Game of Thrones/ASOIAF Theories | AGOT Arya I | Breakdown & Analysis

[@monteroc2303]

A wolf with a fish in its mouth. Nymeria/Arya pulling Catelyns corpse from the river.

[@atro-city]

The moment Sansa starts hating joffrey its because he did something terrible to HER, she had already seen how he treated Mycah (butcher's boy) and seen his general demeanor, but that didn't affect her, so she doesn't care, she is Catelyn's daughter through and through.

[@brindillebob]

What if Arya is so bad at sewing just because, as we learn later with Syrio, she is left-handed?

[@HxH2011DRA]

Oh I never thought of that!

[@otto_jk]

Very sinister of her

[@roentgen571]

Cool thing about this detail...so is Maisie Williams, and we see it in the HBO version of the story. It's been noted in many sources that lefties have an advantage in fencing/duelling/swordfighting. If you're a leftie, most people you practice with/against are righties, so you're used to that. If you're a rightie....same thing. You'd rarely practice with/against a lefty, so when you actually have to fight one in a tourney or duel, you'd be at a disadvantage.

[@roentgen571]

@@otto_jk I see wut yu did thar

[@QueenDaenerysTargaryen]

A queen must listen to all. The highborn and the low, the strong and the weak, the noble and the venal. One voice may speak you false, but in many there is always truth to be found.

[@kennethmckenna9636]

Catelyn's treatment of her daughters reflects her views of the north and the south.

[@PhilHibbs]

At age 13 or 14 my English teacher criticised me in front of the whole class for choosing to study a children’s book. Everyone giggled. The book was Animal Farm by George Orwell.

[@AwakeAtTheWheel]

I appreciate your choice, even if your teacher didn’t. But some animals are more equal than others.

[@josephjanisch5396]

Sounds like you had a shitty English teacher.

[@conniesuper9892]

good comparison of Sam being awful with a sword,and Arya being awful with a needle...then later Arya being good with HER NEEDLE...and Sam later is able to do what HE is good at( because of Jon) with Maester Aemon

[@ivanbluecool]

I grew to like Arya after going through the books instead of what the tv show did. Honestly it's funny how people defend Sansa doing bad things saying "she's a kid" when Arya is younger and does the right thing almost Everytime or listens to orders. It's like excusing a 10 year old for something bad when a 6 year old knows not to do it automatically But yeah looking forward to the future Arya chapters. A lot of forshadowing is in them which is good writing on George even in the beggining of the books.

[@praetorxyn]

I HATE the "Sansa is a child!" defense for exactly the reasons you pointed out.

[@ivanbluecool]

@@praetorxyn yeah it's the same as "cat Is a good mother" when cerise and her do exactly the same it's just we follow cat's journey directly. Cerise hates Roberts children same as cat hating Jon and wanting them away. It's basically being narrow viewed on the situations at hand. Only good ecuse would be that Sansa was raised in fantasy land while Arya is more grounded but nobody wants to call Sansa out as less smart than her siblings

[@kahare9565]

I can deal with the ‘she’s a kid’ Sansa defense in GoT (book not show) even if it gets Ned killed because she *is* a kid and she was basically raised by Cat to be pretty and dumb, but after Lady’s death and then Ned’s death she has no excuse.

[@BurkeanMama]

@@praetorxyn I could buy the "Sansa is a child" defense if she grew up even a little. But years later she is still blaming Arya for Lady's death. Years after she realizes Joffrey is a monster, she still thinks it is Arya's fault that Lady was killed. Sansa is incapable of learning from her mistakes, incapable of growing emotionally, incapable of ever admitting fault. She's just Cat jr., completely selfish, thoroughly unwilling to change.

[@ivanbluecool]

FUnny enough this sansa is the more tame one as original would have directly betrayed the family for her new one and lead to rob dying

[@larissaorozco3255]

Some of the problem with Arya upbringing was cat bringing her southern traditions to the north if I can remember there wasn’t even a sept in winterfell till Ned built one for cat. Having a septa was a southern tradition and I don’t remember any other northern house have any. From what I remember of most northern women they described in the books the mormonts and manderley their women seemed to be outspoken and strong like Arya, Arya was born a northerner and Sansa was a true southerner. I don’t believe a lot of northern houses marry into southern houses either I think they married into the blackwoods a couple times not till Ned married cat . It might have been a condition net made with holster Tully that his children be raised by the seven. That might be what southern ambitions lady Dustin was talking about.

