Arya Stark

Arya Stark is just a young girl when we are first introduced to her on the show. But she knows how to make an entrance. As her older brother Bran is being trained by their two older brothers to shoot a bow, Arya upstages him by hitting the target and embarrassing him. A furious Bran gives chase, but Arya is too quick and gets away. All of these things will blossom into significant themes in the life of Arya Stark. 

Arya Stark is the youngest daughter and third child of Lady Catelyn and Lord Eddard Stark, who is the warden of the north to King Robert Baratheon. Arya was born and raised at Winterfell. She has an older sister, Sansa Stark, although it becomes apparent they have markedly different personalities. She has two older brothers, Robb and Jon Snow, who she looks up to a great deal. Two younger brothers, Bran and Rickon, round out the family. 

The differences between Arya and Sansa become more pronounced with the arrival of the king and queen along with Jaime and Tyrion Lannister. Arya loudly asks about “the imp” and Sansa is disgusted at her lack of sophistication, as she pines for the young prince Joffrey. 

At dinner, Arya assumes the role of the class clown and entertains the other children by throwing food at Sansa. Her mother eventually observes her unruly behavior and has her oldest son Robb put her to bed without her dessert. It is clear that Arya is the rebel of the family based on her ongoing disrespect for etiquette and the “rules” of society.

Arya’s rejection of formality draws her closer to her brother Jon Snow, who is a bastard and therefore rejected by her mother and other members of polite society. Jon has the blacksmith forge a sword for Arya, which she names “needle” as a private joke referencing her distaste for sewing and other “women’s work.” All the Stark children are also given Direwolves, and Arya names her “Nymeria” after an ancient female warrior. 

Arya enjoys swordplay and finds a young boy named Mycah to practice with. Sansa and Joffrey (who are now promised to each other) come upon them in the woods, and Joffrey sees an opportunity to show off in front of Sansa.  Belittling Mycah’s status as a commoner, Joffrey cuts him, which infuriates Arya, who then successfully attacks Joffrey. As Joffrey prepares to avenge this, Arya’s Direwolf Nymeria subdues Joffrey. Arya takes his sword and throws it into the river. 


A humiliated Joffrey concocts a story for his mother and father, and Sansa takes his side against her sister. Arya is again infuriated at Sansa, and the two of them fight. Joffrey mother Cersei wants to have the wolf who bit her son put to death, but Arya has cleverly chased hers off to avoid this very punishment. Sansa’s wolf “Lady” is executed instead. Mycah is also killed by Joffrey’s enforcer “The Hound,” who will later become a significant character in Arya’s life. 


Arya is disgusted with Sansa over her conduct in the matter and berates both her father as well as Sansa about the incident. Despite the fact her father is now the hand of the king, Arya has no problems questioning his authority and standing up for what is right. Her father begins to admire her fierce independent streak, and arranges for her to receive advanced training in sword fighting from Syrio Forel, who bills himself as “one of the greatest swordsman that ever lived.”


Syrio quickly assumes the role of Mr. Myagi to Arya’s Daniel-Son. He has her standing on her toes, chasing cats, and also uses other unconventional means to build Arya’s stamina and endurance.  Eddard informs Arya that one day she will marry a lord and have powerful sons who will be rulers, but Arya shakes her head in disgust. She knows this will never be her life. 

Meanwhile, things are escalating between the Starks and Lannisters, and Arya overhears Lannister men plotting about the subject. Realizing the danger they are all in, Eddard tries to send both his girls back home. Arya wants to stay and resume her training, and Sansa wants to stay with her beloved Joffrey (which Arya again mocks her for.) Arya’s sarcastic remarks are enough to get her father thinking about Joffrey’s real parentage.


As Eddard learns Joffrey is indeed a child of incest, Robert is mortally wounded while hunting, which Cersei uses to her advantage. When Robert succumbs to his injuries, Joffrey is now the king, and Cersei uses this turn of events to her power. As Lannister soldiers come to take her away as she trains with Syrio, he instructs her to run as he battles with numerous Lannister swordsmen.  As Arya goes to retrieve her sword, she is accosted by a larger boy, who she kills with her sword. Arya Stark has taken the first of what will be many, many lives. 


