Varys

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Varys
Varys by Amoka.jpg
Varys by Amok©

Aliases
Titles
Born Lys[4]
Books

Played by Conleth Hill
TV series Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6

Varys, called "the Spider", is an enigmatic member of the small council and the master of whisperers for King Robert I Baratheon, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.[5] In the television adaptation Game of Thrones he is played by Conleth Hill.[6]

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Varys

A eunuch, Varys is plump, bald, and effeminate. The spymaster has soft white hands. He powders his face and smells of lavender and lilacs.[7][8][9]

When at court, Varys wears rich silks, velvets, and damasks and soft slippers.[8][10] His outward manner is obsequious, mysterious, and squeamish. He is a master of disguise, however, and can change his appearance, gait, smell, and costume to become unrecognizable.[8][11][12]

Secrets are Varys's trade, and his skill at acquiring them has earned him a reputation for being seemingly omniscient. Crucial to his trade is a spy network of children that he refers to as his "little birds".[1]

Varys's history of providing information to all sides, of aiding enemies, of pitting rivals against one another, and of manipulation to achieve his ends has earned him a reputation of being distasteful and untrustworthy among the nobles at court.[3][9] In private, however, he claims to value order, stability, and peace above all, and professes loyalty to those who work for those goals as well.[13][14]

History

In Pentos, young Varys befriended a poor sellsword named Illyrio Mopatis - by Pojypojy ©

Free Cities

According to Grand Maester Pycelle, Varys was born as a slave in Lys.[3] Varys says he was apprenticed as an orphan to a troupe of mummers who worked the Free Cities, Oldtown, and occasionally King's Landing. During their stay in Myr, a man offered a large sum of money for Varys, an offer his master found too tempting to refuse. The man gave Varys a potion that made him powerless to move or speak, but did nothing to dull his senses as his manhood was cut off at the stem, then burnt in a brazier in a blood magic ritual. The man had no further use for Varys and tossed him out on the streets alone alone. Varys claims to have held a hatred for all things magical ever since.[11] He resorted to begging, prostitution, and thievery, eventually becoming the best thief in Myr, until a rival forced him out and he fled to Pentos.[11][15]

Impoverished and despised in Pentos, Varys made an agreement with a poor sellsword, Illyrio Mopatis. Varys would steal objects from lesser thieves and Illyrio would get the objects back for their original owners for a small fee. Soon, everyone in Pentos who ever had valuables stolen from them knew who to ask to get their belongings back. Varys and Illyrio quickly grew rich. Realizing the value of information, Varys began training his spy network to acquire the information, letters, ledgers and charts of the wealthy and powerful. The "little mice" were agile orphans purchased by Varys.[15]

Aerys II Targaryen

These secrets increased Varys and Illyrio's wealth tenfold, and in time Varys became so infamous that word of his talents reached the ears of Aerys II Targaryen across the narrow sea. In his growing paranoia, Aerys no longer trusted his son, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, his wife, Queen Rhaella Targaryen, or his Hand of the King, Lord Tywin Lannister.[15]

As spymaster in King's Landing, Varys's influence grew with Aerys's paranoia, as he was quick to point out traitors and schemers to his liege. Varys mastered the secret passages within the Red Keep and made good use of them with his spy network, who became known as his "little birds". Varys alerted Aerys to the possibility that his son Rhaegar was using attendance at the tourney at Harrenhal as a pretext to rally lords to his cause in removing Aerys as king. This caused Aerys to attend the tournament, the first time he had left the Red Keep in years since the Defiance of Duskendale.[16]

Robert I Baratheon

Varys and the Iron Throne - by Mike Capprotti ©

Following the Battle of the Trident during Robert's Rebellion, Varys counseled Aerys II Targaryen to close his gates to Tywin Lannister, as he could not be trusted. Aerys, however, listened to Grand Maester Pycelle and opened the gates to the Lannister forces, who proceeded to kill the remaining Targaryens present in the Sack of King's Landing.[17]

