Arya's whereabouts and actions in the forthcoming novels

[evita mgfs]

I think the FM are keeping Arya close ( without making her a captive) with training and missions until they decided what move they were going to make in the Westeros Game of Thrones.

Jaqen knew who Arya was and with the Wars, her value in the North and Westeros. He tried to get her to join him but she was determined to reach her family so he gives her a coin and tells her that this "magic" coin will take her across the Narrow Sea to Bravosi, where she can find people who will help her.

If you remember, at first, Arya did not like the Temple of the Many Faced God, it was dark inside but it did not feel safe (like the Crypts under Winterfell or the lair of BloodRaven) and Arya drew her sword. It wasn't until the smells became familiar and reminded her of Winterfell that she relaxed and the Kindy Man makes his appearance.

Why did the smells from the candles become the smells of Winterfell and home? I think Jaquen gave them a heads up and they were waiting for her to turn up.

I know, I know. The Kindy Man tried to scare her away with his "scary face" but this is not an ordinary little girl, as Jaqen could have told them, this is Arya of Winterfell, she has killed and seen battle and its aftermath first hand, she doesn't scare easy so again, I think they were waiting for her and were more than ready to give her a chance.

Think about it. It's the perfect way to gain control over her, by making her think they don't want her and she has to work very hard to "earn" her place. If they had clapped her in chains, she would turn her hatred on them and be continually plotting an escape and probably having to be smacked around, not a good way to get her to do what you want later, like declare the North for Stannis.

I believe the FM and the Iron Bank are related, that the Iron Bank grew from the Faceless Men so doesn't that make a little more sense now, that they would send someone all the way to the Wall to track Stannis down to offer him money and support for his ( nearly lost cause) claim to the Iron Throne.

They have Arya and through her claim can assure the North will support their candidate for the Iron Throne. That makes more sense to me as their reason for backing Stannis.

Great post and I agree - some ideas I had, and my post from a Faceless Man board that received no reaction. Maybe these links - and others - can lead to more knowledge about the FM.

No proof, but it is possible that the Kindly Man and the Waif are drawn from Arya herself; they perceive her desperation and her fear. The KM transitions from a skull into an endearing old man whose looks, and promise of food, win Arya over. The Waif is a mirror image of Arya when she was Wease- another non-threatening welcomer. Similarly, all the smells of home conveniently relaxed her. Maybe Davos would smell onions in the HOB&W? (Joke) But get what I mean? Like when Bran projected anger onto Summer, and Summer chased Meera up a tree? And didn't Bran create some other visage that was a monster? I can't recall)

Why am I intrigued by the pattern of “faceless” personages in Martin’s ASOIAF? I present my fledgling list of ‘faceless’ wonders, or those ‘facially challenged’. These references are thematically significant, but is there a unifying purpose(s)?

1. Jon Snow collapses on his knees and falls face first in the snow (irony) after he dances with daggers.
   
2. The Children of Forest carved the red faces in weirwood trees.
   
3. Ghost’s face suggests the coloring attributed to Weirwood – white fur and red eyes versus white bark and red sap.
   
4. Faceless men of Braavos, elite assassins like Nikita, aka ‘no one’ [Also very Homeric; think Odysseus’ tricking Polyphemous by telling him his name is ‘no one’].
   
5. Catelyn Stark’s fingernail torn face, her self-mutilation motivated by witnessing her last remaining son, her first born, Robb’s cruel death, forcing herself to slice JingleBell’s throat in retaliation, and suffering through the hellish BW, the greatest bloody feast since Odysseus slew 108 suitors in his hall on Ithaca – their punishment for violating the laws of hospitality (eating all his stores, raping his women, mistreating his wife Penelope, leal servants, beloved dog Argos, son Telemachus, and refusing an ancient beggar (Odysseus in disguise) food from a feast paid for by the host.
   
6. Sandor’s burnt face and his distinguishing Hound helm.
   
7. Quaithe’s laquered face mask.
   
8. The flayed faces of the miller’s boys, meant to represent the young lords Bran and Rickon.
   
9. Shireen’s greyscale marred face.
   
10. Tyrion’s pitiful visage, an ugly scar and missing nose.
    
11. Brienne’s face further spoiled by Biter mistaking her cheek for a steak.
    
12. Chett’s revolting, puss-spewing boils and other blemishes.
    
13. Joff orders Sansa’s punishers to save her face.
    
14. Jaqen’s facial transformation.
    
15. Arya’s facial alterations: Cat of Canals and Blind Beth.
    
16. The KOM’s skull face melts into a gentle soul.
    
17. The Waif’s face mirrors Arya herself as Wease.
    
18. The Quiet Isles’ congregation of faceless, broken men led by Good Brother, also symbolically “faceless” for he is ‘no one’ – cannot remember who he is but was reborn on the Trident after Rhaegar and Robert’s battle.
    
19. The wizened violet blue faces of the Undying of Qarth.
    
20. Myrcella Baratheon’s altered facial features as a result of losing an ear.
    
21. The faceless Robert Strong.
    
22. The disguised Knight of Laughing Tree.
    
23. The vault of faces without people hanging in a secret vault in the HOB&W.
    
24. Jon dreams that he sees his brother Bran’s face in a weirwood tree.
    
25. Jon dreams that the wight Othor had his father’s face.
    
26. A faceless Bran who assumes the likeness of Hodor.
    
27. The thousands of faceless innocents and soldiers who died for ‘faceless’ kings and lords they could not recognize with 100 lifelines.
    

