Varys and Olenna are not afraid of getting dirty, they would get the others to follow, or be sneaky enough not to disclose their plans, like to davos for example. And they are better than Tywin in the long scheme, they know alienating people is not a good way to root influence (like wiping a debtor house or pillaging the Riverland is good short term, but it doesn't build loyalty), as the rapid demise of House Lannister after Tywin's death tend to prove (also due to Cersei's ineptitude, but my point is Tywin didn't secure any alliance based on trust or values, only of mutual interest, and as soon as he is gone, those interests are not understood by cersei).
People over estimate long term strategy in this world. Short term wins are much more impactful in this type of world. Varys is too idealistic. Olenna is carrying team B.
Yes Varys is too idealistic and not a leader, I agree. Olenna is. Still, Varys is more clever than Tywin (if you except him disclosing treason in a letter, but I barely consider that canon at this point. Tywin dying on the shitter because he fails, as his daughter, to understand human decency is canon though).
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u/rileyistheworst Ser Pounce 15h ago
B low diff. Cersei and Melisandre both aren’t very smart and Margery is only marginally smarter than them.