‘Game Of Thrones’ Fan Theory Suggests Strange Connection Between Arya And The Waif, So Why Won’t The Showrunners Bust It?

The Starks might be obsessed with winter, but every Game of Thrones fan knows that summer and fall are where the magic happens. Between the annual San Diego Comic-Con panel and production rumors, summer is when the best fan theories about seasons past and seasons yet to come. This year is no exception.

A wild theory emerged on Reddit in the days before the epic Game of Thrones Season 6 finale, “The Winds of Winter.” While her uncle, Blackfish Tully, and her siblings, Jon Snow and Sansa Stark, gathered their forces for different wars, Arya Stark was locked in a battle of a different kind. Arya spent most of Game of Thrones Season 6 trying to stay one step ahead of The Waif, a malicious follower of the Faceless Men. As enemies go, The Waif was the most terrifying adversary Arya Stark had ever faced, and one of the most chilling villains in the history of Game of Thrones.

Fans who are up-to-date with their Game of Thrones viewing will remember that the low-key battle of wills between Arya and The Waif erupted into all-out war after Arya failed to kill Lady Crane. When The Waif caught up with her in “The Broken Man” and stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach, it looked like Arya was in danger of following her father and mother to an early grave.

The God of Many Faces smiled on Arya and let her best The Waif in an off-screen battle. Most fans were content to let The Waif’s story end there, but Redditor catNamedStupidity had an unusual take on the fight between The Waif and Arya Stark.

According to catNamedStupidity’s theory, Arya and The Waif are the same person. The argument rests on The Waif’s strange focus on killing Arya, a goal which she seemed to have from the moment she meets her. What if the Waif didn’t just view Arya as worthy of hate because of her unorthodox entry into the House of Black and White? What if The Waif was the new Arya, trying to kill her weak inner self?

While the theory seems far-fetched, catNamedStupidity provided evidence to support it. The only people who appear to see The Waif are Arya and Jaquen H’ghar, or whichever Faceless Man wore Jaquen H’ghar’s face. The Waif preys on Arya during her time at the House of Black and White, highlighting her insecurities and always pointing out that she isn’t suited for the life of a Faceless Man. If the theory is correct, then the final battle between Arya and The Waif wasn’t a battle for her life, as much as a battle for her soul.

It’s worth noting that most of catNamedStupidity’s fellow Game of Thrones fans dismissed her theory. To be fair, there are several holes. For instance, if The Waif didn’t kill Lady Crane, who did? There is also the scene in which The Waif tells Jaquen H’ghar of Arya’s failure and asks for permission to kill her. Both seem to point to Arya and The Waif being different people. Overall, most Game of Thrones fans seemed content to label this theory impossible and move on.

At least, until San Diego Comic-Con. According to Hello Giggles, an unidentified fan mentioned the theory to Faye Marsay, who played The Waif on Game of Thrones. The theory seemed to amuse Marsay, but she quickly shot it down.

“I think the theory is a cool one, it would have been really cool, but I think Maisie [Williams] is Arya, and the way it is now is the best way. The theory is good and creative, but I think the writers have got it right.”

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were also asked about the Arya-Waif theory, but they stopped short of dismissing it. Instead, the showrunners wondered aloud if fans were reading too much into the show and shrugged their shoulders. The showrunners refusal to completely kill the theory has fans wondering if this is one outlandish Game of Thrones theory that might have some truth to it.

[Image via HBO]