Just what is Arya up to, exactly?
For fans of Game Of Thrones, no character’s storyline has been more of a disappointment over the past few episodes than Arya Stark’s. In both the books and the show, Arya was a beloved character brimming with potential. She’s badass, vengeful, eager to prove herself, and determined to subvert people’s expectations. Then she spent what felt like an eternity training with face-changing assassins, completely isolated from other main characters and plot lines, only to return as some sort of emotionless weirdo hellbent on undercutting everything viewers found endearing about her. But some fans aren’t willing to accept that all is lost.
Recently on Reddit—that is, the breeding ground for all overly thought-out fan theories—a user proposed a potential explanation for Arya’s actions over the past few episodes. Specifically, why she, an expertly trained assassin, allowed herself to be duped by Littlefinger and then threatened to cut her sister’s face off over an insignificant letter written six seasons ago. The theory, aptly subtitled “Why Arya DOESN’T suck,” lays out the evidence that the Stark girls are actually playing games within games.
Foreshadowing: We have quotes from as far back as S6 suggesting that Arya will protect Sansa.“No one can protect me.” – Sansa, S6E9“You need better guards.” – Arya to Sansa, S7E4
Protecting each other: After LF suggests Sansa use Brienne to intervene in the Arya-Sansa catfight, Sansa sends Brienne away and says that she has trusted guards here already. Sansa is not afraid of Arya, nor Littlefinger, and she doesn’t want the honorable Brienne involved in their lying and schemes.