HBO’s Game of Thrones is one of the most popular and talked about shows of all time. For most of the 2010s, Game of Thrones was the ‘event TV’ that kept the world hooked.
Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) wasn’t always a perfect character. This article will list 5 times fans felt bad for Arya and 5 times they hated her.
Felt Bad: Lady Crane’s Death
Played by the Babadook’s Essie Davis, Lady Crane was an actress that Arya was sent to kill by the Faceless Men of Braavos. Arya is unable to go through with the assassination and Arya even seeks refuge with Crane after being wounded.
That being said, Arya would not be safe for long. She would soon see that Lady Crane had been murdered by the Waif. For a short time, Lady Crane acted as a mother for Arya and it was heartbreaking to see this taken from her again.
Hated: Not Trusting Brienne
Ser Brienne of Tarth is one of the most popular characters on the show. Brienne is one of the most honorable and skilled fighters in Westeros, shown by her determination to rescue the Stark girls and her defeat of Sandor Clegane.
However, Arya did not immediately trust Brienne of Tarth and this was maddening for the fan base, particularly after seeing Arya go through such hardship.
Felt Bad: Syrio’s Death
Rumors of Syrio Forel’s return had persisted since his apparent death in season one, with some suggesting that the former First Sword of Braavos was actually the Faceless Man known as Jaqen H’Ghar.
The series, however, did not bring Syrio back. While this may be different in the books, in the show it simply added to Arya’s own hardship and struggles.
Hated: Waif Chase
Arya had managed to survive the hardship of the Riverlands, successfully escaping Tywin Lannister (or Roose Bolton in the books) at Harrenhal and even managed to form a bond with Sandor Clegane.
This natural skill for survival, coupled with her training by the Faceless Men of Braavos, led fans to be outraged when Arya was seen to be just walking through the streets without a disguise, knowing full well that the Faceless Men were pursuing her.
Felt Bad: Said Goodbye To Nymeria
One of the earliest examples of heartbreak in the series, after Nymeria attacked Joffrey (good girl), Arya was forced to free her direwolf, knowing that Cersei Lannister would want the wolf killed for its actions.
This was heartbreaking for two reasons. The first is that Arya had to throw stones Nymeria to make her runaway (breaking a bond that is analogous to the Targaryens and their dragons), the second is that Sansa’s direwolf (Lady) would be killed in Nymeria’s place.
Hated: Clash With Sansa
The Stark children had been separated since season one. While the siblings had managed to get agonizingly close to reunions at certain times, no such reunion occurred until Sansa and Jon met.
While fans knew that Arya and Sansa weren’t the best of friends in their childhood, they didn’t expect Arya to make threats to Sansa (even more so considering she was the Lady of Winterfell).
Felt Bad: Red Wedding
The Red Wedding was one of the most brutal events in the show’s run. Those who hadn’t read the books were left in shock after Lord Walder Frey betrayed the Robb Stark at the wedding feast of Robb’s uncle, Edmure Tully.
Aside from the brutality of the event, what made this even more heartbreaking was the fact that Arya Stark was so close to meeting her brother and mother again, with the Hound and Arya arriving at the Twins just as the Red Wedding brutality began.
Hated: Wasting Jaqen H’Ghar’s Kills
During her time at Harrenhal, Arya Stark is given three kills by the Faceless Man known as Jaqen H’Ghar after the Stark girl saved his life. However, Arya ends up using her three kills in a rather meaningless manner.
Arya could have used these kills to kill anyone she desired. While Joffrey and Cersei may have been too far away, Tywin Lannister (Roose Bolton in the books) was in Harrenhal and would’ve been a far more meaningful death.
Felt Bad: Ned Stark’s Execution
For many fans of Game of Thrones, this was the moment that the series showed them no character was safe. The main character of the first season and, arguably, the most well-known actor in the series at that point, was executed by Joffrey Baratheon despite Cersei Lannister having arranged for Ned Stark to go to the Wall.
This execution triggered the War of Five Kings and ultimately kickstarted the chaos that would reign for the remainder of the series. However, what makes this event even more heartbreaking is that Arya was present at the execution.
Hated: Leaving The Hound
Originally, the Hound was shown to be a mere goon for the Lannisters. He was a cold, mean, and intimidating character who killed the Mycah in season one of the show under the orders of the Lannisters.
Despite these past indiscretions, the Hound redeemed himself among fans and built a rapport with Arya as they travelled through the Riverlands. After becoming a fan favorite, fans were annoyed at Arya after she left the Hound to die from the wounds inflicted by Brienne of Tarth.
