Is Arya No One? (Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire)

What do you think? Is Arya No One?

I agree for the most part, Robert! Except that I still think the Iron Bank hired the Faceless Men to keep an eye on Cersei and Arya is part of that contract of vigilance. The Iron Bank has vast financial resources at its disposal for which a contract on her life is likely if she gets out of line (and I think Arya has been a part of that win-win-win situation all along)… and I'm sure that they would also find it in their interest to prevent the Golden Company from going to Cersei's aid, citing conflict of interest.

Interesting theory

I think Arya is still Arya on the show. This theory would be too complicated for the show since we haven't seen any reference to the Faceless Men for a season or so. I would like to see the Waif take Arya's identity in the books.

I think Arya is still Arya on the show. This theory would be too complicated for the show since we haven't seen any reference to the Faceless Men for a season or so. I would like to see the Waif take Arya's identity in the books.

Good God, Another voice that sounds worse than fingernails on a chalkboard !

I think she is no one on the sense that she has the training of a faceless man that makes her no one

Jaqen H'ghar knew that because of her personality, experience, and now training, even if she "leaves", there will be many, many lives offered to The Many Faced God.
AND, she will ALWAYS owe a debt to the Faceless Men.

Valar Morghulis

I'm curious why no one seems to mention how very often The Waif referred to herself as "I" and "Me" instead of "A girl" and refers to Jaqen as "You" rather than "A man" …. season 6 is a favorite so a girl has watched it many times and it happens quite a bit… the writers wouldn't do this on accident, so it makes me wonder how that influenced The Waif's ultimate path and demise…

Robert, thank you thank you. IMO you've eloquently hit this complex nail on the head. Jaqen/KIndly Man *always* knew and customized her training, and even her two assignments (via the Iron Bank, the FM probably knew Meryn Trant was escorting Mace). Jaqen wanted her to have as much sense (safety) as courage, recall her Starkishness, and gain some very useful tools and abilities. Her desires and theirs dovetailed synergistically By killing the FM they'd sent to kill her, she graduated. "A Girl is" acknowledges him and them, her formal name is her choice to be the person and Stark she is, and "I'm going home" is her wish and intention. I wonder if they currently know and are nervous that she's swerved from her Cersei pursuit to go home, but they know her well enough to trust her instincts implicitly. I think she will go after Cersei in S8, but because Cersei's troops will force Jon to fight on two fronts, making Cersei's removal a military necessity. I hope that since she only ever wanted to be a Warrior, she'll fight the Others (an even bigger FM enemy) directly before going to Kings Landing.

Two quick points. 1) They did indeed put her in the accelerated class, but they may have known/guessed she always learned from failure anyway. Syrio had told her "Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better." (I'm not implying S = J.) And her story about sneaking out and shooting one arrow 50 times before hitting the bullseye shows us her tenacity in learning from failure. The fact Ned approved showed her early disdain for wrong rules. These attributes were ideal for success in the fast-track training she got in Braavos. 2) People aren't binary. Jon told Theon he was Stark AND Greyjoy. Jon will probably choose to be Stark AND Targaryen. Arya is probably aware of being both Stark AND No One. She seems to switch back and forth as needed (in the books, this may be associated with warging ability). We saw this repeatedly in Season 7: No One with the Freys, Arya with the soldiers, Hot Pie and Nymeria. She's Arya when she arrives home, but after the rude rejection by the guards, and SAnsa's insistence on being called 'Lady Stark', her fragile confidence in "Arya" may have been shaken. Learning that the dangerous, evil Littlefinger was there AND preying on Sansa and Bran sent her into Faceless Man mode to protect them. She couldn't kill him because she knew of no crime by him AND he was under Guest Right. So from the moment she showed him her skill with *his* dagger and gave him the death glare, she became No One and waged an indirect mutual war with him. She mounted a ruse, being seen spying on him and play-acting hostility towards Sansa–all to push him into making a self-incriminating mistake. At the right moment, by signalling Sansa with LF's dagger, she passes the baton of responsibility to her. Later, she opens their post-trial conversation by asking Sansa, "Are you all right?" Arya's herself again.

She couldn't be broken? Or was she being trained for a very specific reason? The smile said it all.

before i watch, i'll quickly sum up my thoughts: i've heard about this elsewhere, including that she's the waif, but i seriously doubt those theories based on what you've said, thank you btw, before on the subject of why Jaqen recruited her: That Arya was what he considered an ideal recruit. That he lost two recruits so swiftly must affect him, and it's not like he lives forever, so i'm sure his belief system must be shaken – "all men must serve" + "all men must die" = Arya quitting after killing the waif was a double whammy.
He's got alot invested in her…yet, he's taught her to not trust what is said but what is done (i subscribe to the notion he was also the dancing master)…she's on a headlong course to combat the eternal undead.

