Let’s Not Get Ahead of Ourselves
Speculation is swirling about the possibility of an Arya Stark spinoff following reports of George R.R. Martin meeting with Maisie Williams for a “secret project.” Fans of Game of Thrones might see this as a promising continuation, especially since Arya’s character largely emerged unscathed from the show’s lambasted final seasons. However, there are reasons to approach the idea with skepticism.
The Arya Problem: From Tragic Survivor to Superhuman Assassin
In the books, Arya Stark’s story is a poignant, often gut-wrenching tale of a skinny young child forced into a hard world where moral ambiguity is about the best one could hope for. Most of the times it’s abject horror and extreme violence directed against the weak. Her experiences in Braavos—training with the Faceless Men—are deeply rooted in themes of identity, loss, and the psychological cost of her transformation. These moments highlight the tragedy of a child being shaped into a weapon, a narrative typical to George R.R. Martin’s signature realism and bittersweet storytelling.
I admit, rooted for her when she was forced into violence as opposed to becoming a victim (basically something the Starks have been doing for thousands of years) and yet felt the tragedy of it all because she was so young, quickly getting used to the vile truths of the world high born “ladies” don’t often get to witness. On reread, her struggles (and that of Dani who is about 13 at the start of the story) somehow reminded me of Beasts of No Nation, a very sad film about child soldiers and how harmful being groomed into violence can be for a child’s psyche. Hell, adults even have a hard time coping with it.
At the risk of sounding cliche, violence can be an excellent way to add weight and the threat of consequences for your characters. But violence shouldn’t be glorified. That’s where I think book Arya and show Arya differ. In the show you’re supposed cheer for her as some terminator vengeance bot who settles scores for the good guys in awesome ways. In the books it’s… well, more nuanced than that. She is as much a victim as the ones she brutalizes.
The last time we saw Arya in the books she had already grown numb to the violence and the cold blooded murder, honestly though, how could she not have been? She even developed a sort of coping mechanism to justify her actions. Whether she went over the line killing Daeron is debatable as well. The Faceless Men obviously try to use her to their end but by that time she already proves hardened and difficult to leash, likely taking their lessons, adding in some skinchanger sauce and striking out back across the pond. All in all, there seems to be more to her and her Braavos arc. My guess is she will take away more than just a capacity to better do violence.
In contrast, the TV show speedran their way to presenting Arya as an unstoppable force, almost a superhero by the later seasons. From effortlessly dispatching the Waif (who was supposedly better trained and more experienced) and going from some refreshing E. coli baths in the refuse-laden canals of Braavos with several open dagger wounds to singlehandedly slaying the Night King in a scene that felt unearned because it wasn’t built up in any way. All ’cause of some doofus waking up one day and thinking “Jon killing the Night King” just does not feel “quite right to us.” The character’s complexity was flattened in favor of a few crowd-pleasing moments.
This transformation, while perhaps entertaining for some, alienated others who felt the show glorified her actions rather than exploring their consequences. I confess, I enjoy the Punisher for its mindnumbing over-the-top brutality. I love watching Castle as he creatively and gorily plows a bloody path through the hordes of nameless (and afterward mostly faceless) goons as much as the next man. But when I want to turn my brain off and let the club-waving caveman inside have a go I’ll tune into that, not this.
Arya was more than that. There was a deep tragedy to a lost innocence and innate courage/empowerment weighing against each other in the scales of her morality. And in the books there still is. She develops her own code of justice to empower herself and avoid victimhood. Her premeditated murder of Daeron for deserting the Watch mirrors Ned’s execution of Gareth. But ultimately, Daeron was a kid as well, making his own choices, however stupid or immoral they were… it’s all debatable come fight me in the comments over it.
Would a spinoff focus on Arya’s internal struggles, or would it double down on her “unstoppable assassin” persona? If it’s the latter, the depth and nuance that made her compelling in the early seasons and books could be lost entirely. And I’m not exactly a glass half full guy on this one. Though I always stand ready to be pleasantly surprised.
Can Maisie Williams Carry a Show on Her Own?
Maisie Williams undoubtedly delivered a memorable performance as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, but it’s worth questioning whether she’s equipped to shoulder an entire series on her own. Arya worked best as part of an ensemble, with her story intertwining with other characters and playing off the broader narrative of Westeros and Essos as a whole.
