Arya's last pov chapter AFFC

[MIDNIGHT]

***spoiler if you have not yet read AFFC ***






It has been a long time since I have read any posts so forgive me if this has been discussed,but ARYA BLIND.Seems like somewhat of a big deal, and I could not find any mention of this fact in the other posts.Anybody out there have any more info on this disturbing end to her pov chapter.

 

[Boaz]

Metaphorically speaking all the Starks are blind. In my opinion, Arya probably had the most realistic outlook on life and the most realistic view of her own capabilities and position in life. Yet now she is blind, like her father, mother, brothers and sister. Her blindness might or might not be temporary, but it will allow her to perceive herself and the motivations of others as her father never could.

 

[ras'matroi]

There was some talk about the blindness just being another step in Arya's training.
It could be a method to sharpen her other senses. After all the one novice in the temple was blind, too.
My guess is that the blindness will pass or can be healed.
Maybe it is not so tragic at all....

 

[napthali]

I did mention this in another post..I think the blindness is some sort of lesson that she has to go through because she killed the deserter. I think she will recover her vision..but she was becoming way too cavalier about killing people.

 

[the smiling weirwood]

what? Arya's killig people was my favorite part! Not really, but all the people she killed were in self-defense or deserved it.

 

[Tyranus]

I posted this in another thread:

I don't think Arya's blindness is a punishment, just another part of her training. Although her emotions led to the death of Dareon don't forget what spawned those emotions, she learned from her father that those who left the wall and broke their oaths deserved death. It is an ideal that is engrained upon her. I see her killing Dareon as carrying out justice, not only that but she carried it our without hesitation, and that I believe signified the old man to continue her training.

 

[napthali]

we'll have to wait until the next book comes out to see who's right..but the sequence of events...the old man's reaction (or lack there of) leads me to believe the two or connected..I said punishment earlier and that was the wrong word..

It wasn't really up to her to mete out justice to the deserter was it? But she was completely comfortable doing so..even took is boots

I like to see her offing people too..but the fact is she is a mere child and if she's not reigned in soon..she could end up "stonehearted"

e

 

[Tyranus]

I don't think so, the killing of Dareon proves that she is more emotional than she is thought to be. She was driven to kill Dareon, because seeing him stirred up the memories of her father and the emotions and ideals that he gave her. I have noticed that some people think of her as a cold heartless assassin that deserves nothing but death, but I do not see that at all.

 

[TK-421]

There will certainly be a link made to her wolf dreams as they seem to have gotten stronger since she left Westeros. Will she use her wolf senses to guide her while blind? Also, could a connection between her and Bran be made either through the wolf dreams or once Bran finds the three-eyed crow...

 

[napthali]

I don't think so, the killing of Dareon proves that she is more emotional than she is thought to be. She was driven to kill Dareon, because seeing him stirred up the memories of her father and the emotions and ideals that he gave her. I have noticed that some people think of her as a cold heartless assassin that deserves nothing but death, but I do not see that at all.

alright here's the thing..unless you're Judge Dredd.. one cannot run around meting out justice in the form of death..its doesn't matter what she's motivated by..

...as a matter of fact if she's that controlled by her emotions she definitely needs to be taught some self control them before she joins the rank of the Faceless

...part of this training that she's going through is for her to sever ties to her past..obviously she failed here..so that could also be the lesson

either way her blindness is connected to her killing the singer..

 

[rudycrab]

I don't think Arya will ever be an emotionless faceless man. At least not with the current evidence. She couldn't throw away Needle and as long as it is under that stone she will always be Ayra Stark of Winterfell. And about killing Dareon, she sees it as her duty to kill a him since her family has been killing men who abandoned the wall for some time. She thinks she is the last Stark so it's her duty to kill him, just like her dad taught her. Personally, I think she will be boring if she transforms into a Jacquin(?) "kill my own father if you say so" killer. Of course he didn't exactly jump when she named him so mabye he was lying.

 

[Boaz]

rc, interesting that you mention Jaqen and emotions. When Arya intimated that she'd say "Jaqen Hg'har", he became highly agitated. We suppose, well maybe just me, that Jaqen is the epitome of a Faceless Man... so why would he become so emotional about her saying his name?

Could it be he's afraid of dying? The irony that a professional killer that loves living is not lost on me. No one would know better the finality of death than Jaqen. It seems to me that if he is the epitome of a Faceless Man, then he's not afraid of death.

Could it be that he has an assignment that is still unfulfilled? Probably. Why is he in the Seven Kingdoms in the first place? Was he in King's Landing to kill someone... say, Robert, Ned, Littlefinger, Varys, Cersei, Renly, or Joffrey? Would Doran have used him to kill Joffrey?

Could he have been agitated because he refused to kill himself and therefore must kill Arya who he owed a blood debt to? Could be. Assassins have twisted senses of honor and loyalty.

So when Arya becomes a fully trained Faceless Woman, how much loyalty will she feel to the Starks?

It seems to me that Dany might need an assassin to defeat some of her enemies... oh, say... Jon Snow. Will Arya kill Jon or go on the run from Dany?

 

[WinterIsComing]

It seems to me that Dany might need an assassin to defeat some of her enemies... oh, say... Jon Snow. Will Arya kill Jon or go on the run from Dany?

Jon Snow is not in position right now to be Dany's enemy. Jon would accept her rule just as well as anyone, as long as the wall stands.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

rc, interesting that you mention Jaqen and emotions. When Arya intimated that she'd say "Jaqen Hg'har", he became highly agitated. We suppose, well maybe just me, that Jaqen is the epitome of a Faceless Man... so why would he become so emotional about her saying his name?

Maybe "Jaqen H'gar" isn't his real name. Maybe he chose the name of a loved one to be his, just as Arya chose "Cat" as her name for a time. If she asked for him to kill a person of that name and it was someone he truly cared for, I could understand him being upset, regardless of how he felt about death.

 

[RhaegarTarg]

It COULD just be that Jaqen just plainly does not wish to die. After she just finished saving his life from the fire and all that, she asks him to kill himself? i think that would agitate me a little bit. Although AU has a good point, knowing GRRM, he could pull the craziest thing out of thin air and it would all stil make perfect sense.

Im thinking Jaqen might be a run away acolyte that has already learned much of the Faceless men's arts. You are most likely given a coin after you graduate or get so far, to give it on to another and he chose to give his to her.
Him, (if he was a run away) would explain why he has not yet mastered his emotions and fear of death (faceless men do not fear death i dont think and yet he feared the reaper in the barn.) so it is a little weird.

 

[YOSSARIAN]

Maybe Jaqen is "Arya from the future" sent back in time to protect "Arya in the present" and if he/she kills him/her self the space-time continuum will be torn asunder...

 

[RhaegarTarg]

That.... or not.... i mean.... it makes complete sense and everything but i mean. its too good id say. it would just make everybody love it so much, it would kill millions. rioght

 

[Hot Pie]

I don't think Martin is the type of author to temporarily cripple a beloved character. Martin likes to hit his readers where it hurts. I think it was Tolstoy who said something to the effect that if you want your readers to really care about the characters, you have to inflict a lot of suffering on the characters.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Yes, but why permanently blind someone who is training to be a Faceless Man? That seems rather detrimental to the cause. I'm pretty sure they only need one candle-lighter in the temple.

 

[genisis2]

Yes, but why permanently blind someone who is training to be a Faceless Man? That seems rather detrimental to the cause. I'm pretty sure they only need one candle-lighter in the temple.

Dont know for sure if her blindness is permanent.