Looking forward to “Game of Thrones” season 7? You better keep your eye on Littlefinger.
Be aware of spoilers below…
Winter has finally come, Jon Snow is discovering his destiny, Daenerys is on her way to Westeros, and Cersei has unsurprisingly wreaked havoc once again. But while we may be talking about what Lyanna whispered (as if we don’t know…”R+L=J”), we must remember that when it comes to “Game of Thrones,” the devil is in the details. And that devil may be one we know, lurking unnoticed in the metaphorical shadows of the show during every major event.
Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger has remained vigilant on his quest for power and has survived every season without so much as a scratch. That says a lot for a series which thrives on death and tragedy. Throughout the series Petyr Baelish is easily the most enigmatic character in “Game of Thrones.” His intentions are clouded but we do know that he’s on a continual quest for power. In the final episode of season 6, he revealed to Sansa that he wanted the Iron Throne and wanted her as his queen. With Jon taking back the North, Cersei taking the throne for herself, and Daenerys finally on her way to Westeros, could Petyr Baelish be the one who takes the Iron Throne? I wouldn’t discount it as a possibility and let me tell you why.
Littlefinger is the Catalyst in Many Major Events
If you look at the moments where a change in power occurred, Petyr Baelish has been behind most of them without ever swinging a sword. From season 1 to the most recent season 6, Lord Baelish has been the only one effectively playing this game of thrones. The most catastrophic event in season 1 was the loss of Ned Stark and if it weren’t for Littlefinger betraying him, we may have not seen Ned’s head on a stick. What’s more significant is the reason why Petyr betrayed Ned. Instead of taking Baelish’s advice to let Joffrey take the crown so they could manipulate him, Ned wanted to expose Joffrey and allow for Stannis Baratheon to take the throne. Lord Baelish of course got his way.
In season 2 Littlefinger was introduced to Margaery Tyrell and his interest in her becomes significant in season 3 when Joffrey meets his fate as she serves as his queen. The most significant moment that Petyr Baelish had in season 2 was negotiating an alliance between the Tyrells and Lannisters which prevented Stannis’ forces from taking King’s Landing during the Battle of Blackwater.
In season 3 Joffrey finally dies and it’s due to an arrangement between Olenna Tyrell and Petyr Baelish. They planned and executed his assassination and escaped without any suspicion. This also allowed for Petyr to smuggle Sansa Stark out of the city as he recognized her political significance and began to establish a certain affinity for her due to her resemblance to her mother.
In season 4 Baelish lays low hiding in Eyrie a bit lost in his infatuation with Sansa. When Lysa Arryn, sister of Catelyn Stark, becomes jealous of Petyr’s affection for Sansa she plans to have Sansa thrown out the moon door. When Petyr learns of this, he instead throws Lysa through the door and with the help of Sansa, establishes an influential voice over Lord Robin and the Knights of the Vale. This will be VERY useful in the future.
In season 5 Petyr takes Sansa to Winterfell to wed Ramsay Bolton. His expectations were that Sansa could destroy the Bolton’s from within and that Stannis Baratheon would eventually take Winterfell. In addition, he met with Cersei Lannister in King’s Landing to anger her with Ramsay’s marriage to Stansa to incite a motive to take down Stannis and the Boltons. In return for this information, Littlefinger would become Warden of the North. Unfortunately this didn’t play out as expected but he always has a backup plan, as we learn in season 6.
In season 6, things are in all sorts of disarray. Sansa has escaped and been reunited with Jon Snow and they plan to take back the north from Ramsay Bolton. When the battle for the north finally ensues Jon Snow’s army is about to be defeated. Sansa had reluctantly sent a letter to Petyr requesting his help due to his influence over the Knights of the Vale. It is Petyr and his forces that save Jon Snow and allow him to finally take the north.
The War of the Five Kings was essentially initiated by Littlefinger and has put the “Game of Thrones” world into choas. As we’ve seen from season to season, without Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger, Westeros would be a much different place.
