Who will Arya be sent to assasinate?

[I do not sew]

If Arya survives the series I definitely see her last appearance being in someone else's POV. Like say somehow, miraculously, Cersei's incompetence/insanity doesn't get her immediately murdered and at the end of DoS she's living comfortably at Casterly Rock I'd love for Arya to show up and garrote her. And as she claws as the wire cuts into her neck and her vision starts to blur her attacker whispers in her ear, "Arya, of House Stark." to signify she's not totally gone.

Some people seem to think Arya will have some epiphany and completely abandon the path she's on, but I think she's way past the point of no return. She's like, a complete sociopath. She's the 'bad' Stark. So for me, something like the above would be the penultimate happyfuntimeoptimistic ending.

She probably die horribly though.

[drayrock]

it's gotta be something to do with danny. Too much foreshadowing otherwise. Argument for Tommen is good too but why would they trust these two high profile targets with a new recruit?

[sertravisredbeard]

I just did a FFC re-read and I know it's been speculated already on here, but I think that it could be Sansa. Since the Faceless Men are all serious about the assassins not knowing the targets, and because Sansa will be going by "Alayne Stone" or whatever last name she will be using, Arya will be given the assignment. It could be by one of Littlefinger's enemies or somebody else. Only when Arya gets close to her she'll realize who Alayne really is. It will be the impetus she needs to break with the Faceless Men and reunite with her sister.

This kind of explains why GRRM has gone been pretty deliberate about how all the Faceless Men assassins don't execute people they know, and people from Braavos make sure to tell Arya "you know my name" or whatever. Arya will just be given the name, volunteer to do the killing, then refuse. Otherwise she'd feel personally obligated to go back to the Faceless Men, but not after they'd told her to assassinate her own sister.

[kephv]

I'm thinking Illyrio. Those two have unfinished business.

[Jaqen Hghar]

Or a common misconception to give people the illusion that they are safe. For starters, no one is going to hire the FM to take out a common sailor, a ships captain would count himself lucky to have a FM hit put on him. So the crew are hardly protecting themselves from a realistic threat. So this reads to me more like a common Braavosi superstition than an actual FM operational policy.

You're forgetting two things here. First, not only are we told about the sailors all being keen on Arya learning their names. Later in ADWD we are also shown a scene where assignments are being handed out to a number of FM in the House of Black and White. In this scene it is made clear that when the name of a target is discussed, some of the FM present say "I know this man" and someone else says "I do not know this man, I can hand him the gift" or something similar. So this shows that not only is it common knowledge - or superstition - among Braavosi that the FM don't kill people they know, it is also common practise among the FM. Now, I can think of several reasons for this, but the simplest would be that it's easier to kill someone you don't know so it simply makes it easier for the FM to carry out his/her assignment. Now, this may of course be something the FM don't discuss openly but that has still become a superstition among the Braavosi, so a mere coincidence - but I somehow find that hard to believe.

Second - I'm not at all sure that a common sailor could be regarded as being safe from having a FM hit put upon him. The FM are known to be "expensive" yes, but it's also made clear in the story that this means that it is possible for anyone to hire them, and that the price - which will be set according to the situation of the "client" - will be costly for you whoever you are. The expression "half a man's wealth" is used somewhere, but it is also made clear that the price may consist of something else than physical wealth. Doesn't for instance The Waif at some point indicate that her being given to the FM was the price her father had paid to have someone awarded the Gift?

Either way, you're going to be dead and no one is going to know who did it, which means people will know it was a FM hit, but won't have a clue who the FM is.

That's actually not entirely true. What the FM guarantee when they accept an assignment is that the victim will die, not that it will be obvious that he/she was assassinated. Take Arya's first hit for instance, I don't seem to recall that there was ever any official indication of anything but a natural death by stroke or heart failure.

[MrsManderly]

Crackpot:

what if Izembaro refers to someone in Dorne?

- The Dornish sometimes have similar sounding, Italianate, names (Ricasso, Lorezza).

- The name of Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, points to Dorne

- Dorne remains largely uninvolved in the wars (at least publicly) and someone could be hiring the FM to mess with that, eg by killing Doran who spends most his time watching children play at the fountains, so sending a kid to kill him would be a way to go

- Arya is Westerosi but doesnt know anyone in Dorne as opposed to all the Lannister or Stark potential targets

As I said, crackpot...

[roxWolfox]

Dunno if this has been discussed but do you think she could be sent to kill Lady Stoneheart?

Haven't given it too much thought, just purely speculating, but maybe it could fit in with the philosophy of the Faceless men? e.g. Lady Stoneheart has been mercilessly killing people and she is 'cheating the God of Death'. Correct me if that sounds stupid, i haven't really looked that much into the faceless men

Just think it would be create a powerful and cruel sense of irony if Cat is doing all of this to try and find her daughters and Arya is the one sent to kill her

This was my first thought.

