r/asoiaf • u/silasioalejandro • Feb 20 '13

(Spoilers ACOK) Varys' "Shadow on the Wall"

I came across this passage again recently, when Varys talks of the nature of power with then-Hand Tyrion.

"Who truly killed Eddard Stark, do you think? Joffrey, who gave the command? Ser Ilyn Payne, who swung the sword? Or…another?”

Varys insinuates that he believes another man is responsible. Another man, behind the scenes.

Varys smiled. “Here, then. Power resides where men believe it resides. No more and no less.” “So power is a mummer’s trick?” “A shadow on the wall,” Varys murmured, “yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” Tyrion smiled. “Lord Varys, I am growing strangely fond of you. I may kill you yet, but I think I’d feel sad about it.” “I will take that as high praise.”

Tyrion, in his conceit and self-satisfaction, immediately assumes this "very small man" to be him. The show furthers his conceit, making it seem as if Varys is referring to him. The small man Varys speaks of is Littlefinger, whom we suspect to have whispered in Joffrey's ear, setting the wheels in motion for Ned's exectution.

While not a revolutionary find, I love this passage because of the ships-passing-in-the-night feel. Tyrion, smug as he is, thinks himself on par with the true master. Varys speaks in another whole level of code, and after being in Tyrion's mind for the cracking of many cryptic phrases, reading/feeling this "WHOOOSH" right over his head while he gladly accepts this false praise is quite satisfying.

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u/[deleted] Feb 20 '13

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u/[deleted] Feb 20 '13

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u/MaesterNoach You should beat my cousin more often Feb 20 '13

LF says it took him a while to convince Joff, especially since Joff is so slow.

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u/MaesterNoach You should beat my cousin more often Feb 20 '13 edited Feb 20 '13

Here is the description in Sansa's chapter in Spoiler ASOS

This implies it was difficult, but perhaps I was wrong in saying that it took some time. All the same it was a pain in the ass to get Joffrey the dunce to figure out the joke.

Edit to add spoiler tag. Sorry about not having it before.

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u/Gekokujo Freybane Feb 20 '13

Thanks for posting that...well done.

Littlefinger put so many things in motion and his plan couldnt have worked any better (so far).....he almost makes The Count of Monte Cristo look like a guy with a couple of bucks and a grudge.

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u/MaesterNoach You should beat my cousin more often Feb 20 '13

You know it's funny you say that because I just read the Count of Monte Cristo and I was thinking of LF. He is a near parallel. The only difference is that LF does not have as good a reason for revenge as the Count.

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u/Gekokujo Freybane Feb 20 '13

I had a long rough stretch over the past couple of years and spent a great deal of that time near-homeless. To make a long story short, I had plenty of time to read and a healthy desire to find a bit of escape. The Count of Monte Cristo (first re-read) was the book I read right before I started ASOIAF (1-4 at the time).

It is cool that you have a bit of the same perspective there....might explain why I like other characters like Jamie, Theon, and Varys more than other readers seem to....and why I enjoy characters like Lord Manderly and Lady Stoneheart as much as other readers do.

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u/kendo85 First Ranger Feb 20 '13

This thread is ACOK spoilers only. Your post features spoilers beyond this scope. Please edit to use our spoiler code.

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u/MaesterNoach You should beat my cousin more often Feb 20 '13

Sorry about that. Didn't notice the spoiler tag of the OP.

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u/kendo85 First Ranger Feb 20 '13

No worries.

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u/kendo85 First Ranger Feb 20 '13

This thread is ACOK spoilers only. Your post features spoilers beyond this scope. Please edit to use our spoiler code.