Giuseppe Fiore

Giuseppe 'Sep' Fiore. Draco Malfoy. Cho Sangwoo. Annabeth Chase. Littlefinger. G-Dragon. Yennefer. Tom Riddle. Augustus. Otto Hightower. Claire Underwood. 3w4.
== Quotes ==
=== Spoken by Otto ===
: Otto: "You made a vow before the Seven to honor your wife in marriage."
: Daemon: "Well, I'd gladly give Lady Rhea to you, Lord Hightower, if you're in want of a woman to warm your bed. Your own lady wife passed recently. Did she not? Perhaps you aren't ready to move on just yet."
: — Otto and Daemon Targaryen[src]
: Otto: "Your Grace, this is the last thing any of us wish to discuss at this dark hour, but I consider the matter urgent."
: Viserys: "What matter?"
: Otto: "That of your succession. These recent tragedies have left you without an obvious heir. Despite how difficult this time is, Your Grace, I feel it important the succession be firmly in place for the stability of the realm."
: — Otto and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Otto: "No one here can know what Daemon would do were he king, but no one can doubt his ambition. Look at what he did with the 'gold cloaks.' The City Watch is fiercely loyal to him. An army two thousand strong."
: Viserys: "An army you gave him, Otto. I named Daemon Master of Laws, but you said he was a tyrant. As Master of Coin, you said he was a spendthrift that would beggar the realm. Putting Daemon in command of the City Watch was your solution!"
: Otto: "A half-measure, Your Grace. The truth is, Daemon should be far away from this court."
: — Otto and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Viserys: "Please. Daemon has ambition, yes, but not for the throne. He lacks the patience for it."
: Otto: "The gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power, Your Grace."
: — Otto and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Alicent: "How is His Grace?"
: Otto: "Very low. Which is why I sent for you. I thought you might go to him, offer him comfort."
: Alicent: "In his chambers? I wouldn't know what to say."
: Otto: "Stop that. He'll be glad of a visitor. You might wear one of your mother's dresses."
: — Otto and Alicent Hightower[src]
: "I'll caution you, Lord Corlys, a seat at the king's table does not make you his equal."
: ―Otto to Corlys Velaryon[src]
: "I dearly loved my own lady wife. The pain of her passing still haunts me. And to be compelled to replace her for duty's sake... you are the king, but I do not envy you."
: ―Otto to Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Daemon: "Welcome to Dragonstone, Otto."
: Otto: "Your ocupation of this island is at an end. You're to relinquish the dragon's egg, disband your army, banish your whore, and leave Dragonstone by order of His Grace, King Viserys."
: Daemon: "Where is the King? I don't see him."
: Otto: "His Grace would never lower himself to entertain such a mummer's farce."
: — Otto and Daemon[src]
: Otto: "This is a truly pathetic show, Daemon. Are you so desperate for the king's attention that you've resorted to skulking about like a common cutpurse?"
: Daemon: "I'm simply keeping with the traditions of my house, the same as my brother did for his heir."
: Otto: "Those traditions are for the trueborn children of royalty, not for bastards fathered on a common whore."
: Daemon: "Lady Mysaria is to be my wife."
: Otto: "This is an abomination. With every breath you dishonor your name, your house, and your brother's reign."
: — Otto and Daemon[src]
: Hobert: "It is Aegon's second nameday. His infancy's behind him. It only remains for Viserys to name him heir to the throne."
: Otto: "I wouldn't be so sure."
: Hobert: "He's the king's firstborn son."
: Otto: "I don't know that His Grace sees it so clearly."
: Hobert: "Then it lies with you to make him see it, Lord Hand."
: — Otto and Hobert Hightower[src]
: Otto: "There is another choice beyond Casterly Rock. One, perhaps, you might be more comfortable with. One... closer to home."
: Viserys: "Who do you have in mind?"
: Otto: "Prince Aegon."
: Viserys: "The boy just turned two, Otto."
: Otto: "Yes, but it would cease the endless proposals for Rhaenyra's hand. Betroth them."
: Viserys: "I came here to hunt. Not to be suffocated by all this fucking politicking!"
: — Otto and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Otto: "It wouldn't matter if she were Jaehaerys himself born again. Rhaenyra is a woman."
: Alicent: "What of my son? Would you have me raise a man to steal his own sister's birthright?"
