Can Arya and Sansa be reconciled?

[Tini]

They might have new conflicts, though. I am not sure how Sansa will like Arya's new profession. It might come in useful, but it is scarcely a suitable profession for a daughter of Ned Stark. And Arya might not be favorably impressed with Sansa's situation. At least not if Sansa plans to keep living under Littlefinger's protection. Arya might consider that improper for a daughter of Ned Stark, too.

[Hound's She-wolf]

I agree Sansa will think her profession is most shocking and unbecoming a Stark lady, but I think they'll work it out. I harbor suspisions that Arya isn't going to make it to the end of the series so I think their reunion should be soon.

[LadyoftheNorth72]

Their arguments consisted of "I love Joffrey !" "I hate Joffrey he's stupid!" "Shut up !" "No you shut up !". It never went deeper than that. Kids' arguments seldom do.

I disagree with this. Coming from a very large family, part of the history of which I told above, I can attest that kids' arguments can and often do set the stage for their relationships for the rest of their lives. Prior to my sister's thing with the inheritance, even then we were divided down almost a straight line. I had my sister mentioned above, and the two youngest of my brothers in my "group.". The other consisted of the two older boys and other sister. The two groups rarely mingled except when it was unavoidable. Not really hostility, so much as a matching of personalities and life views. Also, I have known families where there were all girls, and they absolutely hated one another from childhood on into adulthood.

Sharing DNA does not automatically mean liking, loving or even being able to stand another person. Look at the Lannister children, Asha and Theon, the Florent brothers, the Baratheon brothers, all the remaining Greyjoy brothers, Dany and Viserys, a bunch of the Freys, Gregor and Sandor, Lysa and Cat, Hoster and the Blackfish. There are excellent reasons for many if not most of these families to put aside their personal strifes and join forces toward a single purpose, but it ain't happenin'. In some instances it is because one of the siblimgs is a total nutcase, but Arya and Sansa have thought each other more or less nuts and irredeemably ridiculous practically from birth. At this point, Arya is likely to see Sansa as a total sellout, and Sansa to see Arya as at best an embarrassment, at worst a dangerous killer.

Also, their disagreements have involved FAR more than "you're stupid" / "no you are" arguments. Arya lost a friend who was butchered, and she holds Sansa partly responsible for lying about what really happened with mycah. Sansa lost Lady and definitely blames Arya partly for that. There is actual blood between this sibling feud, however misguided they may each be in blaming the other.

Lastly, if they were each other's only last hope in the world, I could see the joyful reunion and sisterly love. However, they each have new lives with new friends and new allies. Their respective allies are unlikely to end up on the same side of what is to come. As noted with the many sibling sets above, GRRM does not really seem to subscribe to the kittens and rainbows mentality of family relations.

[kephv]

Really, Sansa running to Cersei only negatively affected Sansa (speaking specifically of the Stark family - clearly others were affected). Cersei otherwise (maybe) wouldn't have been able to use her as a hostage.

But we will never know, and ultimately, Ned's fate would have been the same. Without Sansa as a hostage, he would have refused to confess, and would have died anyway.

Pretty much what I just said.

[Roose Seal]

^ ^ Maybe there's blood, but Arya should realize that Sansa had no choice but to lie about what happened with Nymeria and Jof, and Sansa will realize that the only person responsible for Lady's death is Cersei and Jof.

They may have thought at the time that they wronged each other, but the fact is, they didn't.

When Sansa thinks of Arya she doesn't think "Oh and it's because of her Lady was killed !", she thinks fondly of her. Same goes for Arya, she never blamed Sansa for Micah's death (after they were separated), only the hound.

I agree to some extent with what you said, but I'm convinced everything that happened at King's Landing or on the Kingsroad was washed away by both of them witnessing Ned's execution.

However, I have to strongly disagree about the last part of your post. Sansa may have a new life, but she's still a Stark at heart (building a snow winterfell) and she has no friends nor allies. Nobody even knows where she is. The only "friend" she has is SweetRobin... Arya is all alone as well. Her last "friends", Hot pie and Gendry basically abandoned her and I'd hardly call "friends" any of the people she's hanging out with in Bravoos.

[headtrip_honey]

Pretty much what I just said.

Yes, sorry, wasn't disagreeing, merely expanding. :)

[brashcandy]

Sharing DNA does not automatically mean liking, loving or even being able to stand another person. Look at the Lannister children, Asha and Theon, the Florent brothers, the Baratheon brothers, all the remaining Greyjoy brothers, Dany and Viserys, a bunch of the Freys, Gregor and Sandor, Lysa and Cat, Hoster and the Blackfish. There are excellent reasons for many if not most of these families to put aside their personal strifes and join forces toward a single purpose, but it ain't happenin'. In some instances it is because one of the siblimgs is a total nutcase, but Arya and Sansa have thought each other more or less nuts and irredeemably ridiculous practically from birth. At this point, Arya is likely to see Sansa as a total sellout, and Sansa to see Arya as at best an embarrassment, at worst a dangerous killer.

