If Arya was indeed to dispose of her sense of self, as per FM training, would that sever her connection to Nymeria?

[The Sleeper]

The new priorities they adopt are whatever the FM say they will, but yes, it is a choice, as Arya has been given many. As for getting a personality transplant, that's exactly what the FM are about. Also, there's a magic aspect to it, so getting a personality transplant is entirely possible.

Perhaps a "character transplant" is closer to what I mean. Much of the FM training involves relinquishing the sense of self in service of a principle, which has both the aspect of devotion to a deity and the practical aspect in the case of the FM of performing the service required. Yet, it is the self that lead to that choice and that devotion becomes what defines the self. Much of Arya's arc, indeed much of aSoIaF involves an examination of what constitutes the self. Is it a snapshot of a person in a particular time and particular circumastances or is it something definitive regardless of time and circumstances? For many of the characters the circumstances that defined them as people have changed dramatically. In Arya's case, most of the external factors that defined the identity of Arya Stark have been obliterated. There aren't many people left who could have identified her as Arya Stark. Still aren't the very attributes and choices of Arya Stark that drive her and enable her to become a FM? And does becoming an FM negates the existance of Arya Stark? I guess both are true, depending on the perspective. The Arya that left Winterfell and No one differ in substancial ways, yet they are both stages of the same evolution.

The magical aspect raises adds another layer of complication, a means for the symbolic to became literal. Is she being hollowed out or is she building the foundation of becoming more. Well, I am very interested in finding out.

[The Sleeper]

Granted, since she went all "Go on! Git!" to Nymeria to prevent her from being killed, she hasn't had the same opportunity to bond with her direwolf as Robb/Grey Wind, Bran/Summer, Rickon/Shaggydog, or Jon/Ghost. Yet and still, she does still have wolf dreams, like Bran & Jon have shown to (and, IMO, Rickon also has, if only because Shaggydog is as petulant and wild like that little doucher is). Obviously, Sansa/Lady is excluded here, as it was ended well before it started.

Now the general concensus seems to be that Arya will not complete her Faceless Man training, and will remain Arya Stark. But what if she does wind up commiting completely, disposing of Needle, and losing her identity as Arya Stark. She will reject herself, all she was, and all she could have been. The Direwolves have been shown to be quite intertwined to the Stark childrens personalities, and by theoretical extension, their identities as well.

Now if Arya were to completely relinquish her identity, and Arya Stark as we knew her died, what would come of her bond with Nymeria? I don't think the wolf dreams would continue, nor would a face to face between Nymeria and Sexually Ambiguous Dark Haired Person have an outcome like a reunion between Arya and Nymeria.

I will admit that the thought is intriguing of a future mission for (Not)Arya in the Riverlands that, after she kills whomever she must, finds herself surrounded by Nymeria's pack. (N)Arya realizes she's found Nymeria, and calls out to her, only for Nymeria to not recognize her, and the packs proceeds to shred (N)Arya into little morsels.

First, I would disagree that Arya is sexually ambiguous. She was prepubescant which made it possible for her to pass for a boy by simply changing attire and cutting. Barring some heavy make up and/or some very invasive and radical alterations on behalf of the FM (which, granted, are not out of the realm of possiblity) this is not an option she will have in the very near future.

Second, I see the warg bond as something that goes deeper. Rickon, who as toddler, does not have fully developed sense of self yet, is indistinguishable in character and reactions from Shaggydog. Similalry, I see Arya and Nymeria as the same entity with two bodies on some level. She is also quite aware of the bond for some time now, at least ever since she fished her mother out of the river.

The flip side would be what effects would Arya's training have on Nymeria.

[FuriousGeorge]

Granted, since she went all "Go on! Git!" to Nymeria to prevent her from being killed, she hasn't had the same opportunity to bond with her direwolf as Robb/Grey Wind, Bran/Summer, Rickon/Shaggydog, or Jon/Ghost. Yet and still, she does still have wolf dreams, like Bran & Jon have shown to (and, IMO, Rickon also has, if only because Shaggydog is as petulant and wild like that little doucher is). Obviously, Sansa/Lady is excluded here, as it was ended well before it started.

