Theory: Varys' plan for Gendry

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

This.

Varys is adding a new chess piece into his pocket. Aegon VI is going to eventually need people to hold the seven kingdoms together. Gendry, if legitimized in the future with his vows wiped, would provide Aegon with a suitable Lord of the Stormlands.

Gendry is common born. I somehow doubt the lords of the stormlands would accept him as their overlord.. Edric Storm at least has two noble parents..

It is not impossible for lords to accept a common born bastard as their overlord, (it has happened before, after all) but since Edric was still available at that moment, I doubt that such were any plans Varys had for Gendry.

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

Varys has a soft spot for bastards and other downtrodden folk.

This. I honestly don't think Varys has any grand plans for Gendry or Edric. Not if he's truly supporting the Aegon or Dany.

[Reek Havoc]

This. I honestly don't think Varys has any grand plans for Gendry or Edric. Not if he's truly supporting the Aegon or Dany.

Oh, I don't know about that. He may not have any plans at the moment, and yes, he has a soft spot for the downtrodden, but they are still the King's bastards...

No doubt he's supporting one of the two(?) remaining Targs. However, I think Varys is just smart enough to know that you never put all your eggs into one basket. If the dragon eggs don't hatch as planned, the stag's will come in very handy.

[sarah.jenice]

The presence of Gendry is real evidence to suggest that Joff, Tommen and Myrcella are not Robert's. Unlike Edric or Mya, he is actually in KL, in Varys' reach. I don't buy the idea that Varys was doing this, just so he wouldn't feel guilty, a king's bastard is important. I think that by sending him to the Wall, he makes sure that Gendry can't claim the throne, yet he still remains as evidence for Cersei's infidelity.

Well said.

I definitely agree Varys didn't save Gendry out of the kindness of his heart. IIRC the only other bastard that we know of in King's Landing is baby Barra, and if Varys needs to show off one of Robert's bastards to help prove Cersei's kids aren't Robert's, an older son who bears a striking resemblance to Robert is going to be much more effective than an infant girl.

As to the OP, if Varys' plans for Targaryens/Blackfyres to win the Iron Throne failed and his next choice for the throne was going to be a Baratheon, why would he select Gendry as his choice for a Baratheon king? Both of Robert's brothers were alive at the time Varys would have concocted this plan, and Stannis is Robert's true heir. If Varys is working for "the good of the realm," how could he think Gendry, a lowborn bastard teenager whose life experience includes working as a blacksmith apprentice and surviving the rough streets of Flea Bottom, would be a more capable ruler than Stannis, the trueborn Baratheon brother who is known for being just and a skilled naval/battle commander. It can't be people skills because they're both a bit lacking there. If Varys didn't like Stannis or Renly and had his heart set on one of Robert's bastards, it seems like Edric Storm would be easier to get legitimized as a Baratheon since he's widely known as Robert's son and is highborn, and Gendry was never even recognized by Robert as one of his children (unlike Edric and Mya Stone).

Don't get me wrong. I really like Gendry and would love for him to have a more important part in the story, but I honestly don't see a crown in his future. The most I've ever hoped for Gendry is that whoever wins the Iron Throne in the end acknowledges him as a Baratheon and grants him lordship of Storm's End so the castle stays in the family.

I love Lommy and Hot Pie as spies. Lines like these are the reason Varys let these little birds keep their tongues:

"We have to yield," he [Lommy said]. "That's what Yoren should have done. He should have opened the gates like they said."

Hot Pie agreed. "They told Yoren to open the gates, they told him in the king's name. You have to do what they tell you in the king's name. It was that stinky old man's fault. If he'd of yielded, they would have left us be."

And a little later after Gendry is captured by Lannisters and Arya wants to go rescue him:

"Then just leave him, Arry," Lommy pleaded. "They don't know the rest of us. If we hide, they'll go away, you know they will. It's not our fault Gendry's captured."

[foreign675]

If Varys is working for "the good of the realm,"

Because killing Kevan Lannister, so to cause more quarrels at court and possibly more war, and put fAegon on the Throne clearly is what smallfolk needs the most.

Remember Tywyin: "Any King who needs to say 'I am the King', is no King at all". The same holds for Varys: Any dude who needs to say "I act for the good of the realm", is not acting for the good of the realm.

People speak what they wish you to believe, it's their actions that tell you who they truly are.

And none of Varys actions speaks for 'the good of the realm'.

[Nerevanin]

Because killing Kevan Lannister, so to cause more quarrels at court and possibly more war, and put fAegon on the Throne clearly is what smallfolk needs the most.

