Something that just does not make sense at all (Syrio)

[Cat of the Banal]

I like the idea that Syrio was a FM. Maybe though he was not there to kill anyone. The FM are also dispatched to gather information. Perhaps the Iron Bank wanted a spy inside Kings Landing, since they were more than a little behind with their bills. They hire a FM, who is able secure a job in the household of the hand of the King, and this FM starts happily collecting information and ingratiating himself with the household when all hell breaks loose. Syrio gets captured and he then assumes the Jaquen persona in the black cells just to keep from being executed. He accepts going to the wall as a means of escape. Everything else is just happenstance. It would explain how Jacquen knew Arya from site (according to the Apple Ap). The FM (who would be Syrio then Jaquen) would have been impressed with her tenacity and strength, and may have grown attatched to her, thus offering her the opportunity to join the FM.

[The Raven's Teeth]

Trant killed him.

Syrio's training sword was broken, he would only be able to hold Ser Meryn a few seconds so he told Arya to run.

As for the matter of the swords of the Lannister Guards Syrio beat & why he didn't pick one of them up, the answer is pretty obvious. He is a highly trained Braavosi swordsman i.e. he knows how to use Braavosi swords not Westerosi swords, as he points out the style of use is totally different.

The swords dropped by the Lannister Guardsmen would have been too heavy & cumbersome for Syrio to use effectively, bear in mind that he is described as being slightly built.

In addition Ser Meryn is a knight of the Kingsguard, he might be cruel but he isn't a slouch with a sword.

[GallowsKnight]

I think it's an important reflection on the differences between the two martial styles and associated cultures. Meryn Trant an average Westerosi Knight kills one of the best Water Dancers in the world because he couldn't get through the armour. Not having his sword didn't help either.

[Cruella]

In ADWD we see how helpless is an excellent fighter (Spotted Cat or some such) who is used to fighting bareback (so to speak) against heavily armoured knight. He is landing blows on Barristan but the latter is well protected.

[Northern Nomad]

I think George might have had plans to bring Syrio back since from arya's pov all we hear is a scream. But i think George scraped the plans because it would have been a bit too cheesy.

[Brienne Of Bombay]

I somehow believe that Syrio is still alive. I believe Syrio is a lot better than the other warriors mentioned in ADWD so he should've escaped Trant.

[Bear Island Bruiser]

Syrio is dead or in the black cells somewhere at best. The Lannister monarchy is hardly likely to slaughter there way through the Stark household and guardsmen and leave someone who injured their men alive.

Why didn't he pick up a sword? Did he really have time? Was it safe to drop his gaze to look for a sword with others in the room.

Look the story is a POV from Arya so basically she's not going to see it if she's running away the only sense she has to pick up on it is sound and she hears a scream. He was a skilful duelist but he was up against multiple armoured swordsman and he was armed with a wooden sword. The only end result is him getting beaten.

[Nikken]

We know Jaqen's FM assignment brought him to Old Town. I don't see any plausible theories that have him accepting the position with the Starks considering that assignment. However, I did notice some interesting things in a reread. When Jaqen first speaks to Arya, he says he is originally from Tyrosh, but Arya notes that his accent is similar to Syrio. Also, when they part ways, he tells her to go to Bravos. Both can be explained, but they struck me as notable. Maybe Jaqen lied about where he was from to protect his assumed identity. Maybe he was from Bravos, and, if that's the case, perhaps Syrio was arrested and changed his face.

I don't think it works since we know Jaqen was on a particular assignment. It doesn't seem likely that recruiting Arya was purposeful either. More likely, he saw her potential in the way that she forced him to free the prisoners in Harrenhal.

[LeoSuperstar]

We know Jaqen's FM assignment brought him to Old Town. I don't see any plausible theories that have him accepting the position with the Starks considering that assignment. However, I did notice some interesting things in a reread. When Jaqen first speaks to Arya, he says he is originally from Tyrosh, but Arya notes that his accent is similar to Syrio. Also, when they part ways, he tells her to go to Bravos. Both can be explained, but they struck me as notable. Maybe Jaqen lied about where he was from to protect his assumed identity. Maybe he was from Bravos, and, if that's the case, perhaps Syrio was arrested and changed his face.

I don't think it works since we know Jaqen was on a particular assignment. It doesn't seem likely that recruiting Arya was purposeful either. More likely, he saw her potential in the way that she forced him to free the prisoners in Harrenhal.

I believe he says he is from Lorath.

[Lummel]

...Maybe Jaqen lied about where he was from to protect his assumed identity. Maybe he was from Bravos, and, if that's the case, perhaps Syrio was arrested and changed his face...

