinned evilly.

“Perhaps you should eat the goose and marry the maid."

At the end of ASOS, Bronn will do exactly that.

She ignored the question. “And when do you plan to free Jaime? He’s worth a hundred of you.”

Tyrion grinned crookedly. “Don’t tell Lady Stark, I beg you. We don’t have a hundred of me to trade.”

:D

If Stannis attacks by sea while his brother Renly storms the gates, they’ll soon be mounting Joffrey’s head on a spike. Worse, mine will be beside him. A depressing thought. He ought to make plans to get Shae safely out of the city, should the worst seem likely.

Another concern for Shae's safety.

“Lord Littlefinger.” Podrick managed a quick look at his face, then hastily dropped his eyes. “I meant, Lord Petyr. Lord Baelish. The master of coin.”

“You make him sound a crowd.” The boy hunched down as if struck, making Tyrion feel absurdly guilty.

Aww, Pod!

Anyway, Tyrion doesn't seem to like that Pod is so shy in his presence, and repeatedly encouraged to talk and look at him basically everytime he appears in the books.

The fact that Joffrey shoots at hares is particularly outrageous because we've just had reports about the lack of food in the city, that is leading the people to revolt against the crown.

“Your Grace.” Tyrion bowed politely. “You look lovely this morning.”

[...]

“You look very elegant today, my lord.”

Apparently in KL it's considered basic good manners to often compliment people for their appearance. Tyrion compliments Cersei almost everytime he sees her, and will do pretty much the same for Sansa.

Later Sansa will ask herself if she should tell Tyrion that he's handsome (because apparently it would have been expected of her) but in the end decides not to.

[David Selig]

I've never actually been a fan of Tyrions scheming here. I like the chapter for it's character insight into the council members, but I thought the actual ploy was a little bit adolescent, Nancy Drew stuff. It's clever, but it's a very pointed, self aware sort of cleverness, assuming everything is nice and clean and divided into proper factions, rather than reflecting the real murkiness and tangle of personal and professional relashionship that tend to characterize this sort of thing that we see in other chapters.

Agreed.

Plus he achieved very little with it. It was hardly a surprise Pycelle was informing Cersei, and removing him for a short time didn't help Tyrion much at all, mostly he created a dangerous enemy for himself. The scheme also angered LF without decreasing his power, which is never a good idea. Both those things almost got Tyrion executed later on.

Besides, Pycelle might be a crook, but the Queen Regent outranks the acting Hand so legally he's bound to report to her even if Tyrion ordered him not.

[Datepalm]

Edit - responding to Anonamouse

True, the ferret-out-the-traitorous-councilman episode does have lasting plot consequences, showing a lot of Tyrions genuine political acumen in building alliances. It's the scheme itself, though now that I think of it it might fit his character at this point. He's just pleased as a pumpkin here with his letters and misinformation and putting the puzzle together, like a kid who's pulled off a clever prank over some adults, and is extremely impressed with his own cleverness. I feel like that sense of enjoying these kind of neat, theatrical setpieces will carry through to Pycelles actual, er, de-beardment in a few chapters (or is it the next one) and increadingly echo Tywins M.O - this reminds me a lot of the Red Wedding, all of a sudden: Set everything up prettily behind the scenes by lining up alliances, and then bring it home with a spate of sudden, operatic violence.

To David - Removing Pycelle ends up memorable for an exersice of power of Tyrion more than anything. And Cercei does outrank him, you're right: he's pretty openly trying to undermine the structure of the council and line up it's members next to him (a combo of buying them and demonstrating violence on Pycelle) rather than trying to create any cooperation. Of course, he might assume - possibly correctly - that Cercei is irraional and impossible to work with, but at the same time I don't remember them actually being on different sides here. This is an internal Lannister power struggle, rather than being about the governance of city or what they still control of the kingdom.

[Lummel]

...It is definitely a big leap to state that Tyrion has some sort of aversion towards Shireen. He simply does what he has to do, but it's obvious that he's not happy about it.

