I'm thinkin LF. His plan is starting to look more and more clear. He brings Sansa to the Eyrie long enough for Sweetrobin to become really fond of her, then sends her to Ramsay where he knows that she will be brutalized. This way, he has a compelling reason to get Sweetrobin (Lord of the Vale) to call banners and ride north. He never would have gotten them to ride north otherwise. And now that Sansa and Jon are outnumbered, Littlefinger looks like a hero and now has leverage to ask for something significant in exchange for the strength of the Vale on Sansa's side. I suspect he has something else going on in the north that we don't know yet, also.
I still haven't figured out his endgame, though. Why does he need the North? Does he plan to take the Riverlands next? Then the Westerlands?
All of the above.
"Chaos is a Ladder." - Littlefinger
"He would see all of Westeros burn... if he could be King of the Ashes" - Lord Varys
My theory is...
Baelish knows that he cannot inherit the Iron Throne directly, nor take it by force (yet).
But if he CAN control (most of) the 7 surrounding areas... eventually he can take over the Throne itself by force.
The 7 Kingdoms of Westeros include:
- The North, ruled by House Stark at Winterfell.
- The Riverlands, ruled by House Tully at Rivverrun.
- The Vale, ruled by House Arryn at the Eyrie.
- The Westernlands, ruled by House Lannister at Kings Landing.
- The Stormlands, ruled by House Baratheon at Storms End.
- The Reach, ruled by House Tyrell at Highgarden.
- Dorne, ruled by House Martell at Sunspear.
After Renly Baratheon died, Littlefinger went to Harrenhal (in Season 2, when Arya was posing as Tywin's kitchen servant) and suggested that the Lannisters form an alliance with the Tyrells in order to get their money, resources & soldiers to fight Stannis Baratheon at the Battle of Blackwater.
After winning the battle with the help of the Tyrells...
King Joffrey gave Littlefinger the Title of
‘Lord of Harrenhal’, which gave Littlefinger 'partial control' of the Riverlands... but also in turn… made him a ‘High Lord’.... who was now
‘eligible’ to marry Lysa Arryn.
Then Tywin Lannister arranged his marriage to Lysa Arryn, which gave him control of the Vale.
So by now....
He already controls the Vale... plus a LARGE CHUNK of the Riverlands….and has
‘planted the seeds’ toward taking over Highgarden by conspiring with Lady Olenna to kill Joffrey…. so if a 'civil war' ever breaks out between the Faith Militant + the common people vs. the Tyrells… best believe Littlefinger will most likely use Joffrey’s death as
‘leverage’ against Lady Olenna amidst
'the chaos'… to gain control of some portion (or maybe all of) of
Highgarden.
Plus Sansa does not know that Cersei promised to name him
‘Warden of the North’ if Littlefinger defeats the Boltons.
The way things are going... pretty soon Littlefinger might possibly control at least 3 or 4 of the 7 Kingdoms... either through ‘direct title’ or stewardship.
If he can successfully control The North, The Vale, The Riverlands & The Reach… That MIGHT BE... just enough.... to make a move on the Iron Throne.
- Because the Baratheon’s are wiped out… so there’s nobody at Storm’s End to stop him from taking that whole area over.

- And Dorne is too far away to stop him….. if he sent an Army to Kings Landing.
However, at the end of the day.... I don’t think Littlefinger wants to (literally) sit on the Iron Throne himself.
Instead, I think he wants to rule Westeros from
‘behind the scenes’…. so he can pull all the
‘levers of power’…. without exposing himself to any risk.
Like Tywin Lannister.
Therefore, he needs someone he can truly
‘manipulate’ to be the actual King........................... or Queen.
Someone like….
Robyn, or Sansa.
THAT’s Littlefinger's endgame, imo. 