Remember Tywyin: "Any King who needs to say 'I am the King', is no King at all". The same holds for Varys: Any dude who needs to say "I act for the good of the realm", is not acting for the good of the realm.

People speak what they wish you to believe, it's their actions that tell you who they truly are.

And none of Varys actions speaks for 'the good of the realm'.

However I think that Varys is trying to achieve "the good of the realm" but he believes that "the good" is the return of Targaeryens so he works for it, even though his intrigues include the murder of Kevan and stuff like that. What is unique about Varys in my opinion is the thing that he seems to get power to somebody else than himself. Pretty much everyone else wants to the king/queen, to rule the land, to have all the power, to be the big boss. This includes Daenerys, Cersei, Tywin, Stanis, Renly, Littlefinger and probably Tyrion too. Varys probably suppose that the Targaeryen who he elevates to the Iron Throne will keep him as the Hand, or the spymaster or a member of small council or something like that but there is a possibility that the ungrateful king/queen will dismiss poor old Varys and I think that Varys is well aware of it. Yet he still helps them. Just an opinion.

I suppose that Gendry is a plan ~J (as someone already proposed) that will come in handy in case that fAegon, Dany, Stannis, Renly, Edric, Tommen, Myrcella, X other characters are all dead.

[foreign675]

However I think that Varys is trying to achieve "the good of the realm" but he believes that "the good" is the return of Targaeryens so he works for it, even though his intrigues include the murder of Kevan and stuff like that. What is unique about Varys in my opinion is the thing that he seems to get power to somebody else than himself. Pretty much everyone else wants to the king/queen, to rule the land, to have all the power, to be the big boss. This includes Daenerys, Cersei, Tywin, Stanis, Renly, Littlefinger and probably Tyrion too. Varys probably suppose that the Targaeryen who he elevates to the Iron Throne will keep him as the Hand, or the spymaster or a member of small council or something like that but there is a possibility that the ungrateful king/queen will dismiss poor old Varys and I think that Varys is well aware of it. Yet he still helps them. Just an opinion.

I suppose that Gendry is a plan ~J (as someone already proposed) that will come in handy in case that fAegon, Dany, Stannis, Renly, Edric, Tommen, Myrcella, X other characters are all dead.

One has to be mentally twisted to believe that. It's much more plausible that he is lying, rather than him being so stupid to do such an association.

Besides, he is working for Blackfyre team.. not for Targaryens: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/98347-varyss-history-and-motives-the-black-dragons-revenge/

[SevasTra82]

I think Gendry's story arc is pretty much done in the books. Unless he teams back up with Brienne somehow, he seems to be happy just working at a blacksmith at the crossroads inn. I don't see anything else for him to contribute to the overall story.

[Reek Havoc]

I think Gendry's story arc is pretty much done in the books. Unless he teams back up with Brienne somehow, he seems to be happy just working at a blacksmith at the crossroads inn. I don't see anything else for him to contribute to the overall story.

No way. Gendry has too many convenient factors working in his favor for his arc to be done just yet -

• Baratheon bastard

One of the few remaining members of the Brotherhood who could potentially recognize Arya.

Probably the only member of the Brotherhood that Arya wouldn't hide or run from.

The former apprentice of one of the last remaining blacksmiths known for working with Valyrian steel.

Also, IMO his conversation with Brienne suggests that he's not content with "just" being a blacksmith. He was pretty quick to point out that he was a knight, and that the sword he was working on would be his once it was done.

He may not play a major role or see much page time, but I think he'll have a bit more to accomplish before he disappears for good.

[AryaNymeriaVisenya]

Two low born bastards have ruled the Stormlands before. GRRM set that precedent for a reason I feel. King Jon would definitely give the Stormlands to Gendry, he has nothing against the Baratheons and Gendry helped his sister through tough times.

[CrypticWeirwood]

Two low born bastards have ruled the Stormlands before. GRRM set that precedent for a reason I feel. King Jon would definitely give the Stormlands to Gendry, he has nothing against the Baratheons and Gendry helped his sister through tough times.

Not to mention a highborn bastard: the Conqueror’s brother, Orys.

[Tannim]

A recognized bastard like Edric Storm would have precedent over known yet unofficially acknowledged bastards. That said, a King/Queen can put anyone they like into a Lordship, but I'd expect a Great House like Baratheon to be contested regardless, unless the lesser Houses of the Stromlands can accept the names Lord.

