Aidan Gillen Talks Littlefinger’s Long Game

I don’t know about other book readers, but one of the most anticipated moments for me last season wasn’t Joffrey’s murder, or Oberyn’s battle against the Mountain, or even Arya leaving Westeros. It was one of the closing moments of A Storm of Swords, where Lysa, in her hysteria, accidentally reveals that the mastermind behind the entire series was Littlefinger, as he encouraged her to commit the murder that set the plot into motion back in Season 1.

Though the show chose to have that reveal in the middle of the season instead of at the end, it still got a stunned reaction from Unsullied fans, as they realized just what a long game Littlefinger has been playing. Making Game of Thrones sat down with Gillen after last week’s episode and spoke with him on his slow and steady methods.

One thing that struck me, because I am a book reader and see the Tourney at Harrenhal as an important story, was the connection the interviewer makes between giving that story to Littlefinger and Littlefinger being the current lord of Harrenhal. After all, though he’s currently making plays for the North, his status as one of the great lords of Westeros is due to being granted Harrenhal by Joffrey (per Tywin’s orders) after the Battle of Blackwater. Gillen agrees that becoming lord of a place that once overawed him was satisfying for his character.

I do think he’s at the point where he wants to be now, but it really is a long game. Not just month to month, it’s years ahead. He’s smart enough to realize that the journey is the part where you feel alive. That’s encapsulated in his “Chaos is a ladder” speech. “The climb is all there is.” I understand that. And he’s coming from nothing. If he ever ended up where he started, he’d have a long, long way to fall — but that’s not going to happen anyway.

When asked what motivates Littlefinger, other than climbing that ladder, Gillen demurs.

I don’t see his ultimate goal as ultimate power, as in sitting on the throne and ruling. I think that’s maybe too boring and too dangerous. There’s an obvious overriding drive because of his rejection as a youngster by Catelyn and his humiliation at the hands of Brandon Stark. He never wants to be put in that position again. It’s a pretty human trait and not difficult to identify, but Littlefinger pushes it to such an extreme. The playing of the game is a big part of what makes him tick. He does enjoy it, the manipulation, seeing his plans come to fruition. He very seldom if ever fails, and Littlefinger would have a B plan and C plan, and they would have interlinking alternatives, circles within circles. But I believe there’s also some humanity to him. It hasn’t always been nastiness. For instance, those first scenes with Ned Stark, he says, “Distrusting me was the wisest thing you’ve done…” It’s funny but it’s true. He’s not lying.

So, the $64,000 question: What the Hell does Littlefinger think he’s doing, engaging Sansa to Westeros’ Greatest Monster, considering she was already engaged to Westeros’ other Greatest Monster?

I was surprised by it because it was new. But it excited me. It’s always nice to enter in a new world and interact with new people and characters you may not have interacted with. Especially if you are a character like Littlefinger who has caused ripples which radiate outwards and affect everybody. It’s always interesting to just show up in their world and play dumb.

Play dumb? So does Littlefinger KNOW Ramsay’s rep as a violent psychopath? I know there are many who argue that he does, although Gillen suggests otherwise. However, Gillen also says that Littlefinger has real confidence in Sansa.

…Littlefinger is not entirely sure what kind of situation he’s leaving her in and how dangerous that could be. He has a sense that it’s not going to be easy… She knows it’s a dangerous game she’s getting into. And I think he meant it when he said they could turn around and go back… Littlefinger is not grooming Sansa, though he is mentoring her. And it’s been quite satisfying to see her really bloom in that way and emerge as a player. She’s probably playing him as much as he’s playing her.

I certainly hope Gillen is right about that last part. Currently anything involving her and the Boltons makes my chest tight and want to throw up out of fear for her safety.

• Published on 05/07/2015 at 11:00 AM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 1:05 PM CDT