Walder Frey has lost more sons/grandsons since the RW than during the war of the 5 kings. He may not be rich in material things, but he has a lot of extraneous grandchildren running around. When Catelyn threatened to kill Jinglebell unless they released Robb, didn't Walder make a comment about how unimportant a grandson was compared to a son? I could see him offering a few of his grandchildren to the FM in return for Stoneheart's death. He might not miss a few grandchildren, but he must be getting awfully worried about losing any more sons. Arya is in training, which means they most likely would not send her off to kill a high-profile target just yet.

Mind you, the big black tomcat with the torn ear that scratched Joff's hand and is suspected of killing ravens in the rookery, and is now scaring Tommen, made me think again.

Perhaps the FM want to train her with Stoneheart, then follow it up with Tommen's murder. Cercei's prophesy has all her children dead before she dies, does it not?

[Mulled Wino]

This was my first thought.

Walder Frey has lost more sons/grandsons since the RW than during the war of the 5 kings. He may not be rich in material things, but he has a lot of extraneous grandchildren running around. When Catelyn threatened to kill Jinglebell unless they released Robb, didn't Walder make a comment about how unimportant a grandson was compared to a son? I could see him offering a few of his grandchildren to the FM in return for Stoneheart's death. He might not miss a few grandchildren, but he must be getting awfully worried about losing any more sons. Arya is in training, which means they most likely would not send her off to kill a high-profile target just yet.

Mind you, the big black tomcat with the torn ear that scratched Joff's hand and is suspected of killing ravens in the rookery, and is now scaring Tommen, made me think again.

Perhaps the FM want to train her with Stoneheart, then follow it up with Tommen's murder. Cercei's prophesy has all her children dead before she dies, does it not?

I dont think the FM would take a life not deemed important by the hiree.

Now if Walder gave himself, thats a different story and I think it would be much more compelling than the FM accepting a bunch of worthless grandkids that are 105th in the succession line.

[Tyrion4President]

Does anyone else find it odd that a FM won't kill someone they know / knew? These are people who are trying to be no one / anyone. They shouldn't care whether they know a person or not. I'm of the opinion that the FM do kill people they know and that we all are reading way to much into what is only a few separate lines from a single conversation. I have been wrong before though.

good point

[The Others Take Ya]

I think she'll be sent to Missandei, who I think is Izembaro. I don't think her job will be to assassinate the big target, I think it will be to act as a support for Missandei because she's really busy.

She'll probably assassinate slaves who ask for the gift for themselves only, and act as another set of eyes and ears to spy on the goings on at court in the background and feed this information to Missandei. Since Dany's and others are speaking the common tongue at court that's another reason she'd be good for the job.

She might do some research too, but I think Arya mentions in ADWD that she's just starting to work on Valyrian and reading old scrolls of it may be a much different thing then speaking it.

I think that sounds like an appropriate level of work for a first apprenticeship. At that level she probably can't negotiate giving the gift to others when people ask for it, but to give the gift to slaves or others asking for it for themselves would be straightforward and there would likely be many of those situations in Meereen for her to start with.

[direwolf_of_white_fangs]

Will she assassinate someone? I thought she was only training to be a priest ;)

but if she does kill someone I say a big fish, either Cersei or some Frey...

[roxWolfox]

I dont think the FM would take a life not deemed important by the hiree.

Now if Walder gave himself, thats a different story and I think it would be much more compelling than the FM accepting a bunch of worthless grandkids that are 105th in the succession line.

You are right. A quote from Wiki:

Pycelle said Lord Walder would never kill his own but Cersei Lannister stated that whoever inherits the Twins after Walder Frey would not be as squeamish, and what better way to rid himself of inconvenient relatives then by naming them the culprits (of the Red Wedding) and executing them?

So, in hindsight, I'm beginning to think that perhaps one of his potential heirs (in the name of Lord Walder Frey, could make such a pact with the FM. It is stated (by one of his sons) that Lord Frey doesn't have much time left. :frown5: I just creeped myself out with that thought.

[SerSeymoreThyme]

I believe Arya will be sent to assassinate Littlefinger and Sansa will be the one to order it. Sansa's learning "the game" and will undoubtedly figure out Petyr's role in Ned's death. There was a scene where Sansa and Littlefinger share a blood orange, Littlefinger makes a mess of himself while Sansa spoons her juice out daintily. Keeping her fingers clean. I think this is foreshadowing Sansa having learned the lesson not to do one's own dirty work, not to mention I don't think she has the stones to do it. Isn't Braavos nearly directly across the sea from the Vale? Who is the first person a romantic like Sansa would think of to perform an assassination? I figure she'd think of the faceless men, the most famous of assassins. Thus reuniting her with Arya and bringing on a wave of Stark vengeance. That's the way I see things anyway.

[Mulled Wino]

You are right. A quote from Wiki:

Pycelle said Lord Walder would never kill his own but Cersei Lannister stated that whoever inherits the Twins after Walder Frey would not be as squeamish, and what better way to rid himself of inconvenient relatives then by naming them the culprits (of the Red Wedding) and executing them?

