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Gendry is in love with Arya.


Ser Falione

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During a recent reading, I've come to believe that Gendry has romantic feelings towards Arya, and here's why. 

 

Arya puts a lot of trust into Gendry. He is the first to know that she is actually Arya Stark of Winterfell. He's followed her through everything since they met until she is taken captive again, so they have a strong relationship. It must have been hard for him, which could explain his change in character when we see him again at the inn at the crossroads during Brienne's POV. 

 

At Acorn Hall Gendry compliments her appearance in a way:

 
Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. “You look different now. Like a proper little girl.”
“I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.”
“Nice, though. A nice oak tree.”
He stepped closer, and sniffed at her.
“You even smell nice for a change.”
 
 

They also wrestle each other at Acorn Hall, 

 

“You don’t. You stink.” Arya shoved him back against the anvil and made to run, but Gendry caught her arm. She stuck a foot between his legs and tripped him, but he yanked her down with him, and they rolled across the floor of the smithy. He was very strong, but she was quicker. Every time he tried to hold her still she wriggled free and punched him. Gendry only laughed at the blows, which made her mad. He finally caught both her wrists in one hand and started to tickle her with the other, so Arya slammed her knee between his legs, and wrenched free.
 
Playful wrestling and tickling. Hmm. Arya would never know that this could be in a flirtatious sort of way. And she doesn't seem to realize his feelings at the Stoney Sept either. 
 
At first he blushes very hard when complimented for the arms he's always noted for. Maybe because it's in front of Arya. 
 
She spied Gendry then, and pinched him on the cheek. “Look at this fine young ox. Wait till Alyce sees those arms. Oh, and he blushes like a maid, too. Well, Alyce will fix that for you, boy, see if she don’t.”
Arya had never seen Gendry turn so red.
 
and later..
 
“I’m named Bella,” the girl told Gendry.
“For the battle. I bet I could ring your bell, too. You want to?”
“No,” he said gruffly.
“I bet you do.” She ran a hand along his arm. “I don’t cost nothing to friends of Thoros and the lightning lord.”
“No, I said.” Gendry rose abruptly and stalked away from the table out into the night.
Bella turned to Arya. “Don’t he like girls?”
Arya shrugged. “He’s just stupid. He likes to polish helmets and beat on swords with hammers.”
 
This is actually the point where I seriously considered Gendry to have romantic feelings towards Arya. So at first, in front of Arya, he sternly refuses Bella's offer. He wants nothing from it. But then this scene occurs...
 
“She’s my sister.” Gendry put a heavy hand on the old man’s shoulder, and squeezed. “Leave her be.”
                                      ...........
“Why did you say that?” Arya hopped to her feet. “You’re not my brother.”
“That’s right,” he said angrily. “I’m too bloody lowborn to be kin to m’lady high.”
Arya was taken aback by the fury in his voice. “That’s not the way I meant it.”
“Yes it is.” He sat down on the bench, cradling a cup of wine between his hands. “Go away. I want to drink this wine in peace. Then maybe I’ll go find that black-haired girl and ring her bell for her.
“But …”
“I said, go away. M’lady.”
Arya whirled and left him there. A stupid bullheaded bastard boy, that’s all he is. He could ring all the bells he wanted, it was nothing to her.
 
I found it odd that he would add that maybe he'll go ring Bella's bell for her, almost like he's trying to make Arya jealous. It's textbook high school romance. The girl I like at the dance doesn't notice me, so I'll dance with another girl to make her jealous. But Arya obviously doesn't get it. She's too young. She dismisses him as stupid. As young girls usually do too boyish suitors. The bell he really wants to ring is Arya's if I were a betting man.
 
Well, that's just one of my many musings I have while readings this masterpiece of a fantasy epic. What do you guys think?
 
 
 
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Gendry loves her, no doubts about it. Romantically? Who knows. He might, but I think Arya was too young at the time to figure out those kind of feelings.

 

I think he resented the fact that Edric had more in common with Arya and that, at some point, she could choose him instead. As soon as they meet they already had one topic in common: Jon. We know she wouldn't but he doesn't.

 

(Also, Gendry is often compared to a bull. For those who know a bit about zodiac signs, Taurus are jealous to the point of illogical insanity).

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Hmmm... I think it is perhaps a few steps short of love, but walking in this path. She was first a smart and brave companion, after that she was a girl, the only one in the group, and nobody else but him and Joren knew, then they went together trough hell and survived, and then she was a lady, to add confusion and class conflict to an already akward situation with a girl five years younger than him.

I don't think that in a Gendry POV we would see things like "OMG I love her! I'd better be nice to LS to convince her to let me marry her!". I don't think he really can name or is even aware of his feelings towards Arya, but I do believe he HAS some feelings.

Sadly for both of them I don't believe that this has any future.
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During a recent reading, I've come to believe that Gendry has romantic feelings towards Arya, and here's why. 

