Have to say the people who watched the show and thought Balish was the mastermind really needed to read the books and pick up the subtle hints. There's so much that shows varys is not only the mastermind behind basically everything, the things he doesn't control he adapts to his advantage in so many better ways than Balish. Varys was and still is in the books a hell of a force to be reckoned with.
Have to agree. I think the big difference is that Varys starts with a goal and works towards it meticulously, adapting when needed. While LF remains fluid and unpredictable until the final moment, allowing him to always end on the side that benefits him the most. That’s why Varys’ moves are subtle while LF’s are always brash and sloppy to a degree.
Was just thinking that myself. As a TV before book person I kind of treat them now as two different things. Even second book in I can see the books are so much better.
Counter point: You say that young Griff isn't a targaryen and is a pretender partially cuz quaith tells Dany to beware the mummer's dragon, and Dany sees the mummer's dragon in her vision. What if it's not a warning that Young Griff isn't actually Aegon, but instead is a warning of his allegiance. Like instead of calling him a "Mummer's Dragon" because he's a fake dragon, but he's called a "Mummer's Dragon" because he is a Dragon that belongs to a Mummer, that mummer being Varys. So instead of being Aegon, the Mummer's Dragon, the False Dragon, Pretended to the Throne he is actually Ageon, the Mummer's Dragon, Varys' Dragon, Thread in the Spider's Web
Marwyn's also one of the few maesters who takes magic seriously (at least openly)- the rest of them act like they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, _except_ to debunk it. I know you kind of just blew past that fact, but it did strike me as interesting- & he may be set to become integral to Sam's storyline...
As soon as the concept of sacrificing king’s blood was introduced I assumed that he was of royal blood and that is why he was castrated. When you couple that with the shaved head and other circumstantial evidence it seems to look likely. Now GRRM could be giving us a red herring but I don’t think so in this case.
The end of A Dance With Dragons left us blue balled. Those pre released chapters of Winds of Winter just the same. Like damn I really need those last two books but I think GRRM has written himself into a corner and yeah I’m kind of just over it at this point Also, Ned may have been a bit too ignorant of Kingslanding’s politics, but Ned was far far from a stupid man. His biggest issue was his “Southern” Honor. Northern Honor is what you see from the Umbers, Manderlys, or the Mormonts and so on. It’s fierce and savage at best and “The North Remembers” is more than just a saying. Jon has Northern honor, but Ned and Jon both understood duty before honor. Robb didn’t understand that, unfortunately And thank you for using the audiobooks. Man Roy Dotrice made me love those books even more especially they way he did Ed’s character “ey” 😊
I don't think Varys is torturing Kevin out of wanton cruelty. I think he's putting on a show for the benefit of unseen watchers and listeners (as well as the readers of the series). Which of course means there's good reason to disbelieve what he says. Varys played Tyrion (and Ned earlier on) extremely well. He's much better at ingratiating himself than Littlefinger is because he's much better at concealing his real ruthlessness. We shouldn't forget that Varys deceived D&D, who made him a sincere friend of Tyrion in the show.
Love these compilations by various people and I enjoy the various takes on the individuals in the books by very different readers so interesting!! Thank you George and I love your books!!
it is impossible to do so, the only way you can write a smart character when you are not smart is by making everyone else an idiot , which thety did@@ivandankob7112
There's one real world concept people might need to keep in mind when Varys refers to "The Realm". Louis XIV said "L'État, c'est moi", "The state is me." If you look at the movie Excalibur, there's the concept of "The land and the king are one". The King IS The Realm. Varys is doing what's best for (F)Aegon, who he views as rightful king, aka "The REALM".
It bleeds into the trope of the king and the realm being metaphysically connected; presented with the Starks and the absence/the hurt/deaths of Starks causing chaos in their realm with the Northman ravaging.
@@loucypherdamorningstarhe was the one person who told Areys to bar the door and to keep the gate closed not to trust or let Tywin in the city. The grand measter convinced Areys that tywin was on there side and doomed the mad king. Vary did help the targs as much as he could he was in on smuggling Dany and visarys to dragonstone to protect them.. he aided them more then most.
Yeah but only one side has dragons. That side is definitely a winning side. I'm not sure if he's said it in this video yet, idk if book Varys hates magic like he does in the show, but if he frowns upon magic I can see him not being a fan of dragons flying around Westeros. Even if he doesn't mind dragons he's been hiding this boy for a long time or at least helping him so maybe he's grown fond of young griff being on the throne. Varys is clearly far more ruthless in the book but I have no doubt he can still care for someone. If he doesn't he's much more cold than I thought he was. I haven't read the books yet. I'm only half way through the first so I haven't seen Varys do much yet.
There's also Saera Targaryen's (Jaehaerys daughter) linage. She lived in LYS and had some bastards. Her offspring even showed up to put a claim in at the great council. Illyrio's wife's name was Serra from Lys... Very similar. Haha, Serra is probably a blackfyre but could be a direct descendent of Saera....
Honestly, it would make a lot of sense for the Blackfyres to just be a big red herring and instead have Young Griff be a descendant of Saera instead, that’s in GRRM’s style, think about how he misdirected us with Jon.
@@ralphthompson9033 I've wondered about that as well, or more likely some combination of all of them. The Essos story involving Illyrio/Aegon/Varys makes no sense if Aegon is actually a Targaryen. Wedding Daenerys to Drogo makes no sense. The Dothraki would never sail, and to actually follow through on it would be political suicide for whoever they supported. (also it would cost more than most countries have in their treasury and eat Westeros barren) That makes it a way to get rid of Viserys/Daenerys. Killing them off would be known, but by doing something so public it draws attention to them and away from where it otherwise should be. It also ensures Pentos is safe from the Dothraki. It would be far better for fAegon's cause to marry Daenerys immediately, if he were actually a Targaryen, but Varys and Illyrio don't do it for some reason. Personal hatred would be the only possibility I can think of. The plan is adjusted, or so Young Griff has been led to believe, but only because Dany came into her own power by birthing dragons.
It never made sense to me why Varys, who claims to be working for the good of the realm, betrayed Rhaegar’s impending coup to impose a regency on Aerys’ rule: he ensured there could be absolutely no chance Rhaegar would stabilise the realms! And now I realise it was completely intentional because Serra Blackfyre had either given birth to or was expecting Aegon! And he had the perfect opportunity to turn Aerys against Rhaegar and provoke civil war!
Varys was hired by Aerys, the actual king. The information he gave Aerys appears to have been accurate (just as his warning about Tywin at the gates was). And any child not yet born could not be "expected" to look at all like Aegon, ultrasounds don't exist in Essos.
