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​Arya Stark Was Fulfilling Her Destiny In Battle Of Winterfell - And It's Been Years In The Making

​Arya Stark Was Fulfilling Her Destiny In Battle Of Winterfell - And It's Been Years In The Making

Turns out we’ve had clues of Arya's fate for the Battle of Winterfell all along

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

WARNING: CONTAINS GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS

Anyone who's seen the Battle of Winterfell popping off in the third episode of Game of Thrones' season eight (if you haven't, stop reading immediately and stick that TV on) will know that there was one person who kicked ass more than anyone else.

Sure, many of our beloved characters pulled their weight (*cough* apart from Sam *cough*), but Arya Stark was a straight-up BADASS - springing out of nowhere and plunging a knife into the Night King.

Yep, Arya has always been a bit of a force to be reckoned with, but after all that she is now officially the GoT G.O.A.T.

However, perhaps none of us should have really been surprised when she saved the day; turns out we've had clues of this fate all along.

Let's not forget, of course, that while everyone has been bickering about who should sit on the Iron Throne, Arya's been quietly working on her fighting tekkers. It's been a long time coming, and this alone has helped the young Stark warrior set herself up for the big moment.

But there have been many more moments, too, from various other characters within the show.

Way back in the very first episode, we see Arya trying to fit in and be like one of the LADs. Her brother, Jon, eventually presents her with her very own sword, when he jokingly tells her: "Stick 'em with the pointy end."

Fast forward to The Long Night episode, and this time it's Arya handing Sansa a knife.

A worried Sansa explains how she's never had to use a knife on anyone, which is when Arya echoes the advice that she was given: "Hit them with the pointy end."

It was all a bit ambiguous as to why at the time, but now we know. Mind blown.

In season three, episode six, Melisandre also mysteriously tells Arya: "I see a darkness in you. And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes sealed shut forever."

An episode in season seven also foreshadows the exact same move that will see Arya slay the Night King - which we first saw her bust out when she's sparring in the courtyard with Brienne.

What's more, everyone said no one could kill the Night King.

But you may remember that Arya's time among the Faceless Men transformed her into precisely that: No One.

Jaqen, the bloke who trained Arya to be a Faceless Man, also hinted at this destiny when he said: "A girl is no one."

And finally, Arya's ultimate purpose could be why so many sacrificed their life to save her...

Mind blown.

On a behind-the-scenes video for the epic third episode, show co-creator David Benioff explained that they knew Arya would be the one to deliver the final blow for a while.

"I think it's probably three years now, we've known that it was going to be Arya who delivers that fatal blow," Benioff said.

"We hoped to kind of avoid the expected. Jon Snow has always been the hero, the one who's been the saviour, but it just didn't seem right to us, for this moment."

Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow, also admitted he was 'pissed' his character didn't end up killing the Night King, saying he'd have 'bet you thousands' that it would be Snow who would put an end to the pesky villain.

"Before we read the final script I was like, 'Yeah it's definitely me'," he said.

"I was pissed that it wasn't me killing the Night King."

Well, soz, Kit. LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE MVP THAT IS ARYA STARK, EVERYBODY.

The fourth episode in the final season of Game of Thrones will air on Sky Atlantic in the UK at 2am on Monday 6 May.

Featured Image Credit: HBO

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, arya stark, Game of Thrones