Winning the game of thrones is as much about mental cunning as physical strength. And two of the greatest mental warriors in Westeros, Lord Petyr Baelish and Varys, may be going head to head again, according to actor Conleth Hill.
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Hill hinted at a possibility of a reunion between the Spider and the Littlefinger.
"I can tell you that I loved working with Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger), and I can tell you that it’s possible we work together again. But not definite."
Hill is obviously being careful about saying anything definite—it’s not even clear whether this refers to Season 7 or 8—but we’ll take anything that can tide us over during the extra-long wait for Season 7.
Power Struggle
Although Varys and Littlefinger aren’t talented fighters, they’ve flattered the right people and managed to climb the social ladder. At this point, it’s pretty clear that Baelish is only looking out for himself, but Varys is at least trying to use his powers for good, as he revealed to Ned Stark when the imprisoned patriarch asked whom Varys truly served. “The realm, my lord. Someone must.”
Both these men have been bending their will towards major changes. Baelish pretty much jumpstarted the War of Five Kings when he convinced Lysa Arryn to poison her husband so he could blame the Lannisters. Meanwhile, Varys has been silently keeping an eye on Daenerys’ development, waiting patiently for the opportune time to join forces. Oftentimes, their opposing goals have kept them at odds.
So what does this mean for Season 7? If Littlefinger digs his hooks deeper into Sansa Stark, it could give him a much stronger foothold in the North. He already has the Knights of the Vale on lock, and with Daenerys’ army (featuring Varys) rapidly approaching Westeros, the old adversaries could soon be on opposite sides of an armed conflict.
Or, if the Night King breaches the Wall, Littlefinger and Varys may have to team up to fight for the survival of mankind. Whatever the circumstances, we’d love to see these guys meet up again.