@@theophrastusbombastus1359 that would mean Aegon gets a dragon somehow. I hope he gets a cool death at least that whole side story has been fun from the start.
This is the first time I have come across this channel, I'm not even halfway through the video and I'm hooked. I have no idea what youtube is doing, why hasn't it ever recommended you before?! Unbelievable fail of the famed algorithm! I look forward to checking out your other content. Great job on bringing together this well of information!
Thank you! I'm not sure why TH-cam isn't pushing my content but I'm still learning about being a content creator and how to take advantage of the Almighty Algorithm (and its good to know people that haven't seen the separate videos are coming across this compilation!)
This was a fantastic long-listen. Amazing story and piece of theory craft. I almost never watch videos half as long for the full distance. Tbf here I had to break it up into several sessions, but I came back. +2 subs and some likes on your other videos. Likely the most underrated channel in the fandom. Great depth and much more than the typical fast paced sugar high. Only a matter of time until your channel blows up and goes big time, wd.
It really means a lot you took the time to watch the whole thing even if it took multiple sittings. I was worried that the run time might put off viewers but it seems long form feature length videos can actually work on this channel. Thanks for the support
"...there we can find a Targaryen whose blood no man can question: Daenerys Stormborn" Preston: So are you saying I am no man, or that I can't question?
I agree that a lot of the evidence for the Blackfyre theory is circumstantial, but what ties it all together for me and pretty much confirms it in my head is the fact that Aegon has The Golden Company working under him.
On tinfoil hat thing is that when you put Serra's name into Varys', you get VarSerrays, which is phonetically similar to Vyseris. There was also a daughter of King Jahaerys I, Saera Targaryen, who ended up in a brothel in Essos.
It would be hilarious if Varys wasn't a eunuch at all. And i agree with a lot of your analysis. We still haven't seen more about what is motivating Varys. Even if young Griff isn't what he appears, he believes he is. And will act accordingly (making his world better than what it was). He would still make a better monarch than most. I think Varys knows this too. And this is his way to make his world better (even if it's fake). It will still unify his world under a king that works for his people.
I want him to be an eunuch though. Having a cock is meant to give you all the power in Westeros but a man without one might just be the most powerful player in the realm. Would be brilliant.
You put a lot of faith in a random kid that’s been told he’s special… He shows some concerning things, like flipping the board and commanding Tyrion to pick up the pieces, even Jon con is worried about him by the the time they’re in Westeros. He’s the mummers dragon, all flash, not real.
I’m not entirely sure that Varys believes that Young Griff is the actual Aegon. He probably doesn’t, considering that he seems to think that truth doesn’t necessarily matter if the lie is convincing and convenient enough. Either way, if he isnt Aegon, Varys probably got rid of the counter-evidence or witnesses a long time ago already. I wonder what he’s going to do about Daenerys eventually though… legally, she might have less of a claim, but she’s objectively more believable and powerful than any story that Varys could possibly craft.
Young Griff I always saw as the Perkin Warbeck of the book. Since there's so much of an allegory to the war of the roses, I always thought he read as that vs Henry Tudor.
Never forget That Varys moonlighted for over 15 years as a random jailor and went to work every day just ont he off chance he needed to talk to a prisoner in the black cells. That man defines dedication.
What are Varys and Illyrio's plans for Daenerys now? I understand they expected her to die on the Dothraki Sea and the dragon eggs to never hatch. So what are their plans now? Are they trying to get Aegon to marry Daenaeys and then kill her to secure the throne and maybe steal her dragons? Or do they want Daenerys to fill the role they had planned for Viserys by letting her invade Westeros and having Aegon somehow defeat her and appear as the "true king?"
It appears the plan Varys and Illyrio have now is for Dany to marry Young Griff to lend some legitimacy to his claim. Her dragons and her armies will also help Young Griff claim the throne. After that victory, the future is a bit uncertain. If Varys is a Blackfyre and he hates House Targaryen as I assume he does, it is doubtful he will want Dany and Young Griff's marriage to last long term. It is possible that Varys would plot and scheme to have Daenerys killed (or otherwise discarded).
Why did it never occur to me that Varys is a Blackfyre? Him shaving his head could be a choice for a hidden heritage. It makes sense for why hes only loyal to himself but has a long-term plan for fAegon.
This is one of the best asoiaf videos I've seen! Varys is definitely one of the more interesting characters and I loved all the parallels you drew between him and Arya.
Varys is known to use glamor, so his hating magic seems like a half truth at best, and an outright lie at worse. Not telling how far he's delved into the study of it. He might know just enough, and be adaptable enough to make very good use of it.
Others in the comments section said they disagree with your theories; to me, this video isn't about that. Whether the theory is correct or not. The whole point of the series is to look deeply into the human condition and character, and this video does it brilliantly. For example, I never really considered how cruel the way he killed Kevin Lannister was until you explained it.
Ugh i want to reread these books so badly but id rather wait until winds of winter has a release date so all the little details r still fresh in my head
I've gotten a lot of comments about how fast I talk and multiple requests asking me to slow down. While I can't fix my audio performance on this video, I can tell you my newer videos are much slower paced. That being said, thanks to everyone who has helped make this video one of the top preforming videos on my channel.
Honestly I don’t mind it. IF people are that upset they can set the playback speed at .75. You’re covering a lot of info and longer videos can be tricky to edit and format
It's hard for me to accept that griff is illyrios son when it means illyrio has to do a Jamie and pretend his own son is someone else's. Not that I have any alternate theories. Really enjoyed the series, though. Lots of good stuff.
And just like Jaime, it doesn't seem like Illyrio has much love for his son. Jaime had zero feelings for Joffrey. But it may be that Young Griff isn't his son at all. That's just one idea. Thank you for the compliment and comment!
@@KevinPendragon faegons just a means to an end to try and honor his dead lover is how I see it , illyrio is not a good person so him using his own son even pretending his son isn't his is on brand in my opinion.
False parentage is a recurring theme. There's Ned & Jon, which is kind of the opposite scenario. In F&B/HotD, there are the "Strong Boys". There's even Sansa posing as Littlefinger's bastard daughter.
@@KevinPendragon Didn't he have a box of gifts supposedly for Young Griff? If he didn't care about him I doubt Illyrio would go out of his way to remember what sweets he likes as a child.