Also, their disagreements have involved FAR more than "you're stupid" / "no you are" arguments. Arya lost a friend who was butchered, and she holds Sansa partly responsible for lying about what really happened with mycah. Sansa lost Lady and definitely blames Arya partly for that. There is actual blood between this sibling feud, however misguided they may each be in blaming the other.

Lastly, if they were each other's only last hope in the world, I could see the joyful reunion and sisterly love. However, they each have new lives with new friends and new allies. Their respective allies are unlikely to end up on the same side of what is to come. As noted with the many sibling sets above, GRRM does not really seem to subscribe to the kittens and rainbows mentality of family relations.

I think you're neglecting the growth that both girls have undergone. And whilst the consequences of each other's actions were very serious and dire, I think the crux of the misunderstanding between them came down to a very simple lack of appreciation for the differences in one another's personalities and interests.

Arya is not going to see Sansa as a total sellout, neither is Sansa likely to view Arya as a dangerous killer to be wary of. I think they will realise the trauma that they both suffered at the hands of the Lannisters and others, and this will bond them together and give them a unified purpose. When Arya was with Sandor, we see that she was already struggling to remember what Mycah looked like, and she gradually came to see that the Hound was not as bad as she had previously thought. If she can come to forgive the Hound, she can forgive Sansa easily.

Also, even now in their respective exiles, we never see the girls thinking badly of each other or feeling some latent resentment or hostility. On Sansa's part especially, she has very favourable memories of Winterfell and Arya and longs to go home.

Finally, these girls really do not have many new friends and allies. We know that LF is using Sansa and the entire FM cult seems extremely dangerous. We still don't know how much of an ally either Mya or Randa will turn out to be for Sansa, and Arya practically only has herself to depend on if she leaves the cult. They will need to depend on one another, as they might only be able to reveal their real identities to each other, but of course this all depends on if their paths cross.

[Cydal]

Well said

[Wolf Maid]

They may fight and call each other names, etc -- but God help anyone else who tries to hurt one cuz the other will take serious action.

This is what normal brothers and sisters are like, but that wasn’t the case with them. Joffrey tried to kill Arya and Sansa blamed her for it and lied about it. Not only that, she was still in love with him afterward. If I were Arya, I wouldn’t want anything to do with Sansa after that.

I’m not sure if they will reconcile. Yes, they have thought fondly of each other, however, Arya also got pissed off at Sansa all over again when the Hound reminds her of Sansa's lie about Mycah. Also, there is that scene where the Hound thinks that Arya wants to kill her sister. I think it is possible that they will be in opposition with each other.

[goosarino'sevens]

One sister who's being trained in assassintion by the best of the best, and one who's being trained in statecraft by, if not the best,

certainly one of the best. What better regents could Lord Rickon ask for to secure The North?

[LadyoftheNorth72]

I think you're neglecting the growth that both girls have undergone. And whilst the consequences of each other's actions were very serious and dire, I think the crux of the misunderstanding between them came down to a very simple lack of appreciation for the differences in one another's personalities and interests.

IRL I might agree that this is a possibility (although me and all my sibs are all grown up now, and some of us still cannot stand each other for longer than a holiday meal). But this is GRRM's world of Westeros, where some of the most unpleasant relationships have occurred (and are still occurring) between siblings who have grown up to the point where this should be able to be said of them as well, yet they still despise each other and in some cases are actively trying to do each other in. I listed a whole bunch of them above.

I see no reason to think that GRRM will suddenly do a big about-face with the Stark girls, and write them having some Jane Austen moment where they suddenly appreciate all the different things about each other, that they have hated up till now.

SHOULD they get in the same boat and paddle together? Undoubtedly. WILL they? I doubt it. I have this hilarious mental image of Arya turning up at Sansa's wedding to Harry looking like roadkill, and Sansa screeching something like, "you STILL ruin everything! You just don't want anything to be fine or nice or splendid!"

[Queensmoot]

I cannot wait until they meet again. They have both grown up so much and both of them have lost their innocence. After Littlefinger, I don't think Arya's new profession will shock Sansa. They've been separated for so long, at this point they assume each other dead as well the rest of their family except for Jon. I think that their fights will seem stupid and pointless in the face of all they've been through.They'll just be happy to see family. I think a tearful, melancholy reunion is in the cards.

[Roose Seal]

It's just that they both have seen the ugly sides of the things they thought they liked.

When they first get to King's Landing, Sansa is so happy to be at court, practicing her courtesies, dining with lords and ladies and Arya is surrounded by knights, has a fencing master from an exotic place and explore the castle to her hearts content.

After spending more than 2 years at court, I think Sansa has realized that it's all just for show, and that behind their "Sers" and "My Lady"s, everyone is just seedy and plotting and manipulative. I don't think she appreciates that aspect of being a lady anymore. I think that's why part of her is more than happy to engage in Littlefinger's mummery.

Arya, always the tomboy, has been with nothing but boys since she left, she has witnessed first hand that being a knight isn't that glamorous and that swordfighting is not just something you do for fun. Then she gets to the fabled Braavos and realizes the place may be exotic but it's just as dirty and grimy as King's Landing. Killing people you hate may bring you some satisfaction, but I'm sure as soon as the Faceless Men send her to kill people she doesn't know, she'll reconsider her position about the whole being an assassin thing.

