After killing Shae, Tyrion spots Joffrey's custom crossbow on the wall. He picks it up and makes his way down the halls of the tower to the bathrooms where he finds Tywin doing his business. Tywin hides his surprise and immediately attempts to talk Tyrion down. He confronts his father about his hatred for his very existence; questioning how he could condemn his own son for a crime he knows he didn't commit. He also confesses to murdering Shae, and when Tywin dismisses it because she was a whore, Tyrion threatens to shoot him if he uses that word again. Sure enough Tywin does and Tyrion unleashes a bolt right into his abdomen. Shocked that Tyrion could do such a thing, Tywin denounces him. Tyrion coldly responds, "I have always been your son," and fires another bolt into his heart, killing the mighty lion of Casterly Rock. As if Tyrion couldn't get any darker with killing Shae, killing his own father, considered one of the most unforgivable crimes in Westeros, is the last act of a man with nothing left to lose or live for. Consider it a informal denouncement of the family that has ostracized him his entire life. It figures that Tywin Lannister, a man who presents himself as a flawless figure of authority, would die in such an undignified way. He did not perish on the battlefield or in his bed surrounded by his family. He was murdered by his son in the privy. It is irony at its finest. This was a huge moment from the books, and, despite missing some of the subtext, it was wonderfully and faithfully adapted. It means saying goodbye to Charles Dance, the perfect actor to bring this character to life, as well as saying goodbye to the old Tyrion. As with many of the major characters at the end of this episode, Tyrion is heading into a radical new phase of his life, which will certainly make for an exciting new season come next year. We cannot wait!
