Arya and Nymeria

[Meera of Tarth]

9 hours ago, DutchArya said:

Great analysis of the scene Booknerd2. 

I love that you got all that shifting of emotions from Arya in just a few seconds at the end of the scene. 

How far North do you think Arya got when Nymeria found her? Do you think she was still in the Riverlands at the point?

There was snow, so it's definitely more North than Riverlands....good point! North=magic

Quote

It's like mind-numbing how slow some people are on other forums/boards. They can look at the scene with Nym and think Arya has decided to turn around *again* and head in the opposite direction back South because she isn't a Stark anymore. I can't understand why D&D have sometimes dumb things down and lose the nuance. Some non-book reading TV viewers are just... not that swift. 

 

I've seen several people posit this idea. This of course would not be Arya's wish, but isn't that exactly what Nymeria is doing? Settling down with a family she is the head of? When we point that out to people... they kinda miss that completely. What Nymeria is doing is choosing duty just like Arya might have to do in the future. 

That's exactly where I see George is taking Arya. Building her up to be able to show the world a different face (not literal) a mummers act. The Kindly Man calls that out from very early on when he tells her she wears names as easily as a gown, underneath she will always be Arya Stark. 

Yes, I think that's possibly what could happen, although I also think that we could have a totally-free Arya at the end, but I'm more inclined towards the first.

 

[Meera of Tarth]

20 hours ago, Booknerd2 said:

A few things. #1, I enjoy discussing the show but the book is a whole other beast to me. No pun intended for this thread topic.

Also, #2 I am aware that I discuss the direwolf like I think it is real. No, just love the character and this is literature which is a whole other ball game.

#3 We are only two episodes in, and I will switch gears when something monumental happens or other favorite characters of mine appear. Two of my favs had very disappointing comeback  appearances on Sunday. My opinion. Also, I don’t think it’s happening like that in the books.

Her pack ran out first and circled. Now, I get a kick out of the minions approaching first and Big Nyms coming out last or staying back as would happen in some human situations as well. Most likely it was for tv, the Nymeria Big Reveal…that er, whatever.

For the show I’m debating a few things: She is still pissed about the rock. Still doesn’t understand she was not attacked nor abandoned or unwanted. She has just changed, period, and knows she can’t go, is out of her element, or just doesn’t want to go.

Who was your other favoruite=?

20 hours ago, Booknerd2 said:

Two I like better are these: Duty to her pack. She doesn’t want to leave them, she understands her role as leader. How very Ned Stark of her…but Big Nyms is a Stark if you look at it. She is not leaving just because Arya abandoned her, to her understanding, and is now back in the picture. It’s just not the same. She is the leader and she is just not abruptly going and shifting the dynamic of the pack. Maybe she feels her pack won’t survive without her.

Part of me, on a literary bend, is that Big Nyms is going through maybe what Arya is or will. Deep down still knows the path she has travelled and may not be happy with how things went. What both had to do to survive. They are closing doors to certain parts of their life, not seeing reconciliation or a future. I get that. Almost feels that she is past being able to be a pet. Wishes to stay out of the human being realm. Er, except for a food source. So my David Banner/Hulk joke on another thread...well, it had some seriousness to it.

I will discuss something else later under a book spoiler tag. 

But I agree it is what Arya would do also. Nyms is not going to abandon her pack. Her responsibility. We saw that with Arya in book 3 and elsewhere.

And just because she is not going with her, that doesn’t mean she won’t protect her if the need arose and they cross paths again.

I did joke on rant and rave about Big Nyms pulling a David Banner/Hulk and walking away...

But that slow turn from Arya did get me. She made sure her pack, uh, somehow, left both Arya and her horse alone.

 

If we have to get a positive message from here is the fact that Nymeria doesn't want to abandon them, indeed. That's something honourable and Arya might do the same with their loved ones. So she did something good for her (let her leave) that Nymeria might not have understood untill now, and now Nymeria might be teaching something to Arya that she'll realise later,  that she has to be a protector.

[Booknerd2]

12 hours ago, DutchArya said:

Great analysis of the scene Booknerd2. 

I love that you got all that shifting of emotions from Arya in just a few seconds at the end of the scene. 

How far North do you think Arya got when Nymeria found her? Do you think she was still in the Riverlands at the point?

 

It's like mind-numbing how slow some people are on other forums/boards. They can look at the scene with Nym and think Arya has decided to turn around *again* and head in the opposite direction back South because she isn't a Stark anymore. I can't understand why D&D have sometimes dumb things down and lose the nuance. Some non-book reading TV viewers are just... not that swift. 

 

I've seen several people posit this idea. This of course would not be Arya's wish, but isn't that exactly what Nymeria is doing? Settling down with a family she is the head of? When we point that out to people... they kinda miss that completely. What Nymeria is doing is choosing duty just like Arya might have to do in the future. 

That's exactly where I see George is taking Arya. Building her up to be able to show the world a different face (not literal) a mummers act. The Kindly Man calls that out from very early on when he tells her she wears names as easily as a gown, underneath she will always be Arya Stark. 

 

Yup can't wait to see her back 

  Reveal hidden contents

...in Winterfell and see her standing in front of her father's statue. It's so said that she still thinks Maester Luwin is alive and she has to learn he has died already. 

 

Spoiler

Thanks. It's an issue. And makes me wonder what happens if she encounters other people she was close to in the past. Let's see.

 

[Booknerd2]

3 hours ago, Meera of Tarth said:

Who was your other favoruite=?

If we have to get a positive message from here is the fact that Nymeria doesn't want to abandon them, indeed. That's something honourable and Arya might do the same with their loved ones. So she did something good for her (let her leave) that Nymeria might not have understood untill now, and now Nymeria might be teaching something to Arya that she'll realise later,  that she has to be a protector.

Spoiler

Doing this just in case, because of spoilers for those who don't want to see anything until it airs. I guess my favorites are who I have always posted a lot about. Arya, Sansa, Big Nyms, Wolf Pack (Gendry and Hot Pie) Sandor and Stranger. Dying to see how interactions go after last episode. And there are others too that I favor as well, or are interesting.

Your post just made me think of this, and I hadn't contemplated it:

Arya did NOT invite her pack. She just asked Nymeria to come with her.