‘Game Of Thrones’ Quotes: Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Balish’s Best Lines Ahead Of The Season 6 Premiere

While “Game of Thrones” has a lot of larger-than-life characters, one man stands above the rest as the most influential person in Westeros. Since Season 1, the man who began as a brothel owner has risen in the ranks to become one of the most powerful string-pullers in the entire history of the kingdom.

Lord Petyr Baelish, better known as Littlefinger, came from humble beginnings. His biggest claim to fame was getting beat up by Rickard Stark because he was in love with Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley), then a Tully at the time. Since then, he’s revealed that he’s behind most of the biggest events in Westeros, such as [SPOILER ALERT] the murder of Jon Arryn (John Standing) and Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson). With the Season 6 premiere on HBO just days away, now is a perfect time to remind one’s self about how influential and clever this character really is. To help with that, below is a rundown of some of Littlefinger’s best quotes.

When He Became Self-Aware
“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 f--- them. That's what I know, that's what I am, and only by admitting what we are can we get what we want.”

When He Told Us How He Really Feels
“Ah, the Starks! Quick tempers, slow minds.”

When He Was Actually Kind Of Empowering
“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.”

When He Let Someone Down As Gently As He Could
“I have only loved one woman, only one, my entire life… Your sister.”

When He Broke Down Diplomacy
“We only make peace with our enemies, my lord. That's why it's called ‘making peace.’”

When He Described Upward Mobility
“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. They refuse, they cling to the realm, or the gods, or love. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”

When He Gave His Version Of A Locker Room Pep Talk
“Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next. Sometimes the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose, or even seem to work against you. Remember that, Sansa [Sophie Turner], when you come to play the game.”

When He Smiles And We All Know Something Is Up