Things Between Arya & The Faceless Men Are Tense

Arya Stark has seen and done a great deal during her short life. Her spirit and fearlessness have been the only things that have kept her out of trouble up until this point. However, it seems like her luck may finally be running out. In the upcoming season finale, Arya is very likely going to make a major decision. If she chooses poorly, she could very well incur the wrath of her teacher, Jaqen H'ghar, and the Faceless Men. Will Jaqen kill Arya in the finale? It could happen.For the past couple of seasons of Game of Thrones, Arya has been on a quest to avenge her family's deaths, but others have interfered with her plans. When she is first smuggled out of King's Landing following her father's beheading, she is captured again by Tywin Lannister and his men, who thankfully never discover her true identity. Though she finally escapes the Lannisters, she is once again captured by The Hound, who tries to sell Arya back to her family. Unfortunately, her mother and eldest brother Robb are murdered before she is able to be reunited with them. Throughout all of Arya's adventures, she has only really had one ally: Jaqen H'ghar. A prisoner at King's Landing, he was being transported to The Wall by Yoren, the same man who was helping Arya leave King's Landing. After rescuing him from a burning wagon, Jaqen grants Arya three deaths to repay his debt. Eventually, Jaqen murders Tywin Lannister's guards, allowing Arya and her friends to escape unnoticed. Before Jaqen and Arya say their goodbyes, he offers her a coin that guarantees her entry into the House of Black and White in Braavos, should she ever decide to join the Faceless Men.

After learning of her family's deaths, it seems that Arya has taken Jaqen up on his offer. Unfortunately, as we've seen throughout this entire season of GoT, the Faceless Men and the Many-Faced God are not at all what Arya hoped they'd be. First and foremost, Arya has spent her days in Braavos working in the morgue, washing bodies and preparing them for burial. Secondly, I'm not certain Arya is entirely aware of who the Faceless Men truly are. Arya may want revenge, but it's obvious to me that she is no killer. Still, she is nothing if not determined.

After begging to begin her "real" training for weeks, Jaqen has finally sent Arya out on a mission. She becomes Lana, the Oyster Girl, who is on a quest to kill a cruel gambling man. If you look at Arya's face, you can tell she's uncertain about her mission. While contemplating her mission, Arya witnesses Meryn Trant arrive on the docks in Braavos with Lord Tyrell. (Trant is on Arya's death list for murdering her dance professor during the first season.) Arya abandons the mission Jaqen gave, her and spends the day following Trant around the city. Arriving back at the House of Black and White, Arya lies to Jaqen, telling him the gambler wasn’t hungry. However, from the looks Jaqen gave her, I doubt that he bought her lie.

Nothing that is happening looks good for Arya for several reasons. First and foremost, Jaqen H'ghar is not a kind man. Though Ayra may have thought she found a friend, looking back, it looks like Jaqen was just repaying his debts to her. If Arya fails to complete her mission, or, worse, uses the poison against Trant, she could expose the Faceless Men. Jaqen won't let her get away with that unharmed. Secondly, If Arya makes an attempt on Trant's life and fails, he could kill her, or capture her and return her to King's Landing. (The last person Arya needs to come into contact with is Cersei.) Finally if Arya does succeed in killing Trant, and she manages to escape form Jaqen, what will become of her? Where can she go?

Her brother Jon's position as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is precarious at best. Her youngest brothers are lost in the wilderness somewhere, and poor Sansa is being held hostage at Winterfell by her tyrannical husband, Ramsay Bolton. Tom Wlaschiha who plays Jaqen H'ghar on Game of Thrones, said, "My theory is that it’s all part of a bigger plan — that he decided to be [thrown into the Black Cells at King’s Landing] in the first place to meet Arya. But in which way exactly their story is going to continue? No idea." Whatever Arya decides to do, I hope she can escape Jaqen and the Faceless Men before they can carry out their plan.

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