[@theinvisiblewoman6783]

I mean you’re right. I think some southern habits show in Robb too. Jon says Robb is the best lance. It’s not really outright said but tournament are more of a southern show off participation. Northerners practice more practical warfare. You don’t often hear about Northern houses winning jousting. I can’t think of northern houses participating in jousting in any of the Dunk and Egg stories besides the Blackwoods who hold Northern practices more scared but live in the south.

[@neriumsuitedher]

@@theinvisiblewoman6783 Good points, except that the lance was used in warfare as well, not just tournaments.

[@theinvisiblewoman6783]

@@neriumsuitedher true but when do you hear a northerner besides Robb who was great with a lance?

[@neriumsuitedher]

@@theinvisiblewoman6783 Well, Jorah did win that one tourney. Other than that... yeah

[@ApplesandDragons]

I love these chapter deep dives for the reasons you said. You can really study it. Check this out. Arya is thinking about how Sansa is better than her at everything, and then Arya thinks 'Sansa was two years older.' Later on, Arya is thinking about how Arya could do just as good as Bran because "He's only seven. I'm nine." In other words, because Arya is two years older. The relationship between Arya's two thoughts suggests that Arya's sorrow about not being as good as Sansa at so many things is in large part irrational, because Sansa has a two year headstart. Though I don't doubt that Sansa is naturally better at some things than Arya, the differential isn't as big as it appears to be to Arya.

[@williamhermann6635]

Ok i got about 60 seconds into the video and then something hit me like a ton of bricks. Setpa Mordane. Septa MORda(y)ne. Septa LeMORe. Ashara Dayne. Its right in front of our faces from the very first book. Now im not saying Septa Mordane is anyone important but her name in itself is obviously (imo) yet another clue to Lemore's identity 4 whole books before she even appears. I've never seen anyone make this link before so id love to hear what you guys think about it.

[@TheOrderoftheGreenhand]

i love that !!!

[@AwesomeMusicLady]

Jon has always been really observant This happens way later but this is the first one that comes to mind The queen pulled her daughter closer and kissed her cheek. The cheek unmarried by greyscale, Jon did not fail to note. A Dance With Dragons Jon XIII

[@AwakeAtTheWheel]

I love how you guys called her an agent of justice. Makes me think of a superhero’s origin story. Lol! Maybe that’s what George was going for.

[@ApplesandDragons]

From ASOS: And her lady mother, what would she say? Would she still want her back, after all the things she'd done? The interpretation that this inner monologue from Arya is about Catelyn being a horrible person seems really forced. Arya's thoughts show us that she misses her mother a lot. This line is Arya feeling guilty about the things she has done, most noteably the people she has killed. Cat would give anything to have Arya back, but fears are not always rational, especially in a child.

[@IngTomT]

Arya may be motivated by justice in the beginning but later she seems solely driven by (personal) revenge. She's similiar to her undead mother in that way. Remember, the ghost of High Hearth is terrified of her. edit: Also, in my opinion, the Lord of Light deals absolute justice to Hound by letting him win his trial by combat but Arya still just wants to see him dead out of personal hate.

[@natie3322]

If Arya is found frozen with Needle I wonder if she’ll have changed faces with someone and left the body for Jon to find…if she decides she can never be Arya again.

[@marcusanark2541]

I know it will take a long time, but I can't wait until it comes to the Ironborn and Dornish chapters.

[@R.O.Yvonne]

Arya Stark is a complete goat!🤩🐐 And I just finished listening to AGOT and I'm a few chapters in ASOS. I'm excited to see more differences between the books and the show!

[@shanenolan8252]

First listen Yvonne sweet hope you enjoy it . Trust me its much better. I remember i started reading it just after season one final episode. I loved the differences in it ( like the battles or politics or character history) one thing the series is one you will probably find rewarding to read several times, ( you pick up on different things or catch something in the background that seems irrelevant but ends up huge) enjoy clash of kings .

