This 'GoT' Theory Could Change Everything

It's not been a kind season for anyone with the surname "Stark" on Game Of Thrones. Sure, Jon Snow is back from the dead and Sansa is out of the physical clutches of gross Ramsay Bolton. Last week, though, was a serious blow to the Stark house when Arya met the wrong end of a blade at the hands of The Waif. After going through intense fight training with The Waif to regain her skills, Arya was tasked with a mission to assassinate a local actress. After experiencing a subtle change of heart, going from the nameless "Girl" and back into her old self, Arya decided it was time to bail on the mission and bail on the assassin life. Welp, that didn't go very well — but there's hope! Please believe me when I tell you that there is a literal boatload of hope that Arya isn't going to die in the streets of Braavos.

Thanks to the careful eye of Game of Thrones fan Stacey Shepherd, there may have been a hint in the promo for the upcoming episode, "No One." At one point, we see The Waif looking out and a shadowy figure standing behind her. The shadow cuts a pretty imposing and recognizable shape. This has sparked curiosity: Could this person be Arya's sword-fighting instructor Syrio Forel?

If Syrio is truly coming back, then this could be major for Arya. Season 6 has been full of resurrections and reunions, two things rarely afforded in a show that regularly chooses brutality. It's become evident that Arya, while capable of protecting herself, definitely needs a helping hand. It would make sense for Syrio to be in Braavos, seeing as it is his native land. Furthermore, if one is mysteriously offed and their body is not shown, it could be assumed that perhaps they are actually alive, right? The last time we saw Syrio, he was holding off attackers from taking out Arya personally. We technically never saw a body. That could mean anything on this show.

Additionally, for whatever this bit of fluff is worth, the actor who portrays Syrio, Miltos Yerolemou, has retweeted Shephard's tweet. Could it be a stamp of approval? An acknowledgement that she guessed correctly? I'm approaching "Is Jon Snow really dead?"-levels of crazy here, but I do not take the return of characters lightly. Maybe it's because that Stark family so deeply deserves the revenge they seek against those who have wronged them; with Syrio back, it would mean that Arya's quest has not been in vain.

If Syrio is indeed back, then he could be just the source of strength, metaphorically and literally, that she needs. Last we saw, she wasn't faring so well. How awesome would it be to see Syrio enter by pouncing on The Waif, taking her out and then rushing to help Arya? Alas, I dream. We'll have to wait and see what happens in a few days time. Make no mistake: If Syrio is back, then the Starks might be stronger than they realize.

Images: Macall B. Polay/HBO; Giphy