Romance in ASoIaF

[Batman]

Ned and Cat loved each other, although both of them may have been in love with someone else when they married

[Winter's Knight]

There is a certain sense of warpedness arond romantic tropes in ASoIaF it seems. Take for example how Loras' lament on Renly's death:

When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.

And then Victarion's revenge filled twist on the same words in Dance:

No man had need of candles when the sun awaited him.

[digiFemme]

Somehow I can't stand the idea of Victarion in a romance. :stillsick: There are other characters who did bad things (Jaime pushing Bran out the window, Hound killing Mycah, etc.) but for some reason, I can still go beyond that. But this Victarion, who killed his wife slowly by beating her to death...I'm sorry but I can't understand why anyone would want him in a romance, much less like him in general. I'm just so surprised that he has so many fans. :(

[whitters23]

I've been wondering about this too. I know that he is a fan of the bittersweet endings but will he really end the series with those sort of endings alone? It's hard to believe that not one couple will find their happy ending.

First of all, the main relationships in the book seem to be Sandor/Sansa, Jaime/Brienne and Arya/Gendry. Of course there are many more but these are the ones that GRRM has taken his time with, slowly built up and still haven't had kiss or even openly admit their feelings for each other (some for obvious reasons). I've always felt that with these three relationships they are firstly based on trust and respect and secondly based on attraction (if at all). For this reason they were always more appealing to me than relationships like Jon/Ygritte and Robb/Jeyne who were mostly founded on sex alone. GRRM tends to end these relationships badly. Personally I feel, based on the careful writing of these three couples, that these are the couples GRRM wants us to be rooting for. Sadly I don't believe many of these characters will make it to the end and are perfect examples of those bittersweet endings he loves to write.

I can see both Gendry and Arya making it to the end though. Of course they may not but out of the three couples I see these two having a better chance survivng than The Hound (if you think him still alive) or Jaime and Brienne.

Plus there has been lots of foreshadowing pointing to these two, even from the first book.

The biggest one being their resemblence and comparisons to Lyanna and Robert. The rebellion started when those two didn’t get married, it would be fitting if it ended by these two fulfilling that promise instead. Also, Robert suggesting that his son marry Ned’s daughter to bind the families like he and Lyanna never did. He was speaking of Joff and Sansa but again it would be an interesting twist that it would actually be these two that bind the families, especially if it is unknowingly.

In Arya's first chapter she compares her hands to that of a blacksmith. She also has compared him to Jon, who she loves and is her best friend (showing that they are compatible). But we know there are not brotherly feelings there for her because of her jealousy at the Peach.

And of course one of the biggest hints for me were Jaime's words in aDwD:

“Lord Eddard’s daughters live. One has just been wed. The other…[..] if the gods are good, she’ll forget she was a Stark. She’ll wed some burly blacksmith [..] fill his house with children and never need to fear that some knight might come along to smash their heads against a wall.”

He was speaking of Sansa when he said that, but the interesting twist is that it is actually Sansa that is married and Arya that is currently trying to forget she is a Stark (Sansa is merely pretending until the time comes to claim Winterfell).

If they do end up together in the end I don't see it being tied up nice and neatly with him becoming a lord and them marrying ect... however I could see them making a life together, perhaps staying unwed.

I see a lot of comments saying that the Forest Love song was foreshadowing that they will never be together, and that could very well be the case, but I always saw it more as that she did not want to marry or at least in the way that's expected of her (to a lord in a castle, making a good match for the family). I've always seen her as an Asha type.

Martin said it earlier this year at a book signing in Toronto, it's not in an actual interview. Someone asked him a question about the two of them and wrote down the response:

His response was that Arya and Gendry have separate futures but whether they'll ever meet up again, you'll just have to keep reading.

So, it is possible they will see each other again but that's it.

I would take this with a grain of salt. Especially since we don't know what question was asked of him. It seems unlikely that he would tell us straight up that these two have no future. It's more likely that he was referring to them continuing to have seperate paths for now, saying that they may just meet up again in the future.

