What is Arya Stark's Great Role?

[SeanF]

Her arc shows that even very young children can be mad and evil.  The poor Tickler, Raff the Sweetling, and Chiswick will be avenged.

[Northern Sword]

9 minutes ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

I don't know. GRRM's stories usually have...what I would call, bittersweet endings, but not necessarily unhappy. I think a lot of the main characters will have endings like that...where we feel almost good about where they are at, but its also bittersweet. Well, except for his horror stories. Those characters have horrifying endings, lol. 

Yes, bittersweet may be the better word to use. She thinks most of her family is dead, then if she finds out some are still alive, that will help her having something at the end that isn't awful I suppose.

But starting from the trauma of watching her dad get executed, having to escape KL, then flee north through a warzone, to have the rug pulled out from beneath her at the last minute at the Twins, when safety was right there(I loved this part of her story, where she was with the hound, some of my favorite chapters). Thinking her entire family is dead(for the most part). Then ending up at assassin school.  I mean.. Yikes. That has to take a toll.

Her options and outlook going forward is grim at best imo. Don't get me wrong, I'm cheering for her. Yet, her range of outcomes by the end of the story are not all that promising on the happiness scale. Yet the OP question still is unanswered as to her great role. So, things can still change dramatically for her still, there is still hope for her. She needs to find her pack to avoid that type of horrifying ending.

Her great role may be to survive. Then reunite with her pack to help the Starks survive. While dishing out vengeance and justice to Stark enemies of course.

 

[Aejohn the Conqueroo]

On 11/25/2023 at 5:01 AM, Sandy Clegg said:

Wonder if Arya will ever add her own name to her list. That’s on my bingo card now

I think I've written this on here before, but I have a suspicion that she will at least have to contemplate killing Jeyne Poole while she's under the guise of Arya Stark, essentially erasing herself and anyway back to that identity for herself. I think if this comes up it will provide her snap back opportunity, whether she choses to take it or not.

[Aejohn the Conqueroo]

11 minutes ago, Northern Sword said:

Her great role may be to survive. Then reunite with her pack to help the Starks survive. While dishing out vengeance and justice to Stark enemies of course.

I think she's got to learn to foreswear vengeance and that will be what she brings back to the Starks. I know it's a bit of a dead idea on here, but I still see the Stark family reflected in the 7. Ned the Father, Cat the Mother, Rob the Warrior, Bran the Smith, Sansa the Maid, Rickon the Stranger and Arya the Crone. And as such I believe that she will return to House Stark at some point and that she will bring wisdom the rest do not possess.  Maye she will temper Jon after he's lost his shit over getting murdered by his buddies, maybe it will be something larger, but as I've stated before I'm certain that Arya is on a path of discovery and she is learning things first hand that don't necessarily resonate when just said. 

[Northern Sword]

47 minutes ago, Aejohn the Conqueroo said:

I think she's got to learn to foreswear vengeance and that will be what she brings back to the Starks. I know it's a bit of a dead idea on here, but I still see the Stark family reflected in the 7. Ned the Father, Cat the Mother, Rob the Warrior, Bran the Smith, Sansa the Maid, Rickon the Stranger and Arya the Crone. And as such I believe that she will return to House Stark at some point and that she will bring wisdom the rest do not possess.  Maye she will temper Jon after he's lost his shit over getting murdered by his buddies, maybe it will be something larger, but as I've stated before I'm certain that Arya is on a path of discovery and she is learning things first hand that don't necessarily resonate when just said. 

It is possible, and I can see why for her moral/sanity sake.

BUT ... Foreswearing vengeance doesn't sound very Stark like though. The North Remembers or Winter is Coming is their mantra. They are more of a smite your enemy type imo, they did conquer the entire north. Letting go isn't the Starks MO. After getting ganged up on, and being under attack from all sides, it would be quite the change for them to turn the other cheek.

Especially if Jon becomes more wolfish. Rickon is already savage, Sansa is getting sick of dancing to others tunes. Bran will want a blood sacrifice. Cat came back looking of vengeance. 

Arya least of all, she literally has a hit list she recites... and actively chose the assassin life.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Northern Sword

[Aejohn the Conqueroo]

5 minutes ago, Northern Sword said:

BUT ... Foreswearing vengeance doesn't sound very Stark like though.

Exactly.

5 minutes ago, Northern Sword said:

Arya least of all, she literally has a hit list she recites... and actively chose the assassin life.

That is where she is now. I think that by the time she reunites with the remnants of her family she will have changed some. Needle is still hidden somewhere for her to retrieve.

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Aejohn the Conqueroo