Maisie Williams talks about THAT intense Arya scene in “Game of Thrones”
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!
Last night’s Game of Thrones episode featured a fierce showdown for Arya Stark. If you aren’t yet caught up, consider not (yet) reading the rest of this post. Here’s your Coin of the Faceless Man back, now be on your way.
Ever since Arya entered the House of Black and White, she’s faced some serious hardships. But none have been more intense than the ongoing “training” she’s been receiving from Waif (who obviously does not like or trust her in the slightest). And when things finally came to a head with Arya making a clear choice not to kill Lady Crane and digging up her trusted friend Needle, Waif was totally ready (and clearly excited) to take her out. And it wasn’t long before she had gruesomely stabbed Arya in the gut.
Maisie Williams (the actress who plays Arya Stark) recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about that incredibly agonizing moment when the possibly fatally-wounded Arya throws herself into the water only to barely swim out and weakly walk the streets of Braavos, paranoid of everyone she meets. It was so terrifying to watch, we can only imagine what it was like to film.
“It was a totally manic day. We did a million different takes. We wanted it to be real frantic and panicked,” Williams said. As if it weren’t impressive enough that she had to actually do this scary stunt of falling wounded into into the Irish Sea, but the fact that they had to do repeated takes is absolutely incredible (and makes us believe she must be just as tough as her onscreen character).
She went on to explain why the scene was so important, reminding us that Arya has been in a more or less emotionless state for a long time (or at least actively fighting back her emotions). This is not only the first time she shows a genuine emotion of being scared, it’s fear of death. She says, “It’s the first time she thinks she’s not going to make it and it’s scary. She ends peoples’ lives like there’s no tomorrow, but when it’s finally happening to her she’s petrified. She’s petrified of dying. She’s got so much more to do.”
We were just as petrified for the damaged Arya since she’s one of the most fascinating characters in the entire show (and totally agree with Williams — the young Stark has a lot left to do). Basically, she’s got a lot of valar dohaeris in her before it’s time to valar morghulis. And based on the toughness of both the character and the actress playing her, we have faith that she’ll be around for a long while.