[Lyanna Stark]

He was speaking of Sansa when he said that, but the interesting twist is that it is actually Sansa that is married and Arya that is currently trying to forget she is a Stark (Sansa is merely pretending until the time comes to claim Winterfell).

Welcome to the forums whitters!

Great post and this is a really nice catch. I've seen this particular line of Jaime's debated before but I don't think anyone made the swap of Arya with Sansa, and then yes, it definitely looks like a pointer towards a future Arya/Gendry.

[Artemis]

First of all, the main relationships in the book seem to be Sandor/Sansa, Jaime/Brienne and Arya/Gendry.

I can see both Gendry and Arya making it to the end though. Of course they may not but out of the three couples I see these two having a better chance survivng than The Hound (if you think him still alive) or Jaime and Brienne.

Plus there has been lots of foreshadowing pointing to these two, even from the first book.

The biggest one being their resemblence and comparisons to Lyanna and Robert. The rebellion started when those two didn’t get married, it would be fitting if it ended by these two fulfilling that promise instead. Also, Robert suggesting that his son marry Ned’s daughter to bind the families like he and Lyanna never did. He was speaking of Joff and Sansa but again it would be an interesting twist that it would actually be these two that bind the families, especially if it is unknowingly.

In Arya's first chapter she compares her hands to that of a blacksmith. She also has compared him to Jon, who she loves and is her best friend (showing that they are compatible). But we know there are not brotherly feelings there for her because of her jealousy at the Peach.

And of course one of the biggest hints for me were Jaime's words in aDwD:

He was speaking of Sansa when he said that, but the interesting twist is that it is actually Sansa that is married and Arya that is currently trying to forget she is a Stark (Sansa is merely pretending until the time comes to claim Winterfell).

I see a lot of comments saying that the Forest Love song was foreshadowing that they will never be together, and that could very well be the case, but I always saw it more as that she did not want to marry or at least in the way that's expected of her (to a lord in a castle, making a good match for the family). I've always seen her as an Asha type.

snip

I definitely see where you're coming from. But I also see much of that evidence as a big fat red herring from GRRM especially since he teases the readers with some questionably "friendly" scenes with them constantly. You have the entire wrestling scene at Acorn Hall and Gendry telling her she smelled nice, the time when Gendry and Arya have it off at The Peach, Arya giving Gendry more of a hard time for leaving her "pack" than Hot Pie, the Kindly Man asking Arya if she'd want to marry some "nice apprentice boy", etc. I think the Jaime quote above was meant to torture the readers just a bit because many want Arya and Gendry to end up together especially since we haven't seen his interactions with Sansa yet or ever.

If I've gotten anything out of the series, it's to always be skeptical of details that are quite conspicuously inclined to support a possible future event. This series has taught me to be inherently suspicious of many things (like Dany =AA. ~the end~) and not take them quite at face value. Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but Arya/Gendry seems to be much more obvious (with respect to specific events and their interactions with one another) than Sandor/Sansa (which I see as possibly happening) and even Jaime/Brienne which is what worries me that it's moot.

Arya has changed much and more since being kidnapped from the BwB. She's seen the slaughter of her family's men at the Red Wedding and knew her family was being butchered beyond the portcullis, pulled her mother's decaying body out of a stream as Nymeria, killed Polliver and the squire, lived as Cat of the Canals, Blind Beth, and killed a man simply because it was asked to of her. True, we don't have much insight into the BwB to know if Gendry's changed either, but if he's still that stubborn "bull-headed boy" then possibly not as much as Arya has.

If Arya comes back to Westeros, she'll be a very different person. Maybe not a Faceless Man, but still a different person than the 'Arry that originally left.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that (personally!) I can't seem to see if Gendry and Arya could get on the same page. I DO think they'll reunite in some way, shape, or form but I can't see it as romantically.

