In A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” Littlefinger is the chaos to Varys’ order. In the book series, Littlefinger has cunningly rescued Sansa Stark and gained power the Vale. He plans to marry Sansa to Harry Hardyng (“Harry the Heir”) to unite the Vale with the North to create a powerful army that will give the Lannisters trouble.
In the television show, Littlefinger’s plot line is taking a different route. In Season 6 Episode 4 of “Game of Thrones,” we see Littlefinger not-so-subtly nudge little Robert Arryn into calling his bannermen to march north to fight Ramsay Bolton at Winterfell. His reason? Because Ramsay “stole” Sansa.
The viewers know that Littlefinger actually brokered a deal with the Bolton’s in exchange for Sansa. By calling the Vale to raid Winterfell and fight Ramsay, Littlefinger is doing what he does best: creating more chaos.
But little does Littlefinger know that Jon Snow and a large number of wildlings will also be marching on Winterfell — or that Sansa has escaped her captivity and teamed up with Brienne of Tarth.
Littlefinger theories: What will happen to him?
Before we make a prediction about Littlefinger’s future, let’s review the events he has recently put in motion (either willingly or unwittingly):
- “Rescued” Sansa Stark and murdered Joffrey Baratheon
- Murdered Lysa Tully and gained an influential hold over Robert Arryn (and the power of the Vale with him)
- Traded Sansa Stark to Ramsay Bolton in exchange for an allegiance
- Lied about trading Sansa to the Vale, and rallied the Vale’s banner men to “rescue” her from Winterfell and the Boltons
Meanwhile, with Jon Snow and the wildlings setting their sights on Winterfell as well (because of Rickon Stark’s recent capture), we have ourselves set up for a wildlings-Jon Snow-Vale-Bolton war taking place around Winterfell. Will Littlefinger make it out alive? Will Sansa exact her revenge on the cunning Littlefinger by ordering Brienne to execute him? Or perhaps Jon Snow will kill Littlefinger?
Littlefinger has tied so many knots in the north, and some of them have come undone without his knowing, such as Sansa escaping and teaming with Jon Snow and planning to attack Winterfell herself, Rickon being captured and more. And while Littlefinger thrives in chaos, it always seems to be chaos that he set in motion or controlled in some way shape or form. What’s currently brewing in the north seems to be a chaos fire that has gotten a little out of hand.
Littlefinger’s endgame is either one of two things: 1) Win the Iron Throne for himself or 2) Disrupt the Lannister lineage and implant a new King or Queen that he has substantial influence over.
With the mess he’s created in the north, it seems unlikely he’ll achieve either of those goals.