Okay... so I want to bring up another possibility for you to consider. When Maekar died and yet another council was held to determine an appropriate successor, it was first offered to Aemon... who refused it... and they finally decided on Aegon the Egg... but he was NOT the only choice. Aerian Bright Flame had an infant son with his wife in Lys, according to the texts... named Maegor. Who really wanted another Maegor on the throne? Better the grown up Aegon than another Maegor. Isn't it possible that Varys is Maegor? or Maegor's son? His beef with the other Targaryens being that he was passed over, right? In order to get his revenge it almost makes sense for him to seek out a Blackfyre survivor of a female line... and wasn't Illyrio's wife Saera from Lys also? Let's not forget that the original Targaryen outcast - Saera, daughter of Good King Jaeherys and Alysand (sp?) ended up in a Lys pillow house. A case could be made that a good many of the Targaryen outcasts have teamed up for vengeance, right? The BIG problem being that none of them know the true enemy... the Great Other who shall not be named. They don't realize why it is important for a united Westeros... The true enemy will come from the north... but these petty Targarayen outcasts have no way of knowing where the true threat is... do they?
I got this video recommended even though I haven't watched the series nor read the books, but goddamn it's such an engaging and interesting theory that has plenty of evidence and narrative congruence! You put my reading comprehension skills to shame lol
Something most people tend to ignore is that the male heir to the end of the male Blackfyre line could be Bittersteel who was always next to the Blackfyres always loyal. He married a Blackfyre daughter.... The line of Bittersteel could still exist and through marriages with the daughters of Blackfyre they could keep the line pure. Varys could be the product of these, Maternally Blackfyre but of the Bittersteel Paternally. Varys could also be a nickname for Viserys much like how Aegons can be called Egg.
A useful note is that Varys' arrival in Aerys' court coinciding with his degradation into severe paranoia would mean he arrived at some point around the Defiance of Duskendale in 277, and he'd already spent an unknown number of years growing his reach as a spymaster in the East, probably at least half a decade. This would definitely corroborate the timeline you presented, with Varys being castrated and becoming a spymaster in the late 260s or early 270s.
@@emmapadgett1181 have you ever tried to write a book? I can clearly say that 10-15 years could be reasonable time to write one if your story goes this deep and you need to properly untangle everything you wrote before
I wish this version would have been in the show. His actions make more sense when you consider his backstory. His last scene in the show would have been more impactful if he was the villain in the book. It also would have aligned with Dany’s mission to break the wheel.
Tyrion never meant to kill varys right there in the dark. Tyrion is acutely aware of his ability, the point was to push him and see which direction he moves. The great threat varys always poses is that no one is confident in their read on him. Tyrion hoped to understand his opponent better and somewhat correctly concluded he could put him on a backburner. Ultimately varys helped destroy him and release him so he was right but if he had avoided guilt at the trial, he would have ended up like kevin. Any stablizing force for westeros has to be knocked out before the dragon returns. 19:27
Great line that is mate@13.14 "IT IS NOT A HALF TRUTH BUT A WHOLE LIE"👏 .Great content too .Only came across you a few week ago and im really enjoying the vid .Keep em comin buddy
There is always the possibility that Young Griff was the child of Reagar and Lyana. Septum Lamore could be Ashara Dayne and Jon Snow could still be Stark. The show had a habit of amalgamating two characters into one. Seems like Martins goal is to keep the mystery alive thereby making readers crave more content. Then again there are so many other possibilities that to settle on a single theory would be a folly.
Tyrion would have noticed Septon Lamore having purple eyes especially after noticing young griffs but he says nothing of purple eyes. He's trying to figure her out that entire time he was on the pole boat like he did with Griff and young Griff tyrion is not oblivious or dumb he would have questioned her purple eyes matching the king if she had them. No way she's ashara and if she is it's poor writing and not like GRRM.
@@comradeconrad3636Tyrion basically never talks about a woman’s eye color, especially if he finds her attractive which he definitely does find Lamore attractive. The lack of him mentioning her eye color is irrelevant given we technically didn’t know a full description of dany’s dragons right off the bat, or any number of small details which could spoil a surprise or mystery.
@@starking2162 I do agree with that last part if there is any withholding it's to not give the plot away but I still think it's weak writing to have him on a boat with a character who if is Ashara the eye color would give it away or prove it but then have him do exactly that with young Griff on that same boat in the same chapters. It just makes no sense it doesn't do anything for the plot it just leaves loose ends and questions and tyrion is a dwarf he survive by being observant and by understanding what people want there secrets there ambitions he's a problem solver so it would be weird for him to not notice the eyes if they were purple especially after young Griff being called out like why not have her be his mom for the ruse she has the stretch marks he points out you don't think he wouldn't see matching eyes and think maybe the mother? I'm not trying to bash the theory but it's weak writing and GRRM Is anything but that and does nothing for the plot.
@@starking2162 and he is always thinking about his sisters eyes when they are talking from emeralds to flakes of gold he compares then to his dad's calls them wildfyre he does too mention women's eyes I'm pretty sure thats the first thing he thinks about when he meets shay calls them brown doe eye's
Varys has to know who Jon Snow is. He would have known about Rhaegar and Lyanna, Lyanna's presence at the Tower of Joy, and Ned arriving back from Dorne with a newborn baby. The question is why he said nothing.
I've always thought the Dragons black or Red were a gigantic redherring, covering for a green/gold. Namely that Varys or Young Griff is actually a Brightflame through Maegor, Aerion's son.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Varys hates magic! You know this how exactly? A liar told you! Why would a liar have it known he hates magic? Maybe because he doesn't ? Because he uses magic routinely? He makes it a habit to appear and disappear suddenly, he knows things he has no way of knowing.. I'd be looking under the red keep for a glas candle, if i were there.
This video was amazing. I especially like the begining explaining how varys is actually a villain in the books, compared to the anti hero from the show
The blackfyr theory cannot be true, there's no reason for varys to lie to a dying man it just makes zero sense to the point that it would be a plot hole/sloppy writing if the theory was true Not to mention blackfyres aren't "mummers dragons" they ARE dragons, why are we forgetting that daemon blackfyr the founder of this house was 100% targeryan with both parents being targs making him more targeryan than daerons half dornish children, not to mention they were all legitimised making them not only targeryan by blood but legally too, and a blackfyre would totally be capable of claiming a dragon just as much as any other targeryan
I wonder if it really was Varys who leaked the Myrcella marriage plot to Cersei. Perhaps he found out what Tyrion was up to, and decided to set up Pycelle.
I imagine that in the end Varys will fail and die, being proven wrong about his assertion of power. He says power lies where people think it lies, and he will manipulate and lie to achieve it. Jon will prove that power is earned through respect and integrity, and Dany will prove that power lies with WMD dragons.
