#i havent talked asoiaf at length in awhile lol

[gendrie]

Do you ever feel nervous about loving Arya and asoiaf so much? I do. I love Arya. I have, ever since i first read the books, and i love her chapters, and her character, and her arch, and everything about her. She is (one of) the main reasons i love the book series so much. I have been a fan for more than 11 years now. I cant tell you how many times i have reread her chapters. A lot of times, i promise. So i have faith in the character i know, a character that i know i know. But sometimes, i just get so nervous. I know a lot of it's because of what the show did to her, what certain parts of the fandom make of her, but i worry. That i got her wrong, that i got her character wrong, that i got who she is wrong. Sometimes what George Martin says about her, despite calling her his favorite character on multiple occasions, definitely contributes too. I can ignore what the show said or did, and i can ignore the nonsense from the ridiculous fandom as well, but when he says stuff like that, about her always going to kill someone, about her being a psychopath, kinda just guts me. Cause it so contradicts what i read in his books, what HE wrote in his books. I mean, he wrote them, he wrote HER and he didnt write her like that, like a psychopath. He wrote her like a traumatized girl in the middle of a war zone with nowhere to turn, a girl who loves her family and her brothers and her home and only wants to go back to whatever's left of it, who is caring and moral and just and someone who sees the injustice and cruelty and utter horror around her and wants to make some right of it. How does he write her like that, and then describe her in another way? Am i reading it wrong? Did i get it wrong? I dont think i did. But i am not arrogant enough to not question myself at times. Especially when he says stuff like this. What's your opinion/outlook/thoughts on this?

oh yeah, i can totally relate to that. not just regarding arya’s character but also, in particular, with arya/gendry. i didnt have the arrogance to never question my theories either. which all came to a head with the s8 finale. i sorta got validated on the latter, for a euphoric period of like 2 weeks, before it all came crashing down. that was definitely a turning point for me and my feelings re: asoiaf. i approach the series (and the fandom) in a very different way now. 

for me it was not easy to discount the show because, in all honesty, i don’t know that it’s ending was entirely different from the one grrm is planning. unfortunately. there was certainly d&d fanfic in there (ie: arya’s characterization in general, qitn s*nsa, jaime and cersei’s death, bran as king of the 6? kingdoms as opposed to the north) but i’m not certain about a lot of the other plot points; including arya’s endgame. i think the issue is going to be that the ending grrm’s intends to write, the same endgame he has had in mind since the very beginning, no longer works for the characters. the narrative has outgrown it! grrm has said himself numerous times “the tale grew with the telling” but for some reason he won’t let the ending evolve too? and that’s frustrating for me. i cannot begin to tell you how sick i am of storytellers who can’t properly outline. these days that applies to most of them. 

but the endgame only matters if grrm can finish the series. i don’t think he can. regardless, his opinion is fairly irrelevant to me at present. he was never going to view the series in the same exact way that a lot of us do anyway. he’s a 70 yr old man. most arya fans are young women. totally different perspectives. his comment about arya being a psycho is flippant, hyperbolic, and gross but do not let it make you think your interpretation of the text is "wrong". first of all: the people harping on about this are fulltime clowns with an agenda. they’re desperate for any ammo against arya, to justify wanting her to die in a ditch, so they wield this thoughtless diagnosis of a mental disorder against her like a weapon.

but arya *is* a caring, smart, brave, traumatized child with nowhere to turn who easily makes friends, and loves her family. she bandaged her worst enemy. she took mercy on those criminals. she has put herself at risk multiple times to help others. those things are true. she is also extremely desensitized to violence, as a child solider, and associates the ability to kill with safety/survival. arya is not a "good” victim. arya bites back. she is angry, fierce, and capable of inflicting harm. her wrath is directed towards worthy targets but arya is still a little girl with a monstrous side, literally and figuratively. she doesn't share her heart and mind with a fearsome direwolf for nothing.

so no, you’re not reading anything wrong. there is no such thing. this is something i have only developed a true appreciation for post s8. what you take away from the books is yours. do not let a man who can’t even do his job ruin that with a couple dumbass comments. besides, his ultimate goal for her arc is unknown. we've all got theories but it’s impossible to get an objective, full picture, without it. and like i said an asoiaf endgame? unlikely lol. this is going to be a chose your ending for everyone. i have completely embraced that mindset. arya stark is my number one, my forever girl. i will interpret her how i want and envision an ending (or several) for her that i want. i would encourage you to try and do the same. it’s a much more enjoyable mindset.