Arya or Sansa

[Ender]

Another poll !!
Just to see which one you prefer now that Stannis won the Baratheon contest.

No offense to the Sansa lovers but I found her too boring.
She pretends to be the perfect lady, say always the polite words septa Mordane told her to say, etc...

It goes against all I believe.

Arya is wild, and that's cool enough for me to vote for her.She had a hard time since she left King's Landing.Sleeping in no bed many times while Sansa was always at court.
Arya likes swords while Sansa likes nice dresses.....

(Sorry my English is not good enough )

 

[Culhwch]

I think you're being unduly harsh on Sansa. She wasn't 'at court', she was a captive. Yes, she may have been a little naive, and pinned her hopes on imaginary or hoped-for knightly deliverers, allowing this to lead her into some bad choices, but she did endure the death of her father, from much closer than Arya, she had to put up with Joffrey's abuse, the Kingsguard's beatings, being forcibly married to Tyrion, had to watch helplessly as her world came down around her and her family was murdered one by one...

That being said, I still preferred Arya.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I've always had problems with the realism of Arya's POV of a very young being a trained killer. She also does a great job of not really having anything much to do with the overall story, which I've found frustrating as a reader.

Time to duck and cover.

 

[Culhwch]

I think she's building to something, Brian. Granted, three doorstop novels is a long time to build... But your points are salient. Is that a vote for Sansa then? Lesser of two evils?

 

[Raven]

Much as I like Arya, Sansa is a better character. (Not a better person, but a better character.)

 

[Brian G Turner]

In that case, I'd have to put a vote in for Sansa.

Yes, her character is restrictive and it's difficult to feel engaged with her romanticised worldview - but as a viewpoint she's had more involvement in the events of the story, and given us a rich viewpoint of Kings Landing and its cast of characters under the Lannisters and their intrigues. In that regard, she's been priceless.

 

[Ender]

and given us a rich viewpoint of Kings Landing and its cast of characters under the Lannisters and their intrigues. In that regard, she's been priceless.

That I have to agree.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

I think it's pretty obvious who I prefer.

Sansa has grown on me, especially given what she's gone through.

As for Arya not contributing much to the story- that's all depending on how you read her. Every time I re-read the books, I discover more about what's going on, using Arya as my eyes and ears. She witnesses a lot of things while scurrying all over the land.

 

[Dolorous Edd]

I really love Arya, she's a great character. I can't stand Sansa (though i have hopes of her developing a spine (and possibly even a brain) under littlefingers devious tutilage), she just pisses me off with her "I wan't it to be like it is in the songs!" crap.

I'm really looking forward to Arya being trained as an assasin, and i have high hopes she'll be the one to finish off walder frey, after teaming up with the brotherhood.

------

I reckon the brotherhood will continue witling down his offspring, and there'll be a scene with him at dinner, seeing all the empty benches, and then a call will come in that the brotherhood have been sighted: most of the garison will ride of, the diners will leave the tables to look from the battlements, and walder will be left alone in his chair.

then slinking into the hall will come nymeria, Walder will blink - she'll be gone. He'll see her again, he'll rub his eye's - she'll be gone. then she'll be right in front of him, he'll blink - she'll remain.

"what.... get away!... guards!!!!" he'll scream.

"They're all gone my lord frey," will come a quiet voice. "they can't help you now."

"What do you want with me!" he'll squeal, the wolf's eyes boring into his own. "Get that thing away form me!"

"nymeria didn't like you cutting off her brother's head.... anymore than i did mine."

She'll sigh.

"I regret not being able to attend my uncles wedding, i didn't even get to give him a present."

"pr...present?!?"

"Ah well, better late then never... I hear head's are very much the in thing. Goodbye Lord Frey."

gurgle.

"Valar Morghalis."

----

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Yeah, that would probably do it for me, too, Dolorous.

I always envisioned his death being somewhat akin to that of the old king in Braveheart, dying a slow and painful death on a sickbed while his kingdom (i.e. the Frey lands and holdings) are lost to others, and then the clincher being that someone who is not a Frey at all will inherit the Twins. That would twist the ________'s insides for sure. (Sorry I know we're not allowed to swear, but honestly, normal words don't suffice for Walder Frey. Heh, heh.)

 

[Duff_Omathum]

I choose Sansa (Stupid+Weak>Brave)

Sansa starts as pretty empty headed, but I note that she has become smarter and smarter as the story progresses.

She is forced to abandon any pride right from the start in order to survive (at the age of 12!) so I guess that makes her weak...

She inadvertantly charms Joffreys protector, is the only Stark who isn't marked for death, saves a knight's life, gets Joffrey murdered by the Tyrells (again not deliberately), marries a whoremonger yet stays a virgin, and Tyrion notes how good she is in court (despite being out-of-favour) I guess that makes her stupid too...

Arya by contrast is vengance every thrid line and tries to run INTO a massacre at the Frey's. I guess that makes her brave...

We have learnt that soft-power wins the Game of Thrones, so watch out for Sansa in the future.

 

[red_temple]

I chose Arya. I think a lot more is revealed during her POV's than first meets the eye. I guess there's the difference though - things may not *happen* as much in Arya's chapters, but a lot of things are revealed.

I'll agree with Arya's point above and say that my re-reads tend to focus a lot on the Arya chapters.

 

[nixie]

I just don't like Sansa

 

[Trey Greyjoy]

I always enjoy bucking the trend

I went with Sansa in the end for a couple of reasons. Arya's plotline is just a tad derivative to me when compared to Sansa's. Aside from learning new & exciting ways to kill people, Im not sure how I see her character growing too much; she seems to be such a self actualized, fully rendered adult just as she is. Sansa has much further to go, and the POV should prove to be most interesting.
Plus Im seeing Sansa as a young Misha Barton, and thats just ever so much easier on the imagination when contrasted with "horseface"

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Sansa on the basis that I can't resist a redhead

 

[Summer]

I chose Sansa. I don't like her very much, because she seems to be narrow-minded. But I don't understand how 10 years old, little girl can be a trained killer.

 

[Boaz]

How much training does she need? Jon taught her all she needs to know... "Stick 'em with the pointy end."

 

[Summer]

I meant she killed people, without compunctions. She takes their life, like Sansa cuts flowers. I don't think that Arya is cruel, but murder for her is something usual, she didn't always have to kill.

 

[Sword of the Morning]

where is the other option? I can tolerate the both the girls but I dont loss sleep over there povs.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

I meant she killed people, without compunctions. She takes their life, like Sansa cuts flowers. I don't think that Arya is cruel, but murder for her is something usual, she didn't always have to kill.

I think Arya simply has more of the wolf in her. She's always been rather fierce, and now she's completely alone. Even Sansa had people who were willing to go to bat for her- the Hound, Tyrion, Littlefinger, even Ser Dontos. Arya has no adults looking out for her, and nobody to take her hand and lead her in the right direction. She's a lonely little girl who puts on a brave face when she has to, and cries inside when she thinks of what her father would say if he saw what she had done. There is a lot more depth to Arya's character than people are seeing here. And I think that her time with the Faceless Men will cultivate her thought patterns and allow her to see what she values in life. Right now, she's merely focusing on being as strong as she could possibly be, and doing what she has to in order to stay alive. It may not seem realistic, but I'm betting that if Arya were a boy, a lot of people wouldn't be shaking their heads as much. History shows boys her age going to war and killing people- why not a girl?

Beyond that, those of you choosing Sansa just because of her looks- that's hogwash! Besides, it's said that Arya takes after Lyanna, who is reputed to have been quite a looker.