Lord Varys is playing the long game. I don’t even remember everything that he is involved with. Whilst they squabble, he has dragons on his mind. No spoilers 🚶🏾♂️
Like actually its a subtle 4th wall breaking by the varys like he is this omnipotent being who knows he is a part of a play or may i say a game of thrones lol i genuinely believe that
When Varys says he does things for the realm and for peace I get the feeling he's thinking very large and long term and may be the one time he was being truthful in his own way. Having a well raised dragon prince on the throne would solve many issues that have been typical in the realm for a long time. He has no scruples, and is a despicable character, but one can imagine that he may believe the means justify the ends. GRRM writes characters so grey it's easy to pidgeon hole them.
Yeah, I have a lot of catching up to do but when this popped up I knew I had to watch. Still doing my little thing, it's just fun to talk out loud about this wonderful world. Stay safe and keep up the outstanding work.
I think Varys was actually willing to put, viserys on the iron thrown than illyrio had a backup faegon, but clearly viserys couldn’t be controlled and was growing more mad, so they tricked him by marrying Dany to khal knowing the Dothraki would never go across the sea and letting feagon conquer the kingdoms without contenders
They were trying to get the Dothraki across the sea. Illyrio was telling Varys to slow down the civil war until the invasion was ready, and that's when Varys sent the wine merchant (tipping off their agent Jorah) that prodded Drogo into action. The GC confirmed in ADWD that a joint invasion with the Dothraki was the original plan. If they viewed the Targaryen siblings as obstacles, they would have just been killed in Illyrio's manse instead of protected.
Power resides where men believe it resides. This is one of Varys's "half-truths". No on thinks of Varys as powerful, but he is. He hides his power behind a series of proxies or dupes, but there it is. He may not cast a long shadow where men can see it, but he does have power. He's sized it through ruthless cleverness and he means to hold it. It doesn't *matter* if Young Griff is Aegon Targaryen or not. It only matters whether or not Varys (and Illyrio) can sell it. We all know Varys to be a master of storytelling, and what makes for a better story than a dead prince who is was secretly saved by some loyal servant? Honestly, though, I don't think we will ever know if Griff is truly Rhaegar's son or Illyrio's. The question is one I doubt GRRM will ever answer. At least not directly. By the way, I love that you used the audiobooks with some of the quotes. You build your arguments step by step in a very compelling fashion. Well done.
58:00 Tyrek Lannister
Ned Stark was last seen ahead.
🎉🎉😢😢😅😅😅😢😅😢😢😊😊😢😊😢😅😢😢😅😢😢😢😅😢@@HOTD108_
🎉🎉😢😢😅😅😅😢😅😢😢😊😊😢😊😢😅😢😢😅😢😢😢😅😢@@HOTD108_
@@HOTD108_Pretty sure he was last seen apigeon
why do they speak of the horse in this video I wonder
Have to say the people who watched the show and thought Balish was the mastermind really needed to read the books and pick up the subtle hints. There's so much that shows varys is not only the mastermind behind basically everything, the things he doesn't control he adapts to his advantage in so many better ways than Balish. Varys was and still is in the books a hell of a force to be reckoned with.
Varys and Littlefinger have a lot in common but Varys is the superior player.
I agree. It's easy to compare them in many ways. But in so many others varys is heads and shoulders above littlefinger for the long view.
Have to agree. I think the big difference is that Varys starts with a goal and works towards it meticulously, adapting when needed. While LF remains fluid and unpredictable until the final moment, allowing him to always end on the side that benefits him the most. That’s why Varys’ moves are subtle while LF’s are always brash and sloppy to a degree.
Little Finger is a cunning fool while Varys is a master genius
Was just thinking that myself. As a TV before book person I kind of treat them now as two different things. Even second book in I can see the books are so much better.
Counter point:
You say that young Griff isn't a targaryen and is a pretender partially cuz quaith tells Dany to beware the mummer's dragon, and Dany sees the mummer's dragon in her vision. What if it's not a warning that Young Griff isn't actually Aegon, but instead is a warning of his allegiance. Like instead of calling him a "Mummer's Dragon" because he's a fake dragon, but he's called a "Mummer's Dragon" because he is a Dragon that belongs to a Mummer, that mummer being Varys. So instead of being
Aegon, the Mummer's Dragon, the False Dragon, Pretended to the Throne
he is actually
Ageon, the Mummer's Dragon, Varys' Dragon, Thread in the Spider's Web
Exactly
Marwyn's also one of the few maesters who takes magic seriously (at least openly)- the rest of them act like they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, _except_ to debunk it.
I know you kind of just blew past that fact, but it did strike me as interesting- & he may be set to become integral to Sam's storyline...
Great video 👏 I love the historical comparisons
As soon as the concept of sacrificing king’s blood was introduced I assumed that he was of royal blood and that is why he was castrated. When you couple that with the shaved head and other circumstantial evidence it seems to look likely. Now GRRM could be giving us a red herring but I don’t think so in this case.
well i’m convinced
"Shadow Binders be wanting to party and you gots to tell them no"
-Varys
This is so well done!!
The end of A Dance With Dragons left us blue balled. Those pre released chapters of Winds of Winter just the same. Like damn I really need those last two books but I think GRRM has written himself into a corner and yeah I’m kind of just over it at this point
Also, Ned may have been a bit too ignorant of Kingslanding’s politics, but Ned was far far from a stupid man. His biggest issue was his “Southern” Honor. Northern Honor is what you see from the Umbers, Manderlys, or the Mormonts and so on. It’s fierce and savage at best and “The North Remembers” is more than just a saying. Jon has Northern honor, but Ned and Jon both understood duty before honor. Robb didn’t understand that, unfortunately
And thank you for using the audiobooks. Man Roy Dotrice made me love those books even more especially they way he did Ed’s character “ey” 😊
It's such a shame we didn't get Varys's scene with Kevan in the show. Conleth Hill would have slayed that scene.
Oh yeah!
They gave it to Qyburn.
Which was fine, but it was sad Varys got so little to do in the last three seasons.
I feel like Kevan got snuffed. Sucks because hes the chillest Lannister
Hated how things ended for him on the show. Actor wasn’t to keen either
@Chaim Mendel
End of book five I think it was.
I was deeply disappointed that we didn't get it. A greatly missed opportunity for something epic.
I don't think Varys is torturing Kevin out of wanton cruelty.
I think he's putting on a show for the benefit of unseen watchers and listeners (as well as the readers of the series).
Which of course means there's good reason to disbelieve what he says.
Varys played Tyrion (and Ned earlier on) extremely well.
He's much better at ingratiating himself than Littlefinger is because he's much better at concealing his real ruthlessness.
