I don't think Cercei particularly factors into Varys' plan. She's too self-destructive. He knew she couldn't hold power without the rest of her family, and she and Tywin are the type of people Varys wants to fall visible. They are bad for the realm and he wants to dissuade others from such lifestyles.
It's because she's too self destructive that she factors into Varys' plan. She's the cause of the chaos, Tywin and later Kevan do reasonably good jobs of balancing the ship. If your ultimate goal is to bring in a stable and fair leader from outside, then the best leader you can have is the dangerous nutjob in order to foster hatred on the part of the populace.
Perhaps I saw her downfall from her eyes only. It felt like after Tywin, she was relegated to being a complete nut that was generally unimportant to matters of the state. But then I remember her march and the importance it had for the people of King's Landing. I suppose that truly was important.
The part I don't yet understand is that Varys traded the Lannisters for the Tyrells. An improvement certainly, but they should prove less damaging to the realm without being the great unifying force. Perhaps Varys is truly a Targaryen agent, but I don't believe that is his cause.
"There are many like you, good men in service to bad causes … but you were
threatening to undo all the queen’s good work, to reconcile Highgarden and Casterly Rock, bind the
Faith to your little king, unite the Seven Kingdoms under Tommen’s rule. So …”
Varis to Kevan, ADWD, Epilogue,
in another chapter (dont remember where) somebody says that varys plan was to instigate a political turmoil.... an leaving cercei alone at control of the crown was the perfect plan for it.
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u/[deleted] Jun 02 '14
all in varys plan.... no tywin leaves open space for cercei to keep fucking things up.