Why didn't Varys just kill Tommen?

[BaseBornBastard]

Varys infiltrated the Red Keep (assuming he wasn't there the whole time) in order to kill Kevan and Pycelle. He did this because he didn't want there to be any strong leadership in KL. Kevan was probably doing a good job of cleaning up Cersei's mess and was getting shit together for the Lannisters, which Varys couldn't have as he wants the Lannisters and Tyrells to be at each others throats which will facilitate Aegon's invasion.

My question is, when he arrived back at the Red Keep, why not just kill Tommen? With him dead, the heir to the IT is Myrcella. With Tommen dead, Doran could then off Myrcella leaving the entire "royal family" dead.

It just seems so simple.

[Mad Monkey]

With Tommen dead it's possible that the Tyrells might just bail out of KL altogether and focus on defending the Reach from Euron. This may reduce the level of chaos in KL (removing one of the most powerful factions from the field and reducing the opportunities for conflict).

You raise a good point but I don't think that Varys wanted to completely wipe the Lannisters out right then and there. He wanted as much confusion and chaos as possible. He could always have Tommen killed later if that turns out to be necessary.

[RoamingRonin]

Systematic destruction. Not chaos.

It's a mummer's farce. A grand play. (f)Aegon needs an enemy to fight and who better than the Lannisters?

[WeaselPie]

Because Varys has a plan that relies on controlling Cersei, not obliterating her house from KL.

[Ser Greg of House House]

Then Mace Tyrell rises to the throne or something like that. It's clear that Varys thinks Cersei is a fool and he wants her to have as much power as possible until (f)Aegon arrives.

[Fat Mac]

Well technically, we don't know that he didn't kill Tommen, do we? For all we know, Tommen might be dead at the beginning of WoW, if Varys went to his chambers right after he killed Kevan and Pycelle.

However, I don't think it would serve his purpose. Without Tommen, their is no leader on the IT. Myrcella is in Dorne, and we don't know when she'll be arriving in KL. Like RoamingRonin said, systematic destruction.

[The Sleeper]

He doesn't have access to him. At some point Varys clarifies that there are no secret passages in Maegor's holdfast except one escape passage that doesn't connect to any other tunnels. It was so by design. Maegor wanted to be able to spy on his court, but didn't want anyone to be able to spy on him. It is Varys himself that tells this to Tyrion at some point, I think it was in ASoS when he was discussing how to bring Tyrion and Shae together.

[Aerys Ahai Reborn]

It gives Doran another choice besides Young Griff. If Young Griff doesn't marry Arienne, Doran might claim he is false and try to crown Myrcella/Trystane.

[Jon of the Dead]

Varys could be poisoning him (and consequently Boros Blount too) slowly, in small doses, already:

"Tommen had always inclined to plumpness, but his face seemed thinner now. Is he eating well? She must remember to ask the steward. She could not risk Tommen growing ill, not with Myrcella in the hands of the Dornishmen. "

"Ser Boros Blount was in attendance on the boy king and his mother when Ser Kevan entered the royal chambers. Blount wore enameled scale, white cloak, and halfhelm. He did not look well. Of late Boros had grown notably heavier about the face and belly, and his color was not good. And he was leaning against the wall behind him, as if standing had become too great an effort for him."

And I also think Darkstar's blade was poisoned and Myrcella is in a similar situation. Ideally for Varys, Myrcella should die first, because if Tommen dies first then the Dornish can crown her or the same alliance could even regroup around her, ruining Aegon's plans

(P.S. :bawl: )

[Petyr Patter]

Correction, why HASN'T Varys killed Tommen. Frankly, killing Tommen is the single act that could bring Aegon closest to the throne. I strongly believe Varys does have a scheme to kill him. However...

• He isn't easy to kill. Cersei's paranoia has had one effect: Tommen is very well guarded. There are guards in his room every night, and all his meals are given to a food taster. Also, remember that Maegor designed the Red Keep for Royal protection. There are tunnels to periphereal rooms such as the Tower of the Hand, but not to the royal bedrooms. I think.
  
• A blatant murder might actually hurt Aegon by making him appear as a child killer in his quest for the throne. This was the line levied at Robert Baratheon behind close doors, that he climbed onto his throne over the corpses of children. Would Reach Houses that might prefer a Targaryen restoration still be willing to flip sides if they win by cheating?
  
• Timing. We don't know what Varys has been doing since he vanished with Tyrion, but the change of plan in Essos probably caught him off guard. The invasion is probably happening as much as a year earlier then planned, and without the benefit of dragons. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Cersei and Euron paved the way for an invade much quicker than anyone planned.
  

[Gneisenau]

Killing Tommen could serve as a rallying point though.

[Ours if the Fury]

Yeh he needs tommen...

and i doesnt seem like a varys thing to do, to kill a young child but i may be wrong

[Matoro]

There's probably always Kingsguard with Tommen. And after Cersei's paranoia, it would take Tom Cruise to kill Tommen.

Anyway, there's no point in killing Tommen. He doesen't rule - Varys killed Kevan because of Kevan tried to rule the chaos and get things going. Tommen ties Tyrells to the situation in KL, which probably will be end for Tyrells.

[Alta1r]

I don't think killing Tommen would have advanced Varys' plot, at least the one he tells Kevan it is.

But I'm not a fan of what his method of killing Kevan highlighted in terms of his drastic expansion of power and abilities. In AGoT he was sneaky, good at disguises and had access to certain inside information. At the end of ADwD he's become basically invisible, can be two (or more) people at the same time without raising suspicions, can apparently get in and out of the castle undetected and at any time he wants, knows everything that goes on in KL, has a network of allies that basically spans all of the known world and has an army of murderers hidden under everyone's noses. He's become basically unstoppable. Seems like a difficult character to now believably reign in and kill/subdue. Unless GRRM sees himself as fatty Varys and this is precisely what he's going for.

[Sansa_Stark]

I don't think Varys can kill him.

[TheWizard]

Who says he wont? By the time the book ends Kevin has just died. The first 100 pages of WOW could easily have Tommen getting the axe

[Gurkhal]

Yeh he needs tommen...

and i doesnt seem like a varys thing to do, to kill a young child but i may be wrong

Actually Varys don't have a problem with having children killed. He did seems to have swapped Aegon with another baby and allowed that baby to be killed by Gregor. Moral scruples are probably the last reason we should look at to explain Varys actions.

[joluoto]

I think Varys worries about the Martels crowning Myrcella, thus he still need Tommen alive.

[Iona]

Actually Varys don't have a problem with having children killed. He did seems to have swapped Aegon with another baby and allowed that baby to be killed by Gregor. Moral scruples are probably the last reason we should look at to explain Varys actions.

I don't think his little birds ever get to grow up either... :(

[Queen Alienor]

Tommen is not a danger to his plans. Kevan was, for he was trying to clean up the mess Cersei made, but Tommen? Tommen signs everything that is laid in front of him. Cersei uses him, Varys can use him just as easily. I think Tommen will die before the end of the series, but now there is simply no reason to kill him.