I also see Arya dying in the future so all my hopes rest on Sandor/Sansa. :uhoh:

Edit- One more thing that I forgot to mention: welcome to the forums! :commie:

[ARYa_Nym]

I think there's more reason to think that there will be a romance b/w Sandor and Sansa, (which I think will end in death) than Arya/Gendry.

I'm still not convinced that there was anything between them besides friendship. Even if there was Gendry much like his father will not get the girl.

Given the name of Arya's wolf I wouldn't be surprised if she voluntarily left or became no one so Arya Stark does die in a way. She loved being Cat of the Canals more so than she liked being Arry. She may stay there. There are those who think the needle line means her death but to borrow this interpretation from somewhere else I think it may mean:

Frozen grip could be to her not necessarily dying, but everything good being gone from her. All she is, is an emotionally dead girl with a sword.

It could also mean that she is going to do so much killing that she can't stop and settle into a normal life. Instead of her dying she may just be transformed into a killing machine and no one will be able to "remove her blade" or in other words, curb her spree as a rogue/faceless man.

[Artemis]

Given the name of Arya's wolf I wouldn't be surprised if she voluntarily left or became no one so Arya Stark does die in a way. She loved being Cat of the Canals more so than she liked being Arry. She may stay there. There are those who think the needle line means her death but to borrow this interpretation from somewhere else I think it may mean:

I had completely forgotten about that quote! Here it is in its entirety:

The longer you hide, the sterner the penance. You'll be sewing all through winter. When the spring thaw comes, they will find your body with a needle still locked tight between your frozen fingers.

I like your interpretation of this. It goes along with what Ned said to her in AGoT:

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Summer is the time for squabbles. In winter, we must protect one another, keep each other warm, share our strengths."

Both Jon and Eddard talk about Arya having to pull her act together by winter. The lone wolf will die, the one who hides will die.

I do think she might have a chance of surviving if she stops trying to "hide" in Braavos (by literally becoming a "faceless" man), confronting the truths of her past, and remembering that she is a Stark of Winterfell and that "winter is [seriously] coming". I can see her coming back to Westeros at the very latest by the end of TWoW to reclaim her identity and her family back.

Why I think Arya might die is solely due to the convoluted reasoning of my mind. I can't see both Jon and Arya surviving this series. Either one or the other, seems increasingly likely to me, to be offed.

[Kittykatknits]

I think there's more reason to think that there will be a romance b/w Sandor and Sansa, (which I think will end in death) than Arya/Gendry.

I'm still not convinced that there was anything between them besides friendship. Even if there was Gendry much like his father will not get the girl.

Given the name of Arya's wolf I wouldn't be surprised if she voluntarily left or became no one so Arya Stark does die in a way. She loved being Cat of the Canals more so than she liked being Arry. She may stay there. There are those who think the needle line means her death but to borrow this interpretation from somewhere else I think it may mean:

My interpretation is the same. She compares him to Jon which put him in the brother/friend category. I just don't see romance being a part of Arya's storyline at all.

I don't think that bit about needle foretells her death either. I think she's turning in to a child soldier in some ways and that line may foreshadow her leaving Arya Stark behind. It's like the death of Lady. I have seen some think this means that Sansa will die but I don't think that is the case. I took her death as a symbol that Sansa's ideas of what a lady will is and what she will be has died. And, this is exactly what happens to her in KL.

As for romance, the two relationships that have actually been built up and have the most foreshadowing around them are Sandor and Sansa along with Jaime and Brienne. I think that something will happen with SanSan but I think Sandor isn't going to be alive at the end of the series. Jaime is a goner too, just don't know about Brienne.

It's possible that we will see more sex scenes (please, George, hire a ghost writer for those) or more marriages but I don't think we will see any more relationships develop like these. Martin has already laid the ground work for those that mattered I think.

[ARYa_Nym]

I had completely forgotten about that quote! Here it is in its entirety:

I like your interpretation of this. It goes along with what Ned said to her in AGoT:

Both Jon and Eddard talk about Arya having to pull her act together by winter. The lone wolf will die, the one who hides will die.