So, in hindsight, I'm beginning to think that perhaps one of his potential heirs (in the name of Lord Walder Frey, could make such a pact with the FM. It is stated (by one of his sons) that Lord Frey doesn't have much time left. :frown5: I just creeped myself out with that thought.

Im a little confused with who's next in line.

[House Ross]

It will not be someone of major significance. I believe she will be tested again. Although she has been through trials and tests already, i feel the FM are not willing to send her off on a major mission just yet.

The HoBaW know her, the real her, and will use that in the next test. How....?

[Jaqen Hghar]

I believe Arya will be sent to assassinate Littlefinger and Sansa will be the one to order it. Sansa's learning "the game" and will undoubtedly figure out Petyr's role in Ned's death. There was a scene where Sansa and Littlefinger share a blood orange, Littlefinger makes a mess of himself while Sansa spoons her juice out daintily. Keeping her fingers clean. I think this is foreshadowing Sansa having learned the lesson not to do one's own dirty work, not to mention I don't think she has the stones to do it. Isn't Braavos nearly directly across the sea from the Vale? Who is the first person a romantic like Sansa would think of to perform an assassination? I figure she'd think of the faceless men, the most famous of assassins. Thus reuniting her with Arya and bringing on a wave of Stark vengeance. That's the way I see things anyway.

Well, we'll simply have to wait and see, don't we?

However, if this would be the case - the most interesting thing to know would be the price Sansa would pay for the hit. That is something many people seem to forget in this discussion - you don't hire the FM unless you're prepared to pay a very dear price yourself.

[SerSeymoreThyme]

Well, we'll simply have to wait and see, don't we?

However, if this would be the case - the most interesting thing to know would be the price Sansa would pay for the hit. That is something many people seem to forget in this discussion - you don't hire the FM unless you're prepared to pay a very dear price yourself.

I've been tossing around the idea that she'll somehow trade Alayne Stone's life for the job. Or maybe Arya's alter-ego. When Arya asked for Jaqen H'gar's life it seemed to throw a wrench in the system.

[Suzanna Stormborn]

I've been tossing around the idea that she'll somehow trade Alayne Stone's life for the job. Or maybe Arya's alter-ego. When Arya asked for Jaqen H'gar's life it seemed to throw a wrench in the system.

Arya is the Volanquar from the prophecy and the Iron Bank is pissed at the Lannisters/Cersei for defaulting on their loan. We know the Iron Bank has hired FM before to do their dirty work, so I'm pretty sure Arya's first job will be to hunt down and kill Ms. Cersei. Which fits because Cersei is number 1 on Arya's bed-time list of ppl to kill :)

[NotSoSilentSister]

I agree with the posters who think that Arya's next targets properly won't be anyone important yet. She's till in training.

My predictions:

1) Izembaro is the leader of the troupe of mummers currently stationed in Bravoos. Arya will be trained to be a proper actress, so that she can learn how to impersonate other in order to get close to high-profile targets.

2) There's going to be some confrontation with the Ironborn, because there's some forshadowing that Arya will see a real kraken (attacking either Bravoos or Oldtown). But I don't think that Arya will be ordered to kill Euron yet.

3) Arya will ultimately face off against Varys. All the skills she's acquiring prepare her to be the person best suited to take him down. She's not just training to be an assassin, she's training to be a proper spymaster. I don't think she'll necessarily kill him, but she will be instrumental in foiling his plots.

4) She will eventually be sent after a high-profile target and that mission will bring her back to Westeros and probably close to one of her relatives - either Sansa or Jon; my money is on Sansa, because there's going to be more tension, and more potential for conflict.

5) I don't think that high-profile target will be someone whom Sansa actually wants killed .... I do think that Arya and Sansa will eventually reconcile, but I don't think that it will be so easy. It will be a test of character for at least one of them; their reunion will come at a cost to them - either Sansa will have to relinquish that person to Arya, or Arya will have to abandon her mission and break with the Faceless Men. For both it will be a choice between family and personal ambitions.

6) For this particular reason, I think the most satisfying high-profile target for Arya would be Aegon, newly betrothed (or at least promised to) Sansa.

a) a redo of the Joffrey situation. Delicious dramatic irony. Hope Sansa chooses right this time. (Although Aegon can't turn out to be as despicable as Joffrey, can he?).

B) also, potentially a redo of the Rhaegar/Lyanna/Elia situation. Because if Arya is sent to kill Aegon, she would probably get close to him by impersonating Elia Sand (many people have remarked on the Elia-Lyanna-parallels after reading the latest Arianne preview; Arya is often compared to Lyanna as well).

c) might make sense politically for the Facless Men - I think they are going to support Dany in the next Dance with Dragons because of her abolutionist agenda and have some interest in helping her get rid of Aegon. Also, Aegon is Illyrio's and Vary's puppet and I'm pretty sure the FM are anti-Illyrio and anti-Varys (who make a lot of money in the slave trade). Arya is going to find out what Varys is up to and that will contribute to the FM decision to take Aegon out.

[Jaqen Hghar]

I'm sticking with the rules, which outrule Sansa, Cersei and Varys since Arya knows them.