I feel like there's definite resistance on both sides. Book Shae is pretty vapid and self-centered and I do wonder if she was ever even capable of feeling anything for Tyrion at all. He definitely pushed her away with his attitude of ownership, but I never felt for a second that any of her affection was genuine. Maybe the Tywin situation is clouding my perception, but I think it's made pretty evident earlier where her true motivation like.

I see what you are saying LMB and I think we can all agree it was a fucked relationship with way too much emotional baggage on Tyrion's part.

Agreed, though I still think possession isn't quite the right word, he certainly never thought of her as an intellectual equal who he could persuade/explain things to, and tended to treat her as a servant he could just give orders to.

Good episode, I'm really enjoying the parade of guest hosts over the last few episodes, it's nice to get a new voice sometimes.

I'd never really considered whether Varys was lying about the events surrounding his emasculation, but upon considering it, I'm starting to wonder. Like No True Lady (I think) said, I had the impression the sorcerer was trying to summon a demon or something of that sort, which is rather unlike most of the magic we've seen, but just the thing to add a note of the fantastical to a story. Of course, it could be an embellishment, or perhaps a spell that allowed the sorcerer to communicate with another human across distances, but the voice seems to hold so much significance in the story that I'm not sure I think that's likely.

I think Tyrion might have been happier if he could have viewed Shae only as a possession, but I think it's pretty clear he didn't. He's constantly trying to convince/remind himself that she doesn't love him, you don't worry about the feelings of objects.

Anyone read The Armageddon Rag? I haven't yet but feel like GRRM's singer problem would probably make more sense after reading that.

Could Qhorin learning to fight with his left hand have relevance for Jaime?

From my re-read summary:

After Daven leaves, Jaime goes to find Ser Ilyn for another beating. I'm wondering if this was another plot that suffered without the five year gap after ASOS. Jaime won't have the time to learn to fight left-handed like the Halfhand miraculously did, so for the time being he is reliant on his mind and words like his brother.

I always thought that Varys story was true, but the more I think about it, the more I love the thought that he just came up with that off the cuff. Of course that's as likely as him being a non-eunuch, blackfyre, merling.

I'm pretty sure after Marillion had fulfilled his purpose LF disposed of him.