Looks to me like she's all growed up and kickin ass, but not exactly in the way he hoped.

Love your videos. Keep it up

So glad you've finally made this video. It mostly confirms my thoughts (and I'm sure the thoughts of other folk) about the Faceless Men seeming to target Arya for a specific purpose other than simply becoming a Faceless recruit. The idea that her retaining her Arya personality, and going out to cross off the names from her list, would still fit the All Men Must Die ethos and serve their god is intriguing. I still strongly suspect that Jaqen first appearing in Arya's life when he was in the cage en route to Harenhall was no coincidence – that he already knew of her potential – and that with his long time serving as First Sword in Braavos, Syrio would have likely been familiar with the House of Black and White, and it's aims. So it makes sense to me that it was Syrio, having been hired by Ned to tutor Arya, who tipped off the Faceless Men about her. I hope you'll be doing a video about that possibility!

I think Jaqen said she was no one because she was no one. I think when Arya put the candle out and killed the Waif was a representation that she had completed the initiation and is now a faceless man (or something like that). Also Arya used a face to kill Walder Frey. Remember earlier Jaqen said that the faces were meant for those who were no one. So if Arya is allowed to use the faces that means she has met the requirements for the faceless men. Also earlier, many times Arya would say that she is no one and Jaqen or the Waif would hit her because they knew she was lying…this time Jaqen said she was no one, if someone were to understand if she was no one, it would be Jaqen.

I would agree that 'Noone should be looked at in the context of a rank. To be truly brainwashed is much like declawing a cat or hobbling a horse: the subject stripped of their own identity in truth becomes only a servant and possibly drives out the very virtues that were first seen as attributes. Perhaps it is the ability to become 'noone' enough to successfully accomplish a mission?
The Waif is a puzzling case to me, and one that I can only resolve by thinking her reason for wanting Arya dead has more to do with mean spirited jealousy, and would only benefit her, where ( if we stretch the context enough?) Arya's reasoning has to do with 'higher' values- the people on her list are not simply people she doesn't like. They have harmed her, her friends, her family, her country, put the kingdoms in turmoil. I am aware that the Faceless men do not seem to have a preference for Justice, but maybe they do for the impact a person has on the greater populace?

Hello sweetie Robert …I think her travel to Bravos it was for those two reasons [to be a FM and to learn their tactics of assassination and fight]but also Jaqen called her there for to transform her in something more than a FM just..She had needed to pass from the dark to light ..from no one to someone[that philosophical identity crisis who she pass in s5-s6 ]…Arya before goes to Bravos..it was a girl who sees her parents and her friends got murdered,homeless,helpless,hopeless,hunted by everyone who hates her family..Arya after Bravos..is a girl without fear..someone who knows how to survive ,to fight,to kill and someone who knows his purposes into this life and doesnt let his emotions to go far or to exposed …Also her blind situation it was a part of this change..the most significant..showing that she is capable to fool her enemies with the appearance of the weak poor girl like some animals who they had a cute and innocent appearance but they can kill you if you hurt,threat or bother them ..camouflage…Also i do think that Jaqen never had wanted to hurt her or she to suffer during death …the Waif it was that had wanted that Arya to suffer during death and something entirely…Arya to taste the death…Also he said that she now finally is no one..knowing that she got tasted the gift of death and now she knows how to give this gift to the other peoples [like Walder Frey,Littlefinger,the other Frey guys and etc] ..because for the FM death is a gift ..who all the peoples should receive in their life..even dying young even dying old..mens,womens,childrens…rich/poor ….everyone including themselves . ..And yes maybe Jaqen trained her for his own satisfaction ..a teacher always feel satisfied when his/her student goes well in the lessons or is being more advanced with the time ..but Jaqen is different kind of teacher..he serves the death..He may want her to follow every religion who she wants but also to stay and in her purpose.goal to bring the gift of death to the people ..Also remember my theory about the FM VS NK..the WW as i had say in your previous vid about the FM they are stealing the dead..resurrected them as zombies…from the God of Death …Dragons also burning peoples ..burning also and useful to them faces ..thats why he let her to go in Westeros to complete her list ..they wanting the Mountain and Cerceis face..for their purposes..In the books also the FM they are searching for the book of the Dragons in Citadel ..for their purposes [i want to see a video from you about their connections with the Maesters and Euron Greyjoy] ..For the end i will say that Jaqen wanted her to be herself again..because to be someone else ..to play a theater..is something easy but to BE YOURSELF is something deepest and better..because you will know what yourself is capable to do and what not….its kind of knowledge of what you are and what is your future…What do you think?

