Game of Thrones: Was Littlefinger's Insane Iron Throne Ambition Ever Realistic?

Summary:

• Littlefinger was the most advanced player in the game of thrones, and his ambition was to take over the Iron Throne.
• He accumulated huge power by effectively having three Kingdoms and many lords in his pocket at his political prime.
• Baelish could easily rule the Seven Kingdoms from the shadows, but he could have never sat on the Throne himself.

Even his humiliating nickname, Littlefinger, was far more famous than his House name. Petyr Baelish was the textbook example of a noble so petty his family’s backwater holding didn’t even have a name — and yet, he climbed the “ladder of chaos” incredibly high thanks to his cunning, deception, and ambition.

However, whatever Littlefinger managed to achieve can’t compare to his ultimate goal: taking over the Iron Thrones. Did he have what it takes to rule Westeros?

Littlefinger’s Track Record Set Him Up for the Iron Throne

While the position of the King might sound like a stretch considering Petyr Baelish’s quite humble noble status, he proved himself capable of multiplying whatever he had. From a petty backwater lord, Littlefinger became the Master of Coin for Robert Baratheon with an entire franchise of brothels throughout King’s Landing.

Baelish had a solid income stream, a position of power, and a spy network by that point already. That was, of course, too little for him, so he decided to go further.

Through a complex scheme of assassinations, accusations, and intrigues, Petyr Baelish stirred the chaos in the Seven Kingdoms to unthinkable levels and soon, his status improved again. Littlefinger became Lord of Harrenhal, Lord Paramount of the Trident, and Lord Protector of the Vale. Better yet, he had the Key to the North.

Littlefinger’s track record is evidence enough that he knew exactly how to turn nothing into everything, so in this regard, the Iron Throne doesn’t sound too far.

Littlefinger Could Have the Iron Throne but Didn’t Need It

At the peak of his power, Petyr Baelish controlled the Vale (the only Kingdom not devastated by the wars, apart from Dorne) and could directly influence at the very least two other Kingdoms — the North and the Riverlands — thanks to his own titles, his standing with the local lords, and his being the guardian of Sansa Stark.

Such an alliance could have become not just a formidable but an unstoppable force, especially since in high likelihood, Littlefinger would have allied with Dorne, as well. Baelish had three powerful Kingdoms in his pocket, but he didn’t want to reveal the true extent of his power by starting another war directly. His ambition was different.

Petyr Baelish knew that even if he sat on the Iron Throne, that wouldn’t be for long: his background was not enough to keep the lords content. That’s why above all, he valued raw political power, and he kept accumulating it to one day, put a puppet on the Iron Throne. For Baelish, it was the perfect way to rule without exposing himself.

Petyr Baelish’s ambitions were of a bizarre and seemingly mental scale, but time after time, he kept succeeding. Chaos is a ladder, and Littlefinger was a brilliant climber, so he recognized his own weaknesses as well as strengths. Seeing that he didn’t intend on sitting on the Iron Throne himself, we’d say it was totally possible for him to rule over the Seven Kingdoms from the shadows — like he always did before.