[@peteperkins3859]

It appears as though Arya and Jon both are treated like bastards. They don't have the Tully looks, but are Ned clones. I wonder if Septa Mordane came with Catelyn from River Run...?

[@leahpanya57]

To me Arya and Sansa's relationship is more like sibling rivalry/jealousy. Arya is envious of the praise Sansa gets for being a proper lady. Sansa is envious of Arya's freedom. Arya seems to think that Sansa is stuffy and unfun. Sansa thinks Arya is undiplomatic and wild. Also i'm pretty sure that Sansa doesn't stand up to Cat and Septa Mordane because they are Authority Figures to her. They are there because they are supposed to teach her how to behave, not the other way around. Cat said that Sansa was a lady since she was little, 'so eager to please'. And seemingly noone seems to try very hard to teach her that not questioning authority is dangerous because the westerosi ideal for highborn girls seems to be 'easy to sell off for political family ties'. Also if I remember correctly that line 'Jon says he looks like a girl' is the only "warning" we see Sansa get about Jeoffrey, because after all 'whatever you do, don't tell Sansa'.

[@patrickdematosribeiro1845]

Good point. However, I wonder whether she knows that her best friend, who is not an authority figure calls her sister Arya horseface. If she doesn't know it is pretty dumb not to notice that her best friend is bullying her sister. If she does she should definitely do something about that. If she asked Jeyne Pool to leave Arya alone, she probably would.

[@leahpanya57]

@@patrickdematosribeiro1845 Well there are memories in the books of the three of them playing together, so to me they seemed to have a friends-by-proximity sort of relationship. I have older brothers and when we were young they teased me as well, calling me things like 'failed abortion' and stuff. But it was always in a fun, thoughening me up for the real world sort of way. And the Starks have that whole thing about being though: 'Don't look away. Father will know if you do.' - Bran I . From personal experience I don't think much of young children teasing each other. Sure if Catelyn or Ned heard they should say things like 'you're pretty like Lyanna' or even 'there is nothing wrong with being horsefaced, we'll always love you' or something to make sure Arya is ok. But surely there is also value in hearing the truth about what others think you look like. Just my view on siblings and friends when young, and the Starks. Maybe i'm biased because I do think my siblings teasing helped me care less about what others thought about me.

[@patrickdematosribeiro1845]

@@leahpanya57 Interesting perspective. I never thought Jeyne and Arya were friends. There is a memory of Sansa running around with Jeyne and Arya trying to keep up with them. This could be interpreted in to ways. Either they were playing together or Arya wanted to play with them and they didn't allow it. In the chapter discussed here there is also a line when Mordane humiliated Arya that Sansa was to polite to laugh at her, but Jeyne wasn't. I got the impression that Jeyne is Sansa's best friend and Arya's main bully. Either way the teasing seems to have a negative effect on Arya. When Lommy gives her an unflattering nickname she thinks that the entire time she had thought nothing could be worse than being called horseface and when Ned tells her she ressembles Lyanna she says: "That's not possible, Lyanna was beautiful and I am not." After your comment I considered for the first time that Jeyne might be a friend that sometimes went a bit to far with her teasing. I had thought before that Jeyne was as mean as she possibly could to Arya and Sansa either didn't notice or didn't care.

[@leahpanya57]

@@patrickdematosribeiro1845 I haven't read the last book yet so maybe there's more info about younger Jayne there, but she was seen so little in the text I never thought I fully understood her character. And there is that whole thing about the unreliable narrator too.

[@theinvisiblewoman6783]

I really relate to Arya in the first book. My mom was really strict about me behaving “lady like” I’d get whooped if I got dress shoes dirty because I wanted to play and didn’t care I was wearing a sunday dress. But it speaks volumes she didn’t know if her mom would take her back or want her. Even though I would have been yelled at and spanked I would have never considered my mom didn’t want me for behaving in ways she wouldn’t have liked.

