Varys isn't the 'Game of Thrones' MVP we need, but he's the one we surely deserve
Oh, Varys. You saw it all coming. In truth, you'd seen it all before. But your warnings went unheeded and then, well, you know the rest. Dragonfire to the face.
It's abundantly clear in the penultimate Game of Thrones episode why no one has ever been truly safe on this show. They're all terrible people and they all deserve to burn for it. Our final minutes with Varys claim the latest episode's MVP trophy only because he had the foresight to recognize that.
It's foresight that was born out of serving under five different Westerosi rulers, including the big one: Aerys II Targaryen. The Mad King. The father of and model for Daenerys Targaryen's seemingly inescapable undoing.
Unlike the rest of the Game of Thrones cast in this final stretch of episodes, it seems like Varys was actually paying attention during the seven previous seasons. He knows the history of this world and has personally witnessed the cyclical undoing of the ruling class. Ambition is a hell of a drug.
That's why Varys worked to foment uncertainty in Dany's leadership, dooming himself. He knew the risks of not selling any allies on his plan, but he also recognized the greater risk in continuing to serve at the soon-to-be-Mad Queen's side.
Of course, "too little, too late" is a very real factor in this case. Varys still isn't exactly worthy of MVP status, he's just the most worthy. The all-seeing, all-knowing Master of Whisperers ought to have acted sooner. He probably would have met the same end, but perhaps an earlier demise would have shaken Dany's other spellbound advisers out of their reverie.
In the end, it wasn't a whispered act of betrayal or even a column of dragonfire that brought about Varys' demise. It was poor writing in a season that feels like it's rushing to an unearned conclusion. Just like it's been with Tyrion, one of the sharpest minds on Game of Thrones fell victim to a series script that now chains characters to the whims of the plot, seemingly in the name of a blockbuster ending.
It's undeserved, but that's an idea best explored in one more week, after the series finale airs. For now, we're stuck with a visually arresting but narratively weak second-to-last chapter. There are no heroes on Game of Thrones, but Varys did his level best to ensure a happier future for Westeros with 100 percent less dragonfire. For that, he's our penultimate Game of Thrones MVP.
Topics Game Of Thrones HBO
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