It is not possible for Jaqen to be Syrio, unless you assume the person has a range of superpowers and prescience that would put Paul Atreides to shame.

It's clear from the discussion between Jaime and the goaler Longwaters in AFFC that Jaqen and the other two from the black cells were handed over to Yoren before the coup took place and that there have been no mystery people in the Black Cells. Everybody has been accounted for.

Why would the Lannister bother to have Syrio arrested? Everybody associated with the Starks, dangerous or not, was being killed out of hand on that day.

Of course in a fantasy novel it is not impossible for Syrio to have had super powers, but since the book isn't about Syrio who appears on a bare handful of pages, chances are that he doesn't.

[A Crow Come Over]

It is not possible for Jaqen to be Syrio, unless you assume the person has a range of superpowers and prescience that would put Paul Atreides to shame.

This is another common misconception people seem to have with this theory is that Syrio is Ja'Qen and vice versa.

I'm saying that Syrio IS dead but that he was killed prior to coming to KL by a FM (when I don't know) and after the confrontation/escape from Trant, took a new identity in the form of Ja'Qen.

[Spotted Cat]

Syrio is not a Faceless Man. I think this is clear. He could resurface sometime later, or he could turn out to be dead. Really a toss-up at this point.

why is it so clear again?

we know nothing about him. he might not be the first sword bravo at all.

He might be a FM impersonating syrio.

[Spotted Cat]

I believe he says he is from Lorath.

are you seriously going with anything a FM said. his whole being is a lie

do we know why he was imprisoned in the first place?

must have done something quite drastic to be caged with biter.

[Ser Duncan of Flea Bottom]

I Still think he's Jaqen, there's no sense of how Jaqen was in the Black Cells, a FM in a dungeon, and he changes faces, so why can't he be Syrio and Jaqen, It's not really imposible

[Alboin]

As far as I remember Trant was alive for all five books and still is. For five books we didn't saw how he strikes a conversation with somebody or somebody strikes a conversation with him about what happened when he was sent to get Arya. IF GRRM would want to Syrio to be dead 100% he would put some words into Trant's mounth as he did more then once with other characters. But he wouldn't! This means there is a strong reasoning why Syrio's death is being kept as mystery, and some chance that he is alive.

[The guy from the Vale]

I Still think he's Jaqen, there's no sense of how Jaqen was in the Black Cells, a FM in a dungeon, and he changes faces, so why can't he be Syrio and Jaqen, It's not really imposible

Why can't he be Jaqen? Lummel already told you a few posts upthread: Because Syrio/Jaqen would have been inside the black cells and giving Arya training at the same time. The known timeline of the events in the Black Cells, relayed by Rennifer Longwaters, just make S=J an impossibility.

[FittleLinger]

I am also baffled by people saying, "How and why was Jaqen in the black cells? He's a Faceless Man!"

Well yes, he's a faceless man in the black cells. How are these two things mutually exclusive?

[LeoSuperstar]

are you seriously going with anything a FM said. his whole being is a lie

do we know why he was imprisoned in the first place?

must have done something quite drastic to be caged with biter.

No, I'm not "going with anything a FM said", I was just correcting the previous poster about Jaquen claimed origin.

Pay more attention next time.

[Lummel]

This is another common misconception people seem to have with this theory is that Syrio is Ja'Qen and vice versa.

I'm saying that Syrio IS dead but that he was killed prior to coming to KL by a FM (when I don't know) and after the confrontation/escape from Trant, took a new identity in the form of Ja'Qen.

I'm not certain quite what my misconception is.

For that to be the case Syrio needs to escape the Red Keep - which is locked down and swarming with gold cloaks and Lannisters killing people associated with the Starks, find Yoren and his nights watchmen, dispose of Jaqen and chain himself to the wagon that we find out in ACOK that Jaqen was chained to. Presumably he gets rid of Jaqen in a non-suspicious way by eating him whole so there isn't a tell tale body? Or perhaps you prefer the version of this theory where Syrio changes to a random night's watchman until he gets outside the city and then changes into Jaqen later?

Now if this series was called the Adventures of Syrio and featured Syrio as a major character that might be plausible. As it stands it seems an unserious theory to me particularly as it overlooks that we do know why Jaqen was in Westeros - he had a mission to accomplish in Oldtown. Which makes it pretty unlikely that he would intend to be taken to the Wall as part of the Nights Watch. The Wall is only a short cut to Oldtown if your name is Sam. It is known.

[sifth]

would be pretty neat if he was in the black cells this entire time