The fun part of this, Edric is currently in Lys, and any Dany fleet would have to pass by the island on a return to Westeros. Maybe he gets swept up along with everyone else on Dany's Crusade? Or joins her himself?

Regardless, Gendry is now superfluous to the main arc, slowly approaching the next Long Night/Battle of the Dawn 2.0. He might aid any number of POV, but won't become central to anything more. Doubt Varys even cares at this point. He has more of Robert's bastards stashed away, and with the returning dragons, they too become superfluous.

[Reek Havoc]

The fun part of this, Edric is currently in Lys, and any Dany fleet would have to pass by the island on a return to Westeros. Maybe he gets swept up along with everyone else on Dany's Crusade? Or joins her himself?

Irony: Dany becomes the newly legitimized Edric Baratheon's queen.

Totally never going to happen, but hilarious just the same. ;)

[Liz Stark-Targaryen]

Two low born bastards have ruled the Stormlands before. GRRM set that precedent for a reason I feel. King Jon would definitely give the Stormlands to Gendry, he has nothing against the Baratheons and Gendry helped his sister through tough times.

I agree with you, but of course, the scenario you describe is many posters' worst nightmare.

(Depending upon the fate of Edric, I could see Stannis acknowledging Gendry under the right circumstances -- note that I said acknowledge, not legitimize. Stannis knows he exists.)

Not to mention a highborn bastard: the Conqueror’s brother, Orys.

You beat me to it. The stormlanders would probably prefer a highborn lord, but during times of war, people change social stations. If Gendry does something important enough, or ends up going to battle, who knows?

A recognized bastard like Edric Storm would have precedent over known yet unofficially acknowledged bastards. That said, a King/Queen can put anyone they like into a Lordship, but I'd expect a Great House like Baratheon to be contested regardless, unless the lesser Houses of the Stromlands can accept the names Lord.

The fun part of this, Edric is currently in Lys, and any Dany fleet would have to pass by the island on a return to Westeros. Maybe he gets swept up along with everyone else on Dany's Crusade? Or joins her himself?

Regardless, Gendry is now superfluous to the main arc, slowly approaching the next Long Night/Battle of the Dawn 2.0. He might aid any number of POV, but won't become central to anything more. Doubt Varys even cares at this point. He has more of Robert's bastards stashed away, and with the returning dragons, they too become superfluous.

Disagree with the bolded. He's a non-POV character who's been in 4 of the 5 books and in three different POV characters' stories. He's also one of the only smiths we've gotten to know well. There's lots of talk about Lightbringer and Valyrian steel... and what do you know, we've got a young armourer-in-training with Valyrian blood. He's no master smith yet, and the secret to smithing Valyrian steel has been lost, but sometimes, we can't ignore that 2+2 very often equals 4, not "oh well, we'll never know what became of that kid."

[Hos the Hostage]

Irony: Dany becomes the newly legitimized Edric Baratheon's queen.

Totally never going to happen, but hilarious just the same. ;)

Edric: "My father won three battles on the same day, and he crushed your brother".

Dany: "Dracarys"

I think Gendry and Dany as a couple won't be so bad. He is muscular, and "he has blue eyes", and not a prick unlike Daario, close to Dany's age than Jorah, and he hates his father(whoever he is) and thinks Robert was a glutten and a sot. All of this is insignificant since Dany will never splice with a Baratheon, especially one of Robert's seed. (But then I'd have said the same about her and slavers..)

[Tannim]

Disagree with the bolded. He's a non-POV character who's been in 4 of the 5 books and in three different POV characters' stories. He's also one of the only smiths we've gotten to know well. There's lots of talk about Lightbringer and Valyrian steel... and what do you know, we've got a young armourer-in-training with Valyrian blood. He's no master smith yet, and the secret to smithing Valyrian steel has been lost, but sometimes, we can't ignore that 2+2 very often equals 4, not "oh well, we'll never know what became of that kid."

Pure speculation on my part, and more a feeling than anything concrete. Your points are validating enough to justify future meaning to his previous arc. Since he's in the Riverlands Triangle, many enter, few leave, there is the possibility Gendry could play a role in the future. Just doubtful it's reforging Ice or similar. Martin does have a habit of leaving arc threads dangling all over the place, which makes the speculation so much fun. Granted, that may have caused the Meereenese Knot, thus it's not so great at times. I personally would be fine with the series if Gendry never appeared again, or if he showed up again to preform some minor if unique task. One thing I have learned reading the books, never marry a theory, as GRRM has the habit of killing them off. :laugh:

[Aerys Frost]

This scenario could have been a lot of fun if Robert would have legitimized his bastards!