: Otto: "It is Aegon that's being robbed. He's the firstborn son of the king. To deny that he is heir to the throne is to assail the laws of gods and men. The road ahead is uncertain, but the end is clear: Aegon will be king. You must guide Viserys towards reason. He'll never find it on his own."
: — Otto and Alicent Hightower[src]
: Otto: "A loyal Hand must tell his king a discomforting truth from time to time, Your Grace. If he doesn't, he's failed as a servant."
: Viserys: "You were a faithful servant, Otto. The crown and the realm both owe you a debt that can never be repaid. But I can no longer trust your judgment."
: — Otto and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: "Stale oaths will not put you on the Iron Throne, princess. The succession changed the day your father sired a son. I only regret that you and he were the last to see the truth of it."
: ―Otto to Rhaenyra Targaryen[src]
=== Spoken about Otto ===
: Daemon: "I've only ever spoken the truth. I see Otto Hightower for what he is."
: Viserys: "An unwavering and loyal Hand?"
: Daemon: "A cunt. A second son who stands to inherit nothing he doesn't seize for himself."
: Viserys: "Otto Hightower is a more honorable man than you could ever be."
: — Daemon and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: "You think yourself a cunning man. Your designs are obvious. Do you wish to have your blood on the Iron Throne so badly that you are willing to destroy mine own?"
: ―Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: Rhaenyra: "And what will you do about the vulture who perches upon your throne?"
: Viserys: "What vulture?"
: Rhaenyra: "Your Hand."
: Viserys: "Otto Hightower has served two kings loyally and faithfully."
: Rhaenyra: "He wants Aegon to be named heir. And he will stop at nothing to see it done. Including spying at me to bring about my ruin. You speak of the Conqueror's vision and the need for strength and unity across the realm, but how can that be accomplished with your most trusted advisor so self-interested?"
: — Rhaenyra and Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: "You served my grandsire nobly in his final days. You are the man that taught me how to be king. Just five days... you went from being another man in Jaehaerys's court, to the second most powerful man in the realm. I wonder... how long did it take you to choose yourself over your king?"
: ―Viserys I Targaryen[src]
: "No matter how fat the leech grows, it always wants for another meal."
: ―Daemon Targaryen[src]
: "You are no more Hand than Aegon is king. Fucking traitor."
: ―Rhaenyra Targaryen[src]
== Personality ==
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: "He would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes."
: ―Varys on Petyr Baelish[src]
Littlefinger is a cunning, Machiavellian, unpredictable, deceitful, and ruthless opportunist. He is at times capable of putting on a seemingly friendly face with a friendly smile - but his eyes don't smile when his mouth does. Unlike in the books, where the exact inner motivations that drive Littlefinger are unclear, as are his ultimate goals, in the show he has made clear in several occasions that the Iron Throne is what he desires. Behind his smiles and forced mild manners, Littlefinger is shrewd and calculating, willing to dispose of anyone, even those who trust him, as he would an old coat. He is an extremely intelligent man, not only a genius at financial matters but at controlling those around him. As Varys observed, he is a grasper from a minor House, with a very great skill at befriending and ultimately manipulating powerful people.
In truth, underneath Littlefinger's people-mask, he is a cold sociopath who hungers for power over others basically for its own sake. Curiously, even seemingly plausible goals such as "revenge against the Starks and Tullys" - which at times is what he tells himself he is doing - are really only excuses and rationalizations for his utter ambition to control everything around him - he has stated more than once that he wants "everything."
Littlefinger enjoys exerting power over other people. He is willing to use other people, often vulnerable and weak people (i.e., prostitutes), purely for his own gain, while at the same time using the weaknesses of his enemies as leverage; sometimes he doesn't even use people for any actual purpose, but simply because he enjoys destroying them like a man swatting a fly.
Despite his ingenious planning and manipulation, Littlefinger is not incapable of making mistakes, nor is he above overplaying his hand if he is convinced of the superiority of his position.
== Quotes ==
=== Spoken by Petyr ===
: "Distrusting me was the wisest thing you've done since you climbed off your horse."
: ―Littlefinger to Eddard Stark[src]
: "When you find yourself in bed with an ugly woman, best close your eyes, get it over with. Cut her throat. Be done with it."
: ―Littlefinger about Robert Baratheon's proposal of killing Daenerys Targaryen.[src]
: Ros: "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."
: Petyr Baelish: "A stupid saying. What we don't know is usually what get us killed."
