Maisie Williams found out she was cast in Game of Thrones in 2009, when she was only 12 years old. Although many characters have been killed off since the premiere, Arya is still going strong—which is definitely a plus for Williams’ career.
If you can believe it, Arya is only nine years old at the beginning of the Game of Thrones novel. They aged her up slightly in the TV series, which was probably a good idea—it would be super weird to see a nine-year-old Arya killing people left, right, and center.
Although Arya is the youngest daughter, she’s not the youngest Stark child. Her older siblings are Robb and Sansa, and her two younger brothers are Bran and Rickon.
True or False: actresses Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, who play Arya and Sansa, don’t like each other.
Game of thrones, HBO
Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner became fast friends on the set of Game of Thrones, even though their characters don’t always get along in the series. In fact, Maisie and Sophie like each other so much that they got matching tattoos that say “07.08.09.,” which is the day they both found out they got their parts.
Arya has gone by many names throughout the series, including “Weasel,” the “Cat of the Canals,” and “Mercedene,” but as far as we know, she’s never gone by the name “Beauty.”
All the Stark siblings took a foundling direwolf: Robb had Grey Wind, Sansa had Lady, Bran had Summer, Rickon had Shaggydog, and Jon Snow had Ghost. Arya’s direwolf is named Nymeria.
True to her tomboy form, Arya named her direwolf “Nymeria” after the warrior queen Nymeria of Dorne, who fled into Dorne with 10,000 ships—and then promptly burned them all in order to keep cowards from fleeing. That sounds about right for Arya.
Wargs, or skinchangers, have the ability to enter the minds of animal hosts and use their bodies to see, scout, and walk around. It’s a relatively rare talent and an immense power, and some people can become trapped in the bodies of the animals they enter.
In the TV show, how does Arya serve Tywin Lannister?
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In the TV series, Tywin Lannister sees almost immediately that Arya is a girl, not a boy, and makes her his cupbearer. In the books, Arya actually becomes cupbearer to Roose Bolton.
True or False: Arya is the only character with a POV chapter in every single book from A Song of Ice and Fire.
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Arya is one of the most important and beloved characters in the series, so it makes sense that she is actually the only character who has a POV chapter in each of the books (so far, at least).
Throughout her travels, particularly in Braavos, Arya picks up a bunch of different languages, including High Valyrian and the tongues of Braavos, Lys, and Pentos. However, as far as we can tell, she doesn’t know Dothraki.
What is the name of the secret sect Arya joins in Braavos?
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The Faceless Men are an ancient order of assassins who have been around since before Braavos even existed, and before the Doom of Valyria. They live in the House of Black and White.
While she is with The Faceless Men, what is the name of Arya’s arch-nemesis?
Game of thrones, HBO
The Wraith is a Faceless Man who despises Arya and tries to kill her. According to the Wraith, her stepmother tried to poison her to raise the status of her biological child—but as Faceless Men are expert liars, we may never know if this is true.
Throughout the book series, Arya is shown to be left-handed. At the urging of her mother, actress Maisie Williams (who is naturally right-handed) trained to make Arya left-handed on screen. She wanted to portray the character as authentically as possible.
What is the name of the butcher’s boy Arya is friends with at the beginning of the series?
Game of thrones, HBO
A bit of a tough question—it seems like ages ago this all happened. But the butcher boy’s name is Mycah. Mycah is eventually killed by Sandor Clegane, The Hound.
“Valar Morghulis” comes from High Valyrian. High Valyrian is no longer used conversationally in Arya’s world, but it frequently appears in literature and songs.
In the books, who has Arya NOT met in her travels?
Game of thrones, HBO
Arya has met an amazing amount of people as she’s wandered off on her own adventures and misadventures. However, she never did get the chance to meet Khal Drogo. I wonder if they would’ve gotten along.
Who are the only two living people currently on Arya’s list?
Game of thrones, HBO
If you’re not counting The Mountain, Gregor Clegane (and really, and this point he’s just undead), the only two living people left on Arya’s current list are Cersei Lannister and Sandor Clegane, The Hound. But who knows what’s in store for them in the upcoming final season.
From her early beginnings as a tomboy kid to her flourishing as a ruthless assassin, you know a lot about Arya Stark. Just keep practicing (like Syrio told you), and you might just rise in the ranks.
Your Results
You know a lot of things, Jon Snow
You’re so close to the top, but if the Faceless Men taught us anything, it’s to keep working harder. Brush up on your Arya Stark knowledge and you might just come out victorious.
Your Results
You know everything, Jon Snow
Whoa! You aced this quiz and proved yourself a true Game of Thrones fan—or at least a true Arya fan. Sheath your sword and rest your weary feet, you’ve made it!
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About This Quiz
One of the only girls in the Stark family, Arya is also arguably the toughest Stark child. Throughout the series, the tomboy has survived separation from her family, the infamous Red Wedding, and the trials of a secret assassin cult. But although she has proved her mettle, there’s likely much more tragedy and violence in store for Arya. How much do you know about this brave girl and her journey—in both the books and the HBO series?
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