I do think she might have a chance of surviving if she stops trying to "hide" in Braavos (by literally becoming a "faceless" man), confronting the truths of her past, and remembering that she is a Stark of Winterfell and that "winter is [seriously] coming". I can see her coming back to Westeros at the very latest by the end of TWoW to reclaim her identity and her family back.

Why I think Arya might die is solely due to the convoluted reasoning of my mind. I can't see both Jon and Arya surviving this series. Either one or the other, seems increasingly likely to me, to be offed.

I think Jon's survival rate is stacked against Dany's. Arya is very popular but she's not a main character although she's the only character to be in every book release.

Jon said in AGoT that different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. I think she will meet up with some of her family. GRRM also said that Arya and Sansa have things that they need to work out. I just think that when it's all over Arya will decide to leave.

My interpretation is the same. She compares him to Jon which put him in the brother/friend category. I just don't see romance being a part of Arya's storyline at all.

I don't think that bit about needle foretells her death either. I think she's turning in to a child soldier in some ways and that line may foreshadow her leaving Arya Stark behind. It's like the death of Lady. I have seen some think this means that Sansa will die but I don't think that is the case. I took her death as a symbol that Sansa's ideas of what a lady will is and what she will be has died. And, this is exactly what happens to her in KL.

As for romance, the two relationships that have actually been built up and have the most foreshadowing around them are Sandor and Sansa along with Jaime and Brienne. I think that something will happen with SanSan but I think Sandor isn't going to be alive at the end of the series. Jaime is a goner too, just don't know about Brienne.

It's possible that we will see more sex scenes (please, George, hire a ghost writer for those) or more marriages but I don't think we will see any more relationships develop like these. Martin has already laid the ground work for those that mattered I think.

I 100% agree with you.

[Lady of Long Lake]

My feeling was that fraternal, family love is more important in Westeros than romantic love. Those family ties and troubled relationships seem to me to be the big stories.

That's the love I see too in the books. The true and abiding loves we see are between Arya and Jon, Tyrion and Jaime, Davos and Stannis, the Starks and their bannermen, Doran and his family, Jon and Ghost.

But if there is going to be a mushy romantic ending, I hope that Jon and Sansa are the ones that find romantic love. (Not with each other, of course.) I think they'd both make unusually loving, gentle and good parents.

[Artemis]

That's the love I see too in the books. The true and abiding loves we see are between Arya and Jon, Tyrion and Jaime, Davos and Stannis, the Starks and their bannermen, Doran and his family, Jon and Ghost.

Exactly. To be honest, I've never been too keen on seeing any kind of romance developing during this series. Sure, the hints here and there are fine, but one of the most significant aspects of these book is the subject of familial bonds. I would be entirely content without any side romances as long as the remaining Stark kids are reunited in some way.

[Kittykatknits]

Jon said in AGoT that different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. I think she will meet up with some of her family. GRRM also said that Arya and Sansa have things that they need to work out. I just think that when it's all over Arya will decide to leave.

I have a bit of a theory about this theme actually, based upon pretty much no evidence whatsoever. The series largely started at Winterfell with many of the primary characters introduced at that point - the Stark kids, Jaime, Tyrion, Jon, Cersei, Sandor etc. The characters that have had the vast majority of character development and significant story arcs were all introduced within the first two books too. If you look at characters introduced after the second book, they are only developed as needed to move the story along. Based upon Jon's quote that you listed and Ned's statement about how the pack survives, I think that the series will end at Winterfell so the storyline will end up coming full circle in that respect with many of these characters gathered together again. If you look at where we are at the end of Dance, several POVs and storylines are set to merge. There is everything up in the North, Sansa with the potential for Jaime/Brienne, and Arya coming back to Westeros via -

WOW Spoiler

Justin Massey who is on his way to Braavos now.

The only portion of this that doesn't apply is Dany. She's been on her own since the beginning.

It borders on crackpot but I've always liked this idea.

