What is Arya's endgame?

[Gaz0680]

Of all the major characters in ASOIAF, I think the endgame for Arya is the hardest to predict. One thing I'm certain of is that her endgame is way more than just killing one or two important people. Any random well trained assassin or faceless man could do that.

We know Bran will have a huge role in the war vs. the Others. Jon and Dany will also have an important part there and likely in the Game of Thrones also.

Let's consider. If Arya's endgame is to kill one of the truly major characters - Dany, Tyrion, Jon, Sansa, Bran - then we would have to assume if it's one of the latter 3 then she truly becomes No One with all trace of Arya Stark gone, because Arya, despite her issues, would and could never willingly kill one of her own family.

Other important PoV characters - Ser Davos, Brienne, Melissandre, Samwell, Arianne, etc - Arya may very well kill (pretty sure Arya will be the death of Melissandre), but it wouldn't be sufficient to justify her overall purpose as we have spent way more time reading through Arya than those characters.

So that really leaves Dany and the three Lannisters - Tyrion, Jaime, Cersei - as the most likely Huge characters Arya may be destined to kill. Of those 4, only Cersei was on Arya's list and if we believe prophecy, it is more likely Cersei will die at the hands of Tyrion or Jaime than Arya.

In any event, I just don't see Arya's future being No One. I don't believe she will truly become a Faceless Man and the journey she has been on since book 1 and the skills she has learned, I think, eventually, Arya is destined for leadership, albeit she will have taken a very different path to it than say Jon or Dany.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Arya doesn't even know her own endgame at this point.

I don't think she'll ever hit a major name on her list. I do think she'll meet up with Dany (possibly save her from an FM assassination attempt) and get back to Westeros.

Agreed that she's destined for leadership of some kind. I've long thought Nymeria's role in the Riverlands wolfpack is a hint toward Arya's future.

[Liz Stark-Targaryen]

Arya doesn't even know her own endgame at this point.

I don't think she'll ever hit a major name on her list. I do think she'll meet up with Dany (possibly save her from an FM assassination attempt) and get back to Westeros.

Agreed that she's destined for leadership of some kind. I've long thought Nymeria's role in the Riverlands wolfpack is a hint toward Arya's future.

:agree: Arya's still so young -- is she even 12 yet by the end of ADwD? It's impossible to say what her ending will be, but I am 100% sure that she (and Dany) end up back in Westeros.

[ilikethesebooks]

Arya kills summer with her pack. Summer has to die since winter is coming and this feels right

[motherofvelociraptors]

Arya doesn't even know her own endgame at this point.

I don't think she'll ever hit a major name on her list. I do think she'll meet up with Dany (possibly save her from an FM assassination attempt) and get back to Westeros.

Agreed that she's destined for leadership of some kind. I've long thought Nymeria's role in the Riverlands wolfpack is a hint toward Arya's future.

Yes! It has to be - otherwise, why even write about it? Arya absolutely has a leadership role to play and Nymeria definitely is a clue.

[Pies are coming]

Arya is not learning to be a leader, though, unless is by observation. And that would make her mentors in leadership: Ned, Yoren, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton/Thoros/Beric perhaps and the Kindly Man. Those are the people she observed leading. What kind of leader you develop by watching those people?

[Joan Jett]

Arya is not learning to be a leader, though, unless is by observation. And that would make her mentors in leadership: Ned, Yoren, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton/Thoros/Beric perhaps and the Kindly Man. Those are the people she observed leading. What kind of leader you develop by watching those people?

Well she needs to be tough and harsh if she's going to lead the pack of wolves/Stark bannermen during the long winter. I'd say she's learned lots about politics and the value of secrets/intelligence. Very promising potential to become a Queen of Winter imo.

[Makk]

I'm not sure where her arc is going long term, but in the short term it would be logical that she gets some information about Jon Snows "death" from round the Bravos docks. If there is anything that will jolt her fully back to Arya and bring her back to Westeros, I believe it is that. Bowen Marsh will be the top name on her list.

