Varys and Every Other Death

Published May 13, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey Guys,

Man, what a whirlwind of an episode. As much criticism as D&D have gotten for this season, I think they really gave us something here that we’ve been waiting for since Season 1, whether we knew it or not. From the moment I saw Dany’s face at the end of the “previously on” section, I knew without even realizing it, “this is where the shit is going down”. One of the most important scenes to me, though, was the death of our beloved, ambiguously loyal master of secrets, Varys. After wading through the heartbreak of watching Tyrion say goodbye to his closest and possibly only real friend, my initial reaction was “that’s it? That’s how you’re going to take out one of this story’s most interesting and significant characters? The same way you took out the fucking Tarly’s?” But the more I got to thinking about it, I realized I actually appreciate this death. I appreciate it because it fulfills one of the most important layers of almost all the significant deaths we’ve seen on Game of Thrones: it is unquestionably consequential of this character’s own actions. Looking back, there are no accidental deaths on this show. Nobody died from being merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, they all died because of something they did or a choice they made. One could argue that as being the foundation of plot armor (ie not dying in a battle with the rest of the unnamed soldiers), but I think it makes each significant characters’ death that much more impactful. Ned didn’t die because Joffrey’s a little shit, he died because he put his trust in the wrong people. Rob and Cat didn’t die because Walder Frey is a snake in the grass, they died because Rob chose to break a deal without worrying about the results of that decision. Varys didn’t die because of Dany’s madness or Tyrion’s betrayal, he died because he took a risk that he definitely knew could end up with his execution. The list goes on. Having said all this, will you guys please help me make peace with the deaths of Jamie and Cersei? I can live with the whole Jamie going back to Cersei to be with her bit because to me that fits his character like a glove on a golden hand. I know we all wanted to see him kill Cersei, but that just doesn’t add up given everything he’s done for her, no matter how remorseful he may be. You don’t throw a kid out of a window over a casual fling. I also don’t think he ever really loved Brienne, I think he was lonely and missing his sister, and here was this person who loved him the way Cersei loved him (or at least something close to it). That also feels like classic Jamie. He’d fulfilled his duty as protector of the living, so what reason does he actually have to keep going towards being the proverbial good guy? So, the two of them dying together makes perfect sense to me. But the way in which they went out? Crushed to death in a sealed off tunnel? Seems pretty cheap. I’m missing that comforting sense of justice I’ve gotten with almost every other death, be it of the good guys or the bad guys. I mean this was the consequence of what, poorly reinforced stone structures? Couldn’t they have been in each others’ arms while Drogon rained fire upon them? Couldn’t they have jumped together from the top of the crumbling Red Keep, giving a nice callback to the least threatening Lannister to ever exist? Maybe I’m missing something here, and I’d love to hear you guys’ take on it. Can’t wait to see what our finale brings to us.

P.S. What I wouldn’t give to see the look on Tywin Lannister or Robert Baratheon’s face as they watch a bunch of Dothraki savages massacre the streets of King’s Landing. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Fred from Birmingham, AL

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