It is all the same to the Many Faced God.

As Killing Cersai is one of Aryas driving forces and the mountain is always close to her perhaps the Cligain showdown will arise with Arya and the hound working together. We have all wanted arya and the hound to be reunited and we all want cligainbowl!

Ook! [Pretty slick theory. Makes the TV series make sense now. What would be interesting to know if the screenwriters were as clever as you are.]

I concur with your theory. Arya never needed to lose her identity to serve.

In the show, she drinks the water in the House of Black and White. I think she’s dead, and has been “reborn” by satanic means. She basically went through a mind control program like they would do on CIA agents. I don’t think she will ever be the same.

Arya became no one when she turned in to a full-blown sociopath. Sociopaths do not have a self and must put on masks to fit into society.

She is No One and she is  Arya.

The only explanation that makes sense to me is that the faceless men wanted her to be Arya Stark and she was on a mission to be No One. Jaqen purposely tells her that she’s now no one, making her own the identity she had struggled with since the longest time – her own. In the scene when Arya is first introduced to the hall of faces, he tells her a girl is not ready to be No one, but she’s ready to be someone and that someone is/was anyone else but herself. No one is not just an empty shell of a human being because if they were why would they deny the contracts that come their way when they do? We don’t know exactly what is the process of accepting or denying hits. There’s more to faceless men then just being assassins, than helping people who need assistance in committed suicide. They even can’t kill those they know; knowing happens with memories, memories that are a part of them regardless of what face they wear. And in wanting to be anyone else but herself Arya while not letting go off those memories because of her nightly prayers was still suppressing them when denying to be herself. This being directly at odds with the goal they had set for her. FM are still a mystery to us so we don’t know how they can even use those faces that they do. It can’t be as simple as just slicing off a face off any dead person and just putting it on as a mask. How can they do that? How are those faces preserved for ages? We don’t know that yet. There’s definitely some kind of magic involved here that we have never been made to understand yet. If they can use those faces and preserve them for ages, adopt the identity of the said face without losing their own in the process they have to have some real crazy powers there. The powers that might help them recognize people who have magic of their own. Arya’s from the blood of the first men and she’s a powerful warg and skinchanger in the books, able to warg into Nymeria across a continent that’s an insanely strong bond. She hasn’t understood yet the extent of her powers and yet can bend creatures like that cat to her will by using the eyes of that cat. Jaqen probably recognized the magical abilities Arya has unknown to even herself and if that was enough to intrigue him about her because wargs are practically nonexistent in Essos, her ability to blend into her surroundings undetected combined with her resourcefulness and smarts were more than enough to want her on their organization. Not only was she a Stark Scion, she was an insanely powerful child who was able to adapt to her situations according to what would keep her safe even as she could calmly discuss killing people around her as if all she was doing was discussing the weather… being the one to find her and be responsible for her seeking out the FM with the intention of being one of them would have to be something special for sure. Also eventually Arya’s role in the great war with Nymeria and her pack is all but confirmed, something that the FM could have recognized early on. They aim to serve death and more than her list Arya’s survival is imperative for her participation in that war. That’s something though that you cannot tell a child, especially when she’s dealing with horrors of her own and the enemy she needs to face has been nothing more than myths and legends for the longest time and for all her life. So how do you ensure her survival? You make her sufficient enough to take down any threats she might face before and during that war. How do you lure her in? You dangle the bait that you know she’d never be able to resist – the temptation to exact revenge for the wrongs committed against her family.

Her role in the war makes her an important part of it but she’s also being trained in the books for leadership. The kind of leader that the founders of Braavos would make and not the ones that they had to destroy in bringing down Valyria. A leader who knows the hardships of their people and who can empathize with them and so can be one of them. The kind of leader who is not interested in the title but the powers that the title could provide which could be put to good use. Blending among her own people as one of them, a leader can know more and the truth about what’s ailing the people who he/she is meant to look after than any master of whispers can let on.

The show has made a mess of things but I cannot imagine GRRM has been writing Arya’s story the way he has for her to die in the end one day just like that.

