In House of the Dragon, one of the most ruthless and cunning manipulators is Larys Strong, a man who has already shown himself willing to murder his own father and brother in his pursuit of power. With his backroom dealings, he bears more than a passing resemblance to Littlefinger, one of the most notorious villains in Game of Thrones.
Although some liked this particular character, many users of Reddit have been very outspoken in articulating some very unpopular opinions about him. In doing so, they show just how much the series as a whole continues to excite conversation and commentary from its various fans.
Littlefinger's Death Could Have Been Better Handled
There are, it has to be said, many shocking deaths in Game of Thrones. Littlefinger’s was definitely one of these, as he was caught out in one of his many schemes.
However, his death rubbed many users the wrong way, including gunna-f-u-up, who writes: “Just doesn’t have the same amount of nuance and finesse as some of the other betrayals earlier in the show in my opinion.” While it might feel rushed to some, the truth is that this is a death that had already been amply foreshadowed, and it marks the perfect culmination for both his story and that of the Stark women.
Littlefinger's Death Was Perfect
While some didn’t like the death of Petyr Baelish, other Redditors argued the opposite. As one Redditor put it: “True justice was served when Arya slit LF’s throat.” Satisfying as it might be to watch Littlefinger get the death that he so richly deserved, it also has to be said that this extrajudicial murder does not reflect particularly well on those who would try to rule the North.
As has been shown time and again in this particular universe, deaths like this one have a habit of spiraling out of control, largely because it sets a bad example for others who would try to do the same.
Littlefinger Was Actually Kind Of A Hero, At Least At First
One of the things that makes Game of Thrones one of the best series on HBO is its ability to blur the boundary between good and evil. This extends, in the minds of some Redditors, to Littlefinger. Malcolm_y, for example, states: “Littlefinger has used events to advance himself, yes. He deserves to advance. He has used his power to do justice, and has only acted murderously against those who forced him to, or thoroughly deserved to die.”
Tempting though it is to try to rescue his character, the ugly reality is that he was always out for himself first, last, and always. Unlike Varys–the other great schemer–he didn’t really intend to make the realm better. He only sought to assuage his own insatiable ego.
Some Game Of Thrones Fans Think Littlefinger Was Murdered
Because it was so shocking, it took audiences a while to really absorb the reality of Littlefinger’s death and what it meant. For some, it was murder, plain and simple. As MegaBaumTV writes: “Possibly a very unpopular opinion, but i think that Sansa and Arya straight up murdered Lord Baelish, in general this sequence felt a bit off and i felt bad as i watched him die this way.”
While this might be true, it’s understandable as to why Sansa and Arya would take this route. In the North, people respect strength, and there is no greater way to show strength than to kill their enemy where everyone can see it take place.
He Wasn’t A Very Good Player Of The Game 
In many ways, Littlefinger was one of the most intelligent characters in Game of Thrones. He knew how to manipulate others to an extraordinary degree, but there are still some who don’t see it this way. Western_Campaign bluntly puts it this way: “Littlefinger wasn't a great player of the game, because he didn't [understand] the whole of the game.”
In reality, Petyr Baelish was truly a great player in the game of thrones. After all, he was the one who brought the kingdom to its knees. His only mistake was in overestimating his influence on Sansa and underestimating how loyal she would remain to Arya, despite their long separation.
Littlefinger Was Forced Into Action Because Of Society
Because of his actions, many people see Littlefinger as one of the most evil characters on Game of Thrones. On the other side of the coin, some make a claim that he only turned out the way he did because he didn't fit into the surrounding society. Filthysven argues that “Littlefinger is a small clever boy in a society that does not value small clever boys. His situation is made all the worse by his low station in life.”
This is true as far as it goes. However, the truth is that Littlefinger had several points in his life at which he could have made a different choice. Among other things, he could have chosen not to murder Lysa Arryn in cold blood, just as he could have opted not to have Jon Arryn poisoned. These were choices he made, not ones foisted on him by an uncaring society.
Littlefinger Was Overhyped And Lucky
Even though Littlefinger was one of the best characters on Game of Thrones, this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have his detractors. Squilium-Tortaleni writes: “Littlefinger is overhyped and most of his wins are flukes or pure luck. Varys is the better player.”
However, this isn’t being quite fair to Littlefinger.
While he might have been enormously flawed, he was still a compelling character in his own right. And, whatever people's feelings of him might be, the truth is that he was wildly successful in becoming a power player, right up until the moment when Arya killed him.
Littlefinger Was More Honorable Than Rhaegar
In the universe of Game of Thrones, Rhaegar was arguably one of the best of the Targaryens. Some Redditors, however, have expressed the opinion that, in his own way, Littlefinger was more honorable than Rhaegar, with miruannger1 pointing out that, unlike Petyr, "he didn’t ask for Lyanna’s hand" or duel "Robert."
However, as other Redditors were quick to point out, there is a very big difference between the young Littlefinger and his older self. It is a bit of a stretch to claim that a man who would poison and scheme and murder with abandon is in any way more honorable than Rhaegar Targaryen (who was even willing to stand up against his tyrannical father).
Littlefinger Success Made No Sense
Like the most influential characters on Game of Thrones, Petyr Baelish came to have enormous power. While this seemed to follow a certain logic, some Redditors didn’t see it this way. Benning463 writes that “Littlefinger's rise makes no sense at all.”
It’s easy to see how, in fact, Petyr Baelish was able to achieve power. This not only has historical precedent in the real world (look at figures like Rasputin); it also makes sense in terms of his character. He simply learned from an early age how to manipulate others who had more power than he did, and he put that knowledge to good use.
Littlefinger Survived Longer Than He Should Have
One of the most notable aspects of Littlefinger’s story is his ability to survive when so many others perished along the way. MaximusNerdius argues that “I think Littlefinger is an overrated character that had survived way too long. Nobody can be that two faced and known for it for that long and survive that long in that world.”
As can be seen many times in Westeros, however, the powers that be understand that they need those who are duplicitous, if only so that they can have them do the things that they are unable to do. This is how power works in Westeros, and it’s to Littlefinger’s credit that he realizes this more than most.