Arya Stark

A wolf-blooded girl who refuses to be tamed, wielding Needle and a list of names across Westeros and beyond.

Arya Stark is a prominent point-of-view character in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, portrayed by Maisie Williams in the HBO adaptation. Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, she is the third child and youngest daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn Stark. Uniquely, she holds the distinction of having a viewpoint chapter in every published book of the series, with alternative titles such as "Cat of the Canals," "The Blind Girl," and "Mercy." Described as tomboyish, headstrong, and feisty, Arya disdains traditional female pursuits like dancing and sewing. She wields a castle-forged steel smallsword named "Needle," gifted by her half-brother Jon Snow, and is trained in the Braavosi "Water Dance" style of sword fighting.

Quick Facts

Series

A Song of Ice and Fire character; Game of Thrones

Portrayed by

Maisie Williams

Creator

George R. R. Martin

Adapted by

D.B. Weiss & David Benioff (Game of Thrones)

First

Literature:
A Game of Thrones (1996)
Television:
"Winter Is Coming" (2011)

Last

Television:; "The Iron Throne" (2019)

Occupation

Assassin

Gender

Female

Lore & Background

Born in 289 AC as the third child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, Arya is nine years old at the start of the novels (eleven in season one). She has five siblings: Robb, Sansa, Bran, Rickon, and half-brother Jon Snow. Physically, she inherits the Stark features—lean build, brown hair, grey eyes, and a long face which earned her the nickname "Horseface." Described as "wolf-blooded" and blunt by her mother, she is often mistaken for a boy and nicknamed "Arya Underfoot" by Winterfell guards. Uniquely among her full siblings, she possesses the skinchanger ability, instinctively controlling her direwolf Nymeria from sleep even across continents and bonding psychically with a street tomcat in Braavos. She is left-handed and talented in sums, favoring outdoor exploration over ladylike activities.

Reader's Guide

To understand Arya Stark, note her progression from Winterfell's outcast to a Faceless Man trainee. She is taught the Braavosi "Water Dance" by Syrio Forel, emphasizing speed and agility with quick thrusting attacks. In Braavos, she adopts identities like "Cat of the Canal" while secretly hiding her sword Needle in the river. Her training involves reciting a nightly list of names of those she wishes to kill. Key milestones include her escape from King's Landing as "Arry," the rescue at Harrenhal where she named Jaqen H'ghar as her third target to secure freedom for others, and her survival of the Red Wedding. She is an excellent horserider and displays increasing ruthlessness and resourcefulness throughout her travels.

Did You Know?

Her sword 'Needle' was named after her least favorite activity: embroidery lessons.
Arya is left-handed, talented in sums and housekeeping, but rejects traditional noblewoman pursuits like dancing and sewing.
In 2016 and 2019, actress Maisie Williams was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.