The forthcoming series House of the Dragon on HBO is set to focus on the schemes of various players in Westeros as they vie for the throne. In its predecessor, Game of Thrones, one of the most notable schemers was Littlefinger, who was the one who ultimately set the entire plot in motion when he convinced Lysa Arryn to poison her husband.
Though he was very much invested in his own intelligence, it has to be said that there were a number of very foolish decisions that he made during his time on the show, demonstrating the extent to which he wasn’t nearly as clever as he thought.
Underestimating Arya
There’s no doubt that Arya is one of the best characters in Game of Thrones. She is fierce and a skilled fighter, and while some might not see her as a schemer, she is not to be underestimated. In fact, Petyr learns this to his chagrin when he tries to turn her sister Sansa against her, only to find himself at Arya’s mercy.
In fact, she is the one who actually ends his life, highlighting just how foolish he was to think that he could outwit her or come between the Stark sisters.
Trying To Outwit Varys
Varys, though he often worked from the shadows, was one of those who was most skilled at playing the game of thrones. With his legions of whisperers, he always knew what was happening in Westeros and in King’s Landing in particular.
He was one of Littlefinger’s most prominent foes at court, and Petyr frequently made the mistake of thinking that he was the one with the upper hand, when in reality it was Varys who ended up being the better and more skillful, so much so that he almost succeeded in bringing about the end of Daenerys’ reign.
Putting Sansa Through Her Torment
Sansa is one of the bravest of the Starks, but she had to endure quite a lot during her development as a character. In large part, these should be laid at Littlefinger’s door, since he was willing to put her through a great deal just because he thought it was acceptable. Unfortunately for him, this ended up making Sansa into someone that he found much more difficult to control.
Had he given it a bit more thought, he might have come to realize that it wasn’t such a good idea, for his own health, to help create a woman with so much a mind of her own.
Enabling Joffrey
Joffrey is without doubt one of the worst and most evil rulers that the Seven Kingdoms have ever seen. In part, the terribleness of his reign can be ascribed to his own folly, but it’s also true that many of his advisers, including Littlefinger, enabled his horrors. Littlefinger, of course, thought that doing so would give him his own access to power and influence.
Unfortunately for Littlefinger, this was ultimately something of a foolish decision, as he was never really able to exploit the chaos of the kingdom for his own ends.
Manipulating Lysa To Poison Jon Arryn
Though it is sometimes forgotten, the truth is that the horrible events of the series were all set in motion when Littlefinger convinced Lysa to poison her husband, Jon. Clearly, Littlefinger thought that doing so would destabilize the kingdom and allow him to ascend to the position that he thought was his due.
However, it was a rather dumb decision, in that it enabled many others to attain power, while he was forced to manipulate others from the shadows. In addition, thousands died, all for his own futile desires.
Thinking He Could Control Chaos
There are many great speeches in Game of Thrones, but arguably one of the best and most notable is the “chaos is a ladder” speech that Littlefinger declaims. It’s clear he thinks that he has the ability to control what happens, but this is one of the most foolish and dangerous things that he ever does.
As he finds repeatedly–most notably when he is killed by Arya–chaos is by its very nature uncontrollable, and anyone who thinks that they can bend it to his will is fated to be destroyed.
Getting Stuck On His Love For Catelyn
One of the most notable aspects of Littlefinger’s character is his enduring love for Catelyn Stark. It’s the one affection that he can’t let go of, and it shapes and distorts his entire view of the world. This is a remarkably silly decision for a man of his obvious intelligence.
Had he been willing or able to move on from those feelings, he could perhaps have followed a more functional (and healthier) life, one which might not have led to the downfall of the Seven Kingdoms into chaos and blood.
Challenging Brandon Stark To A Duel
During the course of the series, it is revealed that, when he was young, Littlefinger challenged Brandon Stark (Eddard’s elder brother) to a duel, which he subsequently lost. Though such a gesture would be expected of a hot-headed young man, it was still a very dumb decision on his part.
It is another of those pivotal moments in Littlefinger’s life that highlights the extent to which he is unable and unwilling to let go of the past, instead allowing it to dominate every aspect of his life.
Thinking He Could Manipulate Jon Like He Did Ned
One of the most notable aspects of Littlefinger’s personality was his belief that he could manipulate not only events but people. He did this with some success with Ned, who repeatedly found himself stymied by Littlefinger’s scheming.
The same was not true of Jon Snow, however, who essentially threatened the manipulative man with physical harm. Had Littlefinger given it a little more thought and consideration, he might have realized that Jon was not at all the same type of person as his father.
Trying To Use His Wiles On Bran
If Littlefinger was foolish for trying to manipulate Jon, he was even more foolish for trying to use his wiles on Bran. This very quickly became clear when Bran, endowed with a supernatural vision, essentially revealed just how unwilling he was to put up with Littlefinger’s blandishments.
As was so often the case, Littefinger’s most foolish decisions often stemmed from his tendency to underestimate others, particularly those that he thinks are weaker and less intelligent than he is.
