In the Season 5 finale of “Game of Thrones,” it was shown that Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams, lost her eyesight as a punishment for going against the orders of The House of Black and White after she killed Ser Meryn Trant in a brothel.
In George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” Arya Stark also lost her eyesight not through a punishment but as part of her training to become a Faceless Man.
However, in the popular TV series, her blinding came as a punishment for killing somebody out of anger and revenge, which the Faceless Men do not do. They kill because death is a gift and their idea is that a painless death is almost like letting people go, details the International Business Times of India.
In the Season 5 finale, Arya did not deal death to Meryn Trant as a gift but for herself, cites showrunner David Benioff.
It is likely that Arya would remain blind for the most part of the show’s Season 6 as actress Maisie Williams recently posted on her Instagram account the difficulties of wearing contacts. She captioned the image by saying that it was an aftermath of blind contacts, showing herself lying in bed and wearing cooling pads under her eyes.
During an interview in June, Maisie said that blindness will indeed impede Arya’s character and her plans so she is going to be vulnerable, citing that it would be both exciting and scary. She also said that she does not want to wear those crazy contacts for the rest of her time on “Game of Thrones.”
Bittersweet ending
With the upcoming release of George R.R. Martin’s sixth book of his critically-acclaimed fantasy novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the equally critically-acclaimed author is just down to writing one book.
As “Game of Thrones” the TV series is parallel to the fantasy novel series, many are thinking that the show will also end on its seventh season because if Season 6 will largely be patterned after the sixth book titled “The Winds of Winter,” Season 7 will quite naturally depend on the seventh book.
However, there are reports that “Game of Thrones” can actually go up to Season 8, which only excited fans all the more. It would be better for them actually if the show is going to extend beyond Season 8.
With the ending in the book comes the ending of the TV series because while there are some modifications on the TV show from the ones written in the book, the overall complexion or plotlines of the story remains the same.
While Season 6 is currently on production at this time, reports are now rife on how George Martin plans to put an end to the very popular novel series, which shall basically be the same for the TV series.
In a recent interview, Martin said that he has not yet written the ending, but he already has an idea how it is going to be. He also said that he does not want to end it darkly contrary to speculations and rumors because what he has in mind is a bittersweet ending, notes Variety.
He said that he draws inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien in ending his novel “The Lord of the Rings.” The novel and the movie series ended with a bittersweet victory. He confirmed that it is the kind of ending that he will be aiming for in “A Song of Ice and Fire,” which shall be the same ending for “Game of Thrones” most likely.
“Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss both believe Martin of his ending plans for the book, although that could change in a moment’s notice.
Benioff, in a recent interview, said that they already know what the end is because they have been having a lot of conversations with George Martin lately. But he also added that George can come up with a lot of stuff when he is writing so it can change anytime depending on what comes to the mind of the author.
A great soldier is coming
Meanwhile, HBO has confirmed early this month that actor Ian McShane will join the cast of “Game of Thrones” for its Season 6 to air in the spring of next year.