Hell hath no fury like…

This hints at the real motivation for Shae’s testimony. When Varys discovered Cersei planned to have Shae killed, he immediately arranged her a ship to Pentos. And when Shae pleaded Tyrion to stay, he told her that she was a whore and he was a married man so she should leave.

In fairness to Tyrion, he mostly did this because he knew she would stay in King’s Landing and be killed if she was in love with him. But he was foolish to hit the one nerve Shae could never forgive him for striking, as he knew she detested being known as just a whore from the first night they first met.

“My lion” is a pet name Shae invented for Tyrion before the Battle of the Blackwater. It is based off of the Lannister house’s sigil and had nothing to do with Tyrion’s orders.

It’s more subtle visually than in the script, but this foreshadows “The Viper” choosing to become Tyrion’s champion in the following episode. It was a twist for non-book readers to see Oberyn put his life on the line for a Lannister, but looking back on the scene knowing what we do now it’s very clear that the prospect of a trial by combat piques Oberyn’s interest.

The TV version of this scene doesn’t explicitly state Cersei is responsible for getting Shae to testify because it can get this point across visually. Quick cuts to Cersei glowering at Tyrion and smiling as his fate becomes clear speak a thousand words.

By roping Sansa into this as, Shae’s testimony all but confirms what we should have known anyway – Cersei is pulling the strings here. Shae’s spite might have been enough to get her to testify against Tyrion, though even that is unlikely. But a testimony that all but condemns Cersei’s hated brother and further diminished the power and respect of the Starks has the Queens fingerprints all over it.

The book version of this scene confirms this, as Tyrion “wonder[s] what Cersei had promised her” as Shae is escorted away. Though it should be noted it probably didn’t take much persuasion to get Shae to condemn Sansa, as she expressed jealousy towards her ever since her marriage to Tyrion.

It gets lost in all of the barbs thrown at King’s Landing and the Lannisters in this diatribe, but Tyrion breaches one of the most taboo subjects in all of Westeros in this throwaway comment – that Joffrey is the product of Cersei and Jaime’s incest and isn’t the son of Robert.

This rumor been bubbling since late season 1/early season 2, so it shows that this speech truly is the result of years of mistreatment towards Tyrion. And while the comment does publicly shame Cersei, it is more of a jab towards Tywin as Cersei is not ashamed of what her and Jaime did but Tywin is terrified of what the rumor will do to his family name.

As Westeros is divided into those who worship the old gods and the Faith of the Seven, as well as more niche religions like the Lord of Light and the Drowned God, forcing a witness to swear by “all the gods” is a safe and uncontroversial catch-all.

This is contrasted by the American justice system which ends their swearing in with “so help you God” and used to make witnesses take their oath with a hand over the Holy Bible.

While it doesn’t really matter – Shae could have said anything disparaging Tyrion and the crowd would have believed it – she strengthens her testimony by basing it partly in truth.

In Season 1 Episode 9 “Baelor”, Tyrion’s sell-sword Bronn does steal Shae away from another knight for Tyrion. They spend the night bonding before the Battle of the Green Fork, and he does say a version of that quote, though Shae did fabricate it to make Tyrion look worse. The original:

I want you to take no other man to bed as long as we’re together. And I want you to fuck me like it’s my last night in this world.

What is misleading and cruel about this testimony is that despite the dishonorable circumstances under which Tyrion and Shae first met, that night in the tent was when they started falling for each other. By dismissing what the two of them had as a strict whore/john relationship, it not only makes Tyrion look even less honorable, but also cuts deep emotionally as Shae is one of the two women Tyrion has ever loved.

This is a throwback reference to one of the biggest events from season 1 – the execution of Ned Stark. Since joining the Night’s Watch is so bleak, it is often used as a viable alternative to death sentences or extreme punishment. That’s why when Ned was found guilty of betraying Robert, he was supposed to spend the rest of his days on the Wall. But, as his first real act as king, Joffrey changed his mind declaring:

My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join the Night’s Watch. Stripped of all titles and powers, he would serve the realm in permanent exile. And my Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father… But they have the soft hearts of women. So long as I am your king, treason shall never go unpunished. Sir Ilyn, bring me his head!

And if Ned Stark, arguably the most respected man in Westeros, fell prey to this, Tyrion knows that his family and country’s disdain for him makes him especially vulnerable to betrayal.