In GoT, Sansa dreams about a perfect lordling husband, beautiful babies, smallfolk who love her, etc.. By the end of FfC, all she wants is to be in Winterfell and see her family again. I think that's very significant.

I think they have both realized that all the childish fantasies they had about life as a lady/knight were just that, fantasies. That, I think, will bring them much closer.

Truth is, we can speculate all we want, they may not even meet again at all.

[eyeheartsansa]

Sansa and Arya never hated each other. They were kids when the story begins and they bickered like kids. Their arguments consisted of "I love Joffrey !" "I hate Joffrey he's stupid!" "Shut up !" "No you shut up !". It never went deeper than that. Kids' arguments seldom do.

The arguments they had were not arguments of people who hated each other, they were arguments siblings have constantly, even siblings who love one another. They may have not been the closest of the stark bunch, but I'm pretty sure their time apart will have made them rethink their priorities, a lot.

They both witnessed their father getting his head chopped off. Surely that's more significant to their relationship than the fact that Sansa thinks swordfight is silly and Arya thinks knitting is stupid.

I mostly agree with this, but for Arya it was also about the stableboy's life. So I think it was a step beyond childhood squabbling, but I agree they are still sisters, they are night and day but it's not like they were mortal enemies. Both of them believe that all or most of their family is dead, including each other! I expect them to have a tearful reunion, assuming Arya has a 'remember who I am' epiphany between now and then.

[Cydal]

I mostly agree with this, but for Arya it was also about the stableboy's life. So I think it was a step beyond childhood squabbling, but I agree they are still sisters, they are night and day but it's not like they were mortal enemies. Both of them believe that all or most of their family is dead, including each other! I expect them to have a tearful reunion, assuming Arya has a 'remember who I am' epiphany between now and then.

What stableboy? The one she killed to escape? Or do you mean the butcher's son Sandor killed?

[Rhieth the Blue]

Gods help Sansa if still has any ill thought againts Arya. I think this "catfight" would be short and ugly business. :box:

But anyway I really don't think it will come to that. From what I imagine their reunion would be something like this:

Because of some reason Sansa is in a place like Gulltown ( or some other port city ) and Arya is there after either fleeing the FM, or just on a mission for them. They meet, some totally ankward situation ( Sansa is being introduced to Harry the Heir, or dunno). Arya recognizes Sansa. They both have mixed feelings old wounds, old quarrels lead to a new argument. Afterwards they stick around, but avoid each other. When they think they calmed down and can talk, something unexpected happens, one or both of their lives gets into serious danger, and their instincs, their deep down feelings make it clear for them, that "The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives". And after the danger is gone, the actually happy reunion happens. :drunk:

Or maybe Arya becomes no one, wargs into Nymeria and kills Sansa, LF and all their party when they are on their way to the north with the Arryn host. :devil:

[1234567]

I agree Sansa will think her profession is most shocking and unbecoming a Stark lady, but I think they'll work it out. I harbor suspisions that Arya isn't going to make it to the end of the series so I think their reunion should be soon.

I keep reading that GRRM's wife has banned him from killing her, but the text even from the needle in the snow line in AGOT does seem to herald a rather final end for her. :frown5: She will maybe get to live on in Nymeria though!

I'm actually not sure she and Sansa will meet again or if any of the Stark Children see each other. The wolves may meet up, but maybe not the kids. Arya may well die (I think Sansa has more potential to survive) and Bran will remain a tree. This ensures a bittersweet ending of only Rickon and Jon being around and it being assumed all the other Stark children are dead. (I think Sansa may remain Alyane if certain reasons of the heart come into play). Jon of course maybe something entirely different by then as death does strange things to people......

[Queensmoot]

I keep reading that GRRM's wife has banned him from killing her, but the text even from the needle in the snow line in AGOT does seem to herald a rather final end for her. :frown5: She will maybe get to live on in Nymeria though!

Thank you so much for this! I had pretty much decided that my beloved Arya had no chance of survival. Lysistrata Ms. Martin!

[ARYa_Nym]

Thank you so much for this! I had pretty much decided that my beloved Arya had no chance of survival. Lysistrata Ms. Martin!

April 16, 2008

Favorite Character to Write

Tyrion. Arya is fun to write as well.

http://www.westeros....acter_to_Write/

8) A part from Tyron, is there any female character you love more than the others?

Oh, probably Arya... but as with the men, I love them all.

A lot of females on stage in A FEAST FOR CROWS, by the way. The women are taking over...

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/A_Myriad_of_Questions/

He could still kill Arya or Tyrion. I even see Sansa as a possibility.

[ARYa_Nym]

I keep reading that GRRM's wife has banned him from killing her, but the text even from the needle in the snow line in AGOT does seem to herald a rather final end for her. :frown5: She will maybe get to live on in Nymeria though!

It's a toss up I think. Jon made contradictory statements if they were supposed to be foreshadowing.

"...The longer you hide, the sterner the penance. You'll be sewing all through winter. When the spring thaw comes, they will find your body with a needle still locked tight between your frozen fingers."

"I wish you were coming with us." "Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?"