Pinned
“Corn,” the bird said, and, “King,” and, “Snow, Jon Snow, Jon Snow.” That was queer. The bird had never said his full name before, as best Jon could recall.
“You,” Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, “will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon.”
“Liar,” Arya said. Her hand clenched the blood orange so hard that red juice oozed between her fingers.
“Go ahead, call me all the names you want,” Sansa said airily. “You won’t dare when I’m married to Joffrey. You’ll have to bow to me and call me Your Grace.” She shrieked as Arya flung the orange across the table. It caught her in the middle of the forehead with a wet squish and plopped down into her lap.
“You have juice on your face, Your Grace,” Arya said. -- Sansa III, AGOT
I really do think this interaction is setting up the ironic ending of Arya becoming a queen or leader while Sansa (if she survives), remains a generic lady who doesn't wield direct power.
In the scene, Arya is wanting justice against murderers (Jaime and the Hound) while Sansa is defending those criminals and victim blaming Mycah for his own maiming and murder. So right off the bat, it's clear that Arya is the right person to be in a position of power while Sansa needs to be as far from political and legal influence as possible. Yet, Sansa is betrothed to the crown prince and seems to be on her way to becoming queen consort, or the supposed softer, generous, and merciful face of monarchy -- a role she couldn't be less qualified for.
So GRRM is having her rub her supposed future position in Arya's face and bragging about how she'll force her into submission to set up a complete turnabout for the end of the series. In the endgame, Arya will have earned the higher place in the surviving world's hierarchy. The difference is that, while Arya often takes a natural leadership role in the groups she's in, she doesn't drool over the idea of others prostrating themselves before her the way Sansa does. So Arya wouldn't gloat over her sister, though she would continue being honest and calling out wrong doing.
Also, it's not a coincidence that Arya's direwolf is a leader and actually named for a ruling princess while Sansa's is a dead lady.
arya week day 2: family, heritage, and identity
arya and her big brother robb/hocus pocus au: "couldn't you forget about being a cool teenager just for one night?"
commissioned from dotajis. reference below.
Rhaegar, Lyanna, Jon and Arya by retroxknight
“It was her mother she wanted, not her mother’s sister.”
Catelyn and Arya reunion.
Happy birthday to @mercyalayne , wish you all the best in this year. Love you 🦋
the fact that catelyn was over the moon about jon joining the night’s watch because “he would father no sons who might someday contest with catelyn’s own grandchildren for winterfell” only for him to desert because of her youngest daughter… cat my love your grandchildren by arya will be jon’s children i fear
rhaegar’s and jon’s hearts being called black, in connection to lyanna and arya—the reason these honorable and dutiful men abandon their duty. like father, like son.
every jonrya & ceslu parallel (2/?)
Something about her made him think of Arya, though they looked nothing at all alike. - She looked plump as she crouched there, but most of that was layers of fur and wool and leather. Underneath all that she could be as skinny as Arya. - She reminded him a little of his sister Arya, though Arya was younger and probably skinnier. - Jon had never met anyone so stubborn, except maybe for his little sister Arya. Is she still my sister? he wondered. Was she ever?