In a way it would be a compromise for Arya too but one that she’d never regret entirely.

A girl who has always declined the title of a mere Lady is slated to be a Queen.

Also – in the books Jon’s brush with death is not confirmed. His last moments are quite ambiguous. The words being he only felt the cold and not the fourth knife. So show Jon came back to life because D&D wanted the hype, book Jon might simply be wounded badly but survive because of some timely intervention.

I really like how you explain your theories and after hearing them makes abolutly sense to me! I would like to ask you if yu can explain,sort of,something about Howland Reed purpose,not only his kids on Bran story. Seems the tv show wont show him or develope anything about him.Do you think he has some sight skill? Thats why he sent his children to help Bran to go ,to meet the 3 eye raven?

I’m getting this feeling that maesters bravosi and possibly many more know magic is coming and planetos needs to create its own magic to fight it. Great theory and clip Robert! As with other YT, your hoodie is dope. Please do one where your eyes are barely hidden. Bridge4 did a whole clip with the hoodie barely covering the eyes, it’s hilarious and a great prescription for dedication.

Interesting analysis!

Nice video… its ayra Journey to be an assassin Remember who she is that’s why the test was given to her and she was top of the class in jeqan eyes and the war to come always comes back to the balance death Who lives or die’s and magic

Follow the money. From season one episode one, Baratheon, (who put the poison in the wine), is in debt to the Bank of Brovos, some 3-6 million, depending on how much of the debt is owed to Tie/win Lanister? So, if you were Sherlock's brother, you have already made a deal with whoever is the boss of the Face less men, to collect the debt on the Iron Throne. This happened long BEFORE, ep 1 season 1. So Jack en Hagar is the soul/body/assassin, already on the ground in King's Landing. So doesn't this new Hand look like the way to get the bill settled? From the start he is just there to get the bill paid, helping Ned Stark anyway he can? Just to get the bill paid! Meantime, choose the Real god form a choice of at least seven, that god is workin with Jack-en's boss in the long game to Keep all those dead men dead, All Men Must (STAY, dead), Die! Jackkken smiles when Arya shows she is still on the plan to get the bill paid. The "Real" God is smiling because Arya is set up to play a Huge, really big, like you never saw before, part in the end game. There, ya have it. I have spoken. Oh! and Fuck spellcheck.

..perhaps it's less about becoming "No One" in the absolute sense, but rather the point is to strip yourself of any/everything which is not absolutely essential.

Interesting and very plausible interpretation of Jaquen and Arya's relationship. The best I've seen so far.

Excellent! Like tree roots are hardened by strong winds, Arya is herself at her best, that is, a skilled assassin! Great ruminations!

I struggle with the idea that Arya is truly 'No one'. I guess people believe that the waif had ferreted Arya's secrets out of her very well during the time playing the game. And, yes, Arya's injuries were pretty life threatening. It seems strange, to me, that Arya could not only take on the waif with those injuries, but bring her body back to the hall of faces and throw it on the wall. I don't think the waif won the fight with Arya. Here's why. Arya may have shared her background and she probably muttered her list before bed (and the waif may have overheard). But, the Nymeria scene made me rethink the Waif theory. I just find it hard to believe that Nymeria would have left the Waif alone, and the waif wouldn't have used the words "that's not you" (in a call back to the Ned/Arya conversation). I also don't think the waif would've been able to accurately recall the history with Sansa or Bran, the details of Winterfell, and all of the intricacies of the Stark world. But, more than that, unless Bran sees that the waif has a role in the War for the Dawn….wouldn't he have been able to show that Arya isn't Arya. I don't think Arya became no one. And, I suspect that that's a false goal for the House of Black and White. "To someone, the waters are poison." But, Arya wasn't "someone" or "no one"…she was "Arya Stark, of Winterfell, and (she's) going home". That's not just someone. Similar to Jacquen being Jacquen- even when you're no one and you can separate yourself, you can still claim to be someone. I"m making very little sense, I suspect. I just think becoming "No one" is a little bit of a false flag assignment since it seems like the goal of the faceless men is to be able to become ANYONE when necessary to serve the Faceless God. If the faceless God needs Arya to be a bad ass Arya, then so be it.

"A girl is Arya Stark of winterfell and I'm going home."
I thought that was pretty clear.

If she was No One, I was hoping that Nymeria would rip Arya's throat out due to not recognize her

Do you think Jaqen = Rheagar?

Sunday just got a bit more bearable! 😛

thx robert
!!!!!