[Artemis]

WOW Spoiler

Justin Massey who is on his way to Braavos now.

Also, if I recall correctly, Harys Swyft is on his way to talk to the Iron Bank of Braavos about the Iron Throne's debt. During the epilogue of ADwD, Kevan Lannister is to have said something along the lines of "take the Mountain's men with you." If Gregor's men haven't changed, then Raff the Sweetling and Dunsen will be towed along to Braavos. Funnily enough, they seem to be in a certain someone's nightly prayers.

[Kittykatknits]

Also, if I recall correctly, Harys Swyft is on his way to talk to the Iron Bank of Braavos about the Iron Throne's debt. During the epilogue of ADwD, Kevan Lannister is to have said something along the lines of "take the Mountain's men with you." If Gregor's men haven't changed, then Raff the Sweetling and Dunsen will be towed along to Braavos. Funnily enough, they seem to be in a certain someone's nightly prayers.

Oh, good catch. If she sees them, that may help her to remember she's Arya Stark? Hmm,,,no idea, but I really want her to get back to Westeros soon.

[whitters23]

First of all thank you for the warm welcome! It's been so much fun exploring the site and seeing how many people have crazy theories just like me, haha!

I definitely see where you're coming from. But I also see much of that evidence as a big fat red herring from GRRM especially since he teases the readers with some questionably "friendly" scenes with them constantly. You have the entire wrestling scene at Acorn Hall and Gendry telling her she smelled nice, the time when Gendry and Arya have it off at The Peach, Arya giving Gendry more of a hard time for leaving her "pack" than Hot Pie, the Kindly Man asking Arya if she'd want to marry some "nice apprentice boy", etc. I think the Jaime quote above was meant to torture the readers just a bit because many want Arya and Gendry to end up together especially since we haven't seen his interactions with Sansa yet or ever.

If I've gotten anything out of the series, it's to always be skeptical of details that are quite conspicuously inclined to support a possible future event. This series has taught me to be inherently suspicious of many things (like Dany =AA. ~the end~) and not take them quite at face value.

-----

Arya has changed much and more since being kidnapped from the BwB. She's seen the slaughter of her family's men at the Red Wedding and knew her family was being butchered beyond the portcullis, pulled her mother's decaying body out of a stream as Nymeria, killed Polliver and the squire, lived as Cat of the Canals, Blind Beth, and killed a man simply because it was asked to of her. True, we don't have much insight into the BwB to know if Gendry's changed either, but if he's still that stubborn "bull-headed boy" then possibly not as much as Arya has.

If Arya comes back to Westeros, she'll be a very different person. Maybe not a Faceless Man, but still a different person than the 'Arry that originally left.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that (personally!) I can't seem to see if Gendry and Arya could get on the same page. I DO think they'll reunite in some way, shape, or form but I can't see it as romantically.

I also see Arya dying in the future so all my hopes rest on Sandor/Sansa. :uhoh:

Edit- One more thing that I forgot to mention: welcome to the forums! :commie:

I can see that. It's almost like it's soooo obvious that it seems fishy. Although at the same time I know lots of people that have read or are reading the series and they look at me like I'm growing a second head when I ask them what they think about Gendry/Arya or Sandor/Sansa. They just never picked up on those small details or never read anything romantic in them. People do seem pretty clear about Jaime/Brienne though (which I LOVE).

Also, look at all of the foreshadowing to Robb's demise and the Red Wedding in general. I know that little old lady fortold something and I believe Melisandre did too. I had heard that some big characters died in the 3rd book but didn't know which characters and right away I knew it had to be Robb, but then I thought, 'This seems too obvious. It can't be him'. Boy was I wrong!

And the same thing can be said for R+L=J. There have been so many hints that I think I would feel cheated if that wasn't the case! I think GRRM would have to pull some fancy footwork to make us believe anything else.

If all of these 'hints' started after there was already a fan following I could see it as GRRM having a little fun with us, however some of the first mentions of these two happen even before they meet... which is a little peculiar.