He's not enthousiast of LF's idea like Cersei, but rather wary and taken aback.

No body has stated that Tyrion has an aversion to Shireen. But generally there does seem to be an aversion to the disabled, cripples and broken things in Westeros. If this affects the thinking of the small council we can only guess.

... In other words he would have preferred LF to be the mole I'm guessing so he'd have something to use against the council member he thinks is the most dangerous and trusts the least.

I think so but then he would have had the dilemma of how to deal with him. The difficulty of replacing Littlefinger (not surprisingly when he seems to have built the financial machine around himself) runs on into ASOS, AFFC and even crops up again in Kevan's thoughts at the end of ADWD.

I've never actually been a fan of Tyrions scheming here. I like the chapter for it's character insight into the council members, but I thought the actual ploy was a little bit adolescent, Nancy Drew stuff. It's clever, but it's a very pointed, self aware sort of cleverness, assuming everything is nice and clean and divided into proper factions, rather than reflecting the real murkiness and tangle of personal and professional relashionship that tend to characterize this sort of thing that we see in other chapters.

Yes, you're right had any two of them shared information, or if all three had run to Queen Cersei, then Tyrion's game would have been out in the open. Then we would be saying that Tyrion was the gambler who over played his hand.

So game playing again. There are the risk adverse like Doran, who won't sacrifice a pawn unnecessarily and Tyrion who is actually running a big risk here.

...Apparently in KL it's considered basic good manners to often compliment people for their appearance. Tyrion compliments Cersei almost everytime he sees her, and will do pretty much the same for Sansa.

Later Sansa will ask herself if she should tell Tyrion that he's handsome (because apparently it would have been expected of her) but in the end decides not to.

I don't think this is a reflection of Kings Landing manners surely this is Tyrion being courtly and Sansa being well drilled that courtesy is a lady's armour. The manners of other people at court don't seem to be so exemplary.

Although with Tyrion this might be more than good manners, he's playing with Cersei here in Tyrion IV. Being polite while looking to find her allies.

[anonymouseuser]

Agreed.

Plus he achieved very little with it. It was hardly a surprise Pycelle was informing Cersei, and removing him for a short time didn't help Tyrion much at all, mostly he created a dangerous enemy for himself. The scheme also angered LF without decreasing his power, which is never a good idea. Both those things almost got Tyrion executed later on.

Besides, Pycelle might be a crook, but the Queen Regent outranks the acting Hand so legally he's bound to report to her even if Tyrion ordered him not.

Well we can't get too far ahead of ourselves here but let's just say that arresting Pycelle and subsequently releasing him leaves Tyrion much better placed than he was before and leave it at that. As for "creating" a dangerous enemy, well who would that be? Cersei and LF were hardly close friends or even trusted collegues so.....

[Silverin]

Agreed.

Plus he achieved very little with it. It was hardly a surprise Pycelle was informing Cersei, and removing him for a short time didn't help Tyrion much at all, mostly he created a dangerous enemy for himself. The scheme also angered LF without decreasing his power, which is never a good idea. Both those things almost got Tyrion executed later on.

Besides, Pycelle might be a crook, but the Queen Regent outranks the acting Hand so legally he's bound to report to her even if Tyrion ordered him not.

:agree:

I too not see much that he accomplished here. Sure he realised that Pycelle was informing Cersei, but that was hardly much surprise.

On the other hand he seems to dig his own grave regarding LF. I mean he knows he set him up with the dagger, he realises that he is dangerous. He knows that as the Maester of Coin he is able to get money from "nothing", but on the other hand he knows that originally he was a nobody and now he does have a lot (now where could he get that, doesn'T need to be a genius to guess that....), so while keeping him as the Maester of Coin he just bankrupts the kingdom even more. Mainly because probably a part of the loans he takes in name of the Kingdom won't end up where they should...

Not to mention he angered LF, as you said withouth weakening him.