Why does Littlefinger confide in Sansa so much?

[Torrhen Blackwood]

Littlefinger's two biggest flaws are his ego & the auburn haired, blue-eyed beauty that he was always denied. He wants someone to be in awe of his brilliance and scheming, while at the same time having the last living piece of his unrequited, boyhood love. Having his cake and eating it too, so to speak. My question is though:do we ever find out Littlefinger's feelings about the Red Wedding? I can't imagine he is okay with the idea of Cat being brutally murdered in such a way but I can't remember if he ever said anything to Sansa.

[Tywin Smokin a Blunt]

Because he's practicing to be a Bond villain.

Its more likely that GRRM just needed a way to give the reader this info without giving him a POV, but of you want a book logic reason, its because he doesnt view her as a threat. Without his protection right now she'd be screwed and he knows it, so you might as well give her some info so she can play her part correctly.

[Colonel Green]

I can't imagine he is okay with the idea of Cat being brutally murdered in such a way but I can't remember if he ever said anything to Sansa.

Unlike the show version, who is pretty clearly still hung up on Catelyn to some degree, I think book Littlefinger got over any lingering sentiment regarding the actual Catelyn when he realized there was a younger, hotter model available.

[Knight Of Winter]

In addition to reasons already mentioned (he thinks he controls her, he still considers her sweet summer girl, he needs an audience), another interesting thing to note is how Littlefinger seems unable to control himself when Sansa is around.

I mean, he kisses her in the garden while Lysa was looking, he creepily touches her more than once, he occasionally compels her to give "her father a kiss"... In a similar fashion, maybe he can't control his tongue as well. Maybe he wants Sansa to realize how smart and witty he is by telling her of his schemes.

[Jojen Dayne-Reed]

Thanks for the clarification. I couldn't figure out what was meant; I thought maybe an 'e' was missing in 'needs', but wasn't sure, because it still didn't make sense to me.

I hope what you describe will take place by the end of the series. However, in Asoiafland, too often the cheaters and schemers get away with their dirty deeds. So we'll see what happens.

I have faith. LF will not left standing (and I'm willing to go farther and say Sansa is the one to put him down.) I have no evidence. But winter is coming to LF

[Queen Sansa Stark]

In addition to reasons already mentioned (he thinks he controls her, he still considers her sweet summer girl, he needs an audience), another interesting thing to note is how Littlefinger seems unable to control himself when Sansa is around.

I mean, he kisses her in the garden while Lysa was looking, he creepily touches her more than once, he occasionally compels her to give "her father a kiss"... In a similar fashion, maybe he can't control his tongue as well. Maybe he wants Sansa to realize how smart and witty he is by telling her of his schemes.

Plus he is also drunk at the end of AFFC. Very unlike him.

[Light a wight tonight]

Unlike the show version, who is pretty clearly still hung up on Catelyn to some degree, I think book Littlefinger got over any lingering sentiment regarding the actual Catelyn when he realized there was a younger, hotter model available.

I see it as him seeing Sansa as the Catelyn he remembers. Catelyn grew up but his dreams didn't.

I actually wonder about how much love/lust figured into his feelings for Catelyn and how much of it was just that she was an unattainable goal.

[Knight of the fallen]

I image he thinks that she's not a threat to him because he has her wrapped around his finger.

And later his littlefinger

[Pod The Impaler]

Why does Littlefinger confide in Sansa, telling someone he barely knows he killed a king, how he thinks and works, things he has hidden so well not even Varys could figure out.

There must be more to this than a literary tool to communicate his intentions.

For all his purported love for Cat, he still lied and hid info from her.

Sansa (or Catelyn 2.0 as her sees her) is Baelish's weakness. Lord Baelish is a man who's pretty self-made, and has built up a remarkable amount of power and wealth. Littlefinger is also someone who generally does not feel any need to be seen as impressive, or to give people any information that might be a relative advantage to them. He also likes to be in control of any situation he enters, and though he does adapt to changing circumstances well, he also plans long term and does not risk his own neck. As well, the man is a pimp, so he can have beautiful women pretty much at will, and does not need to treat them as anything but disposable (look at the fate of Jeyne Poole for an example of what he is capable of.) Once Sansa is in his power, he could just as easily have his way with her whether she wants to or not, and get away with it.

