[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

At some point the series has to dial back on the whole "Baelish wants the iron throne at all costs" thing, right?

I mean, the guy's damn smart. And while taking the Riverlands and bending the knee would seem to pretty much plateau his ambition, he has to realize that he ain't beating !@#$ing dragons. That throne may have been available until air superiority showed up on the scene.

Surely he'll recognize that the ceiling has shifted somewhat and he'll re-direct from his quixotic attempts at the iron throne to merely seizing as much power and influence as he can.

I'd say claiming Harrenhal as his seat, declaring himself Warden of the East and Lord of the Riverlands is a pretty damn big step up in the world. Robyn would be years away from challenging that authority...if he ever does at all. Hell, Sansa could even end up marrying Robyn and using her influence over him to further consolidate Littlefinger's rule if that kept things calm in the north.

I just have to believe that GRRM recognizes that the character he's fleshed out here is ambitious, but not reeruned. Even Littlefinger will know when it's time to stand down. There's no way he'd try to take on Dany, Dorne, Highgarden, tens of thousands of Dothraki AND MFing dragons.

Keep in mind just how much of EVERYTHING that's happened has been Littlefinger. He started the War of the Five Kings. Him. That guy. He literally flung the seven kingdoms into utter chaos just to get the ball rolling toward his eventual goal. And since then he's played every possible angle and side against each other. Never, ever underestimate his hunger for power.

Hell, end of the day, maybe he's the ice to varys' fire. Especially when you consider the books (varys just returned to KL and used his birds to assassinate Kevan Lannister).