We shouldn't forget that Varys deceived D&D, who made him a sincere friend of Tyrion in the show.
To be honest any body could deceive d and d
Love these compilations by various people and I enjoy the various takes on the individuals in the books by very different readers so interesting!! Thank you George and I love your books!!
@@yhvvcbhjjggjk-id1re Even Renly
D&D kinda never knew how to write a character smarter than them
it is impossible to do so, the only way you can write a smart character when you are not smart is by making everyone else an idiot , which thety did@@ivandankob7112
Could explain why varys keeps his head shaved. He has the Targaryen hair
Worked for Egg
Blackfyre
In GoT Season 2, the episode of the Kings Landing Riot, Varys can be seen in the crowd just seconds before the dung is thrown at Joffrey.
Just checked that's not him lol
Okay but in the books it's obviously a littlefinger job, not varys.
There's one real world concept people might need to keep in mind when Varys refers to "The Realm". Louis XIV said "L'État, c'est moi", "The state is me." If you look at the movie Excalibur, there's the concept of "The land and the king are one".
The King IS The Realm. Varys is doing what's best for (F)Aegon, who he views as rightful king, aka "The REALM".
Ohhhh I like this a lot. Varys does enjoy word games. Thanks for sharing
It bleeds into the trope of the king and the realm being metaphysically connected; presented with the Starks and the absence/the hurt/deaths of Starks causing chaos in their realm with the Northman ravaging.
Why didn’t Varys aid Rhaegar
@@loucypherdamorningstarhe was the one person who told Areys to bar the door and to keep the gate closed not to trust or let Tywin in the city. The grand measter convinced Areys that tywin was on there side and doomed the mad king. Vary did help the targs as much as he could he was in on smuggling Dany and visarys to dragonstone to protect them.. he aided them more then most.
Àaààaa1
House Blackfyre; Black or Red a dragon is a dragon
Yeah but only one side has dragons. That side is definitely a winning side. I'm not sure if he's said it in this video yet, idk if book Varys hates magic like he does in the show, but if he frowns upon magic I can see him not being a fan of dragons flying around Westeros. Even if he doesn't mind dragons he's been hiding this boy for a long time or at least helping him so maybe he's grown fond of young griff being on the throne. Varys is clearly far more ruthless in the book but I have no doubt he can still care for someone. If he doesn't he's much more cold than I thought he was. I haven't read the books yet. I'm only half way through the first so I haven't seen Varys do much yet.
There's also Saera Targaryen's (Jaehaerys daughter) linage. She lived in LYS and had some bastards. Her offspring even showed up to put a claim in at the great council. Illyrio's wife's name was Serra from Lys... Very similar. Haha, Serra is probably a blackfyre but could be a direct descendent of Saera....
This has been my theory since reading F&B
Honestly, it would make a lot of sense for the Blackfyres to just be a big red herring and instead have Young Griff be a descendant of Saera instead, that’s in GRRM’s style, think about how he misdirected us with Jon.
You guys are sleeping on the Brightflames
@@ralphthompson9033 I've wondered about that as well, or more likely some combination of all of them. The Essos story involving Illyrio/Aegon/Varys makes no sense if Aegon is actually a Targaryen. Wedding Daenerys to Drogo makes no sense. The Dothraki would never sail, and to actually follow through on it would be political suicide for whoever they supported. (also it would cost more than most countries have in their treasury and eat Westeros barren)
That makes it a way to get rid of Viserys/Daenerys. Killing them off would be known, but by doing something so public it draws attention to them and away from where it otherwise should be. It also ensures Pentos is safe from the Dothraki.
It would be far better for fAegon's cause to marry Daenerys immediately, if he were actually a Targaryen, but Varys and Illyrio don't do it for some reason. Personal hatred would be the only possibility I can think of. The plan is adjusted, or so Young Griff has been led to believe, but only because Dany came into her own power by birthing dragons.
Lol he's a Blackfyre, a Brightflame, Saera's, and Moon Boy's for all I know.
probably the most underrated mind in the fandom
Very well said!!
My fav character, his motives are opaque to me
You think Varys is UNDERRATED? Are you fucking stupid?
Varys is such a badass. No pride, all skill :-)
One of my favorite players (even if he is a scumbag)
Love him!! ❤
Even just "Lord Varys, the Spider" is such a chilling name for somebody to have. captures his character fantastically.
It never made sense to me why Varys, who claims to be working for the good of the realm, betrayed Rhaegar’s impending coup to impose a regency on Aerys’ rule: he ensured there could be absolutely no chance Rhaegar would stabilise the realms! And now I realise it was completely intentional because Serra Blackfyre had either given birth to or was expecting Aegon! And he had the perfect opportunity to turn Aerys against Rhaegar and provoke civil war!
Varys was hired by Aerys, the actual king. The information he gave Aerys appears to have been accurate (just as his warning about Tywin at the gates was). And any child not yet born could not be "expected" to look at all like Aegon, ultrasounds don't exist in Essos.
I disliked how the show made him a more sympathetic character. In the books he definitely feels like a villain.
They did that to a lot of characters. The tone of the books is much darker.
The "Spy"der. 🙂
I'd be so hyped if a new blackfyre rebellion happened before the story ends. I don't think it will happen but imagine if it did.
There may not be another Blackfyre Rebellion, per se, but there will be another Dance of Dragons
@@theophrastusbombastus1359 that would mean Aegon gets a dragon somehow. I hope he gets a cool death at least that whole side story has been fun from the start.
Varys getting startled by Shae when she sees through his glamour is such an important detail on who Shae ACTUALLY is.
Who do you believe Shae is?
This is the first time I have come across this channel, I'm not even halfway through the video and I'm hooked.
I have no idea what youtube is doing, why hasn't it ever recommended you before?! Unbelievable fail of the famed algorithm!
I look forward to checking out your other content. Great job on bringing together this well of information!
Thank you! I'm not sure why TH-cam isn't pushing my content but I'm still learning about being a content creator and how to take advantage of the Almighty Algorithm
(and its good to know people that haven't seen the separate videos are coming across this compilation!)
Probably because he's talking so fast the algorithm can't understand what the video's about 😂
This was a fantastic long-listen. Amazing story and piece of theory craft. I almost never watch videos half as long for the full distance. Tbf here I had to break it up into several sessions, but I came back. +2 subs and some likes on your other videos. Likely the most underrated channel in the fandom. Great depth and much more than the typical fast paced sugar high. Only a matter of time until your channel blows up and goes big time, wd.
