[BOOK SPOILERS] Varys retconned or not

[sweetsunray]

So, in S5E1 we get an info dump of Varys' motivations and plans to Tyrion upon their arrival in Illyrio's villa in Pentos. There he explains he's always had the realm's interest at heart and grew less supportive of Robert's reign and supported and supports someone else for the throne, not a him, but a her, Danaerys Targaryan.

While it deviates from the books, because it leaves out fAegon, many regard this explanation as a retcon to Varys' actions in S1 by having Jorah Mormont spy on Dany and send Spy reports to Illyrio/Varys. But is it really?

1) A first explanation can be that he simply lies to Tyrion about his past opinions: Tyrion was kidnapped, not in the capital and not part of the small council. He doesn't info to call Varys a liar.

2) Or it's not a retcon at all (in show): If Varys and Illyrio were Targ supporters from the get go of the series, then they'd need a spy to travel with Vyseris and Danaerys just as well as when they wanted to sabotage it. As master of whisperers, Varys, is in control what news he relates at the small council about Danaerys with the Dothraki or not. We know he passed on the news that Danaerys was married to Drogo with a Dothraki army at their disposal. Because Robert talks about that with Ned on KR (S1E2). We know from Arya spying on Varys and Illyrio that they work together (just them two as far as Varys knows) (S1E5), and we know that Illyrio was the one who arranged the marriage in the first place (S1E1).

From S1E4 we know that Jorah learned of Dany's pregnancy and went somewhere with urgency upon learning, before Dany arrives at Vaes Dothrak, and since Illyrio came down at KL to tell Varys in person about her pregnancy (S1E5), Jorah must have sent his spy message to Illyrio.

Varys and Illyrio discuss time issues, because war is at hand with Ned having one book and having found Gendry and the botched murder attempt of Bran (which Varys seems to think was the Lannisters doing). War is soon to come. Illyrio needs a delay, because Khal Drogo won't make a move before his son is born. Varys needs Illyrio to speed things up. Varys' speeds things up by relaying the news to the Council and Robert, knowing full well that Robert and the rest of the council will agree with an assassination attempt on Dany's life.

While it's clear from S4 that Jorah supposed himself to spy on Dany on behalf for Westeros and King Robert to be pardoned, and that he decided to intervene with the poisoning attempt on Dany on his own accord, Illyrio and Varys would have been able to predict the outcome: Jorah's weakness was pretty women, and hence why he was picked to be the spy. They would have known he would intervene during an assassination attempt. The plan then would have been to provoke Drogo into sailing for Westeros. It had nearly succeeded, if he hadn't died of an infection.

3) On the other hand, their gamble with Jorah might have played out differently. Dany would have been murdered. Drogo still provoked and would sail for Westeros to avenge Dany and his unborn son with Vyseris. Illyrio and Varys would know that Vyseris was worse or as worse than Joffrey. If it was for the "good of the realm" as Varys claims, then Vyseris could never have been their candidate. And if he had been they wouldn't have waited to support him until Dany was old enough to be wed.

So, it can be argued that there was no retcon of Varys' motivations when he dumps the info on Tyrion... or that he solely lied about having backed Dany from the get go to Tyrion, and became a Targ supporter in general.