Game of Thrones season 7 finally saw dastardly schemer Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish executed for his crimes against the Starks, but one fan theory suggests that he actually fakes his death using a Faceless Man. The penultimate season of HBO's epic historical fantasy series ended with a massive finale that saw the Wall coming down thanks to an ice-dragon, Jon and Dany getting it on, Sam (and Bran) figuring out why Jon and Dany should definitely not be getting it on, Cersei being her usual devious self... and Petyr Baelish finally meeting his end.
The Lord Protector of the Vale was not a character that fans were overly disappointed to see go, after seven seasons of manipulation - not to mention the horrible decision to leave poor Sansa with the evil Ramsay Bolton. Fans cheered as Sansa got her revenge, outwitting Littlefinger and joining forces with her siblings in order to have him begging on the floor before Arya slit his throat.
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However, not everyone is convinced by the Starks' apparent victory. YouTuber Neo has posited a theory that Littlefinger found a way to fake his death, and will be back in the final season.
- This Page: How and Why Littlefinger May Have Faked His Death
- Page 2: What Littlefinger's Return Could Mean For Game of Thrones Season 8
Littlefinger's Death In Game of Thrones Season 7 Was Odd
No death in Game of Thrones is especially odd, since is a show with an incredibly high body count. However, it does seem strange that a character as intelligent and scheming as Littlefinger could be trapped and killed quite so easily. Baelish was already aware that he was in danger at Winterfell when Sansa was younger and alone, she was relatively easy to manipulate, but the new, tougher Sansa is thinking for herself. Once Arya and Bran returned to Winterfell, it was increasingly obvious to Baelish that he needed to keep them from rallying together in order to maintain his position of influence with Sansa.
This is why Littlefinger was trying to create infighting between the Stark sisters in the first place, and it's difficult to believe that he was entirely convinced it was working. Bran himself gave the game away when he told Petyr "chaos is a ladder," echoing what Baelish himself had said to Varys when they were alone in the throne room in season 3. Littlefinger must have realized at this point that Bran, at least, knew more about him than he should, and that he was in danger at Winterfell. And yet, a man who is known for traveling all over Westeros in order to save his own skin decided to simply stay put and hope he would be OK. It's extremely out of character for Littlefinger to stick around when things start heating up, especially when he has somewhere else (the Vale) where he could go, and a way to get there safely.
Was Littlefinger's Death A Faceless Man?
So if Littlefinger is too smart to be caught in this trap, how could he have escaped - but still had his throat cut in the Great Hall? With the help of the Faceless Men, of course.
We already know that Littlefinger has a connection to Braavos, because before his family came to Westeros, they were Braavosi. His great-grandfather was a sellsword in Braavos before coming to the Vale, which Petyr mentions in the series. He also confirms that he knows who the Faceless Men are, if "only by reputation" - and it's very possible that Littlefinger is lying about the extent of his knowledge. Presumably, growing up from a Braavosi family, he has heard plenty about the House of Black and White. Further suggesting that Littlefinger is aware of the Faceless Men is his smirk when he hears Arya say to Brienne that 'no one' trained her with a sword. It seems that, as usual, Littlefinger knows more than he is letting on.
Then, in season 7, episode 5, Arya observes an interesting exchange: Littlefinger stops to talk to a blonde stranger in a corner of the castle. She says to him what sounds like "your time is up," before he gives her a coin and she goes on her way. She may have simply been a spy for him, and he may have been paying her for her services, but if this is the case, it makes it even more likely that he would have left Winterfell immediately to save his skin. However, given his Braavosi connections, it's possible that this woman is a Faceless Man herself, and that the coin he gives her is not payment, but one of the coins of the House of Black and White. If this is true, Peter could have been setting her up to take on his face, and to stand in his place to be killed, while he leaves Winterfell for the Vale. We know that it's possible for a Faceless Man to wear the face of a living person, thanks to Arya seeing her own face on the body of Jaqen H'ghar in season 5, and given Littlefinger's scheming, wealth, and Braavosi connections, it's entirely possible that the Starks killed... no one.
Page 2: What Littlefinger's Return Could Mean For Game of Thrones Season 8
What This Means For Game Of Thrones Season 8
If this theory pans out, it means that season 8 could play out very differently - because Littlefinger hasn't bled out on the floor of the Winterfell hall, but is still alive, still scheming, and somewhere else entirely. It's possible that he has headed back to the Vale (leaving the soldiers at Winterfell behind), where he is still Lord Protector. With the news that it looks like Robin Arryn is going to be in the premiere episode, Petyr could definitely be returning to the Vale and his 'step-son' to set up for his next move.
As for his plan, it seems unlikely that Baelish would return to the Lannisters, as they know that he isn't to be trusted, but it is possible that he could attempt this. It's also possible that he would attempt to take down the Stark family, but given his obsession with Catelyn, it seems that he may not take self-preservation that far. However, having been revealed to be a traitor by the Starks, this also means that he would be unable to go to Daenerys and throw in his lot with her as future Queen.
However, he may well have a much bigger plan, and one that doesn't end up with him as Hand, Advisor, or scheming brothel-owner. Littlefinger may well go for the throne himself. He would be able to use the chaos of the White Walkers and the tug of war between the Lannisters and Starks to make his way to the absolute top. This may have even been a long game he's been playing the whole time, as it has been revealed that he orchestrated a lot of the Lannister/Stark conflict in the first place. He may not have a claim to the throne, but he's clearly a fan of rising despite family name, and has all the information that he needs to manipulate anyone into accepting him in a time of chaos. And with the Starks and Lannisters under the impression that he is dead, Littlefinger would be able to scheme his way to the throne unopposed.
Could This Just Be A Result of Game Of Thrones' Ending Struggles?
Of course, this theory is very much in the realm of speculation, and it's possible that there is a much simpler explanation for Littlefinger's out of character death and conversation with a young woman in Winterfell. It could be that the young woman was a spy, or otherwise simply working for Littlefinger, and that he died because he simply became over-confident in his ability to manipulate Sansa and keep her for himself.
This is a strong possibility, especially when considering the timeline of the series. At this point, the final season looks to be focusing almost entirely on two conflicts; the Stark/Lannister battle, and the battle between the living and the dead. There are multiple loose ends to be tied up along the way, including the fate of Gendry as a potential heir to the throne, and with only six episodes to do it all in, it seems unlikely that the writers would want the added complication of a secretly-alive-Littlefinger in there as well. It's very likely that Littlefinger was finally killed, not because he faked his own death, but because the writers needed to kill him off before the final season.
Either is possible, and if Littlefinger is back, that will definitely make for some interesting final-season politics (and an absolutely furious Sansa, which would be amazing to see). However, if he is actually dead, at least fans have the satisfaction of knowing that he really did get what was coming to him.