Game Of Thrones Season 8 Breakdown: What 'The Bells' REALLY Means

10. "The Good Of The Realm"

On reflection, we should have realised where the episode was heading as soon as Lord Varys' story came to an end in the opening act. Having realised that Jon was the preferable heir to the throne, Varys did what he always does, apparently attempting to poison Dany using a child in Dragonstone's kitchens and sending out notices to everyone he could to spread the news of Jon's true parentage. Who was receiving them is anyone's guess, but it almost didn't matter - what matters is that he betrayed Dany and he had to pay.

But when you think about it, Varys was more than the Master of Whispers so cruelly thrown under the bus by Tyrion (once more proving himself incapable of reading situations properly). He was the personification of the realm and everything he did - up to and including sanctioning murder - was done for the good of the realm. Removing him took away the realm's dog in the final fight and their protection.

Him burning helplessly at Dany's word was the perfect mirror to what came later. And it gave Melisandre another tick in her win column for correct prophecies.