-----

I get this too. Arya HAS changed and IS still changing so much. And when two people are seperated it's hard to say if they will both grow in the same direction or grow apart. I think the big thing is they are both growing up. When they both left each other they were still very much children, even though they both had needed to grow up faster than most kids their ages. I think it's safe to say that Gendry is dealing with his own darknesses. His life is also hard and full of horrors. I doubt Biter was his first kill, judging by how well choreographed they seemed to be at the Inn when Brienne showed up. I think they are both growing into warriors and it will be interesting to see how a reunion between them might go. (Also Hot Pie! I miss that kid.)

Oh god, if Arya died I think I would too. A piece of me would ACTUALLY die. However it is a great possibility, especially if you think it's likely we will be losing at least one more of the Stark kids. Let's just say if things start looking that way I will be tossing my copy of the book in the freezer, a la Joey from Friends!

I think there's more reason to think that there will be a romance b/w Sandor and Sansa, (which I think will end in death) than Arya/Gendry.

I'm still not convinced that there was anything between them besides friendship. Even if there was Gendry much like his father will not get the girl.

I absolutley think (and HOPE) there is a good chance we will be getting more romance from both Sandor/Sansa and Jaime/Brienne. Even if it's nothing big, I don't think it's the end for either of them yet. However like you said, I don't think all of those characters will be making it to the end. I would be surprised if Jaime and the Hound lived... and maybe even Brienne. Therefore they aren't the likely couples for our 'happily ever after' if there even is one. This is why I feel Arya/Gendry are the most likely choice. Even if it's just a quick mention in the epilogue, 10 years down the road or what not.

I doubt GRRM will give us anything gushy and overly romantic for ANY of the characters but I find it hard to believe that he would not give one character or couple a happy ending, even if he is a fan of the bittersweet.

I mainly find it hard to swallow that they are 'just friends', because of the jealousy that arose between them. That often doesn't exist unless there are feelings there... even if they are of the innocent kind. If they are just friends they wouldn't have acted the way they did. They both wouldn't have taken it so hard when they decided to move on. (Gendry got upset when Arya was likely to go home, because where is his place then? He has no home. And Arya got upset because he was 'abandoning' her to start his own life with the BwB.) This of course doesn't mean that they are great loves or anything, but I just can't buy the 'just friends' or even 'brother/sister' relationship between them.

My interpretation is the same. She compares him to Jon which put him in the brother/friend category. I just don't see romance being a part of Arya's storyline at all.

Not at all! Yes Jon is her brother but he is also her best friend and the one person that she most admires. Someone who she has always felt comfortable with and they are compatible in a way that she wasn't with her other brothers and sister. Jon always accepted her for who she was, dirt and all. Its very telling that she would find Jon and Gendry comparable. It makes sense that if she ever ended up with ANYONE they would also share a lot of similar qualities with Jon. I guess this is a tiny bit weird, but this seems to be ho the human brain functions. Sometimes when I look at my husband I can see a lot of my dad in him, his work ethic and sense of humour and love of family (some of my dad's best qualities), in other ways they are very different. Also it is insanely weird how similar I am to his mom! Its not creepy its just that we are subconsciously drawn to those qualities because they remind us of home or make us feel safe.

The same thing goes for Jon/Ygritte he constantly found that something reminded him of Arya in her. It's not that he was attracted to Arya (eww!) or thought of Ygritte in a sisterly way (again ewww!) but that she reminded him of one of the people he holds most dear in his heart. And even though Ygritte was soo foreign to him there was just SOMETHING about her that reminded him of home.

Also, if I recall correctly, Harys Swyft is on his way to talk to the Iron Bank of Braavos about the Iron Throne's debt. During the epilogue of ADwD, Kevan Lannister is to have said something along the lines of "take the Mountain's men with you." If Gregor's men haven't changed, then Raff the Sweetling and Dunsen will be towed along to Braavos. Funnily enough, they seem to be in a certain someone's nightly prayers.