 

Arya puts a lot of trust into Gendry. He is the first to know that she is actually Arya Stark of Winterfell. He's followed her through everything since they met until she is taken captive again, so they have a strong relationship. It must have been hard for him, which could explain his change in character when we see him again at the inn at the crossroads during Brienne's POV. 

 

At Acorn Hall Gendry compliments her appearance in a way:

 
Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. “You look different now. Like a proper little girl.”
“I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.”
“Nice, though. A nice oak tree.”
He stepped closer, and sniffed at her.
“You even smell nice for a change.”
 
 

They also wrestle each other at Acorn Hall, 

 

“You don’t. You stink.” Arya shoved him back against the anvil and made to run, but Gendry caught her arm. She stuck a foot between his legs and tripped him, but he yanked her down with him, and they rolled across the floor of the smithy. He was very strong, but she was quicker. Every time he tried to hold her still she wriggled free and punched him. Gendry only laughed at the blows, which made her mad. He finally caught both her wrists in one hand and started to tickle her with the other, so Arya slammed her knee between his legs, and wrenched free.
 
Playful wrestling and tickling. Hmm. Arya would never know that this could be in a flirtatious sort of way. And she doesn't seem to realize his feelings at the Stoney Sept either. 
 
At first he blushes very hard when complimented for the arms he's always noted for. Maybe because it's in front of Arya. 
 
She spied Gendry then, and pinched him on the cheek. “Look at this fine young ox. Wait till Alyce sees those arms. Oh, and he blushes like a maid, too. Well, Alyce will fix that for you, boy, see if she don’t.”
Arya had never seen Gendry turn so red.
 
and later..
 
“I’m named Bella,” the girl told Gendry.
“For the battle. I bet I could ring your bell, too. You want to?”
“No,” he said gruffly.
“I bet you do.” She ran a hand along his arm. “I don’t cost nothing to friends of Thoros and the lightning lord.”
“No, I said.” Gendry rose abruptly and stalked away from the table out into the night.
Bella turned to Arya. “Don’t he like girls?”
Arya shrugged. “He’s just stupid. He likes to polish helmets and beat on swords with hammers.”
 
This is actually the point where I seriously considered Gendry to have romantic feelings towards Arya. So at first, in front of Arya, he sternly refuses Bella's offer. He wants nothing from it. But then this scene occurs...
 
“She’s my sister.” Gendry put a heavy hand on the old man’s shoulder, and squeezed. “Leave her be.”
                                      ...........
“Why did you say that?” Arya hopped to her feet. “You’re not my brother.”
“That’s right,” he said angrily. “I’m too bloody lowborn to be kin to m’lady high.”
Arya was taken aback by the fury in his voice. “That’s not the way I meant it.”
“Yes it is.” He sat down on the bench, cradling a cup of wine between his hands. “Go away. I want to drink this wine in peace. Then maybe I’ll go find that black-haired girl and ring her bell for her.
“But …”
“I said, go away. M’lady.”
Arya whirled and left him there. A stupid bullheaded bastard boy, that’s all he is. He could ring all the bells he wanted, it was nothing to her.
 
I found it odd that he would add that maybe he'll go ring Bella's bell for her, almost like he's trying to make Arya jealous. It's textbook high school romance. The girl I like at the dance doesn't notice me, so I'll dance with another girl to make her jealous. But Arya obviously doesn't get it. She's too young. She dismisses him as stupid. As young girls usually do too boyish suitors. The bell he really wants to ring is Arya's if I were a betting man.
 
Well, that's just one of my many musings I have while readings this masterpiece of a fantasy epic. What do you guys think?
 
 
 

 

Let's start with crushing.  Yes, Gendry is crushing on Arya.  Interested, but not on the same level as love.  That is for Jon Snow and Arya, not Gendry.  Yes, it could parallel Robert and Lyanna, but there are plenty of unrequited love in a place with rigid social structures and classes.

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I sure hope he's not a pedophile.  That five year difference is a big one at that age.

I think he cares for her and admires her, but I don't see any reason to think he's attracted to her.  Arya is still a little girl - in her own worlds, "I'll have titties in a year or two" - she's prepubescent.

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Bleh.  Isn't Arya like 8 years old at this point?  And Gendry is 16? 

 

I'll lay out some terms:

Agape

Eros

Romance

Luv-Love

 

Agape:  Desire for the best for someone.  The love of brother/sister, parent/offspring, friend/friend. 

Eros:  Sexual desire

Romance:  Idealization of object of desire

Luv-Love:  The total package.  Agape + Eros + Consummation + Commitment

 

Sure.  Gendry feels love for Arya, probably as he would a little sister.

Does he have sexual desire for her?  Fuck, I hope not.  Perv.

Romance?  No idealization there.

So no chance of true-love. 

 

Now let's have a neuro-scientist come and measure the amount of chemicals in Gendry's brain and then classify how he feels. 

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Bleh.  Isn't Arya like 8 years old at this point?  And Gendry is 16? 