[EobardThawne]

I just hope we see her back with Sansa at least once.

[Pies are coming]

Well she needs to be tough and harsh if she's going to lead the pack of wolves/Stark bannermen during the long winter. I'd say she's learned lots about politics and the value of secrets/intelligence. Very promising potential to become a Queen of Winter imo.

In a way, what you describe is similar to Sansa, only that Arya is being taught to get her hands dirty and Sansa to keep them clean. The problem with both of them is that, while they would complement each other greatly, neither is being taught how to govern. To paraphrase GRRM, what would Arya's tax policy be?

[lomiller]

IMO Arya is the one of the "dragons three heads".

-She in GRRM's leaked synopses she was linked romantically to Jon and Dany was in THotU, this echoes Aegon and his two sisters/wives.

-Throughout the story she's been a series of larger more predatory animals "squab", "squirrel", "weasel" "cat", "night wolf" the largest of all in the sequence would be "dragon"

-There is a lot of Norse mythology references worked in the the world of ice and fire but Arya as Hel is one of the most repeated and persistent. Hel has a dragon Nidhug (Corpse eater) who consumes the corpses of the dead. (And a giant hound, Garm, who guards the entrance to the realm of the dead.)

-Still on Norse mythology, Hel has 2 siblings who help lead the armies of ice and fire in the final battle of Ragnarök, Fenrir and Jormungander who map to Jon and Dany respectively so again she's linked to the other 2 most likely "heads"

-There is a three headed god Trios, the Sailors wife tells Arya that the first head devours the dead while the reborn emerge from the third head. She doesn't remember what the third does. Arya is consistently linked to death while Dany is linked to birth/rebirth "Mhysa" "Mother" "Mother of Dragons" so again Dany and Arya are 2 of the three heads

[Gaz0680]

Arya is not

Arya is not learning to be a leader, though, unless is by observation. And that would make her mentors in leadership: Ned, Yoren, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton/Thoros/Beric perhaps and the Kindly Man. Those are the people she observed leading. What kind of leader you develop by watching those people?

Arya is learning to be a leader not by observation, but experience. She's gaining the skills she needs to be a leader, though she doesn't know it yet.

Dany was born into the leadership role through her family.

Jon was not born into it being a bastard, but if he is the true born son of Rhaegar and LyannA, I suppose some could say it was his 'destiny'. He was also identified by Jeor Mormont as having certain traits and groomed for leadership in a way.

Arya is a different case altogether. She was groomed to grow up as a Lady, but never wanted that, always being more interested in the role traditionally filled by men. She suffered the loss of her father, who she was very close to, then further tragedy when her brothers were killed (as far as she knows Bran and Rickon are dead) and then the loss of her eldest brother and mother. She had a very lonely path, surrounded by people she never liked or trusted. However, over time she has been developing some of the traits a strong leader has to have.

I think, when all is said and done, Arya may prove the greatest leader out of them all - Jon, Dany, Stannis, Tyrion, Ned, etc- and I think GRRM may have set her on the path he has for this reason. When she eventually gains her leadership role it will be unexpected and not the path most saw her going down, but in many ways I think it fits her better than Jon, Dany or Stannis.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Arya is not learning to be a leader, though, unless is by observation. And that would make her mentors in leadership: Ned, Yoren, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton/Thoros/Beric perhaps and the Kindly Man. Those are the people she observed leading. What kind of leader you develop by watching those people?

Arya's arc, I think is giving us valuable info on Varys. She's been learning an awful lot of his skillset. And though he stays out of the spotlight, he does lead in a way. She could end up mistress of whispers, or a king/queenmaker in her own right.

Plus she's been uniquely placed thus far to watch how people in charge operate. Learning by observation is one of her strengths. Add Dany to the mix and she'll also get to learn from Barristan and Tyrion.