[@cassiocosta9854]

to be honest Arya was my favorite character in AGOT

[@thisguy8106]

After a devastating weekend of football, i really needed this GreenHand Monday.. "Just another GreenHand Moooondaaay.." 🤘

[@shanenolan8252]

Sorry ( football)

[@thisguy8106]

@@shanenolan8252 was such a tough weekend lol the games were good.. but the outcomes were not 😆

[@shanenolan8252]

@@thisguy8106 yes good games but outcomes, that said if your team has to lose , losing in a good close game is best . ( consultation i mean)

[@ashleyofnaath]

Like Ser Barristan, Arya's a character that wasn't an initial favorite but grew to be upon each series re-read. The mistreatment she endures from her own mother is abjectly shameful. There's a passage in ACOK where Cat laments the state of her life to Brienne; longing for vengeance against her enemies, and as she's doing so when Arya comes up, all Catelyn does is degrade her. Her own daughter- that Cat hasn't seen in who knows how long, whom she acknowledges is likely dead in that very discussion- and all Cat does is berate her for being too ugly and unladylike. That is so appalling I could scream. And the fact that she is saying these things to Brienne of all people shows how exceedingly tone deaf Cat is, but I digress. I don't know how anyone can read that- or the Arya POV you noted where she questions if her mother would want her back- and still insist that Catelyn is a good person, or a good mother, and/or excuse her behavior. Cat is the biggest piece of s**t in the story alongside Euron and Ser Gregor. Say it all to say that each time I read the series and reflect on all that Arya has suffered at the hands of her own family, I can't help but love and root for her. She's fooking awesome🐺👑.

[@BurkeanMama]

That is a very good point. I had not noticed it in several re-reads, great observation. Yep "Cat the good mother" is a ludicrous idea. I wonder if George is disappointed in readers who don't understand these things.

[@ashleyofnaath]

@@BurkeanMama Actually, I think it's the other way around. If I'm not mistaken, George said he was shocked by how much hate Catelyn gets.

[@peteperkins3859]

Noticed in GoT when Arya locks herself in her room in KL, Ned said, Arya had "Wolf's Blood like Lyanna and Brandon and it led them to early graves. Do you think it projects Aryas fate?

[@sleekoduck]

Great video! Arya's chapters are the most enjoyable, in my opinion.

[@TheCbot88]

15:00 “No One” will “Ever” find her there?! Probably with needle frozen in her fingers. Tut tut. Lol.

[@marcmarc4776]

Love you guys! Right when I get home from a long weekend, I have another awesome video from you guys!

[@eziowayne]

Love this series!

[@guichogf5636]

If Arya isn't pretty, but Bran mistakes her for Lyanna in his vision does that mean Lyanna wasn't as beautiful as legend would have us believe?

[@neriumsuitedher]

I believe that Arya is what's called an ugly duckling. A not so pretty kid who grows up to be pretty. There are plenty of hints in the books. Jon and Ned call her pretty, Cat thinks she could be pretty if she tried, Gendry and Ned Dayne both have a sort of crush on her, lady Smallwood calls her pretty and she gets hit on by a creepy guy in the Stony Sept when she was all dressed up like a doll (hint: dressing up doesn't work if you are truly ugly - consider Brienne). And ofc the Kindly Man offers her to take up training with the courtesans. Now that she is growing up we are told that her legs are getting long and she is very graceful. Conclusion: she has a long face, so she is not a typically cute kid. She is a tomboy, and bad hair and dirt doesn't help. Lyanna was also said to not have been a typical beauty, but she WAS beautiful. I think Arya is going to grow up to be at least rather attractive.

[@AwesomeMusicLady]

We made backpacks in middle school. My sister and I still have those backpacks. We made travillos in middle school. I keep telling myself I’ll re make one that will look better now that I’m older but I just never get around to it.

[@Kallynthehuntress]

I'm not sure Joffrey using both Baratheon and Lannister arms is all that significant. Rhaenyra quartered her arms with her first husband's house, Velaryon and her mother's house, Arryn. I mean, I does give us an early insight to Joffrey, not denying that but I think him using both houses arms is not really a big deal.

[@thuginstincts]

But in that case, Targaryen is reflected as the dominant house, not equal to or below the others

[@241pints]

These are great! Keep them coming!

[@AAMolder]

Great series! Keep up the good work!

[@tempertempernow]

I have been so excited for this one!!!!!! Keep 'em coming!!!!!

[@jessewilliams9195]

So much I didn't pick up on. Thanks you guys, very cool.

