The New Zealand Herald

The devious power behind Thrones saga

- — Washington Post

Arryn, for the guy! “What wife would trust you the way I’ve trusted you?” Lysa reminds Petyr. “When you gave me those drops and told me to pour them into Jon’s wine.” Jon’s death preceded the show’s premiere, prompting King Robert Baratheon to ask Ned Stark to serve as his new Hand. Ned came to believe the old Hand was offed for learning Joffrey was not actually Robert’s son.

“You had Aunt Lysa send a letter to our parents telling them it was the Lannisters who murdered Jon Arryn, when really it was you.”

Not only did Littlefing­er get Lysa to kill her husband, but he got her to throw the blame on the Lannisters, thus amping up the Lannister-Stark feud. That handy confession also came from Lysa, who said to Littlefing­er in season four, “you told me to write a letter to Cat, telling her it was the Lannisters who had killed her husband, Hand of the King”.

“You conspired with Cersei Lannister and Joffrey Baratheon to betray our father, Ned Stark. Thanks to your treachery, he was imprisoned and later executed . . .”

Ned confronted Cersei with the fact Joffrey wasn’t Robert’s son and he thought Littlefing­er would back him up on not handing the throne to the boy, with the City Watch’s help. When Ned presents a letter from the dead Robert Baratheon, declaring his rightful heir would need to come of age first, Cersei rips it up. Then Ned tries to have Cersei and Joffrey taken into custody — but the City Watch turn on the Stark men.

“You held a knife to his throat. You said, ‘I did warn you not to trust me’.”

Shout-out to Bran who provided Sansa with some specific details. In season one, after the City Watch turn on Ned’s men in the Throne Room, Littlefing­er holds a dagger to Ned and whispers those words.

“You told our mother this knife belonged to Tyrion Lannister . . . It was yours.”

Catelyn Stark came to King’s Landing to find who tried to kill her son Bran. Littlefing­er tells Catelyn he lost the dagger in a bet to Tyrion Lannister. That deepened the StarkLanni­ster divisions and set off other events: Cat, convinced Tyrion ordered the assassinat­ion attempt on Bran, has Tyrion arrested, causing Twyin Lannister’s forces to attack her home in the Riverlands. Tyrion secured his release via trial-bycombat, thanks to Bronn.

 ?? Picture / Helen Sloan, HBO ?? Aidan Gillen plays the villainous, forever plotting Petyr “Littlefing­er” Baelish in the series Game of Thrones.
Picture / Helen Sloan, HBO Aidan Gillen plays the villainous, forever plotting Petyr “Littlefing­er” Baelish in the series Game of Thrones.

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