MovieChat Forums > Game of Thrones (2011) Discussion > Why did Tyrion betray Varys?

Why did Tyrion betray Varys?


Don’t say, “Because he’s the ‘queen’s hand’.”

He didn’t *have* to betray V. He could’ve kept it all to himself. Who would’ve known??

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That's right, he didn't have to betray Varys, especially since Varys was the one who helped him escape after he murdered Tywin. It seemed to me like he was trying to save his own skin(Dany would propably burn someone anyway since she was paranoid and saw enemies all around her), thinking that if he ratted Varys out, he would prove his own loyalty and regret for not keeping the secret about Jon's true identity.

His character was already a mess for a while now, he keeps turning from one of the smartest people of this show into a complete idiot. He also used to be one of the most likable characters and this betrayal makes him a pretty horrible person. Varys risked his own life to help him escape King's Landing, but Tyrion couldn't keep his mouth shut. And the worst part is that deep down he knew Varys was right about Dany and he still acts like an idiot, so all those people who were massacred in King's Landing have Tyrion to thank (among others).

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If Varys had kept his actions to just sending out ravens to everybody, I think Tyrion would have let it go. It was because Varys was actually attempting to poison Dany that Tyrion had to choose a side.

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Why would Tyrion even know Varys was trying to poison Dany? Unless that little girl told him, there's no reason to believe Tyrion would even know.

But he didn't have to. He already knew Varys was proactively trying to undermine Dany. Not just their prior conversation but from his observation of Varys desperately trying to convince Jon Snow to take the throne himself at the beginning of the episode.

Seeing as how Varys was also spreading the word through ravens, it also would have been easy for Tyrion to recognize Varys was actively betraying Dany from just hearing the rumor through the grapevine.

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I would say Tyrion knew because the girl said, "The soldiers are watching me.". The soldiers reported to Tyrion.

Varys was being very clumsy and out of character, getting his hands dirty would be the sort of thing Littlefinger would have done.

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Hadn't thought of that, good point.

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What soldiers of Danny's hold that type of loyalty to Tyrion? If Tyrion had brought a Lanister army maybe, but as is, none of the army would feel more loyalty to Tyrion then the queen, or grey worm. You have the Dothraki that probably have zero respect for Tyrion, and you have the unsullied, which are only dedicated to Dany. Tyrion also doesn't have the money he once had to bribe loyalty.

As far as I can tell, Tyrion (who is one of my favorite characters by the way) made his decision based on nothing more then Vary's confronting Jon.

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Well he is still The Hand, so it's more of a reflected loyalty, and knowing what's going on in the court is his job description.

Even though Dany threatens to kill him almost every time she sees him. lol

...Although he had to hear from Dany about Jaime's capture, which does suggest he is being cut out of military decisions. That scene where Tyrion walks in on Dany and Grey Worm finishing a conversation, I think it was where they decided they would honour Missandei's last wish, "Drakaris". Tyrion's talk about bells and surrendering was falling on deaf ears.

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True, I'm just wondering on something as big as an adviser trying to kill her, if they would have only reported to the Hand and not immediately attempted an audience with her.

"Missandei's last wish", thats an interesting point. If it was premeditated it might have made the whole thing a little less about Danny going mad, and more about good old fashion revenge.

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It was because Varys was actually attempting to poison Dany


He still might poison her. Sort of.
The little girl is, as far as we know, still alive.

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Because Varys was doing everything he could to spread the word that Jon had a greater claim on the throne. If he did nothing he'd be party to Varys complicity so he was forced to choose. He still held out hope Dany was the good and just ruler he thought she was when he originally pledged himself to her cause.

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Tyrion's mistake was telling Varys, just like Dany pointed out to him, he was influenced by Sansa. The last conversations he had with Varys, they stated their positions, so Varys was gonna do whatever he was gonna do, knowing Tyrion was gonna do his job and most likely turn him in. Maybe he hoped Tyrion would change his mind, but he wasn't counting on it. And the same for Tyrion. He hoped Varys would change his mind, but it was clear that wasn't happening.

By the time he went to Dany, she already knew something was up. By being straight with her, he probably saved his own life, at least for a day.

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I wouldn't be surprised if Tyrion dies in the finale. Probably killed by Dany in some way.

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Varys needed to die for adding drama to the show. Everything else is minor details.

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Tyrion needed to save his own neck. He watched Varys approach Jon and knew by Jon's reaction that Varys told him to be king. Tyrion knew that Jon would tell Dany so Tyrion had to tell her first or he would've been killed with Varys.

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Interesting, interesting....

Yeah, given that Dany already knew that someone had betrayed her, I’m now more of the opinion that Tyrion already figured that Dany would know. And so his action was actually more about playing along and saving his butt.

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