LORD Varys met a bitter end in the finale season of Game of Thrones.
The diplomat and spymaster had a formative role in shaping the politics of power in Westeros, so there was a tragic irony in him being executed by a prospective monarch.
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Varys, played by Conleth Hill, proved to one of the shrewdest operators in the Seven Kingdoms – and his intuition about Daenerys Targaryen was on the money.
He saw the making of a tyrant in the silver-haired leader and endeavoured to prevent her from taking the Iron Throne by poisoning her, instead encouraging Jon Snow (Kit Harington) to vie for leadership.
However, his efforts were discovered and Daenerys put him death for treason, courtesy of her dragons in a brutal display of vengeance.
His final words to Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) were heart-breaking as he sighed: “I hope I deserve this. Truly, I do. I hope I’m wrong.”
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The moment shocked audiences, given Varys’ steadfast support of Daenerys in the past.
However, in a deleted scene from episode 1 of season 8 with Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) and Tyrion, Varys hinted that he knew just how dispensable he was.
The group discuss what an attractive pair Jon and Daenerys make and remark how lucky they are to be a part of a new military superpower.
Varys is quick to warn the others that their stakes in power are waning, remarking: “You overestimate our influence, Jon and Daenerys don’t want to listen to lonely old men.”
When the others try and insist Daenerys has a lot of respect for her elders, he snaps back: “Of course she does, respect is how the young keep us at a distance so we don’t remind them of an unpleasant truth – nothing lasts.”
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Clearly Varys understood how precarious his situation was long before Daenerys put him to the flame.
What’s more, his worst fears about Daenerys came true when she burned King’s Landing to the ground despite the bells of surrender ringing out.
Civilians were seen running through the streets and begging for mercy as they were cut down by the likes of the Dothraki and Unsullied.
In other Game of Thrones news, Kit Harington admitted he still thinks about Jon Snow ‘all the time’ at the Golden Globes.