[@1275spiderman]

Arya has a Moral compass

[@wilbe03]

I look forward to these

[@shanenolan8252]

Thanks dave and Mary Ellen

[@matrimcauthon3995]

If Arya was as "underfoot" enough to get the nickname, do you really think she didn't notice how Catlynn treated Jon... so why would she go to her mom?

[@josefboroff3966]

Septa Mordane is really terrible isn't she. Yes Arya was not good at sewing, but a good teacher would have talked to her in private like mine did instead of humiliating her in front of everyone else.

[@tonysled6796]

Arya's suffering will end. Surviving was never what she wanted to do. She was forced to flea from crisis to crisis. Forced to fight before wanting to take a life. She will know no peace in life even her revenge multiplies her suffering. She will protect Jon at any cost once she finds him however the players involved in GRRM's story have been very arrogant towards Arya. The North has been the only place that has fought for her memory without using her as a bargaining chip albeit in vain. I believe she will find Ned somehow. A life worth living was taken from Arya many times before she had a chance to make her own happiness and choose her path.....she represents the warrior who stands against the world and buys seconds of life by being perfect, masterful but finite in her movements because there are so many forces working against her......and she has never sought to use people....she follows the code, the warrior way.

[@countbalerionofhousetatter2624]

i'm fairly rubbish at sewing. though in my case what was humiliating was P.E. and "games" (sports). i'm sorry for the poor panda.

[@TheOrderoftheGreenhand]

me too. he was sad looking lol

[@roentgen571]

Doesn't it seem like the "cooties" that bastards have in ASOIAF become less pronounced as the story goes on? Like, in the first book, Jon's not allowed to go train in the yard with Robb and Joff and Tommen, but later in the story (and in the Dunk and Egg stories, too) we see bastards entering tournaments and jousting against knights and highborne? Cersei even names a bastard Master of Ships. It kinda seems like if the court wouldn't be terminally scandalized by a Waters sitting on the Small Council, somehow they'd all manage to survive a Snow whacking Joff's padded armor in a training yard way up in Winterfell. I think GRRM's thinking just evolved a bit. Being bastard-born might permanently seal you off from high society's inner circles, but you can still serve honorably, even hold high rank. You could be in the Small Council, be a Kingsguard knight, be a maester or a septon, be Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, even. Maybe Jon would have to sit down with the commoners during the King's welcome feast at Winterfell...but I think that's more because of his youth, Catelyn's disdain, and Cersei's prickliness than Jon's inherent status. If Jon was a couple years older, had won a couple of tourneys, and had a mom who actually liked him, he may well have been sitting with the family up on the dais and no one would have even raised an eyebrow. By the time Jon is elected Lord Commander later on in the story, it's hard to imagine anyone in the southern lands giving him shit about being a bastard if he had to visit. He'd be treated as a lord (which he actually is, at that point), and a high ranking one at that.

[@otto_jk]

It's already been established in the first book that the Night's watch is a place where a bastard can achieve honour and position. And the south doesn't care about the Night's watch either way. Cercei names Auranne waters to the small counsel because she's dumb and horny for his Rhaegar like appearance. How bastard's are treated completely up to who's in charge. Bloodraven was loyal therefore the Targ kings trusted him. Cercei in general hates bastards and Catelyn hates Jon.

[@AwesomeMusicLady]

I’m guessing some of the “cooties” are because Catelyn is RIGHT THERE. Once Catelyn is out of the picture Jon becomes Mormonts steward, and eventually becomes Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

[@SHARKVADERS]

OOTGH !!!!!

[@southernsunshine1149]

We made an apron in 7th grade home Ec & mine was a huge fail. My Home Ec teacher was a nice person at all and made fun of mine in front of everyone. So I can relate to Arya here for sure. Good thing was my mom tore her a new one after she heard what happened. Lol

[@TheOrderoftheGreenhand]

so sort of like my epic fail with the bear! 💚

[@southernsunshine1149]

@@TheOrderoftheGreenhand exactly! Oh well. Lol

[@Shiner-1234]

Lmfao your Sansa impression

[@daireyenluarks8547]

Do you guys know why Arya didn’t kill Tywin w her wishes ?

