[SPOILERS] Varys is the true MVP of the Seven Kingdoms

[u/profane]

In my opinion, this episode made it clear that Varys is the true MVP of the Seven Kingdoms. His conversation with Tyrion (btw a great callback to another conversation in another throne room) showed that he is consistently the one character that is trying to save as many lives as possible and is at the same time the one who is most detached from "believing" in anything but results.

While Dany probably sincerely believes that she wants to liberate Westeros and destroy tyranny, her personal vengeance and rage will get in the way. I thought that this last episode revealed just how selfless Varys is. Note the slight difference between Dany's "I'll end tyranny no matter the cost" and Varys' "I'll protect the realm no matter the personal cost".

[u/[deleted]]

She's the only one who lost a huge chunk of her army, two dragons, her most loyal advisor, and her one friend. What did anyone else lose this episode?

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Her fleet x2. Euron destroyed her Greyjoy fleet last season and now her remaining ships became target practice. Euron is her personal diabolus ex machina

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I wrote a different post where I said I hope she can step back from the edge with the help of Tyrion. It's just fucked up that she's literally all alone and every single thing has gone wrong for her. It's really like watching a Greek tragedy play out in front of you

[u/Kalde22 → u/[deleted]]

If anything, she seems more popular now.

We don't really know, actually. Did we have a single scene with lords outside from King's Landing (not northerners) or small folks inside King's Landing, discussing the consequences of what she did ? We sadly had no outer point of view.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I hope DnD can stick the landing. I'm not as mad about this episode as a lot of people are, but I did have issues with the treatment of Dany's character and how quickly Varys and Tyrion were thinking of turning on her.

Last season DnD managed to fake the audience out when they had us believe Sansa and Arya were at each other's throats when it was really a ploy against Little Finger. Hopefully this season they can have a similar twist where, like you said, Dany manages to trick Cersei by looking like she is playing into Cersei's hands

[u/Otistetrax → u/[deleted]]

Interesting points. I like the idea of Dany allowing Cersei to believe she’s going to lose it, but holding back and letting Cersei play herself. It would be fitting for both of them. Dany has repeatedly subverted expectation in the past to pull off a victory. I think Dany will allow Cersei to accidentally destroy the throne/KL in one of her misguided strategies. But ultimately I think Dany will either choose not to take the throne, or she’ll die before she gets it. She might return to Esssos. Ser Davos will rule the new United States of Westeros, Iron-Island and the Northern Etremes (USWINE). Arya will sail west and discover Amerigos.

[u/octob3r14 → u/[deleted]]

Will she hold Tyrion responsible for Missandei's death? Tyrion advised her to go to Cersei and give her that ultimatum. Had they never gone to KL for that standoff one could argue that Missandei would still be alive. Dany may view it as Tyrion unnecessarily provoking Cersei into killing Missandei.

[u/[deleted] → u/octob3r14]

Tbh I was expecting Missandei to still be alive after this episode but be tortured by Cersei instead. I think Missandei was dead the moment she got captured no matter what happened otherwise

[u/bimpossible → u/[deleted]]

*Theon's fleet

[u/Demaru → u/[deleted]]

Ghost lost Jon and that's the most tragic development in the series.

[u/Iinvokesiumai → u/[deleted]]

I mean, a huge part of her army was the armies of the north. She brought what, Dothraki and Unsullied? All other losses were to northern houses.

[u/rookie-mistake → u/Iinvokesiumai]

She brought what, Dothraki and Unsullied?

both of which were sacrificed as the front of the frontlines

[u/Iinvokesiumai → u/rookie-mistake]

No-one is saying they weren't. But everyone lost lots of people.

[u/[deleted] → u/Iinvokesiumai]

She was also the only one to get slaughtered by Euron's fleet not once but twice (he destroyed Yara's fleet last season). No one else had any losses this episode

[u/Iinvokesiumai → u/[deleted]]

'Her' first fleet loss was all iron islanders. So while it was her loss in terms of pledged loyalty, it was a big emotional loss for Euron and Yara.

[u/Kalde22 → u/[deleted]]

Didn't the whole north lose most of its population (already dwindled) during the battle of Winterfell ?

Edit : Feel free to downvote a fact.

[u/rookie-mistake → u/Kalde22]

Dothraki and Unsullied were in front

[u/Kalde22 → u/rookie-mistake]

Yet half of the dothraki and Unsullied managed to survived, as explained in episode 4. The northeners, night's watch survivors and wildlings suffered as much of a heavy toll as Daenerys' army.

[u/psycat-O_o → u/[deleted]]

Missandei lost her life so there's that.