31 Things We Learned from the Game of Thrones Women

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30. You have to put yourself first, but you need to measure the cost of doing so

Shae

I may be in the minority here, but I can’t fault Shae for betraying Tyrion in Season 4. Not entirely, anyway. As much as she loves him—and that love does appear genuine—Shae has always had to look out for herself. Before Tyrion, she had to go it alone and keep herself afloat. She has known nothing but solitude and survival. So, upon Tyrion’s trial, she reverts to that pattern, probably on threat of death.

Later, Tyrion finds her in his father’s bed. Okay, so ew. But Shae is, professionally speaking, a whore—which was often an argument between her and Tyrion. Following his trial for Joffrey’s murder, he and Shae have nothing but memories and bad blood between them. All the same, it’s a betrayal of their love, and as a result Shae has become something of a scourge among fans. No matter your feelings on her as a character, we can all agree that while Shae’s self-preservation tactics were an attempt to save her own life, they resulted in her death instead. Like Tywin, she shouldn’t have underestimated Tyrion. But, alas, the guy has got to have a tragic romance to motivate him; most heroes do any more.