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HBO Game of thrones is a dense series with a huge history weight behind its story. So, in virtually every episode, something happens that could use a little explanation. Every week, The edge will dive into a scene or event from the last episode of the series and explain how we got there. That you are basically a Game of thrones maester or if you need a little reminder of previous events, we will try to help you keep your history.
We are in the last stretch for Game of thronesand this week's episode underscored the point that has been clear over the past eight seasons: it's really about the throne. Or, more precisely, who sits there.
Spoilers for Game of thrones, in general, but especially season 8, episode 4, "The last of the Starks".
Who is sitting on the chair?
At a time of season 8 Game of thrones Episode "The Last of the Starks", Tyrion Lannister Needles Varys, the Whisper Master, explains how many Vary Masters have served at King's Landing. "How many kings and queens have you served? Five? Six? I lost the account. The draft seems to suggest that Varys is unfaithful and should honor his commitment to Daenerys Targaryen primarily to prove that he can be honorable. But his changing stance has much more to do with the tumultuous history of the iron throne. With the possession of this throne again at stake, it's time to revisit Varys' years of service – and more importantly, the five leaders he has advised so far.
The crazy king
Any discussion of the recent kings of Westeros should begin and end with Aerys II Targaryen, the crazy king. Father of Viserys, Rhaegal and Daenerys (and Jon Snow's grandfather, aka Aegon VI Targaryen), the Crazy King is directly and indirectly responsible for almost the entire history of Westerosi as we know it.
His excesses as a king (and his instability due to Targaryen consanguinity) eventually led him to murder Ned Stark's father, Rickard Stark, and Ned's older brother, Brandon. These murders led to Robert's rebellion, which eventually saw other major Westeros homes revolt against Aerys. Finally, the Targaryen dynasty was overthrown. Aerys was killed by one of his own Royal Guards, Jaime Lannister (permanently nicknamed "Kingslayer"), who was trying to prevent him from removing King's Landing from a forest fire. The surviving children of Aegon, Viserys and Daenerys were sent to Essos.
But even after Aerys' death, the consequences of his reign had serious consequences. Putting Dany within the reach of the Dothraki changed the course of Westeros' story, as her marriage for political reasons led her to take control of the powerful Dothraki army. Cersei later used the forest fire that he sowed throughout the city to wipe out his political enemies. And the emptiness of power caused by his death was filled by Robert, fixing the rest of Game of thrones moving.
As for Varys, he began his service working for Aerys. But typical for the spider, his allegiance was quickly transferred to his successor – at least on the surface.
"Gods, I was strong then"
Robert Baratheon was an excellent hero – he defended the kingdom, led armies to victory, and slaughtered Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen with a single hammer blow during the trident battle.
But he was terrible as a king, as hard as Varys (and other members of his little council) was trying to remedy this situation. Robert's wife, Cersei Lannister, openly scorned him, and their icy personal relations left no legitimate heir – just Robert's many bastards (including Gendry, whom Daenerys had just legitimated as Robert's son), and the Incestuous brood of Cersei, presided over by his brother Jaime. The assassination of Robert Arryn – the Hand of the King and Baratheon's Mentor – marked the end of his reign. The calamity soon fell on New Main, Ned Stark, and on the kingdom in general.
The young lion
Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son of Jaime and Cersei, sat next to the iron throne. Living proof that the Targaryen ideals of incest were a bad idea, Joffrey was sadistic, amoral, spoiled and power hungry. Abandoning both the ordinary people he was supposed to lead and all the advisers he was supposed to listen to (including his grandfather, Tywin), Joffrey had a brief and brutal reign. It was a pity for many characters when he was murdered for his wedding.
But Joffrey's death revealed deeper machinations from Varys – who had not been serving the Baratheon dynasty. Instead, he was always loyal to his original masters: House Targaryen. One thing came out of this: Varys sent Tyren safely with Daenerys to help him avoid being wrongfully punished for Joffrey's death.
The king of Ser Pounce
After Joffrey, the iron throne passed to Tommen Baratheon, Joffrey's younger brother. Where Joffrey was cruel, Tommen was kind, but his youthful and accommodating nature made him an easy prey for the manipulations of his wife, Margaery Tyrell; his mother, Cersei; and the great sparrow.
With such conflicting forces, it is not surprising that Tommen is an inefficient king. And when Cersei destroyed the Great Seven and Margaery died, Tommen killed himself, unable to live without his queen – or perhaps, unable to live with the horrible acts of his mother.
The mad queen?
At this point, Varys has had enough and joined his real queen, Daenyrys Targaryen, to support his bid for the iron throne. But, as this episode showed, his loyalty to her might not be irreproachable – not if he saw Jon as both a better claimant of the throne and a better potential leader. Varys even knows he can support Jon without betraying his attachment to Targaryen House. But he says there is a higher cause: "You know where my loyalty is," he told Tyrion. "You know that I will never betray the kingdom."
But as Tyrion points out, serving "the kingdom" does not necessarily mean loyalty to a particular character in this realm. With only two episodes left, and a throne to claim, many can still happen. But if past history has anything to tell, whoever ends up on the throne will probably serve the Spider in their service – unless that final plot finally defeats him.
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