Game Of Thrones: Why Was Jon Arryn Killed? Littlefinger’s Plan Explained

Littlefinger was the mastermind behind Jon Arryn’s death in Game of Thrones, and he orchestrated the plan prior to the events of the series. The character, also known as Petyr Baelish, was played Aidan Gillen for the first seven seasons of the HBO epic fantasy. The Master of Coin, and the eventual Lord Protector of the Vale, was an expert manipulator, having a hand in multiple murders of political figures. Littlefinger’s actions finally caught up with him in the penultimate season, leading to his death on Sansa Stark’s orders.

Due to his connection to House Arryn, Littlefinger was brought on to King Robert Baratheon’s Small Council to control the crown’s treasury. While in King’s Landing, the man purchased several brothels as a way to gain power. Not only did he make money from the endeavor, but Littlefinger also was the brothels as a front from his underground spy network. His actions ultimately helped the figure climb the political ladder, he also betrayed a slew of supposed allies along the way. Whether it was speeding up Ned Stark’s downfall, pushing Lysa Arryn through the moon door, or marrying Sansa to Ramsay Bolton, Littlefinger emerged as one of the evilest characters throughout the series.

Prior to the events of Game of Thrones, the current Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, was assassinated, bringing upon dire consequences throughout Westeros. Despite his role under the king, Jon was the one who took action in governing the realm. As the new Hand of the King, Ned, vowed to investigate Jon’s murder after it was stated by Jon’s widow, Lysa, that the man was poisoned by the Lannisters. While it was true that Jon unearthed the truth about the Lannisters’ incestuous relationship, season 4 confirmed that Lysa was the one who killed Jon. To prove her love for Littlefinger, she killed her own husband and falsely accused House Lannister. These actions were ingratiated into Lysa’s mind through Littlefinger, who was actually calling the shots for a grander scheme.

Littlefinger Wanted To Throw The Seven Kingdoms Into Chaos

Littlefinger was remembered for his “chaos is a ladder” speech, but he acted on that notion well before the War of the Five Kings. The man had previously claimed that he would do anything necessary to get closer to the Iron Throne. To throw the realm into chaos, Littlefinger knew he needed to make a major move. Enacting on a plan to kill Jon, a stable leader, Littlefinger brought tension between numerous noble houses. As the tension between the Starks and the Lannisters, Littlefinger kept his head low while gathering more intel before making another power play.

Following Jon’s death, the king’s power and the small council started to shift. With Lysa now a widow, Littlefinger manipulated the woman’s feelings in order to marry her to become the Lord Protector of the Vale. There was even some evidence that Littlefinger was the real father of Jon and Lysa’s son, Robin Arryn. In the end, even Littlefinger couldn’t cover up all of his crimes in the attempt to gain power. His plans may have worked in Game of Thrones, but he never achieved his ultimate goal of becoming the lone ruler.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1744 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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