Now the general concensus seems to be that Arya will not complete her Faceless Man training, and will remain Arya Stark. But what if she does wind up commiting completely, disposing of Needle, and losing her identity as Arya Stark. She will reject herself, all she was, and all she could have been. The Direwolves have been shown to be quite intertwined to the Stark childrens personalities, and by theoretical extension, their identities as well.

Now if Arya were to completely relinquish her identity, and Arya Stark as we knew her died, what would come of her bond with Nymeria? I don't think the wolf dreams would continue, nor would a face to face between Nymeria and Sexually Ambiguous Dark Haired Person have an outcome like a reunion between Arya and Nymeria.

I will admit that the thought is intriguing of a future mission for (Not)Arya in the Riverlands that, after she kills whomever she must, finds herself surrounded by Nymeria's pack. (N)Arya realizes she's found Nymeria, and calls out to her, only for Nymeria to not recognize her, and the packs proceeds to shred (N)Arya into little morsels.

Sexually ambiguous definitely not what you want to be saying about a prepubescent girl...think you mean androgynous but even that would be wrong because she repeatedly asserts that she is a girl when she is not hiding as a boy. Apart from that though I completely agree there will definitely be a point in the tWoW where we see Arya struggling with her identity. I personally think she will completely abandon her identity as Arya, just as Sansa will have to completely abandon Sansa to become Alayne, and then her chapters in tWOW or even aDoS will show something sparking inside her to make her remember. I think the way in which the faceless men indoctrinate people mean that she won't just be able to easily become Arya again, but when she sees Nymeria or when she is sent to kill LF and sees Alayne she will begin to remember.

ETA - So yes I think her connection to Nymeria will be severed for a while

[RoamingRonin]

I don't think it works that way. It's like when Dany "sold" Drogon but he wouldn't listen to the slaver. The connection will always be there. Man-made laws, beliefs, or disciplines won't change that.

[FuriousGeorge]

I don't think it works that way. It's like when Dany "sold" Drogon but he wouldn't listen to the slaver. The connection will always be there. Man-made laws, beliefs, or disciplines won't change that.

Not really like that though is it. You could compare it if Dany sold Drogon, went away, jettisoned every single thing about her identity, then came back. I don't know what the relationship between Drogon and Dany would be if that happened, but that's the only way you could really compare those two relationships.

[stu1987]

You could look at it through one of the over-arching themes of the novels: knowing who you are. A lot of characters in the novels either behave as the person they believe they are or behave as what they want to be.

Two interesting characters for this are Jaime and Arya. The first few novels Jaime was fine with the Kingslayer role, but now he is acting like the person he actually wants to be.

And with Arya, I think she is trying to be someone she wants to be, but in the end she will realise that she will always be Arya Stark.

[Strongest Of All Belwas]

First, I would disagree that Arya is sexually ambiguous. She was prepubescant which made it possible for her to pass for a boy by simply changing attire and cutting.

Sexually ambiguous definitely not what you want to be saying about a prepubescent girl...think you mean androgynous but even that would be wrong because she repeatedly asserts that she is a girl when she is not hiding as a boy.

The sexually ambiguous bit was more of a joke than anything, lol.

[WardenOfTheNerds]

Well it's pretty clear Arya can't become an FM on normal terms. For plot purposes, she would be dead, since for all we know becoming FM does mean character transplant pretty much. Maybe Nymeria will be the link keeping her attached to her true identity? Or maybe she will become able to lie to the Kindly Man (i dont think so though).

[Three eyed wolf]

I think that she would stay connected to Nymeria but, reflecting Arya's personality Nymeria would also lose touch with what she was eg leaving her pack and becoming a loner who kills anything that comes near her.

Only a half baked theory but if Arya becomes no one that's what I think will happen with Nymeria.

[Strongest Of All Belwas]

Well it's pretty clear Arya can't become an FM on normal terms. For plot purposes, she would be dead, since for all we know becoming FM does mean character transplant pretty much. Maybe Nymeria will be the link keeping her attached to her true identity? Or maybe she will become able to lie to the Kindly Man (i dont think so though).

I lean toward this with the "Cat of the Canals" and "The Blind Girl" chapter titles, even though she is blatantly still Arya at heart, she is striving toward becoming a true FM, and this means rejecting herself.