Though he continued in his post for the new king, Robert I Baratheon, Varys's loyalty seemingly remained with House Targaryen. He kept a secret arrangement with Illyrio Mopatis, who seeks to put a Targaryen back on the Iron Throne. It is claimed that Varys switched the baby Aegon with that of a peasant baby. With the realm falsely believing the prince dead, Varys had Aegon smuggled across the narrow sea to be raised by Lord Jon Connington, Rhaegar's friend and the exiled Hand of the King. To conceal Jon's activities, Varys concocted the false story that Jon had drank himself to death in Lys after being caught stealing from the Golden Company.[18][19]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Varys whispers to Lord Eddard Stark © Mike Capprotti

One of Varys's spies, Ser Jorah Mormont, sends word from Essos that the exiled Princess Daenerys Targaryen has wed Khal Drogo. Varys sends a rider to inform King Robert I Baratheon, who is returning from Winterfell with his new Hand of the King, Lord Eddard Stark.[20] Varys does not recognize the Valyrian steel dagger used to attack Bran Stark, but Lord Petyr Baelish claims to have once owned it.[1]

After the Hand's tourney, Varys disguises himself and comes to meet Eddard at his chambers. He warns Eddard that Queen Cersei Lannister is trying to kill King Robert. He sttes that his goal is peace and stability and professes to assist Lord Eddard in his investigations against House Lannister. Varys also reveals that the former hand, Lord Jon Arryn, was poisoned with the tears of Lys.[8]

A disguised Varys meets Illyrio Mopatis to delay a war between Houses Stark and Lannister until the right time.[21] Varys brings Jorah's report of Daenerys being pregnant to the small council, which results in Robert's command to assassinate both her and her unborn child.[22]

When King Robert is wounded while hunting in the kingswood, Eddard orders Varys to halt the attempts on Daenerys's life.[23] Varys is in attendance when Cersei has Eddard arrested.[24]

Varys and Littlefinger - by Eeba-ism ©

After Robert dies, Varys remains master of whisperers for the new king Joffrey I Baratheon. When Joffrey demands that someone take the blame for his father's death, Varys suggests Ser Barristan Selmy.[7] Joffrey and Cersei dismiss Barristan, a move many outside the council see as a folly.[25]

After Eddard is imprisoned, Varys visits him disguised as a gaoler. Varys persuades Ned that for the sake of his daughter, Sansa Stark, he must falsely confess to treason so Cersei will allow him to take the black, thus delaying a war between Stark and Lannister.[13] Despite Varys's intentions to spare Lord Stark's life, however, King Joffrey goes against the council's wishes and decides at the last minute to have Ned executed, much to the shock of Varys and the other onlookers at the Great Sept of Baelor.[10]

A Clash of Kings

Varys gathering intelligence. © FFG

Tyrion Lannister acts as Hand of the King while his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, is on campaign during the War of the Five Kings. Varys helps Tyrion hide his lover, Shae, in King's Landing.[7]

An uneasy alliance forms between Varys and Tyrion, with the master of whisperers providing the Hand with information. Varys assists Tyrion in gaining control of the City Watch of King's Landing and informs him that Ser Lancel Lannister was sleeping with his cousin, Queen Cersei.[9][26]

Varys assists Tyrion in protecting Shae, setting a up a secret route through which he can visit her and keep her true identity secret from Tyrion's sister, Cersei.[9] During their work together, Varys reveals to Tyrion the origins of how he became castrated.[26] It is also revealed that Varys was the one who sent Gendry with Yoren to join the Night's Watch, so the boy would not be killed by Cersei's agents simply for the crime of being the late King Robert's bastard.[9]

A Storm of Swords

Varys ushering someone into one of his clandestine entrances. © MarcSimonetti

After Tyrion Lannister's recovery following the Battle of the Blackwater, he seeks out Varys and seeks to resume their alliance, which includes his assistance in continuing to facilitate his trysts with Shae. Varys obliges him, though when Tyrion is put on trial for the murder of King Joffrey, Varys testifies against Tyrion, providing notes on conversations between the two and a great deal of seemingly damning evidence.

After Tyrion is condemned to die, however, Varys is forced by Jaime Lannister, at swordpoint, to release Tyrion. He does so, and on the trip through the secret tunnels beneath the Red Keep leads Tyrion past a ladder that the dwarf recognizes as leading to the chamber of the Hand of the King, leading him to inquire how to access his old quarters to seek out his father. Varys makes a curiously weak and obligatory protest against this course of action, advising him to make haste and flee...while also giving precise directions on how to reach Tywin. Tyrion then ascends the ladder to kill his father Tywin. With this outcome and his subsequent arrangement for Tyrion to fit in to his master plan, it is very likely it was more than the threat of violence from a crippled Jaime that caused Varys to release the dwarf. As a loyalist, and knowing Tywin's threat to a Targaryen restoration, plus the fact he attempted to prevent rectification of Cersei's grievous errors, it is most likely he purposefully arranged Tywin's murder, but which strings he pulled and how are currently left unclear as Varys is a master of obfuscation.