It really means a lot you took the time to watch the whole thing even if it took multiple sittings. I was worried that the run time might put off viewers but it seems long form feature length videos can actually work on this channel. Thanks for the support
@@KevinPendragon these videos are great for long library sessions, so thank you for making them!
"...there we can find a Targaryen whose blood no man can question: Daenerys Stormborn"
Preston: So are you saying I am no man, or that I can't question?
I agree that a lot of the evidence for the Blackfyre theory is circumstantial, but what ties it all together for me and pretty much confirms it in my head is the fact that Aegon has The Golden Company working under him.
On tinfoil hat thing is that when you put Serra's name into Varys', you get VarSerrays, which is phonetically similar to Vyseris. There was also a daughter of King Jahaerys I, Saera Targaryen, who ended up in a brothel in Essos.
So Saera was a sister to Viserys & the aunt of Rhaenyra.
She was viserys’s aunt. She was his parents’ sister.
That’s not tinfoil, that’s some grade-A Valyrian Steel foil.
Her being a targaryen doesn't make sense, because they famously don't get sick
@@jmicjm not true 100% of the time, see Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of jaeharys and older sister to Sara Targ who died of the shivers
It would be hilarious if Varys wasn't a eunuch at all. And i agree with a lot of your analysis. We still haven't seen more about what is motivating Varys.
Even if young Griff isn't what he appears, he believes he is. And will act accordingly (making his world better than what it was). He would still make a better monarch than most. I think Varys knows this too. And this is his way to make his world better (even if it's fake). It will still unify his world under a king that works for his people.
I want him to be an eunuch though. Having a cock is meant to give you all the power in Westeros but a man without one might just be the most powerful player in the realm. Would be brilliant.
You put a lot of faith in a random kid that’s been told he’s special…
He shows some concerning things, like flipping the board and commanding Tyrion to pick up the pieces, even Jon con is worried about him by the the time they’re in Westeros.
He’s the mummers dragon, all flash, not real.
Are we talking about the same Varys who rips the tongues out of slave children?
I’m not entirely sure that Varys believes that Young Griff is the actual Aegon. He probably doesn’t, considering that he seems to think that truth doesn’t necessarily matter if the lie is convincing and convenient enough. Either way, if he isnt Aegon, Varys probably got rid of the counter-evidence or witnesses a long time ago already. I wonder what he’s going to do about Daenerys eventually though… legally, she might have less of a claim, but she’s objectively more believable and powerful than any story that Varys could possibly craft.
Young Griff I always saw as the Perkin Warbeck of the book. Since there's so much of an allegory to the war of the roses, I always thought he read as that vs Henry Tudor.
Never forget That Varys moonlighted for over 15 years as a random jailor and went to work every day just ont he off chance he needed to talk to a prisoner in the black cells. That man defines dedication.
Hell yea! It's time to get our Varys on!
Thank you, Kevin! I think this is a great channel!
Watching this whole video is going to put me in quite the headspace for work!
Thanks and enjoy!
You have more than earned your sub sir. I greatly appreciate this video. Thank you.
Appreciate ya
What are Varys and Illyrio's plans for Daenerys now? I understand they expected her to die on the Dothraki Sea and the dragon eggs to never hatch. So what are their plans now? Are they trying to get Aegon to marry Daenaeys and then kill her to secure the throne and maybe steal her dragons? Or do they want Daenerys to fill the role they had planned for Viserys by letting her invade Westeros and having Aegon somehow defeat her and appear as the "true king?"
It appears the plan Varys and Illyrio have now is for Dany to marry Young Griff to lend some legitimacy to his claim. Her dragons and her armies will also help Young Griff claim the throne. After that victory, the future is a bit uncertain. If Varys is a Blackfyre and he hates House Targaryen as I assume he does, it is doubtful he will want Dany and Young Griff's marriage to last long term. It is possible that Varys would plot and scheme to have Daenerys killed (or otherwise discarded).
@@KevinPendragon He could have killed both Targaryens long ago when they were in Illyrio's manse.
Why did it never occur to me that Varys is a Blackfyre? Him shaving his head could be a choice for a hidden heritage. It makes sense for why hes only loyal to himself but has a long-term plan for fAegon.
"He only has the one [head]" from Jaime, referring to Tyrion's head, could be a reference to Varys' potential two-headed father
This is one of the best asoiaf videos I've seen! Varys is definitely one of the more interesting characters and I loved all the parallels you drew between him and Arya.
Thank you for your kind comment. Glad you enjoyed it
Varys is known to use glamor, so his hating magic seems like a half truth at best, and an outright lie at worse. Not telling how far he's delved into the study of it. He might know just enough, and be adaptable enough to make very good use of it.
Always love stumbling upon an obscure ASoIaF TH-camr that makes good theories, keep up the good work brother
If you haven’t subscribed to David Lightbringer yet, you should.
Others in the comments section said they disagree with your theories; to me, this video isn't about that. Whether the theory is correct or not. The whole point of the series is to look deeply into the human condition and character, and this video does it brilliantly.
For example, I never really considered how cruel the way he killed Kevin Lannister was until you explained it.
Thank you so much
Ugh i want to reread these books so badly but id rather wait until winds of winter has a release date so all the little details r still fresh in my head
LOL
Just start reading them again, I'm sure you have time
Nah he is a mermaid
I've gotten a lot of comments about how fast I talk and multiple requests asking me to slow down. While I can't fix my audio performance on this video, I can tell you my newer videos are much slower paced. That being said, thanks to everyone who has helped make this video one of the top preforming videos on my channel.
I disagree, I think the pace is perfect, but that's just me!
Your speech is absolutely fine.
Honestly I don’t mind it. IF people are that upset they can set the playback speed at .75. You’re covering a lot of info and longer videos can be tricky to edit and format
Yeah the speech seems fine to me
I really like the way you talk. Imma binge all your theory vids
It's hard for me to accept that griff is illyrios son when it means illyrio has to do a Jamie and pretend his own son is someone else's. Not that I have any alternate theories.
Really enjoyed the series, though. Lots of good stuff.
And just like Jaime, it doesn't seem like Illyrio has much love for his son. Jaime had zero feelings for Joffrey. But it may be that Young Griff isn't his son at all. That's just one idea. Thank you for the compliment and comment!
@@KevinPendragon faegons just a means to an end to try and honor his dead lover is how I see it , illyrio is not a good person so him using his own son even pretending his son isn't his is on brand in my opinion.
False parentage is a recurring theme. There's Ned & Jon, which is kind of the opposite scenario. In F&B/HotD, there are the "Strong Boys". There's even Sansa posing as Littlefinger's bastard daughter.