Being Politically Savvy is the Key to Survival
Being intertwined in one major event in “Game of Thrones” would put one’s odds of survival at a minimum, but Littlefinger played his part in more than a few events and is still standing strong. We would all like to think that honor, heart, and good nature wins in “Game of Thrones” but experience in Westeros tells us otherwise.
Ned Stark, Robb Stark, Stannis Baratheon, and even Jon Snow (in a way) have met their fate relying on their sword and/or good nature. The only exception is Daenerys but she has yet to make it to Westeros (and she has dragons). The characters that manage to persevere throughout the series are the most manipulative and most savvy.
Cersei, Tyrion, and Petyr are all masters of manipulation in their own regard. Tyrion used his gift of gab to switch his alliance from House Lannister to House Targaryen, Cersei managed to seek revenge on the High Sparrow and take the Iron Throne, and Petyr managed to…well we don’t know what Petyr’s up to.
Petyr’s mystery is what makes him the most formidable opponent. We know he seeks power but we don’t know which path he will take which makes him unpredictable and an anomaly to any strategist. He is intentionally mysterious and combined with his cunning tongue, he has remained unrivaled in Westeros.
“Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next. Sometimes the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose, or even seem to work against you. Remember that, Sansa, when you come to play the game.”
His Resources are Continually Growing
Petyr Baelish came from meager noble beginnings growing up. House Baelish gained its nobility from Petyr’s grandfather who was a hedge knight who earned a minor lordship over the smallest peninsula of the Fingers (hence Littlefinger’s name).
Despite humble (but noble) beginnings, Petyr Baelish manipulated others to earn his position as Master of Coin at King’s Landing. This was only the beginning of his quest for wealth and power. As we saw in season 1 of “Game of Thrones,” Petyr Baelish believes that wealth is what brings one power. When Ned Stark held Tywin Lannister accountable for his actions, Petyr questioned Ned’s decision due to Tywin’s vast wealth.
“Gold wins wars, not soldiers.”
After the fall of Ned Stark and the rise of King Joffrey, we saw Petyr claim even more power and wealth. As a reward for forming an alliance between House Lannister and Tyrell, Joffrey named Petyr Lord of Harrenhal. This gave Lord Baelish control of the Riverlands castle and the land surrounding it thereby expanding his wealth and property.
The most recent acquisition by Petyr Baelish was his title of Lord Protector of the Vale. By taking advantage of Lysa Arryn’s known love for him, Petyr married her then killed her to gain his control over the Kingdom of Mountain and the Vale. This is an isolated kingdom but is also protected by the Knights of the Vale which Lord Baelish gained control over.
In the finale of season 6, Lord Baelish expressed his interest in the Iron Throne with Sansa as his queen. Sansa rejected his offer and held her allegiance to Jon Snow. Although this was a failed attempt by Littlefinger, the seed has been planted and we now know that the Iron Throne is definitely on his radar.
Why Littlefinger Could Take the Throne
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, Petyr Baelish has seen substantial growth in all areas yet still flies under the radar. His low profile and unlikely claim to the throne is what makes Petyr a possible candidate.
There have been many upsetting surprises in “Game of Thrones” and that’s exactly why we shouldn’t discount Littlefinger as a possible contender for the Iron Throne. While Westeros has been at war, he has used the war to his advantage. Houses fall and their resources continually diminish but Littlefinger has thrived.
With Daenerys finally on her way to Westeros and the Night King eventually bringing his army forth, we will most likely see the greatest battle yet. This battle should make the War of the Five Kings seem like a minor squabble in comparison.
If Petyr Baelish plays by his usual non-confrontational rules of war, then we could see total annihilation of some and Westeros left in ruins. Even the victor/s of the battle would be greatly weakened leaving Littlefinger and his non interventional army left to easily claim the throne.
It may not be the most suitable or righteous ending that the fans want, but it definitely would be a shocking one.
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