Something about this just didn't seem to add up quite right to me, and I think I have finally understood what.
What we think happened? Tyrion gave Pycelle two identical letters to Dorne, and didn't tell him about their contents. Tyrion told Littlefinger he planned to send Myrcella to the Eyrie. He didn't tell him about the (real) Dornish plans. Then Varys comes to Tyrion, knowing both about the letters having been sent, and the conversation with Baelish. He deduces Tommen is to be shipped to Dorne.
Some time later, Cersei learns about the real plans regarding Myrcella. From that, Tyrion concludes that Pycelle kept one letter, read it and showed it to Cersei, and we agree with this seemingly obvious conclusion.
But if one letter was kept in King's Landing and read by Pycelle and Cersei, how come Varys didn't know about its contents? It seems likely he did know, and, consequently, he also knew about the contradiction between the letter and what Tyrion told Littlefinger. So he quickly came to Tyrion to find out what game he was playing, deftly 'resolving' the contradiction in a believable way, so that Tyrion remained convinced he was the master player in this game, while in reality Varys stole the initiative.
Then Varys could approach the queen and safely tell her about the contents of the letter, knowing that this would result in Pycelle's fall, not his own. Amusingly, Pycelle even accused Varys during his arrest, but the accusation was immediately dismissed.
What do you think?
EDIT: Just noticed this is a GoT series thread, which seems to make my post rather irrelevant. Should I move it somewhere else?
EDIT: Just noticed this is a GoT series thread, which seems to make my post rather irrelevant. Should I move it somewhere else?
whitewolfstark could answer this better than I since it's his project. But, so far, we've mixed the books into the talk--we tend to mix things up on this forum.
But if one letter was kept in King's Landing and read by Pycelle and Cersei, how come Varys didn't know about its contents? It seems likely he did know, and, consequently, he also knew about the contradiction between the letter and what Tyrion told Littlefinger. So he quickly came to Tyrion to find out what game he was playing, deftly 'resolving' the contradiction in a believable way, so that Tyrion remained convinced he was the master player in this game, while in reality Varys stole the initiative.
Okay--this is an excellent point that I completely missed.
And it would work in the show, too. We have Varys showing flat out that he will choose his own path even if it means sacrificing Tyrion. The idea that one of his birds or other sources could have tipped him off, even without the same construct as the novels. . . very believable.
Then Varys could approach the queen and safely tell her about the contents of the letter, knowing that this would result in Pycelle's fall, not his own. Amusingly, Pycelle even accused Varys during his arrest, but the accusation was immediately dismissed.
That does sound very Varys-y: Pycelle's out of the way, Cersei loses her toady on the council, and Cersei did the whole thing herself but will always blame Tyrion, never thinking of Varys.
Elegant. Devious. It's perfect.
And a very good catch re: Pycelle's accusing Varys. I'd missed that--dismissed it as his trying to redirect blame. But if Varys actually was responsible and even Tyrion didn't listen. . .would be lovely irony.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.
Something about this just didn't seem to add up quite right to me, and I think I have finally understood what.
What we think happened? Tyrion gave Pycelle two identical letters to Dorne, and didn't tell him about their contents. Tyrion told Littlefinger he planned to send Myrcella to the Eyrie. He didn't tell him about the (real) Dornish plans. Then Varys comes to Tyrion, knowing both about the letters having been sent, and the conversation with Baelish. He deduces Tommen is to be shipped to Dorne.
Some time later, Cersei learns about the real plans regarding Myrcella. From that, Tyrion concludes that Pycelle kept one letter, read it and showed it to Cersei, and we agree with this seemingly obvious conclusion.
But if one letter was kept in King's Landing and read by Pycelle and Cersei, how come Varys didn't know about its contents? It seems likely he did know, and, consequently, he also knew about the contradiction between the letter and what Tyrion told Littlefinger. So he quickly came to Tyrion to find out what game he was playing, deftly 'resolving' the contradiction in a believable way, so that Tyrion remained convinced he was the master player in this game, while in reality Varys stole the initiative.
Then Varys could approach the queen and safely tell her about the contents of the letter, knowing that this would result in Pycelle's fall, not his own. Amusingly, Pycelle even accused Varys during his arrest, but the accusation was immediately dismissed.
What do you think?
EDIT: Just noticed this is a GoT series thread, which seems to make my post rather irrelevant. Should I move it somewhere else?
Very impressive, and definitely welcome and relevant in this thread even though it's for the show.
"I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers."
I think that Gwindor makes some good points and is probably more than likely correct. The more you read the interaction between Varys and Tyrion, the more you begin to realize how much Varys gets over on Tyrion and even how much Varys actually tried to tell him that goes right over his head.
In the case of the show, the lie that Tyrion feeds to Varys is so ridiculous that I don't think that Varys ever really bought it. I mean, really? Theon? Doesn't make any sense and you can see the skepticism in Varys's face.
Why must I always be the isle of crazy alone in an ocean of sensibility? The should to everybody else’s shouldn’t? The I-will to their better-nots?
