‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 8 Finale: Dany's Death Foreshadowed In Episode 5

A quiet scene in “Game Of Thrones” Season 8 episode 5 might have hinted at how Daenerys Targaryen could go down in the series finale. The penultimate episode saw the Mother of Dragons transform into the Mad Queen and torch King’s Landing, but her victory might not be for long.

In episode 5, Dany emerged victorious after massacring the smallfolk during the Fall of King’s Landing, breaking her previous assertion that she did not want to be “queen of ashes.” Despite her victory, many are convinced that the upcoming finale could see the death of her — and Varys might be responsible for it.

A twist involving Varys and his little birds might happen in the series finale, as foreshadowed in a seemingly insignificant scene from episode 5. It can be recalled that prior to Vary’s brutal execution upon Dany’s personal orders, one of his little birds, Martha, entered his room. In their brief exchange, Martha told Varys that the Mother of Dragons would not eat, to which Varys replied, “Try again at supper.” Before the little girl went back to the kitchen to prepare Dany’s meal, Varys reassured Martha that big risks garner big rewards. “The greater the risk, the greater the reward,” he said.

With that scene in mind, it was clear that Varys was already planning to poison Dany to death even before the Mother of Dragons cut his plot short. The “big risk” that this ever-so-cunning character was referring to when she was speaking to Martha was the attempt to poison the Targaryen queen, knowing that her soldiers were skulking around, watching her serve Dany.

Poisoning Dany to death is a likely move from the wily Master of Whispers. Openly defying the Mother of Dragons while secretly plotting to poison her from the shadows is a move so characteristic of him, and it is not hard to imagine him carrying out his dark plan from beyond the grave. His scullery maid, Martha, could still lurk around, after all, and the kind of death that her master suffered in the hands of Dany’s dragon might only inspire her to carry out Varys’ final wish: to kill Dany by any means.

‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 8 finale will air on May 19 on HBO.