So, it's clear that what Baelish wants is more than just getting in bed with her; her spends considerable effort trying to impress her with his cleverness, and seem an ally and protector, and also to seduce her. Petyr wants Sansa to see his quality and to want to be with him.

I think deep down, Baelish has got it in his head that fate has given him another chance to win a beautiful red-haired Tully girl, and this time she will not be unattainable. Petyr the boy loved Catelyn but was too close to lowborn had nothing to offer so she scorned him (in the duel with Brandon and afterwards). Lord Baelish is a man of great power and wealth, one of the most important men in Westeros; Littlefinger is a man of immense cunning and ruthlessness who can out-play any of the highborn at their own game. In short, he is now a man of quality, that intends to defy the high lords from ancient families, and succeed despite them all. I think he honestly wants Sansa to fall for him, to be his wife, and bear him children - and out of desire not coercion. With her he gets his second chance at victory; with her he can found a new great house, one that may rule much of Westeros.

Sansa's youth is something of an advantage to him. Her innocence is also something that attracts him, beyond just the lecherous side or cold calculations about fertility, the Petyr aspect of him probably longs for the sweet girl he imagines, before the ugly prejudices of the world turn her against someone like him. But as well, he wants to take that innocent girl, and make her into a willing accomplice - someone who sees and appreciates what an ace player of the game he is, learns to be a bit more wicked, and participates as his partner in crime.

This would be why Lord Baelish risked so much to bring her under his power. This would be why Littlefinger breaks his own cardinal rules and takes risks with Sansa that could blow up in his face. This would be why Petyr wants Sansa to want him, and is not content to treat her as disposable.

(And as others said, I think by this stage in the game, he's done so well playing it, he has perhaps grown overconfident.)

[Woman of War]

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Good post.

And I think we get an example of clever story construction here: For the in-story reasons above it makes absolutely sense that Baelish confides in Sansa. But there is a meta story construction level to consider. Baelish himself has no POV. So Sansa here is the substitute for us readers to hear about Baelish's plans. Only there is a reason that he has no POV: We as readers have to get incomplete informations about his plans, we have to doubt and maybe draw different conclusions from Sansa herself. Sansa cannot be the overly clever here, she does not know as much as we readers know and the suspense what she will make of his alleged trust is part of dark foreshadowing.

[Castellan]

I think it is part of Littlefinger's irony in the story. The lowly man that all the other high lords have overlooked while he has been in the background manipulating the system, and now he overlooks the girl that he thinks is completely under his control. Part of how he has operated is by his understanding of other people's nature and using it against them. But he really misunderstands Sansa, which is why she will be his downfall.

I'd like to think so but I think its partly to corrupt her. She can't say she doesn't know what he is up to. He'll tell her little bits until she's complicit, just like he'll demand kisses from her until she ends up in bed with him. I hope she does overthrow him, she is quite well placed to do that eventually, and direct the Vale forces at something other than Littlefinger's advancement.

[MasterJack]

A man like LF wouldnt climb that high with his little games if he was so naive. I think everything he said to sansa and every ways he acted toward her are calculated moves.

Also, what if his last words to Lysa were true? I beleive there is a chance he is playing a very dark Severus Snape move with Sansa. He wanted Cat but she was killed "by accident" at the RW, what if his goal was to marry her once Robb is defeated. He got Lysa instead, since the other sister died. Perhaps his plans from that point (Cat death) changed and he is preparing Sansa, preparing her to be able to survive the game. All the little bit of dangerous informations he gives her, all the tricks he teaches her. all the power he is about the give her. He may want her to best him.

LF is a monster, but even monsters have a heart. if all the love he ever had into him was devoted to Cat, he may be using Sansa as a form of redemption. Then all his "stupid moves" seem not that stupid anymore.

btw I know none of you will agree with me, I am just waiting the next book to prove you wrong :D.

[Jo cool]

btw I know none of you will agree with me, I am just waiting the next book to prove you wrong :D.

Nope, I think your theory is very clever!

[joluoto2]

LF confide in Sansa because he's mustche twirling villain who need someone to gloat aboat his Evil Plans to.

[Daenyra]

Because he believes she is completely under his control so there is no need for him to wear his mask anymore. He is also grooming her to be his willing victim and meet all his needs. Littlefinger can't help it, his narcissism is getting out of control and that will be his downfall. He is making a big mistake with Sansa, but his ego won't let him see it.

[fuem]

Bloke can't have the mother.. Daughter seems to be a good replacement.