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This 'Game Of Thrones' Theory About Arya Stark Is Pretty Mind Blowing

This 'Game Of Thrones' Theory About Arya Stark Is Pretty Mind Blowing

What really happened to her?

Matthew Cooper

Matthew Cooper

Not watched this week's episode of Game Of Thrones yet? Then leave now. SPOILERS lie ahead. Seriously, just go.

Still here? Good, then we will continue.

Betraying The Many Faced God was always going to end badly for Arya. And honestly I wish she'd have made her decision earlier. Her story arc over the past two seasons has been nothing short of completely skipable, prime 'check your phone' material.

Still, it's happened now. And this week Arya was making her plans to leave Braavos on a ship until The Waif creeped up behind her disguised as an old woman, slashing the young Stark across the stomach before poking a few holes in her.

Before the nameless girl could deal the killer blow, Arya launched herself off a bridge into a stream to escape her attacker. But there are many who believe there is more to it than meets the eye.

First off, Arya is not an idiot, she'd have been well aware that The Waif would have been sent after her. Because of this, Arya admiring the views of Braavos in plain sight seems like an uncharacteristically stupid thing to do.

Also, why wasn't she carrying Needle? Arya goes nowhere without Needle.


Credit: HBO

Someone even wrote these valid points on Reddit "First off, Arya seemed different from the start. Her scene with the merchant, her walk all seemed very confident, which is unusual after the events this season. ... Also, where did she get the money from (to pay for her journey on the ship)?"

Another Redditor went into even more depth on the matter: "We can assume she knows enough from training to figure the waif will attack the body," passingwisdom wrote. "So I believe she has 1 or more pig's blood pouches around her body. She knows where and how to do this because last episode... she saved the actress. The actress then provided her help to make the scene on the bridge large and realistic. ... She then leaves the water and leaves a trail of blood.... to lead her [enemies] to her. Expecting an unarmed (because she choose not to show needle during the fight scene) and injured girl; they will instead walk down a dark alley and be met with an uninjured girl who knows how to fight in the dark and carrying a sword."

Others believe it was not Arya, but rather Jaqen H'ghar disguised as her.


Credit: HBO

"That wasn't Arya. She would have been carrying needle," froschkonig wrote. "She wasn't aware that Jaqen said not to make her suffer, so making a big show of her suffering doesn't make sense. It was Jaqen testing the waif, and by stabbing her in the stomach and not just slashing the throat, she disobeyed orders just like Arya did. Jaqen is gonna lay some faceless justice down."

Still hungry for more theories that sound just as plausible. Here's another.

Redditor woohiya notices that just before the attack Arya passes someone who looks just like her. The theory is that maybe she was able to put her mask on another girl in order to lure out any would-be attackers, specifically The Waif.

Hmmm, and one more for good measure. Is Arya The Waif? That would certainly be very Fight Club.

This theory was brought up by Reddit user, catNamedStupidity. He suggests that Arya and the Waif could be the same person - and that The Waif only exists within Arya's mind. The Waif is the "no-one" that Arya is trying to become.

And to be honest, it holds water. Only Arya and Jaqen H'ghar ever seem to bump into The Waif. This theory would also explain why nobody batted and eyelid when the Waif was beating a blind Arya over the head with a stick in the streets of Braavos. Either the people of Braavos are used to child beatings, or the Waif wasn't actually there. The Waif also seems to know everything about Arya, including where she is at all times.

Much to muse on there. Maybe we will find out on next week's episode 'No One'.

Words by Matthew Cooper

Lead Image Credit: HBO

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Topics: Theory, arya stark, Game of Thrones