Wow, this makes sense actually…
Obviously this post contains spoilers for the latest episode of Game of Thrones.
It’s difficult to know who to trust in Westeros at the best of times, Ned Stark placed trust in Littlefinger, it got him killed. Jon Snow was killed (briefly) by his brothers in the Night’s Watch. Robb Stark was killed by supposed ally Walder Frey.
Notice a bit of a trend here?
Varys has played on many sides of the fence, and his loyalty has swayed swiftly and often. He is currently in the service of Daenerys, but she took steps in the last episode to ensure that his loyalty will not fade this time around.
He was pressed by Daenerys about his allegiances and responded with claims that his loyalty doesn’t lie with Kings or Queens, but rather with the people. We’re told that Varys will not reward incompetence with blind loyalty.
But, there’s people out there who suspect that Varys may not be quite as loyal to Daenerys as she might think, and that his loyalty may stray in the coming episodes.
One razor-sharp Redditor pointed out that someone may tempt Varys loyalty as soon as the next episode, as Daenerys is not a natural fit for him.
Dany would clearly be a better ruler than Cersei, and she has the stronger claim to the throne as well. But there are aspects of her character that can’t sit well with Varys. Varys has a strong aversion to religious fanaticism and magic, as we have seen in past seasons. He was mutilated by a religious fanatic performing a magic ritual. In season 2, he strongly opposed Stannis’ claim to the throne, in large part (as he explained to Tyrion) because the idea of Melisandre having so much power horrified him. Dany’s dragons must similarly worry him. They are magical creatures, mythical WMDs, which, in the wrong hands, could prove to be disastrous for the realm and its people.
The Redditor, BZenMojo, also points to a section of the books where Varys speaks about Aegon Targaryen’s grooming to be King. He speaks of the qualities necessary to be King and a lot of people think it sounds more like Jon Snow than Daenerys.
Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.
Will the loyalty of Varys come into question? We’ll wait and see…