Arya is now living on the streets as a homeless girl doing whatever she needs to for survival. On one occasion, she joins a large crowd congregating in the city center and realizes that her father is on trial for his life. Eddard recognizes Arya among the mob and signals an old ally Yoren from the Night’s Watch to watch out for her. Although Eddard was originally going to be spared, Joffrey instead decides he should be beheaded, and Arya understands her father has just been murdered as Yoren drags her to safety. 


Although she has always been a tomboy, Yoren cuts her hair so she can assume the appearance of a boy. Arya is immediately put to the test by two larger boys named Hot Pie and Lommy, but she manages to scare them off by brandishing her sword. She is defended by an older boy named Gendry, who we later learn is the bastard son of King Robert Baratheon. 


While traveling with this band, Arya notices three prisoners being transported, including a man named Jaqen H'ghar, who will later become another prominent figure in her life. She and Gendry also grow closer, and he deduces she is, in fact, a girl, despite her initial protests. She eventually tells him who she is, as the two of them continue to build trust.


Arya is beginning to show signs of post-traumatic stress based on all the horrible things she’s seen. Knowing he’s been through a great deal, she asks Yoren how he handles seeing so much tragedy and death. Yoren reveals how he said the name of the man that killed his brother over and over again before he went to sleep, and Arya gets an idea. She begins compiling her list of names of people she would like to kill out of revenge, and begins repeating it every night before going to sleep.


Arya and her band are attacked by Lannister soldiers, and two important things happen. First, Arya’s beloved sword “Needle” is taken by a soldier named Polliver, and Arya rescues Jaquen and his fellow prisoners from being burned alive. Arya sees the extreme cruelty of The Mountain and adds both he and Polliver to her list of people to kill. As her fellow prisoners are being tortured, Arya is recognized as a girl by Tywin Lannister, who sees something in her and makes her his cupbearer. 


Tywin and Arya grow closer as he begins to suspect she is not who she claims to be. He seems to respect her opinion about war, her brother, and other matters, and Tywin seems to act based on some of their conversations. She also bumps into Jaqen, who promises her that he will take three lives of her choosing because she saved him and his two fellow prisoners. Although she doubts his ability to follow through, she requests he execute “the tickler” who is a torturer who has killed some of her companions. When he is later found dead, Arya realizes Jaquen may be as powerful as he claims to be. 


In the service of Tywin, Arya encounters Littlefinger, who appears to recognize her but remains quiet. Tywin sees her reading his battle plans and begins quizzing her about where she learned to read and further questions her about her background. Arya eventually steals the letter but is caught by one of Tywin’s men Ser Amory. Facing severe punishment, she requests Jaquen kill him as part of her 2nd request, which he complies with. Arya intends to kill Tywin with her third request but instead tricks Jaquen into helping her get away. Aryan, Gendry and Hot Pie make their escape together. 


But we learn Arya and Jaquen are destined to meet again, and when they do, she asks him how she might learn to be an assassin. He offers to provide her an education to train with the faceless men, but Arya initially refuses. He gives her a coin she may use to find him in the event she ever changes her mind. 



The three of them are eventually captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, where Arya is recognized by The Hound who reveals her real identity in front of the others. Hot Pie stays behind to pursue his passion as a baker, and she and Gendry are taken by the brotherhood where she informs them The Hound murdered her friend Mycah. Sandor and Dondarrion battle to the death as Arya actively roots for The Hound to die. She is soon disappointed, as The Hound emerges victorious and is subsequently declared innocent of all of his crimes. 


Arya learns the Brotherhood plans to trade her back to her remaining family members for money to support their cause. Arya continues to strengthen her skills as a soldier and encounters Melisandre the red priestess, who takes her friend Gendry after paying the brotherhood with bags of gold. Melisandre sees that Arya will grow up to be an assassin and ominously tells her that the two of them will meet again. 


Arya’s anger with the Brotherhood is continuing to escalate, and she runs away from them as they plan to attack a group of the Lannister’s soldiers. Before she can escape, she is grabbed by The Hound, who plans to ransom her himself without the interference of the brotherhood. On her first night as the Hound’s prisoner, she grabs a large rock and intends to kill him, but he wakes up before she can complete the task. 


