Game of Thronesis a story of war, the fight for power, and lots and lots of betrayal. While having a large army and powerful allies will help any king or queen rise to sit upon the Iron Throne, a key weapon in winning the war – one that is often overlooked – is the access to information.
As a king or a queen who is simultaneously acting as their army’s general, devising war plans, and figuring out how to provide for their people, it’s important to have someone close who can inform them on the happenings all across Westeros and Essos. That’s why in every small council, there is a Master of Whisperers. And for the majority ofGame of Thrones, the Master of Whisperers was Lord Varys.
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From the start of the series (and the book), Varys served as Master of Whisperers. And for the majority of the story, viewers had little information as to how he managed to gain such a powerful position in the small council. Bit by bit, throughout the series, Varys revealed his story as one that started from absolute nothing, and pushed forward out of determination and purpose.
Who Is Varys?
Varys is a eunuch, or a man who has been castrated, and born a slave in Lys, a Free City of Essos. He eventually became the Master of Whisperers under the rule of King Aerys II Targaryen, aka The Mad King. Varys held this title through the next several successors, including under the rule of Robert Baratheon, and his sons, Joffrey and Tommen Baratheon, before traveling across the water toserve under Queen Daenerys Targaryen.
As Master of Whisperers, Varys has access to virtually all information regarding the many houses that reside in both Westeros and Essos thanks to his “little birds”. Thanks to his position, Varys has a network of children spies all across the two kingdoms who report any and all valuable information to Varys. It’s hard for any bystander or nobleman to spot one of Varys' little birds, as they are always hidden in plain sight.
Varys is also amaster of disguise, appointing many aliases to himself in order to sneak around himself. And although he is constantly serving under kings who may not be worthy of holding such power, Varys is very determined and holds true to wanting a just leader, doing anything and everything in his power to achieve that goal.
How Did Varys Become the Master of Whisperers?
Born into slavery in Lys, Varys at some point as a child was forced to make a living as an entertainer. However, he was eventually sold to a man, who turned out to be a sorcerer who only needed Varys so he couldcomplete a blood magic ritual. The ritual involved Varys being castrated and his severed body parts being burned before he was let go and left to the streets.
Varys was forced to survive on his own, and did so through a multitude of occupations, the most prominent of which being thievery. Throughout his days of stealing, in which he would steal from other thieves and return goods to owners for a price, he recognized the importance of accessing information, and decided to create his own crew of spies who would help him find the right people to steal from.
His reputation grew so large, that King Aerys II Targaryen heard of his work all the way from Westeros. Aerys II,who grew increasingly paranoidday by day towards the end of his rule, invited Varys to King’s Landing and appointed him Master of Whisperers. Aerys seemed to trust Varys more than anyone else he worked with, and gave Varys all the resources he needed to build his army of spies, eventually being known as his little birds. After Aerys' death, Varys remained Master of Whisperers and stayed on the small council in King’s Landing before eventually leaving to serve under Daenerys Targaryen.
What Happens to Varys?
Throughout the entire series, Varys is perhaps closest with Tyrion Lannister more than anyone else. He helps Tyrion save his lover Shae from Cersei’s merciless power, assists Tyrion in the killing of his father Tywin, and the two escape together to Dragonstone to serve under Daenerys. Varys reveals that his loyalty had always been with house Targaryen, and his goal all along was to see to it that Daenerys would eventually become Queen of Westeros.
However, while Daenerys and Jon Snow are working together to help in Daenerys' victory, Varys discovers thetruth behind Jon’s identity: Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark and the true heir to the throne. Around the same time, Varys notices that Daenerys is losing her way of being a caring and just leader that the kingdoms need so badly. Scared for how destructive she may turn out to be, Varys pleads with Daenerys to not attack all of King’s Landing, to which she refuses his council.
Varys decides to do what he can to stop Daenerys, resulting in him trying to convince Jon to take charge and also indirectly attempting to poison her. Tyrion is made aware of Varys' betrayal and is forced to turn him in for treason. Daenerys' stance on betrayal is quite clear: those found guilty will burn by dragon fire. Varys knows this, and proceeds to his execution without a fight. Standing before Drogon, he forgives Tyrion and tells him thathe hopes he does deserve the execution, in the sense that he wants Daenerys to prove him wrong.
Thus, Varys' story inGame of Thronescomes to an end. A fan favorite, Varys' death in season 8 was one of the more infuriating among fans. His wit, intelligence, skill, and overall desire for peace and justice will forever be his legacy.