Good catch! How amazing would that be? I'm hoping we do get to see her becoming Arya Stark again. Of course she's never really lost her identity but for so long she's been hiding from it, it would be so gratifying to see her fully embrace it again. And then cause some serious damage, Queen Cersei damage!

[Winter's Knight]

Whitter23, welcome to the forum! :grouphug:

I'm sorry to sink your ship but Martin has said that though Arya and Gendry's paths may cross briefly, they are not going to share a future.

[Kittykatknits]

Whitter23, welcome to the forum! :grouphug:

I'm sorry to sink your ship but Martin has said that though Arya and Gendry's paths may cross briefly, they are not going to share a future.

Yep, he confirmed this earlier in this year at a book signing. I know some people online who were there.

[ARYa_Nym]

I think it's possible that if Arya were to want someone they would be like Jon somewhat. Jon grew up with highborn people and was educated despite being a bastard though. He would be more able to accept someone from a different class from him. If this were RL, I think Gendry would be like the husband who can't handle the fact that his wife makes more than him. This type of conflict may lead to divorce. I think that Gendry should be with another commoner so he won't have to feel inadequate to his wife.

Also, Gendry accepted Arya for who she was but he doesn't have to be the only one. Edric Dayne knew what she was like although she didn't tell him that she kills people and he liked her. When she's in Braavos the men she's around love her and they teach her dirty songs and weapon tricks etc.

As far as Jon I think his comparison to Ygritte was somewhat different. Jon is somewhat "off" IMO which is good news for my Jon/Dany ship. :devil:

I have a bit of a theory about this theme actually, based upon pretty much no evidence whatsoever. The series largely started at Winterfell with many of the primary characters introduced at that point - the Stark kids, Jaime, Tyrion, Jon, Cersei, Sandor etc. The characters that have had the vast majority of character development and significant story arcs were all introduced within the first two books too. If you look at characters introduced after the second book, they are only developed as needed to move the story along. Based upon Jon's quote that you listed and Ned's statement about how the pack survives, I think that the series will end at Winterfell so the storyline will end up coming full circle in that respect with many of these characters gathered together again. If you look at where we are at the end of Dance, several POVs and storylines are set to merge. There is everything up in the North, Sansa with the potential for Jaime/Brienne, and Arya coming back to Westeros via -

WOW Spoiler

Justin Massey who is on his way to Braavos now.

The only portion of this that doesn't apply is Dany. She's been on her own since the beginning.

It borders on crackpot but I've always liked this idea.

I actually think that Arya will come to Westeros as part of Dany's entourage.

[SerMixalot]

Bloodraven's mistress would be Shiera Seastar?

Regarding women ruling in their own right, or co-ruling, if Dany ever gets the Iron Throne, it seems that she'd either need to get a consort (can this even be done in Westeros?), or she will need to co-rule with a King since I doubt Dany would be the kind of queen who'd spend her days with tea parties and pleasure barges. Dany will want to rule, or at least to have a say in the ruling. That's been her goal all along and I can't see her relinquish it even if she does need a political marriage to secure her power base.

Sansa and Arya probably have better chances at choosing their own future partners if Rickon is alive and well and they are able to secure back Winterfell for the Starks at some point. The same is true if Bran manages to get back from beyond the wall and can rule Winterfell as its lord. If Bran does not come back, Sansa and Arya can rule until Rickon comes of age. Sansa being disinherited by Robb could also "free" her from any potential suitors only after her claim, while I think wild horses could not force Arya into a marriage to someone who only wanter her for her claim to Winterfell.

As for women in administrative positions of power, if Dany rules, I can absolutely see a new age of "modernity" for women, although I doubt that Sansa would want to be Hand of the Queen, since she's too much like her father and she knows what happened to him, but I could see Brienne enter the Queen/Kingsguard and maybe the Sandsnakes and Asha Greyjoy on the small council?

there is a small wrench in the plan for rickon, sansa etc ruling winterfell, robb's will which legitimizes jon snow!