The two of them ride on horseback together, and Arya refuses to eat. Gregor informs her he saved her sister Sansa from being raped, and how she was lucky she wasn’t taken by worse men than him. When she learns he is taking her to be reunited with her mother and brother, she seems for a moment to be happy with her prospects.  

On the road to this reunion, Gregor robs and is about to kill a farmer, but relents when Arya pleads with him to spare his life. When the farmer briefly wakes, Arya knocks him back out, and we get a glimpse of the ruthless killer Arya will eventually become. This theme continues when she informs Gregor that one day she will kill him as well. 


Arya and Gregor arrive right in time for the Red Wedding, and Arya’s joy quickly turns to terror when she learns the Starks and their men have been ambushed. Although she is desperate to help her family, Gregor realizes there is nothing they can do, and knocks her out and takes her away from the scene. Arya sees Rob’s wolf has been murdered and attached to Rob’s body, and she and Gregor make their getaway.


As they continue to ride, the two of them run across a group of Lannister soldiers who are bragging about murdering various members of Arya’s family. Arya engages the men in conversation and stabs and kills one the first chance that she gets. As the other three soldiers prepare to retaliate, Gregor appears and murders the remaining soldiers. 

The new plan is to take Arya to her aunt Lysa Arryn, which is not something she is pleased with. The two of them continue to bicker about their travel arrangements, and they continue to ride together on a single horse despite Arya’s protests. They run across more Lannister soldiers, and Arya sees Polliver with her sword Needle. Polliver is on Arya’s list of people to kill, and the two of them enter a tavern where the Lannister soldiers have settled. 

Gregor kills most of the men, but needs Arya’s assistance as she kills one of the stragglers. She also has a chance to reclaim her sword from Polliver, and she taunts him as she stabs him in the same manner in which he killed her friend Lommy. She has now officially crossed a name off her list. Gregor lets her have one of their horses as a reward for her skill in battle. 


The two of them encounter a man and his daughter who offers them a meal and a bed in exchange for some help around their farm. Arya awakes to find Gregor has assaulted the man and taken his silver, which infuriates her and leads to further arguing between the two.  As the two lie down to sleep, Arya recites her list of people to kill, which is now a nightly ritual she uses to treat her PTSD symptoms and help her rest. The Hound is surprised to learn he has now been added to her list of people to kill. 


Arya continues to practice her sword fighting, but Gregor mocks her water dancing and invites her to try and kill him, which she does unsuccessfully. He is later attacked and bitten on the neck, and he learns there is now a price on his head for his abandonment of the Lannister army. Arya kills another of her former enemies, and Sandor acknowledges that she is learning and getting better. She tries to help treat his wounds with fire, and he reveals to her the story of how his brother burned his face when he was a child. He eventually lets her treat him, and the two of them appear to have begun trusting one another. 

They finally arrive at the Eyrie, where they learn that Lisa Arryn has died. Arya is highly amused at the Hound’s continuing misfortune and laughs out loud at his plight. The two of them ride off, having to reconfigure their plans once again.  


The two of them encounter Brienne of Tarth and her squire Pod and as the four of them converse Brienne realizes it is Arya and informs her she swore to her mother that she would protect her. The conversation grows heated and she and Gregor both draw their swords. Although Gregor at first dominates the action, Brienne eventually gets the better of him. As he lays there near death, The Hound begs Arya to kill him, which she refuses to do. She takes his money, manages to avoid Brienne and Pod, and sets sail for Braavos after revealing the coin to the captain of the ship that Jaqen H'ghar had given her. 


Arya arrives at Braavos and attempts to reconnect with Jaqen but is turned away when she reaches the House of Black and White. Arya waits for several days and eventually grows disgusted and throws the coin into the water. Later, she is assaulted by a group of boys who attempt to take her sword. Arya is eventually rescued by a shapeshifter who looks to be Jaqen. But he denies he is, in fact, the man she knows and tells her he is “no one” which she will also have to become if she would like to be a member of the faceless men. 


Arya begins working as a servant in the House of Black and White but grows impatient and wants to start her training. Jaqen informs her “Valar Dohaeris" which translates to “all men must serve.” Arya later meets The Waif, who is another member of the faceless men who beats Arya as she interrogates her about her former life. Realizing she must leave the identity of Arya Stark behind, Arya abandons her clothes and possessions but hides her sword in a place she knows will be safe. 