: — Ros and Littlefinger[src]
: "She told me about all the horses that she liked, the castle she wanted to live in and the man that she wanted to marry. A northerner with a jaw like an anvil. So I challenged him to a duel. I mean, why not? I'd read all the stories. The little hero always beats the big villain in all the stories. In the end, she wouldn't even let him kill me. "He's just a boy," she said. "Please don't hurt him." So he gave me a nice little scar to remember him by and off they went."
: ―Littlefinger recounts his duel with Brandon Stark.[src]
: Petyr Baelish: "You know what I learnt losing that duel? I learnt that I'll never win. Not that way. That's their game, their rules. I'm not going to fight them. I'm going to fuck them. That's what I know, that's what I am, and only by admitting what we are can we get what we want."
: Ros: "And what do you want?"
: Petyr Baelish: "Oh, everything, my dear. Everything there is."
: — Littlefinger and Ros[src]
: "I did warn you not to trust me."
: ―Littlefinger betrays Eddard Stark.[src]
: Varys: "I admire you, Lord Baelish: a grasper from a minor House, with a major talent for befriending powerful men, and women."
: Petyr Baelish: "A useful talent, I'm sure you'd agree."
: — Varys and Littlefinger[src]
: "Those who have the most power have the least grace."
: ―Littlefinger to Ros[src]
: "Look around you, we're all liars here, and every one of us is better than you."
: ―Littlefinger to Sansa Stark[src]
: Petyr Baelish: "Do you know what the realm is? It's the thousand blades of Aegon's enemies, a story we agree to tell each other over and over until we forget that it's a lie."
: Varys: "But what do we have left once we abandon the lie? Chaos, a gaping pit, waiting to swallow us all."
: Petyr Baelish: "Chaos isn't a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, but they refuse; they cling to the realm or the gods or love. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is."
: — Littlefinger and Varys[src]
: "Always keep your foes confused. If they don't know who you are or what you want, they can't know what you plan to do next."
: ―Littlefinger to Sansa[src]
: "I don't want friends like me."
: ―Littlefinger to Sansa[src]
: Littlefinger: "So many men, they risk so little. They spend their lives avoiding danger. And then they die. I'd risk everything to get what I want."
: Sansa: "And what do you want?"
: Littlefinger: "Everything."
: — Littlefinger and Sansa[src]
: Sansa Stark: "Why did you really kill Joffrey? Tell me why."
: Petyr Baelish: "I loved your mother more than you could ever know. Given the opportunity, what do we do to those who've hurt the ones we love? In a better world, one where love could overcome strength and duty, you might have been my child. But we don't live in that world. You're more beautiful than she ever was."
: Sansa Stark: "Lord Baelish?"
: Petyr Baelish: "Call me Petyr..."
: — Littlefinger explains his warped motivations and skewed worldview to Sansa - after which he holds the side of her face and gives her a long romantic kiss on the lips.[src]
: "Oh, my sweet wife. My sweet, silly wife. I have only loved one woman... only one, my entire life. Your sister."
: ―Littlefinger's last words to his wife Lysa Arryn before pushing her through the moon door.[src]
: "People die at their dinner tables. They die in their beds. They die squatting over their chamber pots. Everybody dies sooner or later. And don't worry about your death. Worry about your life. Take charge of your life for as long as it lasts."
: ―Littlefinger giving advice to Robin Arryn.[src]
: "There's no justice in this world, not unless we make it. You loved your family, avenge them."
: ―Littlefinger to Sansa[src]
: "We both peddle fantasies, Brother Lancel. Mine just happen to be entertaining."
: ―Littlefinger to Lancel[src]
: "Every time I'm faced with a decision, I close my eyes and see the same picture. Whenever I consider a question, I ask myself 'Will this action make this picture a reality', pull it out of my mind and into the world...and I only act if the answer is yes. A picture of me on the Iron Throne, and you by my side."
: ―Petyr Baelish finally reveals his true goal to Sansa Stark.[src]
: Petyr Baelish: "News of this battle will spread quickly through the Seven Kingdoms. I've declared for House Stark for all to hear."
: Sansa Stark: "You've declared for other Houses before, Lord Baelish, but it's never stopped you from serving yourself."
: Petyr Baelish: "The past is gone for good. You can sit here mourning its departure or you can prepare for the future. You, my love, are the future of House Stark. Who should the North rally behind? A trueborn daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark, born here at Winterfell? Or a motherless bastard born in the South?"
