An Arya Stark Spinoff Could Answer Game of Thrones’ Biggest Question

In his latest “Not a Blog” entry on his personal LiveJournal, Martin discusses a recent business trip to London. On the docket for Martin was a meeting with his British editors and Duncan Macmillan, the playwright who is adapting a hallowed Game of Thrones historical event (The Tourney at Harrenhal) as a stage play. Tucked at the end of those two announcements (and some photos of George getting off outrageous fits) is a compelling bit of information. It turns out that Martin also met with Arya Stark actress Maisie Williams about a top secret project.

“We also got together with Maisie Williams for pizza and pasta, and talked about… well, no, better not get into that, do not want to jinx it. But it could be so much fun,” Martin writes.

What could be so much fun, George? WHAT COULD BE SO MUCH FUN?!? The most immediate and obvious possibility is the aforementioned Arya Stark spinoff, as that would indeed be so much fun. Longtime readers of A Song and Ice and Fire know that the likely answer to the question of “What’s west of Westeros?” is a compelling one. Throughout Westerosi history, several individuals have investigated that query themselves, including one of Arya’s many ancient ancestors named Brandon. All of these seafarers never made it back home.

That’s probably because the entity that’s “west” of Westeros is actually the “east.” If Martin’s fantasy world exists on a globe (and there’s no reason to believe it doesn’t as fans have dubbed it “Planetos”) then any trip west would eventually conclude in Asshai – Melisandre’s hometown and a port city filled with literal darkness and horrors. They don’t call it “The Shadow” for nothing. If Game of Thrones wants to put Arya Stark’s plot armor to good use, we can think of no better place to explore than Asshai.

Of course, an Arya Stark spinoff isn’t the only thing that Martin could be meeting with Williams about. There are many storytelling avenues that Martin is involved with, both Thrones and otherwise. One of them is even addressed in that same blog entry: the aforementioned Tourney at Harrenhal play. To that end, The Nerdist came through with a rather brilliant proposal. What if Williams is being eyed to portray Ned Stark’s sister Lyanna Stark in the Harrenhal play? Arya is said to have resembled a young Lyanna after all, and getting a Game of Thrones performer to join the production as a different character would be a tremendously satisfying Easter egg for fans.

For as fun as an Arya Stark spinoff would be, we have to concede that pretty much any team up between Martin and Williams involving Game of Thrones sounds just as fun as well.