Here's why Sansa will definitely kill Littlefinger - and it will be awesome
If you've been wondering what the hell is going on with Littlefinger, you're not alone.
Viewers have been scratching their heads at his inexplicably useless presence in every single scene he's disgraced in Season 7. Meanwhile, theorists have been hard at work trying to figure out why showrunners who are happy to cut the throats of characters with dwindling relevance are bothering to keep Baelish around.
Until last season, Littlefinger was characterized as a scheming puppet master. But over the past two seasons, he's become more like the Westerosi version of Lolita's Humbert Humbert.
There's ample evidence that Petyr's days are numbered, and we already smell blood in the water (or snow, rather).
Many, like this redditor, suspect Sansa is playing Littlefinger like a fiddle. In an earlier episode, she reminds Brienne that Littlefinger still has control over the Vale, and its armies -- which served the North quite well last season.
So strategically, Sansa's most obvious next move would be to marry Petyr (which shouldn't be too difficult, considering he won't stop sliding into her DMs), before killing him and taking over as the leader of the significant stronghold.
Littlefinger's bewildering speech to Sansa in "The Queen's Justice" might even serve as some foreshadowing. "Fight every battle, everywhere, always. In your mind," he advises, with only the vaguest of bullshit. "Live that way, and nothing will surprise you. Everything that happens will be something that you’ve seen before.”
Hmm let's think back to some of the wonderful "surprises" Baelish himself has inflicted upon Sansa in the past. Namely: how he manipulated her aunt's obsessive love for him in order to marry her and gain control of the Vale, before promptly pushing her out the Moon Door to her death.
All in all, I'd say a kiss over that same Moon Door before a prompt kick in the balls would be a fitting end to their narrative together.
Another commenter only added fuel to fire, with a theory that would explain the dissonance between Sansa's public disputes with Jon and their very amicable interactions in private:
That's why I think Sansa has been speaking out against Jon in public, to make Petyr think there's a rift between herself and Jon. Sansa's manipulating Baelish.
All I'm saying is that, if i were Petyr, I'd start considering the possibility that the student has surpassed the teacher.
On top of all that, you might've caught the small look of concern that crossed Littlefinger's face when the new Maester of Winterfell mentioned that the late Maester Luwin kept extensive records on every single raven scroll the castle has ever received.
JoeMagician thought back to what scroll might make Baelish feel so uneasy, and the answer is jaw-dropping.
Remember that note Catelyn (RIP) received all the way back in the very first episode of Season 1? It was from her sister Lysa Arryn and stated her suspicions that the Lannisters killed her husband (and Ned's father figure), Jon Arryn. The same letter that it was later revealed Littlefinger had manipulated Lysa into sending, in order to sow chaos into Westerosi politics.
If you'll remember, this was the same letter that set in motion the demise of the entire Stark family. Ned immediately went to the South, only to be betrayed and played by Baelish, and get his head chopped off.
The rest is history painted in direwolf blood, as her father's death lead to Sansa and Arya getting split up, sent Robb on his unsuccessful rebellion to avenge Ned, as well as Catelyn to her death, and basically every other terrible thing that has ever happened to Sansa since.
Conveniently, even if Sansa isn't the one to actually do the dirty deed, previews for the next episode show Arya -- you know, the world class assassin who can adopt any identity -- on her way to Winterfell. And I sense she'll have a few strong words for Littlefinger.
But there's plenty of other evidence to support that Sansa will play a huge role in Petyr's death. Consider this bit of prophecy another redditor pointed to from the books. To summarize, Arya crossed paths with a famed woods witch who already predicted her sister's involvement in one death:
“I dreamt of a maid at a feast with purple serpents in her hair, venom dripping from their fangs. And later I dreamt that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle built of snow.”
The purple serpents with dripping venom refer to Sansa's unwitting role in smuggling the poison that killed Joeffrey at the Purple Wedding. But the second part has yet to come true.
The theory continues:
I think the castle built of snow is Winterfell, and the giant may be Littlefinger? The family sigil of house Baelish is the Titan of Braavos.
For years Sansa has been quietly taking lessons from some Westeros' most cold-hearted schemers, from Littlefinger to Cersei. I mean, did you see that smirk on her face after she fed Ramsey Bolton to his own goddamn dogs?
We all know Sansa is big on poetic justice. Let's just hope Petyr keeps underestimating her like everyone else.
Topics Game Of Thrones Reddit
Jess is an LA-based culture critic who covers intimacy in the digital age, from sex and relationship to weed and all media (tv, games, film, the web). Previously associate editor at Kill Screen, you can also find her words on Vice, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Vox, and others. She is a Brazilian-Swiss American immigrant with a love for all things weird and magical.