: — Petyr Baelish sows seeds of distrust between Sansa Stark and Jon Snow.[src]
: "Don't fight in the North or the South. Fight every battle, everywhere, always, in your mind. Everyone is your enemy, everyone is your friend. Every possible series of events is happening all at once. Live that way and nothing will surprise you. Everything that happens will be something that you've seen before."
: ―Petyr Baelish to Sansa Stark[src]
=== Spoken about Petyr ===
: "I don't like you, Lord Baelish. I don't like your face, I don't like the words that come oozing out of your mouth, I don't want you in my tent one minute more than necessary. So, tell me. Why are you here?"
: ―Renly Baratheon to Littlefinger[src]
: "Is there an idiot in any village who trusts Littlefinger?"
: ―Tyrion Lannister's opinion of Littlefinger.[src]
: Ros: "I'm afraid of him."
: Varys: "Oh, you should be. He's a dangerous man."
: — Varys and Ros discuss Littlefinger[src]
: "Littlefinger was born with no lands, no wealth, no armies. He has acquired the first two. How long before he has the army? Perhaps you'll laugh, but I know him better than most, and this is the truth. Littlefinger is one of the most dangerous men in Westeros."
: ―Varys, regarding Littlefinger to Olenna Tyrell[src]
: "He's not a generous man. He wouldn't give you anything unless he thought he was getting something back."
: ―Sansa's opinion of Littlefinger.[src]
: "It's just strange. In his own horrible way, I believe he loved me."
: ―Sansa to Arya Stark, after executing Littlefinger[src]
== In the books ==
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Petyr Baelish's father made the acquaintance of Lord Hoster Tully during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, where they fought together. Nothing is known about Petyr's mother, except that her name was Alayne.
"Littlefinger" is a nickname given to Petyr by Edmure Tully during their time at Riverrun together. It is a reference to the fact that Petyr Baelish's holdings are on the smallest of the Fingers, the numerous headlands and peninsulas protruding into the Narrow Sea on the Vale's east coast, and to the fact that he has been slight and short for his age.
On the basis of the above acquaintance, Petyr was sent to foster at Riverrun, where he met Hoster's own daughters, Catelyn and Lysa. Lysa developed a crush on Petyr, but Petyr preferred the older, more unobtainable Catelyn. When Catelyn was betrothed to Brandon Stark of Winterfell Petyr challenged Brandon to a duel of honor for Catelyn's hand, but was soundly defeated. After he had recovered sufficiently from his injures, Lord Hoster had Petyr returned home.
According to Catelyn, Petyr sent her a letter after Brandon's murder by the Mad King (the contents of the letter are not revealed - perhaps he hoped she would agree to marry him), but she burned it unopened, because she knew Ned would marry her in his brother's place.
Petyr was later appointed as a customs official in Gulltown, the main city of the Vale. His extreme success in raising funds, bringing in three times as much as any of the king’s other collectors, led Lord Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, to appoint him to the Small Council as Master of Coin, a task at which Petyr has excelled: he has made the crown's revenues ten times what they have been under his beleaguered predecessor (though the crown's debts have grown vast as well).
Littlefinger did not simply collect gold and keep it; instead, he paid the king’s debts in promises, and put the king’s gold to work. He bought wagons, shops, ships, houses; he bought grain when it was plentiful and sold bread when it was scarce. In the process, he moved his own men into key positions: harbormasters, tax farmers, customs sergeants, wool factors, toll collectors, pursers, wine factors, etc. No one has ever questioned those appointments, since Littlefinger was no threat to anyone: a clever, friendly person, always able to find whatever gold the king or his Hand required, and yet of such undistinguished birth, he was not a man to fear. He had no banners to call, no army of retainers, no great stronghold, no holdings to speak of, no prospects of a great marriage.
Unlike in the TV series, Tyrion learns from Catelyn that it was Littlefinger who told her the dagger found on the catspaw sent to kill Bran belonged to Tyrion. Littlefinger explained that it had previously belonged to him until he lost it in a wager with Tyrion when Jaime was unhorsed by Loras Tyrell. Tyrion states that this cannot be true because he never bets against Jaime. Catelyn asks why Petyr would lie to her, to which Tyrion retorts: "why does a bear shit in the woods? Because it is in his nature." Catelyn realizes too late that Littlefinger lied to her, when Jaime independently verifies Tyrion's account and had no reason to lie having just confessed to pushing Bran from the window. Catelyn does not have a chance to confront Littlefinger about his lie; Tyrion does, but for an unknown reason he does not settle his score with Littlefinger, even though he suffered a lot and almost got killed three times due to that lie.