What do you learn from those people? Ned = honor, and decency. Yoren = protecting others before yourself. Tywin = a heck of a lot, the man was a born leader, if a jerk. Roose = a quiet people, a quiet land. Beric = how to inspire others. The Kindly Man = how to teach others and, to a degree, run a business, as well as how to gather information.

[Gaz0680]

Arya's arc, I think is giving us valuable info on Varys. She's been learning an awful lot of his skillset. And though he stays out of the spotlight, he does lead in a way. She could end up mistress of whispers, or a king/queenmaker in her own right.

Plus she's been uniquely placed thus far to watch how people in charge operate. Learning by observation is one of her strengths. Add Dany to the mix and she'll also get to learn from Barristan and Tyrion.

What do you learn from those people? Ned = honor, and decency. Yoren = protecting others before yourself. Tywin = a heck of a lot, the man was a born leader, if a jerk. Roose = a quiet people, a quiet land. Beric = how to inspire others. The Kindly Man = how to teach others and, to a degree, run a business, as well as how to gather information.

Well said. Arya has picked up many traits on her journey. She has seen a lot.

[Scorpion92]

Well,Arya's storyline just screams to me that she is going to become someone who is going to oversee spy network operations in the name of her family. She is going to become Varys 2.0,but more deadlier version,because besides her supernatural warging abilities,she is going to complete her training of Faceless Men and learn all three phases:mummery,glamor and face-changing. She is NOT going to stay no one for long,that's why we have Needle stashed away. I have firm belief that Arya is going to be Jon's Mistress of Whisperers once he is king,and deal with outside threats to her cousin,while Sansa is going to manipulate the court from inside to further Jon's cause.

I also think she is going to defeat Varys in his own game and slay him. Since Varys is team fAegon and doing everything to further Blackfyre cause,the only explanation I have is that Arya going to aid Dany and Tyrion's cause once she meets up with them most probably in Pentos,when Dany finally decides to gather her armies and return Westeros. After all,Arya managed to eavesdrop on Varys and Illyrio even without any training,imagine what she could do now. She will probably have a crucial information and proof that Aegon is fake and prove her worth to Dany that way. Maybe even saving Dany's life from Faceless Men (Missandei?).

She will also have a storyline in Riverlands where she is going to reunite with Nymeria and wolf pack and use it to destroy Freys all over the area. I even picture her infiltrating Twins and opening gates for the pack to kill every last Frey inside for what they did to her family during Red Wedding. And Dany and Tyrion won't mind I believe.

She will also encounter Ser Gendry,who is going to become the new leader of Brotherhood without Banners after Lady Stoneheart finally rests in peace. BwB are R'hilorists mostly,and Dany is going to be considered Azor Ahai,therefore Gendry is going to support Dany's cause,and who better to convert Gendry than Arya? Arya will probably convince Dany to legitimize Gendry as Baratheon since Dany will need the support of Stormlands and counter Jon Connington's influence in the area. Gendry is a splitting image of a young Robert Baratheon and by that time he will have a name for himself through his deeds in BwB.

Once Dany defeats fAegon and deals with every 7 kingdom except the North,she will turn her gaze to Winterfell,and this time around,I am doubtful Arya is going to be loyal,especially if Jon is ruling there and opposes the Dragon Queen. She might be Dany's "betrayal for love",but I am not sure.

[shk12344]

The key, for me, is the Needle. She threw away all possesion except Needlle. The Needle was given by Jon and I expect later in the story for Jon and Arya to reunite and join forces.

[KnightTime]

What if she is to release her mother from the abomination she has become?

[Ser Ed]

She's probably gonna kill Walder Frey at some point. Someone's gotta get that creepy old bastard.

[Gaz0680]

Why do so many people believe Jon is going to end up King and every other major characters purpose is to serve/assist him? I think that assumption is fanciful on so many levels and the end game will not turn out even remotely close to that.

Arya may be a mistress of whisperer perhaps,but I think not. Her role will be greater than that.

[TreeFaces]

I honestly think Arya's future involves a complete fuck up on her part where she ends up killing or sabotaging Sansa or Dany or even Jon without knowing it.