Known for its high death toll, Game of Thrones indeed ended with a number of notable fatalities; one of them was Varys. As we look back on the series it becomes apparent that the Master of Whisperers didn’t have many friends. Perhaps only Tyrion could be considered an ally.
However, even an inspection of the relationship between these two would suggest that they aren’t actually real friends, and perhaps never were. Here are 10 reasons why Varys and Tyrion Lannister shouldn’t be considered true-blue pals.
DIFFERENT INTERESTS
This pair had two very different set of interests. We’re not just talking hobbies or what books they liked to read; their fundamental political and cultural interests were absolutely different — though they both wanted to break the wheel. That is a given.
However, Varys always claimed that his whole being was about serving the Kingdom in any way possible. Tyrion, on the other hand, was much more selfish, looking for power, or sometimes simply survival. Their bottom lines differed greatly.
SPYING ON ONE ANOTHER
Varys wasn’t known as the Master of Whisperers for no reason. He amassed quite the network of spies, especially through the use of children who were living on the streets. Such resources need to be used responsibly.
It’s a shame that Varys used his power in order to spy on Tyrion throughout his career. To be fair, the same can be said for Tyrion, who went out of his way to keep tabs on the eunuch so that he could understand his every move.
KEEPING SECRETS
Speaking of spying and secrecy, the pair wasn’t very good at sharing news with one another. On the odd occasion they might swap intelligence, but usually they kept any information they had to themselves.
It’s quite a selfish approach that shows that neither of them had much trust for the other. Even though they ended up working alongside one another for quite some time, there were still plenty of secrets between the two that friends just wouldn’t have.
COMPETING FOR THE QUEEN’S EAR
Since they were working together, the duo also felt the need to compete with one another. This went further than just some healthy competition between friends; it got to the point that they were really trying to fight for Daenerys’ ear.
Of course, Tyrion and Varys wanted to give very different messages to the Queen, and as such it was important they were both heard. It must have felt like a bit of a betrayal, therefore, when Tyrion was named the Hand of the Queen.
PERSONAL INSULTS
Both Tyrion and Varys have very personal struggles that they have had to get over. Whether it’s the way they look or how they have been seen by the rest of the world, or perhaps even some traumatic past event they are trying to get away from, they have these struggles in common.
However, both also use these flaws against one another, going past the point of friendly banter. Some of the worst things that Tyrion has ever done is simply through the use of his language, and Varys doesn’t exactly hold back either.
TAKING DIFFERENT SIDES
For some time before siding with Dany and even for a while afterwards, Varys and Tyrion took completely different sides on a lot of arguments. There were times when they agreed on certain things but this was outweighed by a number of other factors.
Despite what Cersei Lannister had done to the Kingdom and to Tyrion, part of him may have wanted to protect her still. Tyrion and Varys’ attitudes towards Jon Snow were also quite different, as was their plan for the final invasion of King’s Landing.
EARLY STRUGGLES
The early days showcased just how distant the pair actually were. With Tyrion part of the Lannister Household and indeed the running of Westeros, Varys was almost an observer from the sidelines.
Before there was any kind of respect between the two there was a resentment that ran much deeper than we may ever know. Perhaps each man envied the other’s position. They both certainly tried to look out for their own skin even if it cost the other theirs.
MANIPULATING EACH OTHER
There were a number of times that Varys and Tyrion tried to manipulate one another and indeed, the situation they were put into. This become even worse when Tyrion was Hand of the King and had to deal with so many issues.
Perhaps Varys could have stepped in on more occasions, even saving Tyrion from having to marry Sansa, but he kept so much information to himself that there were many times where he wasn’t useful at all.
TYRION SELLS VARYS OUT
The quest for the Iron Throne is a complicated one that could break friendships completely. When Varys made the choice to reveal Jon’s identity to the world, he essentially said goodbye to his role in the new Queen’s court.
What he perhaps wasn’t expecting was for Tyrion to completely sell him out. Even though it was the wrong thing to do and they were supposedly friends, Tyrion once again chose a different side and told his Queen the truth.
TYRION ALLOWS VARYS’ DEATH
The worst part of this is that Tyrion was directly responsible for the death of Varys and didn’t find a way to stop it. He stood by watched as his “friend” was burned right in front of him. In some ways this was a success for Tyrion as he continued to vie for attention from the Targaryen.
One of his main political rivals had been removed from the table for good. There’s an argument to be made that perhaps this was yet another manipulation to secure more power for himself, but even then maybe Tyrion didn’t fully think of the deadly consequence it would have.