@@KevinPendragon Didn't he have a box of gifts supposedly for Young Griff? If he didn't care about him I doubt Illyrio would go out of his way to remember what sweets he likes as a child.
Love this one of my favorite theories
Okay... so I want to bring up another possibility for you to consider. When Maekar died and yet another council was held to determine an appropriate successor, it was first offered to Aemon... who refused it... and they finally decided on Aegon the Egg... but he was NOT the only choice. Aerian Bright Flame had an infant son with his wife in Lys, according to the texts... named Maegor. Who really wanted another Maegor on the throne? Better the grown up Aegon than another Maegor. Isn't it possible that Varys is Maegor? or Maegor's son? His beef with the other Targaryens being that he was passed over, right? In order to get his revenge it almost makes sense for him to seek out a Blackfyre survivor of a female line... and wasn't Illyrio's wife Saera from Lys also? Let's not forget that the original Targaryen outcast - Saera, daughter of Good King Jaeherys and Alysand (sp?) ended up in a Lys pillow house. A case could be made that a good many of the Targaryen outcasts have teamed up for vengeance, right? The BIG problem being that none of them know the true enemy... the Great Other who shall not be named. They don't realize why it is important for a united Westeros... The true enemy will come from the north... but these petty Targarayen outcasts have no way of knowing where the true threat is... do they?
He would have to be close to the age of aemon at this point.
I got this video recommended even though I haven't watched the series nor read the books, but goddamn it's such an engaging and interesting theory that has plenty of evidence and narrative congruence! You put my reading comprehension skills to shame lol
You're too kind. Thank you !
How would you think he put your reading comprehension skills to shame if you haven't read the books?
@@eartheater3956 They're a bot
Something most people tend to ignore is that the male heir to the end of the male Blackfyre line could be Bittersteel who was always next to the Blackfyres always loyal. He married a Blackfyre daughter.... The line of Bittersteel could still exist and through marriages with the daughters of Blackfyre they could keep the line pure. Varys could be the product of these, Maternally Blackfyre but of the Bittersteel Paternally. Varys could also be a nickname for Viserys much like how Aegons can be called Egg.
A useful note is that Varys' arrival in Aerys' court coinciding with his degradation into severe paranoia would mean he arrived at some point around the Defiance of Duskendale in 277, and he'd already spent an unknown number of years growing his reach as a spymaster in the East, probably at least half a decade. This would definitely corroborate the timeline you presented, with Varys being castrated and becoming a spymaster in the late 260s or early 270s.
Great video, I wonder if Martin will ever finish the story or at least the next book.
I sometimes wonder if he's lost his love/lust for the story. Just hope I am wrong.
@@emmapadgett1181 I hope he hasn’t totally moved on. I dread what another author might do if commissioned to “finish” the story.
@@emmapadgett1181 have you ever tried to write a book? I can clearly say that 10-15 years could be reasonable time to write one if your story goes this deep and you need to properly untangle everything you wrote before
@@tulsacollins1721 IMO he really needs to hire some ghostwriters. The story became too complicated with the last two books.
I wish this version would have been in the show. His actions make more sense when you consider his backstory. His last scene in the show would have been more impactful if he was the villain in the book. It also would have aligned with Dany’s mission to break the wheel.
Tyrion never meant to kill varys right there in the dark. Tyrion is acutely aware of his ability, the point was to push him and see which direction he moves. The great threat varys always poses is that no one is confident in their read on him. Tyrion hoped to understand his opponent better and somewhat correctly concluded he could put him on a backburner.
Ultimately varys helped destroy him and release him so he was right but if he had avoided guilt at the trial, he would have ended up like kevin. Any stablizing force for westeros has to be knocked out before the dragon returns. 19:27
Maybe areion brightflayme fathered children in lys during his exile
Martin said its possible and Moqorro does mention bright dragon appearing in the future but its a topic that didn't fit in this video
I suspect that Varys lied to Kevin just to torture him.
That was my thought as well
This is the best theory vedio I've watched, and believe me I've watched a lot. Keep it on
That's a huge compliment. Thank you!
I don't remember if you said this or not, but Illyrio also said that Dany looked like his second wife
I forgot to mention this. Good catch. Just goes to show there's still so much about Lord Varys that needs to be discussed
I don’t think you talk too fast! sounds good to me ✨
Great line that is mate@13.14 "IT IS NOT A HALF TRUTH BUT A WHOLE LIE"👏 .Great content too .Only came across you a few week ago and im really enjoying the vid .Keep em comin buddy
There is always the possibility that Young Griff was the child of Reagar and Lyana. Septum Lamore could be Ashara Dayne and Jon Snow could still be Stark. The show had a habit of amalgamating two characters into one. Seems like Martins goal is to keep the mystery alive thereby making readers crave more content. Then again there are so many other possibilities that to settle on a single theory would be a folly.
Tyrion would have noticed Septon Lamore having purple eyes especially after noticing young griffs but he says nothing of purple eyes. He's trying to figure her out that entire time he was on the pole boat like he did with Griff and young Griff tyrion is not oblivious or dumb he would have questioned her purple eyes matching the king if she had them. No way she's ashara and if she is it's poor writing and not like GRRM.
@@comradeconrad3636Tyrion basically never talks about a woman’s eye color, especially if he finds her attractive which he definitely does find Lamore attractive. The lack of him mentioning her eye color is irrelevant given we technically didn’t know a full description of dany’s dragons right off the bat, or any number of small details which could spoil a surprise or mystery.
@@starking2162 I do agree with that last part if there is any withholding it's to not give the plot away but I still think it's weak writing to have him on a boat with a character who if is Ashara the eye color would give it away or prove it but then have him do exactly that with young Griff on that same boat in the same chapters. It just makes no sense it doesn't do anything for the plot it just leaves loose ends and questions and tyrion is a dwarf he survive by being observant and by understanding what people want there secrets there ambitions he's a problem solver so it would be weird for him to not notice the eyes if they were purple especially after young Griff being called out like why not have her be his mom for the ruse she has the stretch marks he points out you don't think he wouldn't see matching eyes and think maybe the mother? I'm not trying to bash the theory but it's weak writing and GRRM Is anything but that and does nothing for the plot.
@@starking2162 and he is always thinking about his sisters eyes when they are talking from emeralds to flakes of gold he compares then to his dad's calls them wildfyre he does too mention women's eyes I'm pretty sure thats the first thing he thinks about when he meets shay calls them brown doe eye's
Varys has to know who Jon Snow is. He would have known about Rhaegar and Lyanna, Lyanna's presence at the Tower of Joy, and Ned arriving back from Dorne with a newborn baby.
