Why did Arya give Sansa the dagger?

[falcotron]

If Arya is arming Sansa with a dagger, she's hoping/expecting that Sansa will literally or metaphorically backstab Littlefinger.

But that's not actually the right thing for Sansa to do. Sansa should instead hit him with a frontal assault, with the weapon she's actually best suited to use: being Lady Stark of Winterfell. In other words, put everything out in the open and formally try LF in front of all the Northern and Vale Lords.

Of course that may mean admitting to being party to his weaseling out of the Lysa murder, and to writing the Robb letter, and so on—but she can deal with those things better than she can deal with having secrets over her head and people who want to use those secrets to manipulate her. (And having just solidly established that she's an honorable, just, and honest liege certainly won't hurt her in dealing with them.)

And meanwhile, Sansa doing this will be a repeat of Cat's huge mistake in trying to same thing on Tyrion, but this time it won't be a mistake. Exactly the way Jon keeps repeating things that are, on the surface, the same as each of Robb's mistakes, but the circumstances are different so it's not a mistake this time.

[ShadowKitteh]

To prove she's not a threat.

[MinscS2]

1 minute ago, ShadowKitteh said:

To prove she's not a threat.

Simple and probable explanation.
Her speech basically boiled down to "I could easily kill you and take your place, but I won't. Here's my dagger in case you don't trust me."

Symbolically, that dagger, the symbol of LF's betrayal, has now been in the hands of all three remaining Stark-children.

[Kizzle]

6 hours ago, falcotron said:

If Arya is arming Sansa with a dagger, she's hoping/expecting that Sansa will literally or metaphorically backstab Littlefinger.

But that's not actually the right thing for Sansa to do. Sansa should instead hit him with a frontal assault, with the weapon she's actually best suited to use: being Lady Stark of Winterfell. In other words, put everything out in the open and formally try LF in front of all the Northern and Vale Lords.

Of course that may mean admitting to being party to his weaseling out of the Lysa murder, and to writing the Robb letter, and so on—but she can deal with those things better than she can deal with having secrets over her head and people who want to use those secrets to manipulate her. (And having just solidly established that she's an honorable, just, and honest liege certainly won't hurt her in dealing with them.)

And meanwhile, Sansa doing this will be a repeat of Cat's huge mistake in trying to same thing on Tyrion, but this time it won't be a mistake. Exactly the way Jon keeps repeating things that are, on the surface, the same as each of Robb's mistakes, but the circumstances are different so it's not a mistake this time.

It's clear Littlefinger is plotting with Sansa to kill Arya and do who knows what else. He tells Sansa that Brienne would interfere if one of the sisters tried to hurt the other and then Sansa sends Brienne away right after. Clearly Arya is aware of this, probably Brienne too given how desperately she tries to stay. It seems unlikely her actual concern was that Littlefinger had all the guards on his side, rather that he might convince her to harm Arya. Sansa has always had ambitions for power but has shown some difficulty betraying her family in the past.

[Col Cinders]

4 hours ago, Kizzle said:

It's clear Littlefinger is plotting with Sansa to kill Arya and do who knows what else. He tells Sansa that Brienne would interfere if one of the sisters tried to hurt the other and then Sansa sends Brienne away right after. Clearly Arya is aware of this, probably Brienne too given how desperately she tries to stay. It seems unlikely her actual concern was that Littlefinger had all the guards on his side, rather that he might convince her to harm Arya. Sansa has always had ambitions for power but has shown some difficulty betraying her family in the past.

Just off the top of my head, Sansa's family betrayal score card:

Lies about Joffery's fight with the butcher's boy and the wolf.

Runs to Cersei with Ned's plan to leave KL.

Sends Rob that note.

Publically refers to her brother and father as traitors.

Is an accessory to the murder of her aunt.

Continuing the above by assisting LF usurp her cousin's power in the Vale.

I'm also morally certain that she took the last lemon square.

[Lollygag]

It should be considered that if LF was just killed, it would be murder and nothing more to Robert Arryn and the Vale Lords. They’d lose their support and their army at the very least.

Any retaliation against LF needs to be handled properly. There needs to be proof, a trial of sorts, and a proper execution which will convince the Vale lords and in turn Robert Arryn of LF’s guilt. A sentence must be passed by Jon and/or Sansa thus making it fully sanctioned by the KitN & Winterfell along with substantial proof to support that sentence. Since Jon is gone, it’s Sansa’s sole responsibility. She must pass the sentence, she gets the weapon.

 

That said, I have no idea if this is D&D’s intent or if it’s accidental logic created by viewers.

 

[Illiterati]

3 minutes ago, Lollygag said:

It should be considered that if LF was just killed, it would be murder and nothing more to Robert Arryn and the Vale Lords. They’d lose their support and their army at the very least.

 

Any retaliation against LF needs to be handled properly. There needs to be proof, a trial of sorts, and a proper execution which will convince the Vale lords and in turn Robert Arryn of LF’s guilt. A sentence must be passed by Jon and/or Sansa thus making it fully sanctioned by the KitN & Winterfell along with substantial proof to support that sentence. Since Jon is gone, it’s Sansa’s sole responsibility. She must pass the sentence, she gets the weapon.

 

 

 

That said, I have no idea if this is D&D’s intent or if it’s accidental logic created by viewers.

 

 

 

 For it to be murder, you have to have a body, preferably with a face, since I don't assume them to know about fingerprinting.  What if LF still appeared sporadically?  Where would the murder have been if LF is standing there smiling right at you?

[Lollygag]

Just now, Illiterati said:

 For it to be murder, you have to have a body, preferably with a face, since I don't assume them to know about fingerprinting.  What if LF still appeared sporadically?  Where would the murder have been if LF is standing there smiling right at you?

That's a very interesting idea. I'd think that it would be difficult to carry that on for a long period of time with no one asking questions. LF is the boss here for the Vale, so he can't just make a few random appearances to be believable. But no one caught on to Walder being a bit off for the weeks it would have taken to put together the assassination plan, so what do I know?

It'd be a cool idea for the books, but I think it's over D&D's head and just creates new story lines.

[falcotron]

3 minutes ago, Lollygag said:

It should be considered that if LF was just killed, it would be murder and nothing more to Robert Arryn and the Vale Lords. They’d lose their support and their army at the very least.

Any retaliation against LF needs to be handled properly. There needs to be proof, a trial of sorts, and a proper execution which will convince the Vale lords and in turn Robert Arryn of LF’s guilt. A sentence must be passed by Jon and/or Sansa thus making it fully sanctioned by the KitN & Winterfell along with substantial proof to support that sentence. Since Jon is gone, it’s Sansa’s sole responsibility. She must pass the sentence, she gets the weapon.

Agreed completely.

I think Sansa is gradually reaching the same conclusion as you, but Arya isn't, and that's part of the problem.

Anyway, the only way Sansa can pull this off is to put everything out in the open. Which includes the stuff that makes her look bad—otherwise, she's just leaving that stuff as a weapon that can be used against her. And that's why she hasn't done it yet.

Well, that, and she may also still be thinking that she can beat LF at his own game, instead of forcing him to play hers.