Meanwhile, encamped outside Meereen, Ser Barristan Selmy reveals to Queen Daenerys Targaryen’s horror that Ser Jorah Mormont has been spying on her on behalf of Varys and the small council for gold and in hopes of gaining a royal pardon. Barristan tells her that she is watched and since the day of her wedding to Khal Drogo there has been an informer at her side [27] – Dany knows that it can only have been Jorah.

After Meereen is taken Dany confronts Jorah in the Great Pyramid with regard to his spying on her on behalf of Varys. He confesses that he took the eunuch's gold and learned some ciphers and wrote some letters. [28] He admits to her that that he suspected that the wine intended for her in Vaes Dothrak had been poisoned after reading a letter from Varys brought there by caravan. He tells her that Varys wanted her watched, but not harmed. Dany banishes Ser Jorah for his betrayal.[28]

A Feast for Crows

The Spider - by Amok ©

After Varys's part in Tyrion's escape and Tywin's murder, he vanishes without a trace. A dungeon turnkey named Rugen disappears as well. In Rugen's living space a Tyrell coin is discovered and shown to Cersei, increasing Cersei's already-abundant mistrust of House Tyrell. Rugen is one of Varys' disguises.[29]

Cersei, now ruling in King's Landing as Queen Regent to her son Tommen, appoints Qyburn to fill the position of Master of Whisperers. Qyburn notes that many of Varys's spies came to him with secrets to sell, reinforcing Cersei's belief that Varys had always oversold his value to make people dependent on him and more vulnerable to his schemes.

Jaime Lannister also starts to suspect that maybe Varys had a hand in Tyrek Lannister's disappearance during the Riot of King’s Landing, his reasoning being that Tyrek as the late King Robert's former squire would have had a deal of knowledge about the king's activities including his death and knowledge like that was always valuable, a fact which Varys knew better than anyone else. In addition, Varys did not go down to the docks with the rest of the court the day Myrcella was sent to Dorne, nor did he give Cersei any warning of what was about to happen, and it would have been a easy thing for Varys to spark a riot and have agents of his snatch Tyrek in the confusion. [30]

Readers also speculate that Varys was behind a puppet show in King's Landing that had become quite popular among the population. The show was about the kingdom of the beasts was ruled by a pride of Lions that grew arrogant and began to devour their own subjects, when the noble Stag makes objections they eat him too and state that it is their right as the strongest of beasts. At the end of the show a Dragon hatches from an egg and devours all the lions. When Cersei Lannister learned about the show from Qyburn she ordered the puppeteers put to death and those who watched it were to lose half their wealth if they were rich and to lose an eye for watching treason if they were poor. [31]

A Dance with Dragons

Varys employs the secret passages to enter the chambers of Grand Maester Pycelle and kill him. He then dispatches one of his "little birds" to fetch Kevan Lannister, now Lord Regent after Cersei's disgrace, under the pretext that the Grand Maester has a message for him.

Upon his entering the rookery, Varys shoots Kevan with a crossbow, going on to apologize and note that his actions are not out of malice but rather because Kevan's competent leadership threatened to undo Cersei's follies and years of Varys's careful planning. He explains to Kevan that Aegon Targaryen is still alive, and notes the preparations being made to make him the true leader, noting that his death will sow further dissent between the Lannisters and Tyrells, making the realm easy prey for Aegon to arrive and be proclaimed King, for the good of the realm. Varys then summons several of his "little birds" to end Ser Kevan's suffering.[32]

Known Disguises

Varys employs the use of various disguises to go about unnoticed. Upon seeing one of the disguises Tyrion remarks,

A different look, a different smell, a different way of walking ... most men would be deceived".[11]

  • As a stout man in a heavy brown robe in roughspun [8] – in cracked, mud-caked boots smelling of sweat. His face hidden by a cowl, hands drawn up into voluminous sleeves. At first he speaks in a strange low voice. Ned Stark is astonished to realize it is Lord Varys. Ned notices his usual cloying tones are gone and his voice is a thin and sharp as a whip.
  • As a begging brother[11] – in filthy patched robes, bare feet crusty with dirt, a bowl hung about his neck on a leather thong where a septon would have worn a crystal. The smell of him would have gagged a rat. He has a mouth full of rotted teeth.
  • As a woman [12] – plump, soft, matronly, with a round pin moon of a face and heavy dark curls. For one horrid moment Tyrion thinks its Lollys.