Arya continues her apprenticeship under the direction of The Waif and Jaqen. She continues to be beaten when she fails their various tests, but she is learning how to lie more and more convincingly. 

Arya is given her first assignment as an assassin, but fails to follow through when she spots one of her arch-enemies Meryn Trant. She follows him to a brothel and poses as a young girl who Trant hires so he can physically abuse. Arya reveals herself and repeatedly stabs Trant in the face and then slits his throat, removing another name from her list. 


Jaqen and The Waif are furious with Arya for taking a life that was not hers to take and she is punished by being blinded. The Waif is particularly angry with Arya and would like to kill her for her disobedience. The Waif instead beats her repeatedly as she wanders through the streets as a blind girl. 


Arya continues her training and finally is accepted by Jaqen when she convinces him "a girl has no name.” The Waif continues to beat her, but Arya is getting stronger and is beginning to become a more worthy opponent. She eventually regains her sight and is given a new assignment to kill an actress traveling with a band through the town. Jaqen warns her that she will be given no more chances if she fails. 


Arya once again fails to complete her assignment, and Jaqen agrees to let The Waif kill Arya as a punishment. The Waif surprises Arya and nearly kills her as she stabs her and then watches Arya slither into the water. Arya has however survived, and she is taken in by the actress she was supposed to kill who slowly nurses her back to health. The Waif eventually kills the actress, which sets the stage for one final battle between the two of them. Having repeatedly been beaten as a blind girl, Arya kills The Waif when the two of them are forced to fight in the dark. Jaqen now sees she has become a real assassin and invites her to become one of the faceless men. Arya reclaims her identity and decides to return home to fulfill her destiny. 


Arya makes her way to the home of Walder Frey, who arranged and hosted the Red Wedding where her mother and brother were killed. Now in disguise as a serving girl, Arya kills two of Walder’s sons, bakes them into a pie, and serves them to Walder before she slits his throat. Arya Stark has now become a full-fledged assassin. 


On the road home, Arya reunited with Hot Pie, who provides her with a warm meal as they reminisce. Hot Pie informs her about the rise of her brother Jon Snow, and she vows to return home to join him. As she continues her journey, she is briefly reunited with her Direwolf Nymeria, but the reunion is short-lived when her wolf abandons her to rejoin her pack. Arya quietly reflects on how much both of their lives have changed since their last meeting. 


Arya returns to Winterfell and learns Sansa in now in charge while Jon is away. The two of them reunite in the crypts and talk about how much has changed. Arya reveals to Sansa that she wished she had killed Joffrey and informs her about her list of people to kill, which Sansa seems skeptical of. Arya also learns that Bran has also survived and the two of them reconnect. Arya sees how much Bran has changed and Sansa informs her that Bran is now having visions. Bran gives her the gift of the Valyrian steel dagger that was given to him by Littlefinger. The three Stark children all return to Winterfell together, each having endured tremendous suffering and dramatic changes as they all made their way back home. 


Arya also reunites with Brienne of Tarth as she spars with Pod in the courtyard. Having witnessed Brienne defeat The Hound, Arya asks her if she will help her train. As the two of them spar, it becomes clear to Brienne that Arya has become a fierce warrior since the two of them last crossed paths. Arya’s skills are also not lost on Littlefinger, who observes her talent as an assassin from a distance as he ponders what she has become. 


Tension is also building between Arya and Sansa, as Arya feels her sister has been disloyal to Jon as she rules Winterfell in his absence. Arya feels people insubordinate to Jon should be assassinated, while Sansa feels they should be treated with some deference. Arya also finds a letter Sansa wrote under duress in support of Joffrey, and the two of them exchange angry words about Sansa’s apparent betrayal of the family. 


Sensing the tension between the sisters, Littlefinger tries to manipulate Sansa into removing Arya as a threat with the assistance of Brienne. Arya is called to court, where a list of charges against her are read out loud. In a final twist, it is revealed the allegations were actually against Littlefinger instead of Arya, and Arya takes the Valyrian dagger and slits the throat of the traitor in front of the Bran, Sansa and the people of Winterfell. 