While Williams is most definitely a talented actor, her career post-Thrones has leaned toward supporting roles and indie projects rather than leading major productions. This isn’t necessarily a critique of her ability, but leading a show of this magnitude requires a magnetic screen presence that can sustain audience interest week after week. Whether she has that star power remains untested, and skepticism is fair—though, of course, it would be wonderful to be proven wrong. Untried doesn’t mean incapable.
A Thin Foundation for a Spinoff, Though Not Without Opportunity
Arya’s ending in Game of Thrones—setting sail to discover what lies west of Westeros—was intriguing, but it wasn’t much more than a blank slate. Turning that premise into a compelling series is no small feat. What’s west of Westeros? How does Arya evolve as a character? Arya’s supposed journey would surely echo that of Elissa Farman’s hundreds of years earlier. Plenty of interesting stuff given the right showrunner. What challenges would she face that don’t reduce her to a caricature of a one-dimensional swashbuckler?
The only way I see it is that it has to shed light on a few MAJOR key mysteries plaguing the minds of us loreheads. This series could go a ways toward explaining the oily black stone found all over the place. Asshai, the largest known city by far (its size is that of Volantis, Qarth, King’s Landing, and Oldtown combined). Yet, it is built entirely out of the strange black substance, with barely anyone living in it, save for the most taboo sorcerers and practitioners of blood magic and all the forbidden arts. They lack a source of clean water and children and animals don’t even seem to do well within its walls. Who could construct such an enormous city and why would they do it out of poisonous black stone entirely? They probably wouldn’t. Nobody goes through the effort of building a city that big without intention to fill it to capacity (which the poisonous stone prevents) A point Youtube personality David Lightbringer and others like Grey Waste Tim have brought forth many times. Likely is has been blighted, corrupted over time due to some cataclysmic event.
Such an event could very well have been responsible for bringing down the Great Empire of the Dawn (likely the builders of Asshai because it is in their reach and there are no writings of any similar super powers capable of such a herculean project around that time). The speculation here being that the Great Empire already circumnavigated the globe in its heyday maybe even traveling from Asshai (its large harbor is ideally suited for shipping lanes in the ultimate East) and arriving in Westeros from the Sunset Sea in the West (founding House Dayne and the first iteration of Oldtown way before the First Men perhaps?)
There are many arcane secrets about magic and dragons to be revealed inside Asshai and beyond. And beyond would be west of Westeros if we’re talking a globe. Though on the other side, I think George would like to keep a lot of that shrouded in mystery… (OT: The first time I saw Alien as a kid I was so intrigued by the ancient spaceship and its occupants, my head ran wild with speculation of what it all could have meant. Then Prometheus rolls around and it turns out its a couple of roided up Michelangelo statues with anger issues and thus many years of intrigue were deflated in a few dissappointing seconds)
If this show is brought as a flat swashbuckling pirate story though, Arya’s isolated storyline takes a huge risk in feeling disconnected from the intricate political weave that defined Game of Thrones. Without the intrigue of court politics, rival factions, and the interplay of multiple perspectives, any continuation stands at risk of feeling hollow.
Lessons from the Jon Snow Spinoff
The Jon Snow spinoff was shelved because the creative team couldn’t crack the story, which should be a cautionary tale for any potential Arya series. A strong premise isn’t enough—it requires a clear vision, compelling narrative arcs, and the ability to do justice to one of the most beloved (and scrutinized) franchises in TV history. And they better keep George in the loop as well, prevent all this static between Showrunner and original writer like we got on House of the Dragon.
Proceed With Caution
While the prospect of returning to Arya’s story might excite some fans, HBO and George R.R. Martin must tread carefully. Arya Stark is a character with immense potential, but mishandling her narrative could alienate fans who are already wary after the show’s rocky conclusion. And without the intricate storytelling that defined the early seasons of Game of Thrones, any spinoff risks feeling like a pale shadow of its predecessor. We all saw this when House of the Dragon was received with a warm welcome in its first season. Though now arrived in its second season that spell seems fragile (if not already broken) and they are skating on mighty thin ice…
It’s fine to hope for the best—but let’s not forget the lessons of the past. Fans deserve a continuation that lives up to the rich world Martin created, not just another empty spectacle.