 

I'll lay out some terms:

Agape

Eros

Romance

Luv-Love

 

Agape:  Desire for the best for someone.  The love of brother/sister, parent/offspring, friend/friend. 

Eros:  Sexual desire

Romance:  Idealization of object of desire

Luv-Love:  The total package.  Agape + Eros + Consummation + Commitment

 

Sure.  Gendry feels love for Arya, probably as he would a little sister.

Does he have sexual desire for her?  Fuck, I hope not.  Perv.

Romance?  No idealization there.

So no chance of true-love. 

 

Now let's have a neuro-scientist come and measure the amount of chemicals in Gendry's brain and then classify how he feels. 

I like this suggestion.  In fact let's scan all the characters' brains and see what they're not telling us, and don't know themselves.

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Now let's have a neuro-scientist come and measure the amount of chemicals in Gendry's brain and then classify how he feels. 

 

I think that, putting Arya aside, Gendry must feel a bit sexually frustrated.

 

I think a lot of people misreads the scene at the Peach. Gendry is, above everything, a decent guy. He probably did wanted to have sex with Bella, but he also probably feel embarrassed that Arya is around or thought it would be "improper" for him to do it and leave her alone and in danger. And, if he sees her as a little sister, who here would like to bang a whore with your baby sister looking around? :dunno:

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Yeah, I think they have a strong relationship, but don't see it as romantic. It could easily turn romantic given time, but I don't think it's there yet. You can be jealous/want to cause jealousy in someone without it being romantic. I've been in this situation with my brothers and friends (well, not the brothel part, the jealousy part). To me it's more an indication of the strength of the relationship, not the type.

Do I want them together? Well, I want them both to find safety and happiness and if, in time, they find it with each other, that would be sweet.
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I think that, putting Arya aside, Gendry must feel a bit sexually frustrated.

 

I think a lot of people misreads the scene at the Peach. Gendry is, above everything, a decent guy. He probably did wanted to have sex with Bella, but he also probably feel embarrassed that Arya is around or thought it would be "improper" for him to do it and leave her alone and in danger. And, if he sees her as a little sister, who here would like to bang a whore with your baby sister looking around? :dunno:

Well, he's around 16 right?  Being 16 is about being in a constant state of sexual frustration. At least it was for me. 

 

I agree totally with your reading of the scene in the Peach.  Can't bang a whore with baby sister around to tease you about it.  Ironic that Bella is his actual half-sister.  Martin's not afraid to tease some perversion. 

 

 

 

She's 12 in the Mercy chapter most probably. 

That makes her what?  10 or 11 at Harrenhall?  Still a bit young for Gendry I think. 

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Well, he's around 16 right?  Being 16 is about being in a constant state of sexual frustration. At least it was for me. 
 
I agree totally with your reading of the scene in the Peach.  Can't bang a whore with baby sister around to tease you about it.  Ironic that Bella is his actual half-sister.  Martin's not afraid to tease some perversion.


Argh, is true >_<

He was lucky Arya was around or he could have ended up indeed sexing his own sister.  

That makes her what?  10 or 11 at Harrenhall?  Still a bit young for Gendry I think.


A school friend of mine was 12 and dated a 19 years old guy. :dunno: She was... tall.
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I have no doubts that he has fallen in love with her, but it is (most likely) and unrequited love (Arya's mind is difficult for me to understand) but it is sweet too.

 
(Also, Gendry is often compared to a bull. For those who know a bit about zodiac signs, Taurus are jealous to the point of illogical insanity).

I don't think astrology works in real life at all, but, if so, in westeros sky I'm sure there are not bulls, but dragons? And direwolfs? :) And we don't even know his birth....

Off topic......
. astrology is fun in the way that you will always find something in your sign that defines you . I'm a taurus, but didn't identify with much, and then astrology-fans told me look at your ascendent, and again, I could only identify with some traits. Then I did a research and found out I was a taurus-gemini cusp (those who are born in the days when a sign changes are called cusps, and I identified a lot with both) But, of course, there are two signs. If you read the characteristics of two signs everybody would identify with them......again.....it's funny.

There should be some astrology in Westeros!!
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Bleh.  Isn't Arya like 8 years old at this point?  And Gendry is
Sure.  Gendry feels love for Arya, probably as he would a little sister.
Does he have sexual desire for her?  Fuck, I hope not.  Perv. 

You dont have to have a sexual desire to be romantically in love with someone. Just look at some married couples!!
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You dont have to have a sexual desire to be romantically in love with someone. Just look at some married couples!!

I'm going to refer you back to my terminology glossery.  I think we utilize "romantic love" in different ways.  I'm not sure what you mean by "romantic love" but I consider "romance" to be the idealization of the object of desire. It's apparent you mean something else but I'm not sure what.  What I do know, is that married couples at least have a sexual history, a consummation, and a commitment, that adds to whatever other forms of love they feel for each other.  And I'd say that being married to someone you have no sexual desire for is probably bad news for your marriage, unless you're out of sexual desire altogether. 

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