In the final scene between the sisters in the seventh season, Sansa tells Arya she is the strongest person she has ever known. Arya beams and tells Sansa that might be the nicest thing she has ever said to her. The two of them recite the words of their house together as they stand in unity and strength, finally reunited as survivors, Starks, and sisters.


Gender Role Preparation perceived through Gender Guiding Lines and Role Models

If ever there was a girl who defied traditional gender guiding lines, it would be Arya Stark. From her first introduction we see is a skilled archer already more talented than her brother Bran, and she is a favorite of her rugged and masculine brothers Robb and Jon. 

Arya shows a disdain for knitting and other traditional feminine activities, and her distastes for these things can be contrasted with her sister Sansa, who demonstrates a talent far superior to Arya in these endeavors. Arya is defiant of her designated mentors (known as Septas) and sees herself as a warrior like her brothers from the beginning.

Arya admires her father Ned a great deal and shows no interest in being married and having children of her own. In one meaningful conversation with her father, he informs her that one day she will have sons who will be influential and powerful men. Arya tells him she has no interest in this future, and the two of them leave this conversation unfinished. 

We can, therefore, see that Arya rejected nearly all of the gender guiding lines in her world, and instead forged her path in the world. In a fascinating scene in the 7th season, we see her approach Brienne of Tarth, who had once sworn to her mother to protect her. Both women have forsaken traditional roles, and are both among the most fierce warriors on the entire show. The two of them spar, and it is clear that Arya is now every bit as competent with a sword as the powerful Brienne. 

Personal Code of Conduct perceived through Acceptance/ Rejection of Family Values 

At the end of the 7th season, we see Arya and Sansa reunited. Both of them have undergone tremendous suffering throughout the show, and yet they regain their love and respect for each other as the gaze onto their homeland. They recite the words of their father, Ned Stark. 

“In winter, we must protect ourselves. Look after one another. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

These words encompass a great deal about the family atmosphere the Starks embraced. Ned gave Arya this same speech all the way back in the first season when she was angry at Sansa as well as the way her life was unfolding. In the 2nd part of this speech, Ned also tells her this-

“So if you must hate, Arya, hate those who would truly do us harm. Septa Mordane is a good woman, and Sansa... Sansa is your sister. You may be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts. You need her, as she needs you... and I need both of you, gods help me." 

In essence, the message in the Stark family is always to stay together, that family comes first, and that blood is thicker than water. When Jaime Lannister pushes young Bran out of the window in the first episode, all of the Starks suffer significantly as a result. When one of them hurts, they all usually do. 

Ned Stark also drilled the values of loyalty and honor into all of his children. At one point Robert Baratheon mocks him for squiring his son Jon Snow out of wedlock, but we later learn this is untrue, and how Ned was willing to sacrifice his reputation in the name of doing the right thing.   

Interpersonal Style perceived through Experience of Family Atmosphere

Despite their close bond, the Stark family was also fiercely competitive. In the first scene where Bran is practicing his archery, Arya knows she is a superior talent to him and wants to demonstrate this to her older brothers, who she admired greatly. She and Jon have a particularly strong bond.

This is interesting to consider concerning her mother Caitlyn’s obvious dislike for Jon Snow. Sansa adopts her mother’s attitude towards Jon and appears to see him as not a full member of the “real” family. Arya, on the other hand, embraces Jon for who and what he is. He even arranges for the creation and gift of her sword “needle,” which will soon prove to be a lot more dangerous than a little girl’s weapon. 

There is also a “stuffy’ element to the family atmosphere, as being a Stark comes with a kind of status that includes expectations as to how a person behaves. Arya is shown defying these expectations when she is disruptive at the party the hold for King Robert and his family, and Robb is quickly dispatched to put her to bed. 


The Starks also go where the truth takes them, despite the negative consequences. Her father Ned eventually is beheaded because of this fearless integrity, and this is also something Arya inherits. Arya becomes enraged when Joffrey lies about their fight at the river, and perhaps even more furious with Sansa who won’t verify an honest version of the events. Arya eventually compiles her “list” of all of the people who have wronged her, and this is indicative of her desire to seek the truth despite the costs. She even speaks the name of “The Hound” out loud, despite the fact he is capable of killing her at that juncture. 

