Game of Thrones: Arya Stark’s journey to Season 8

Season 2

When we pick up in Game of Thrones Season 2, Arya is traveling with the Night’s Watch recruits when she meets Jaqen H’ghar for the first time, where he’s a prisoner. I actually forgot that she met him so early in the series. She also begins her bond with Gendry, who is a Baratheon bastard, and eventually, she lets him in on her secret.

While on the road, Yoren gives Arya the advice to not become obsessed with revenge, that it’s no good. Instead, she hears she should come up with a list of those who wrong her and never forget it. This is the start of her infamous list that she repeats to herself every night before she goes to sleep.

Eventually, the group is overwhelmed by some men sent by the Lannisters to get Gendry, and Yoren is killed and Arya is taken hostage, but only after she has been able to free Jaquen and his fellow prisoners. She’s taken to Tywin Lannister, where she becomes his cupbearer.

While under Twyin’s hand, she runs into Jaqen again. He tells her that he will kill three people for her to thank her for saving his life.

Tywin becomes suspicious of Arya’s upbringing because her language and knowledge doesn’t line up with the story she has told him. However, he is spared from becoming one of Arya’s kills when he leaves to go ambush her brother Robb’s army.

Jaqen helps Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie escape and they travel to the Riverlands, where Arya runs into Jaqen one more time. She wants him to teach her how to be an assassin, so he offers to take her to Braavos to train with the Faceless Man. She turns him down, saying she needs to find her family.

Jaqen gives her a coin, and teaches her the phrase “Valar Morghulis” and tells her to use it if she changes her mind. He then changes his face and leaves.

Season 3

Game of Thrones Season 3 picks up where we left Arya, traveling to Riverrun. However, she and Gendry are captured by the Brotherhood of Banners. While being held captive, her identity is revealed as The Hound becomes their captive as well.

After watching Thoros resurrect a man The Hound kills in a fight, Arya asks him if he would be able to resurrect someone with no head. Thoros tells her that he won’t be able to bring her father back to life.

Melisandre tracks down the Brotherhood and tells them The Lord of Light needs Gendry, so they immediately hand him over to her, which causes Arya to become disenchanted with the group. She runs away but is immediately taken hostage by The Hound, who is going to take her to her brother and mom, where he can collect a reward.

As they camp for the night, Arya plans to take advantage of The Hound sleeping and kill him. However, he’s not really asleep, and he tells her how he saved her sister, Sansa, from being raped and killed in the streets of King’s Landing. She decides not to kill him. Yet.

They finally get to The Twins, where Robb and Cat are, but they are too late. The Red Wedding has already happened. There is chaos, and they barely escape using a Frey banner, but not before Arya sees her brother’s body paraded with his wolf’s head.

While riding, they come across some of Frey’s people, bragging about the kill. Arya kills them. They are her first kills.