[@itzfifson6140]

are sansa's stiches that much better or is the septa an ass kiss?

[@phantomjoker5]

arya way better in the books!

[@itzfifson6140]

Sansa is a pretty High Born destined to be the queen she has no time for math

[@shanenolan8252]

I thought ghost was perhaps the youngest runt of the litter and ostracized because of being albino,. But grew into the dominant or alpha dog . ?

[@shanenolan8252]

@@stephaniesnitily1734 its makes sense in a way jon being the oldest child , but im not sure , the way puppy's act ( there is usually a runt and difference is shunned) im mean we see from q pov character perspective, we dont know exactly only the character noticed the eyes. But ghost definitely thrived afterwards.

[@itzfifson6140]

would jayne really b able to get away with shitting on a high born in public?

[@ptptpt123]

Sansa Tully, worst from the start. Arya is my favourite character.

[@BurkeanMama]

Yay, we get to chat now about one of my favorite characters. It is interesting, we get to see Sansa first through Arya's eyes. Okay, we can give Sansa the benefit of the doubt, maybe she isn't so bad. Then we we get inside Sansa's head, listen to her defend herself, and we find out Sansa is even worse than we first thought. By the way the whole girls bully worse is nonsense. I was bullied by boys and girls in my day. Boys bully just as bad, and even more dangerously than girls can bully. Exhibit A, Joffrey. Joffrey and Sansa are two peas in a pod, but Joffrey is far more dangerous. I think that is why George had to kill Joffrey.

[@shanenolan8252]

Hello Antoinette. Id say boys and girls bully differently boys is more likely to be violent girls is more physiological, which many believe is more damaging long term , girls are better at insidious comments. That said i when to an all boys catholic school, my bullys were boys of course. Ostracized verbal abuse then violence ( 5 or 6 guys fighting you l on your own .( i got over it eventually) but my sister or my female cousins or neighbor's girls had issues with other girls . ( yes boys could be mean or insulting sometimes) but that isn't confined to youth .( workplace harassment) but a lot of my female friends prefer male friends generally. ( platonic friends) boys can be cruel ( even Jamie said so ) then again i have seen some phone footage of girls fighting in school ( vicious)

[@shanenolan8252]

Oh agreed on sansa

[@thisguy8106]

At the end of the day.. Both can be cruel and insidious. I didn't have any girl bullies but that's bc I had two sisters who really loved fighting, therefore no girls would do anything bc they knew my sisters. But. i didn't have a brother.. So boys were fair game lol.. But only boys my age bc I had older cousins.. I think this is why family is so important growing up. Having a close knit family who WILL protect each other at all costs can def prevent bullying. I always noticed that kids with no siblings were def targeted more when I was growing up.. But that's only my experience..

[@IngTomT]

Joffrey is not a typical bully, he is a complete and utter psychopath. I was bullied by boys and girls, men and women and in my experience female bullying was way worse. Male bullying feels more like being attacked by a wild beast while female bullying is more like being attacked by a shadow or a ghost. I'd rather take the enemy I can see coming over the enemy that is shapeless and invisible and can strike everywhere, anytime without warning.

[@shanenolan8252]

@@IngTomT well said Thomas. I wasn't by girls myself but i have seen it . Or have been told that by those who have , boys yes it a wild often violent thing but you get a feeling or sense that its coming, and adapt sort of .

[@joeygula581]

To be honest I don't particularly like her don't get me wrong I'm not saying I hate her or even this like her to me it's nothing just write home about especially in the show

[@saintluke2510]

How are you two still so interested in this dead series that your making content on it still? No offense... But the books will never come out. I think any smart person can see that the window has passed. Even if the book does get released in the next few years (it won't), it's already ruined. You know FOR SURE there won't be a follow up book or and end to the series. There's no way he finishes an entire other book after this one. So I'm just curious... How your staying interested in series that will have no conclusion.... Ur waiting for a cliff hanger. That's awful. Ftr - I used to watch ur videos all the time. Good videos. I just can't figure out how people are still willing to invest large amounts of time into something that won't have an ending.

[@saintluke2510]

Imagine if George liked his series as much as you guys. Woulda gotten finished years ago.