The complement to Littlefinger as a central manipulator in King's Landing, Varys finds his potency by having very little personal ambition. Whereas Littlefinger is solely concerned with personal advancement, Varys cares only that the kingdoms of Westeros function smoothly and that the constituents live (semi-)enjoyable lives. While Littlefinger finds his power in his business and political experience, Varys, the Master of Whisperers who advises the king in matters of espionage on the Small Council, has sewn a web of social connections to aid him in understanding the social and political underpinnings in all of Westeros and especially in King's Landing, which led to his nickname, "the Spider." In season three, the clearest example of Varys's character, strengths, and weaknesses occurred in his utilisation of Ros, a prostitute, as a spy. Ros worked for Littlefinger, and through her, Varys came to suspect Littlefinger's desire to take control of Sansa to earn power in the North. He then went to Olenna Tyrell, and the two of them came to an agreement to ensure this wouldn't happen. In this, one sees Varys's concern for the well-being of Westeros. He desires to hinder Littlefinger from gaining power by any means necessary because Littlefinger cares not at all for the status of Westeros and would likely (and gladly) drive it into the ground. In order to work towards a stable Westeros, Varys must keep his eyes and ears everywhere, and he is able even to recruit an employee of Littlefinger's to keep tabs on him. Through this spy, he successfully anticipates and then squanders Littlefinger's plans and even negotiates with another person of power. He is apt at manipulating the political dealings of Westeros, all while dissociating himself from the situations explicitly. However, the weakness emerges in that while Varys's selflessness has defined his character, it disallows him from gaining any more power. He has plateaued as a manipulator.
Joseph is a student at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, double majoring in Ancient Greek and Religious Studies. He has a deep passion for TV and consumes as much of it as possible.
