Valar morghulis. All men must die, and all of Cersei’s enemies must ingest poison in “The Queen’s Justice.” Daenerys Targaryen’s allies in the Seven Kingdoms—Olenna Tyrell and Ellaria Sand—were killed or imprisoned in this episode, and Ellaria’s daughter Tyene subjected to poetic retribution. Here’s your guide to the recently deceased.
Olenna Tyrell, a.k.a. The Queen Of Thorns
Who died? Lady Olenna Tyrell, called the “Queen Of Thorns” due to her biting tongue and take-no-shit attitude. (Also because the sigil of House Tyrell is a rose.)
How did they die? Via poison added to her wine by Jaime Lannister, which she drank quickly and spent her last breath telling Jaime that it was she who added a much worse poison to Joffrey’s cup, contrasting her relatively painless death with Jaime’s son’s tortuous one.
How shocking was it? Olenna’s death caught us off guard; she seemed so secure in her quest for vengeance, and Diana Rigg has been a bright spot on the show ever since she showed up in season three. The show lost one of its strongest characters, whose quiet cunning and behind-the-scenes maneuvering will be missed.
What does it mean for the show? House Tyrell is now in the hands of the Lannisters and leaderless. Daenerys lost valuable financial support and one of the great houses of Westeros.
Tyene Sand
Who died? Tyene Sand, a Sand Snake and daughter of Ellaria and Oberyn Martell.
How did they die? Qyburn reverse-engineered the poison lipstick Ellaria used to kill Cersei’s daughter, Myrcella. Cersei chose a poetic, cruel way to enact her revenge by kissing Tyene, the same way Ellaria killed Myrcella. The key difference is that Ellaria will be forced to watch her daughter’s “beautiful face crumble to bone and dust” while she is chained in the dungeons under the Red Keep.
How shocking was it? If this were anyone but Cersei, it might be more shocking, but viewers are well-versed in the queen’s propensity toward creative cruelty.
What does it mean for the show? Daenerys’ southern ally, House Martell, has lost its leader with the imprisonment of Ellaria. It’s unclear what role Dorne has left to play, and who will take leadership over the Dornish kingdom with Ellaria imprisoned and the three eldest Sand Snakes dead.