Fans are soon to return to Westeros and the fantastical and dangerous world of Game of Thrones with the prequel series House of the Dragon premiering on Sunday, August 21st. This series is set around two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones so fans won’t be seeing their fan-favorite characters. Nevertheless, this is a great opportunity to remember all the fantastic and empowering characters from Game of Thrones, including Arya Stark. From bold child to assassin to world explorer, Arya is one of the show’s most dynamic characters and her dialogue remains some of the most quoted. In fact, she has so many iconic and impactful lines, but these, in particular, best exemplify why she became so popular.
“What’s West Of Westeros?”
Season 8, Episode 6 – The Iron Throne
Arya was an aimless character for most of her story – a child ripped from her relatively comfortable life, eager to explore and break convention. She did find a purpose that kept her going as the war raged on and tragedy fell all around her. Revenge motivated her, but when the time came that such a purpose was fulfilled she set forth on her next great adventure.
This line is a callback to a conversation she had with Lady Crane in season six, who helped open her eyes to who she really is while she served the Faceless Men in Bravos. While some fans wished the Starks were able to be together at last following the war, this is the rightful way to end Arya’s story. With news of a potential Jon Snow spin-off, hopes are high Arya will get one too and audiences can finally learn what is west of Westeros.
“But I’m Not A Lady. I Never Have Been. That’s Not Me.”
Season 8, Episode 4 – The Last of the Starks
One of Arya’s most memorable and signifying lines is of course, “that’s not me.” She’d always been put in a box as the daughter of a lord. It was implied that she would wed a nobleman and start a family as is the tradition. However, from a young age, she knew that wasn’t the life she was destined for, but no one ever listened to her or truly understood.
She first expressed this sentiment to her father in season one, and despite consistently saying it over the subsequent seasons, it bore repeating here after Gendry proposed to her. It would’ve been a fairytale ending and something entirely out of character for Arya.
“Stick ‘Em With The Pointy End.”
Season 8, Episode 3 – The Long Night
Despite its mixed response from fans, on paper season eight is full of callbacks to early seasons such as this quote. Naturally, it’s best remembered from when Jon gave her Needle in season one, but before the Battle of Winterfell, she passed on this succinct and sage advice to Sansa.
This quote signals to how Arya thinks. Frankly, she wasn’t the cleverest strategist compared to her sister or Littlefinger, though she certainly had her moments. She learned that the direct approach works best for her – that sometimes all it takes is one swift jab with a sword to get the job done.
“A Girl Is Arya Stark Of Winterfell. And I’m Going Home.”
Season 6, Episode 8 – No One
After witnessing her father’s execution and learning of her brother and mother’s deaths, Arya sought escape and a way to get back at the people who killed her family. She found both in Bravos as part of the Faceless Men, but it came at a drastic price. They not only took her eyesight for a time in season five, but they also sought to strip her of her identity.
Although she was never going to rule Winterfell like her brothers, she still wore her name as a badge of honor. She learned all the needed from the Faceless Men and left them in the conclusion of a truly epic sequence with the Waif.
“You Need Better Guards.”
Season 7, Episode 4 – The Spoils of War
For a time, many fans were nervous that Arya had lost her way in Bravos, but finally, in season seven she returned home to Winterfell. While what followed was a dark turn as she and her sister clashed, gaging whether they trust each other, this moment was a funny and bright light for their relationship. They weren’t even friends before they were separated, but they embraced and joked upon reuniting about guards.
This is another callback to season one when Arya isn’t allowed back into the Red Keep by the guards. Interestingly, one of these guards has become incredibly popular recently. Joseph Quinn went on to join Stranger Things this season as Eddie Munson and is best remembered for his epic guitar solo in the season finale.
“I Can’t Sleep Until I Say The Names.”
Season 4, Episode 5 – First of His Name
Truly from season two until the finale, Arya largely operated as an agent of revenge and death. This is best demonstrated by her kill list. Every night she repeated the names, never letting her forget who wronged her, her family, and her friends. This became more than a tradition, it became her purpose.
Specifically, this is part of a conversation with the Hound and culminates in her naming him as one of her intended victims. By the end of the series, she was free of the list’s burden as each person met their end, whether by her hand or someone else’s.
“Not Today”
Season 1, Episode 8 – The Pointy End
Interestingly, while she essentially served the God of Death for years – both independently and as a Faceless Man – Arya was taught never to just succumb to it. Her lessons with Syrio Forel stuck with her, motivating her to keep fighting even when against seemingly insurmountable odds like the actual army of the dead.
“Not today” is also widely considered one of Arya’s most recognizable and defining lines, and it even led to ceaseless theorizing by fans. Many hoped and believed that Syrio survived his battle against Meryn Trant and given his origins in Bravos that he could’ve been a Faceless Man, specifically, Jaqen H’ghar.
“Sansa Can Keep Her Sewing Needles. I’ve Got A Needle Of My Own.”
Season 1, Episode 2 – The Kingsroad
The show was quick to establish how different Arya and Sansa were, setting up how they would forge unique paths as they set out down the Kingsroad to King’s Landing. While Sansa sought to be the perfect daughter and Lady – only learning years later what all that can entail – Arya only wished to be the warrior.
This line is one of the many taken directly from the novels and best demonstrates their dichotomy. It’s here that fans know their stories will diverge not only physically, but emotionally and thematically. Plus, it’s also the last time she saw Jon until being reunited six seasons later.
“I Know Death. He’s Got Nany Faces. I Look Forward To Seeing This One.”
Season 8, Episode 2 – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Years on her own or surrounded by hostile enemies hardened Arya and matured her beyond her years. She returned to Westeros a completely different person, much to the chagrin of her family. While she had her eyes on the south and Cersei, she knew that the true enemy at this time was Death, and he wouldn’t wait.
In the end, she truly was the one to see his face – and shut his eyes for good as Melisandre foresaw – and at the moment that the entire series was leading up to, she killed the Night King. She was already an iconic character, but this fully established her as a hero unlike any other in the show.
“The Rules Were Wrong. I Was Doing What I Was Meant To Be Doing, And He Knew It.”
Season 7, Episode 6 – Beyond the Wall
Arya was largely misunderstood by her fellow characters, especially by the people closest to her, which is why she always kept people at a distance. While she developed strange and important relationships throughout the series – most of all with Sansa, the Hound, and Gendry – her most important was with her father.
Of course, he wished for her to follow tradition, but he wasn’t blind to her truth. He supported her, got her a teacher, and if he had survived the game of thrones, he probably would’ve been happy to see how strong she’d become. This sentiment is what makes Arya such a popular character still to this day. She never sought to conform to a world and its rules that she never agreed with, rather forging her own way.