Self-Assessment perceived through Genetic Possibilities 

Despite her diminutive size, Arya has a fiercely competitive spirit that sees her through a number of different conflicts. In the case of Arya Stark, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.  Although her sister is tall and statuesque, Arya is often mistaken for a boy, as she has disdain for all things traditionally feminine. 

Arya also has her father’s warrior blood as well as her mother’s strength and resilience. She has a depth of character and purpose from the very beginning, and clearly comes from good stock when it comes to handling adversity and summoning her courage. For Arya Stark, there is undoubtedly a “nature’ as well as “nurture’ element to the powerful woman she evolved into. 


Openings for Advancement Perceived through Environmental Opportunities 

Arya Stark was forged in suffering. She has known tremendous loss in her life, including the violent deaths of her best friend, two brothers, and parents. Her thirst for vengeance as a result of these things has clearly been a driver and led to her seeking the best possible resources to become an assassin. 

Arya has also had the opportunity to train with some of the most lethal and talented killers in the world. Her father is one of the most respected military men in the kingdom. Her brothers Robb and Jon are both highly skilled warriors who won a number of battles as very young men. Arya learned something from all of these people.

But her father also arranged training for her at a young age with Syrio Forel, the self-proclaimed “greatest swordsman who ever lived.” His “water dancing” lessons help Arya sharpen her skills, and his death at the hands of the Lannisters only makes her more determined to exact revenge. Her killing of Meryn Trant in the 4th season was especially satisfying in this regard. 

She also has occasion to travel and fight with Sandor Clegane, who is certainly one of the most prolific and talented killers in the kingdom. Brienne of Tarth is also someone she has observed and later trains with. All of these people were contributors to the fierce woman and warrior Arya Stark would one day become. 

Range of Social Interest perceived through Other Particularities. 

Arya Stark shows a range of social interest from her early childhood, as evidenced by her friendship with the butcher’s boy Mycah, who she befriended and respected despite the fact they come from a different social class. She also loves and admires her brother Jon Snow, despite the fact he is not accepted by her mother or sister. She has little interest in the snobbery and pretension of the royal world her sister Sansa admires, and the two of them start their lives on very different paths.

Arya demonstrates a strong sense of justice in these early interactions, as she openly calls Joffrey out for his dishonesty in front of the king, despite the social consequences. It is clear from the beginning she has a clear sense of right and wrong.

Arya’s travels with Gregor Clegane again highlight this sense of justice, as she openly challenges him on a number of occasions when he wants to take things from others for his own (and often hers) personal gain and survival. Gregor is more of a pragmatist about such matters and has no problem rationalizing his actions. 

As Arya’s power becomes stronger, she often must forgo this social interest in the service of her survival as well as her thirst for revenge. Although she will stand up to bullies and support the weak and disenfranchised, her own motivations become stronger.

As Arya is reunited with her family, it is clear she will play a vital role in things to come as she rejoins her allies as an accomplished warrior and assassin. She has already begun to right a number of the wrongs inflicted by evil and exploitative men, and her assassination of Walder Frey, his sons, as well as Littlefinger appear to be a harbinger of things to come. 

Conclusion

Arya’s story is far from a classic redemptive arc, as she is capable of cold and vicious murder as she exacts her vengeance on those that have wronged her and her family. Much of what she had to do was based on survival, and the warrior she has become was indeed forged in suffering and resilience. 

When Arya reunites with her Direwolf Nymeria in the seventh season, we see that the wolf has now become the leader of a pack and adopted a more traditional life in the wild. As Arya invites the wolf to join her in going home with her to Winterfell, she turns and wanders back into the woods as Arya softly says, “that’s not you.’

It is a callback to the first season when Arya informs her father “that’s not me” in response to his prophecy that she will marry a nobleman and have children and live happily ever after. Even as a child she knew her life was not destined to take that path.

And yet in her final scene with Sansa, we see that the two sisters have managed to put aside their very different views of the world and remember who they were and where they came from.  It is perhaps this last exchange which will predict the fates of both the sisters as well as the rest of the residents of the living world. 


“In winter, we must protect ourselves. Look after one another. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

So perhaps like Nymeria, Arya no longer needs to be the wolf alone in the world. Now home, surrounded by people she loves, and perhaps every bit the warrior even her father once was, Arya seems to be, finally, where she has always wanted and needed to be.