Quotes by Varys

A eunuch has no honor, and a spider does not enjoy the luxury of scruples, my lord.[13]

– Varys to Eddard Stark


Eddard: Tell me, Lord Varys, who do you truly serve?
Varys: Why, the realm, my good lord, how ever could you doubt that? I swear it by my lost manhood. I serve the realm, and the realm needs peace.[13]

Eddard Stark and Varys


Why is it always the innocents who suffer most, when you high lords play your game of thrones?[13]

– Varys to Eddard Stark


The storms come and go, the waves crash overhead, the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling.[9]

– Varys to Tyrion Lannister


Power resides where men believe it resides. No more and no less.[9]

– Varys to Tyrion Lannister


Tyrion: Lord Varys, sometimes I feel as though you are the best friend I have in King's Landing, and sometimes I feel you are my worst enemy.
Varys: How odd. I think quite the same of you.[33]

- Tyrion Lannister and Varys


Secrets are worth more than silver or sapphires.[15]

– Varys to Illyrio Mopatis


Ser Kevan. Forgive me if you can. I bear you no ill will. This was not done from malice. It was for the realm. For the children ... There are many like you, good men in service to bad causes ...[14]

– Varys, to Kevan Lannister

Quotes about Varys

He smelled as foul and sweet as flowers on a grave.[2]

Eddard Stark's thoughts


Lord Varys knows all.[1]

- Petyr Baelish to Catelyn Stark


The title was but a courtesy due him as a council member; Varys was lord of nothing but the spiderweb, the master of none but his whisperers.[1]

- thoughts of Catelyn Stark


But Varys has ways of learning things that no man could know. He has some dark art, Ned, I swear it.[2]

Catelyn Stark to Eddard Stark


The Lord Varys was born a slave in Lys, did you know? Put not your trust in spiders, my lord.[3]

- Pycelle to Eddard Stark


Lord Varys, sometimes I feel as though you are the best friend I have in King's Landing and sometimes I feel you are my worst enemy.[33]

Tyrion Lannister to Varys


Birds are lost, messages stolen or sold ... there are things I might tell you of that eunuch that would chill your blood ...[34]

Pycelle, to Tyrion Lannister


You think you're the only one he whispers secrets to? He gives each of us just enough to convince us that we'd be helpless without him.[35]

Cersei Lannister to Tyrion Lannister


Ser Barristan once told me the rot in King Aerys's reign began with Varys. The eunuch should never have been pardoned.[36]

Stannis Baratheon to Davos Seaworth

References and Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 18, Catelyn IV.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 25, Eddard V.
  4. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Varys.
  5. A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
  6. HBO: Game of Thrones: cast and crew
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 3, Tyrion I.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 8, Tyrion II.
  10. 10.0 10.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 65, Arya V.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 44, Tyrion X.
  12. 12.0 12.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 12, Tyrion II.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 58, Eddard XV.
  14. 14.0 14.1 A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5, Tyrion II.
  16. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 67, The Kingbreaker.
  17. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 37, Jaime V.
  18. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 22, Tyrion VI.
  19. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 24, The Lost Lord.
  20. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 12, Eddard II.
  21. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 32, Arya III.
  22. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 33, Eddard VIII.
  23. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 47, Eddard XIII.
  24. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 49, Eddard XIV.
  25. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
  26. 26.0 26.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 29, Tyrion VII.
  27. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.
  28. 28.0 28.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 71, Daenerys VI.
  29. 29.0 29.1 Game of Thrones, Season 1, "The Pointy End", DVD Commentary.
  30. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 27, Jaime III.
  31. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 24, Cersei V.
  32. A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  33. 33.0 33.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
  34. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 25, Tyrion VI.
  35. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 54, Tyrion XII.
  36. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.

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