I look forward to any reactions.

[The Undead Martyr]

Well, faceless isn't the same as a changing face. I wouldn't lump mutilations in with face changing.

[evita mgfs]

Well, faceless isn't the same as a changing face. I wouldn't lump mutilations in with face changing.

You're right. I think 'these other' examples are part of a broader theme - of which I can only guess. Thanks.

[BaseBornBastard]

Here's how I think Arya will come into play....

Stannis sent one of his Subordinates across the Narrow Sea to hire a sellsword company ( preferably the Golden Company) to fught for his claim, using the money he has borrowed from the Iron Bank. Will will soon reach Stannis that the Golden Company is no longer available, and with that news will come the news that they have already been hired by Aegon Targeryan. Stannis will no doubt be unhappy to learn that Aegon, not only alive, but in Westeros with a small army staking claim to the Seven Kingdoms. With this information, he will contract the FM to kill Aegon, thus removing one 'pretender' to the thrown and making the Golden Company available for himself.......killing two birds with the one stone. Arya's job will be to go to Westeros and take out Aegon.

[Ittiz]

Maybe they will discover that she is a warg and kick her out (her wolf is an unbreakable connection to her former self)? Or maybe they will send her to Westeros to kill her wolf before she can fully become one of the faceless men. Then once she's there she gets caught up in whats going on (Unlike Jon she hasn't taken any vows).

[evita mgfs]

Perhaps the FM already suspect she is a warg, and for this reason they are accepting her as an assassin, even though they seldom take on women for they take, not give life. But I like the whole idea that Arya will play the biggest mummer's farce of all - she accidentally infiltrates the HOB&W, earns their respect and trust, plays the game, pulls off a few impressive kills of really hateful people but who deserve to die. Then she will be assigned a trick - like the Unsullied have to kill a puppy. She will be asked to kill Nymeria.

"This Direwolf once belonged to a little girl named Arya Stark of Winterfell. But Arya is not here, is she?" asked the KOM. "Who are you?"

"No one." said Noone.

"Then kill this monstrous wolf that belonged to the liar Arya Stark."

Arya will chew her lip as Nymeria whines, the direwolf held fast with heavy iron chains.

KOM will hand her Needle.

"The liar Arya Stark hid this. There is no place here for such a liar. Go from here! Take Arya's mutt."

"No!" Arya pleads.

"Who are you?"

"No One!"

"Liar!? KOM slaps her in face. "Who are you?"

As she skewers KOM with Needle, she says, "You know who I am!"

[BaseBornBastard]

Perhaps the FM already suspect she is a warg, and for this reason they are accepting her as an assassin, even though they seldom take on women for they take, not give life. But I like the whole idea that Arya will play the biggest mummer's farce of all - she accidentally infiltrates the HOB&W, earns their respect and trust, plays the game, pulls off a few impressive kills of really hateful people but who deserve to die. Then she will be assigned a trick - like the Unsullied have to kill a puppy. She will be asked to kill Nymeria.

"This Direwolf once belonged to a little girl named Arya Stark of Winterfell. But Arya is not here, is she?" asked the KOM. "Who are you?"

"No one." said Noone.

"Then kill this monstrous wolf that belonged to the liar Arya Stark."

Arya will chew her lip as Nymeria whines, the direwolf held fast with heavy iron chains.

KOM will hand her Needle.

"The liar Arya Stark hid this. There is no place here for such a liar. Go from here! Take Arya's mutt."

"No!" Arya pleads.

"Who are you?"

"No One!"

"Liar!? KOM slaps her in face. "Who are you?"

As she skewers KOM with Needle, she says, "You know who I am!"

Wow, I could actually see something like that playing out. I definitely think the KOM knows Arya is a warg anyway, and probably that she hid needle as well. The FM seem to know a lot of things they shouldn't, such as Jaqen knowing who Arya was without needing to be told.

[evita mgfs]

Wow, I could actually see something like that playing out. I definitely think the KOM knows Arya is a warg anyway, and probably that she hid needle as well. The FM seem to know a lot of things they shouldn't, such as Jaqen knowing who Arya was without needing to be told.

Thanks! You made my night! That gives me confidence to keep analyzing.

Welcome aboard.

Evyta :cheers:

[BaseBornBastard]

Thanks! You made my night! That gives me confidence to keep analyzing.

Welcome aboard.

Evyta :cheers:

:)

[The Undead Martyr]

Why is everyone so certain that the FM are serious about the "no one" thing? I read it as a mental "trick" a la an amazing actor and liar. Plus, there are scenarios where she'd be let go without having to kill everyone- the Dany courtier trick is one of them. They aren't training her to be "just another FM" but they're going to use her in the War for the dawn or somesuch.

Frankly, I'm dead certain that her connection to the north (in the sense of anti-Others &/or warging, not just claim to winterfell) is the sole reason they're training her. Braavos is playing the long game, against the long night- an apocalypse is bad for business,and braavos doesn't have farms/wood for itself. Given the clear skill with magic and info-gathering that the FM have, they probably knew earlier than anyone what was going on north of the wall, and possibly excluding the Crannogmen definitely have the most thorough picture of what's going on of all the people south of the wall.

[Valkyrist]

She'll be contracted by Justin Massey to assasinate Tommen (i.e. black cat on the windowsill).