Unlike in the show, Littlefinger does not go to Harrenhal, neither before nor after he becomes its lord. He explains to Sansa it is because of the curse, which caused the destruction of every house that held Harrenhal, and the death of every individual who served as its castellan: Lady Whent, Tywin, Amory Lorch, Vargo Hoat, the Mountain and Polliver.
Following the Massacre in the Red Keep, Jeyne Poole is taken by force to one of Littlefinger's brothels, where she is viciously molested and beaten. In the third novel, Littlefinger comes up with the idea to wed her, disguised as Arya Stark, to Ramsay Bolton. Other than that, he has no contact with the Boltons.
It is implied in the novels that Littlefinger lusts after Sansa, perhaps because she looks so much like her mother, who is lost to him forever. In the fourth novel he kisses Sansa passionately several times, and once touches her breasts; in the fifth novel, Cersei recalls that he offered to wed Sansa, but was denied because he was much too lowborn. Nevertheless, Littlefinger does not let his personal desires interfere with his plans.
Unlike in the show, Littlefinger and Lysa are married at the Fingers, because Lysa insists that they do that without delay. Littlefinger does not like the idea and tries to persuade Lysa to hold the wedding in public, at the Eyrie and in presence of Lysa's whole court (in order to make the Vale lords acknowledge his new position), but Lysa is too stubborn.
It is unknown whether Littlefinger has planned in advance to dispose of Lysa and seized the opportunity to do that, or it was a spontaneous decision. Either way, the timing of the murder (not the murder itself) has posed him a problem: he has not been married to Lysa long enough to establish his position as the Lord Protector of the Vale in the eyes of the local lords.
Soon afterward, Lord Nestor Royce comes to inquire about Lysa's death and is satisfied by Littlefinger's smooth lies that it was Marillion. At that occasion, Sansa shivers with fear, especially when Littlefinger says brazenly "it was I who killed her" (as if talking metaphorically), but Littlefinger gets away with the murder.
Lord Yohn Royce and other lords of the Vale (known as "Lords Declarant"), who scornfully consider Littlefinger an outsider upstart, intend to oust him from the Vale and assume the rearing and training of Robert (Robin Arryn's name in the novels). They inform Cersei about their intentions. Littlefinger can request military assistance from Cersei but does not: he sends her a letter, asking for some old tapestries and barely mentions the lords who oppose him. Cersei thinks it over and answers the lords of the Vale that the crown is content with whatever dispositions they may make for the governance of the Vale during Robert Arryn's minority, providing that no harm happens to Littlefinger.
Yohn Royce and five of the most powerful lords of the Vale come to the Eyrie, demanding that Littlefinger leave the Vale and give them custody over Robert. Littlefinger manipulates them into giving him a trial period of one year on his wardship over Robert. Later, he explains to Sansa that in one year, five of those lords either will die or be bribed by him. Lord Royce is the only serious obstacle, but so long as he stands alone - he is not so much a threat.
Littlefinger does not leave the Vale. Instead, he spends his time making contacts and attempting to win over lords of the Vale, the neutral ones and those who oppose him. So far, he has managed to draw three of the six Lords Declarant to his side: Symond Templeton, Benedar Belmore and Anya Waynwood.
Littlefinger explains his plan to Sansa: after Robert dies (his health is so poor that he will probably die within a few years), she will wed his heir Ser Harrold Hardyng. Sansa reminds Littlefinger she is married and he answers "The dwarf wed Ned Stark's daughter, not mine. Be that as it may. This is only a betrothal. The marriage must needs wait until Cersei is done and Sansa's safely widowed." At the wedding, Sansa will reveal her true identity; every knight in the Vale will pledge his sword to win back her birthright and that way she will take over both the Vale and the North.
Littlefinger is still alive by the point the books reached.
Whereas in the series Littlefinger's goals are more transparent (sitting on the Iron Throne), this is not the case of the novels. As Littlefinger is only seen through the POV of other characters (Eddard, Catelyn, Sansa, Tyrion), his ultimate objective remains a mystery. Likewise, his rivalry with Varys was developed for the show.
According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Petyr Baelish" is pronounced "PEE-ter BAY-lish", i.e. like the normal given name "Peter."