The question is why he said nothing.
Keeping it on the back burner for a Hail Mary to really destabilize the realm if his other plans failed?
Rare instant sub + like
You’re going to get much bigger. Your passion is infectious
I've always thought the Dragons black or Red were a gigantic redherring, covering for a green/gold.
Namely that Varys or Young Griff is actually a Brightflame through Maegor, Aerion's son.
Lmaooooo justo, imagine 180 years later, the Greens win
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Varys hates magic! You know this how exactly? A liar told you!
Why would a liar have it known he hates magic? Maybe because he doesn't ? Because he uses magic routinely?
He makes it a habit to appear and disappear suddenly, he knows things he has no way of knowing..
I'd be looking under the red keep for a glas candle, if i were there.
This video was amazing. I especially like the begining explaining how varys is actually a villain in the books, compared to the anti hero from the show
this is sooooo good, subscribed to you without a second thought, the "we learn that Lord Varys is actually a huge dick" is such a cherry on top :D
The blackfyr theory cannot be true, there's no reason for varys to lie to a dying man it just makes zero sense to the point that it would be a plot hole/sloppy writing if the theory was true
Not to mention blackfyres aren't "mummers dragons" they ARE dragons, why are we forgetting that daemon blackfyr the founder of this house was 100% targeryan with both parents being targs making him more targeryan than daerons half dornish children, not to mention they were all legitimised making them not only targeryan by blood but legally too, and a blackfyre would totally be capable of claiming a dragon just as much as any other targeryan
W
Conleth hill was an amazing choice to play varys honestly. Shame tweedle A and Tweedle B had to ruin him the way they did everyone else
I still think it's weird nobody look into the details of how Varys got the job from Aerys.
Aerys has never been the most consistent.
My guess is there are no details.
I wonder if it really was Varys who leaked the Myrcella marriage plot to Cersei. Perhaps he found out what Tyrion was up to, and decided to set up Pycelle.
The Little Birds have no tongues. They can't tell anyone anything. They know their letters but I'm sure the Spider would use codes and cyphers.
That Terry Pratchet quote just earned you a subscribe 👍
I imagine that in the end Varys will fail and die, being proven wrong about his assertion of power. He says power lies where people think it lies, and he will manipulate and lie to achieve it. Jon will prove that power is earned through respect and integrity, and Dany will prove that power lies with WMD dragons.
Sometimes I grow wary and hopeless for the Books that were Promised... yet at other times, the waiting makes the series more enchanting.
5 blackfyre rebellions 1 Baratheon one TARG SHITS WILL NEVER RECOVER.
It's only disappointing how you completely butchered most of the characters and city names. But that's just an american ability.
Black voice, love to hear it, idc
Lord Varys is playing the long game.
I don’t even remember everything that he is involved with. Whilst they squabble, he has dragons on his mind.
No spoilers
🚶🏾♂️
This was a great vid watched the whole thing. Really appreciate the SCP video music in the background, really helped stimulate my adhd brain
Thanks for sticking with the video! I love the SCP series as well.
Illyrio also said that Dany reminded him so much of his second wife. Member? Member that?
Character of Varys was very likely inspired by Bagoi the older very influential eunuch on Achmenid court of Persia
I had always wondered about Varys' bald head because eunuchs always have a full head of hair due to lack of testosterone.
That's actually a good fucking point. Former hairdresser who understands hair loss.
Reaaallly enjoyed this!Great work!Thank you so much🙂
Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for the kind comment
Well bloody done my boy!!!! Knocked it out the park.
Thank you!
First time viewer. Really good thoughts and it's always nice to see Varys get the recognition he deserves.
3:05 It is pronounced "Lease" like the rental agreement, not "Lice" like the bugs.
The Spider had to tell Sir Kevin his plan out loud to let us, the reader, in on his secret. Lol
Like actually its a subtle 4th wall breaking by the varys like he is this omnipotent being who knows he is a part of a play or may i say a game of thrones lol i genuinely believe that
When Varys says he does things for the realm and for peace I get the feeling he's thinking very large and long term and may be the one time he was being truthful in his own way.
Having a well raised dragon prince on the throne would solve many issues that have been typical in the realm for a long time.
He has no scruples, and is a despicable character, but one can imagine that he may believe the means justify the ends.
GRRM writes characters so grey it's easy to pidgeon hole them.
That Star Wars reference was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one!
He and Illyrio created a would be monarch they could control.
Long video, but well worth it. Great job as always
Thanks man. It's been a while. Hope you're doing well and keeping up with the series
Yeah, I have a lot of catching up to do but when this popped up I knew I had to watch. Still doing my little thing, it's just fun to talk out loud about this wonderful world. Stay safe and keep up the outstanding work.
The idea of Varys being of noble blood really does juxtapose him nicely against Petyr Baelish’s more modest family tree.
I think Varys was actually willing to put, viserys on the iron thrown than illyrio had a backup faegon, but clearly viserys couldn’t be controlled and was growing more mad, so they tricked him by marrying Dany to khal knowing the Dothraki would never go across the sea and letting feagon conquer the kingdoms without contenders
They were trying to get the Dothraki across the sea. Illyrio was telling Varys to slow down the civil war until the invasion was ready, and that's when Varys sent the wine merchant (tipping off their agent Jorah) that prodded Drogo into action. The GC confirmed in ADWD that a joint invasion with the Dothraki was the original plan. If they viewed the Targaryen siblings as obstacles, they would have just been killed in Illyrio's manse instead of protected.
35:15 ah yes the spider
Power resides where men believe it resides.
This is one of Varys's "half-truths". No on thinks of Varys as powerful, but he is. He hides his power behind a series of proxies or dupes, but there it is. He may not cast a long shadow where men can see it, but he does have power. He's sized it through ruthless cleverness and he means to hold it.
It doesn't *matter* if Young Griff is Aegon Targaryen or not. It only matters whether or not Varys (and Illyrio) can sell it. We all know Varys to be a master of storytelling, and what makes for a better story than a dead prince who is was secretly saved by some loyal servant? Honestly, though, I don't think we will ever know if Griff is truly Rhaegar's son or Illyrio's. The question is one I doubt GRRM will ever answer. At least not directly.
By the way, I love that you used the audiobooks with some of the quotes. You build your arguments step by step in a very compelling fashion. Well done.
Theories are all i have now.
Theories... and each other
Zhao has a J sound, not a Z sound.
(Like the city Guangzhou.)
Well that's embarrassing. I will be sure to triple check pronunciations of certain words for future videos
I was tore up when Varys was killed in the series
Nice Palpatine reference.
A surprise, to be sure