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asoiaf-source · 26 days ago

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I'll give a different perspective on this, as I think this kind of 'wishful speculation' fanart is more likely a scene that they wish would happen as it would show that Sansa and Arya's future relationship will have changed and they will be close enough to have Sansa fussing over Arya's appearence (hair) as Sansa's way of showing her love and acceptance... and something Arya's allows as her way of accepting that love. Something I can't see Sansa ever doing pre-AGOT, she would have pointed out Arya's messy hair, made fun of it, or felt shame or embarrassment over it being unladylike, but she wouldn't have tried to do anything about it herself, or Arya would have run away thinking that they were making fun of her... thus having a future Sansa and Arya do this would show some healing and new found closeness between them, or at least they are both willing to rebuild their relationship as sisters.

I get what you mean about Arya's hair being messy, but remember Arya is also a child, I was a messy child always covered in sand and mud at the end of a day, but eventually I grew up and being neat, clean, and not smelling stinky started to matter to me. Still not afraid to get my hands dirty, but I also appreciate a long hot shower :) I can certainly see a more grownup Arya caring about her appearence more, especially once she realizes that there maybe people/boys she wants to look good for... she will never be as fussy over dress as Sansa, but she can be an improved Arya, who doesn't look down on herself and neglects her appearance because she thinks she is too ugly to bother... and Sansa can be a better bigger sister by helping repair Arya's self-esteem by showing encouragement and care instead of insults and admonishments.

Honestly, I kinds like the idea of Arya having rather short hair for a while, I mean she is bald now, so it will take years to grow out, but I can see Sansa fussing about Arya's short hair, trying to find ways to dress it up, or help it grow out quicker because she thinks girls look better with longer hair, and Arya's allowing it because she likes that Sansa is being nice to her and she does want to be true-sisters and it is easy enough to do. Arya's has had thoughts of being a better sister to Sansa because Arya is kind, more forgiving, and accommodating like that (Hot Pie, Sandor) and this would also show Sansa being a better sister to Arya by showing her taking care of her in the best way Sansa knows how and cares about - it is in character. It goes both ways to me.

Arya's growth and stepping into her own to me is to have a healthy self-esteem about herself and that can be shown by her finding a path between both her natural self and adopting her 'lady' self as well (much as Lyanna seemed to be, and like her father's 'lord's face'). She is a lady but she never saw herself as worth of that designation, as if it 'wasn't her' and we all know that she is a real lady in mind, body, and spirit and that accepting herself as one, even if it is her own unique type of lady is part of her being able to accept her whole self again. And perhaps a part of that is also having the acceptance from her sister as a true-sister as well, or at least that maybe one of GRRM's plans for them. I can see it anyway.

Arya can't run away from the part of her that is a true lady, we know that Arya takes her role as a Stark seriously, and that includes being a Lady of House Stark. It was comparisons to and from Sansa (and others - who are mostly dead) that made her feel otherwise, so having Sansa finally accept and treat Arya nicer would be a step in the right direction to me. These are some of Arya's unresolved issues and her mother (Lady Stoneheart), her sister, and perhaps even Jeyne Poole playing a role in helping Arya finally be able to embrace that side of herself is okay to me. Ideally, I would like to see some of these relationships mended and strengthened, it is okay to hope for it.

As for Sansa doing the things that Arya likes, I can't see Sansa ever liking riding hard for fun or learning to fight with daggers or swords, or going on long walks exploring the countryside (maybe?)... math, come on seriously, lol... I don't know, perhaps Arya can show Sansa some of the acting lessons she picked up, or just enjoy all the stories Arya will be able to tell about her travels (I can see Arya taking up Old Nan's roll as storyteller, or perhaps Bran too :), perhaps teach her languages, or about poisons and the remedies, or how to read people telling lies... I don't expect Sansa to change too much in personality or interests, other than to be nicer and appreciate her family and loyal true friends more... she just isn't the type to embrace new things easily to me... that is one of their foils in my eyes.

Arya is the active one, the explorer, open-minded to new ideas and new experiences, adaptable - Sansa is the passive one, the homebody, not as receptive to new ideas and experiences that are too outside her comfort zone. There will be exceptions of course, but generally speaking this is part of their personality types and I don't expect those core aspects of their personality to change too much by the end of ASOIAF.

Just thinking out loud after coming across the nth iteration of Sansa brushing Arya's hair fanart. For those who love the Stark sisters and draw art of them I always wonder why there is not more art from Arya's perspective.

If it's all fanon and headcanons anyways - like Sansa brushing Arya's hair - then why not fanart of Arya and Sansa going horse-riding? Or, if horses are hard to draw, why not art of Arya teaching Sansa how to do numbers? Or Arya showing Sansa the different kinds of flowers and how to make a bouquet? or Arya introducing Sansa to the babies of the kitchen maids? Why not fanart for the sisters that's about Arya for a change?

It's just that, canonically, it's such an unique Arya character trait that her hair is often messy and not brushed. Her tangled hair is both a source of pain and low self-esteem for her (Her mother wanting her to be a mini Sansa and getting bullied by Sansa and Jeyne) and a source of unconditional love (Jon messing up her hair and always remembering and loving her for her tangled hair).

She is traumatized by Catelyn's need for her to be another Sansa:

"Well," Arya said, "my hair's messy and my nails are dirty and my feet are all hard." Robb wouldn't care about that, probably, but her mother would. Lady Catelyn always wanted her to be like Sansa, to sing and dance and sew and mind her courtesies. Just thinking of it made Arya try to comb her hair with her fingers, but it was all tangles and mats, and all she did was tear some out

She is open to having her hair brushed by someone who doesn't disparage her appearance and expect her to be a certain way (And that's certainly not Sansa!):

Lady Smallwood insisted that Arya take another bath, and cut and comb her hair besides; the dress she put her in this time was sort of lilac-colored, and decorated with little baby pearls. The only good thing about it was that it was so delicate that no one could expect her to ride in it. So the next morning as they broke their fast, Lady Smallwood gave her breeches, belt, and tunic to wear, and a brown doeskin jerkin dotted with iron studs. "They were my son's things," she said. "He died when he was seven." "I'm sorry, my lady." Arya suddenly felt bad for her, and ashamed. "I'm sorry I tore the acorn dress too. It was pretty."

And she finds unconditional love and acceptance in Jon's embracing of her as she is:

Jon wouldn't care who I killed or whether I brushed my hair . . . "Jon looks like me, even though he's bastard-born. He used to muss my hair and call me 'little sister.'" Arya missed Jon most of all. Just saying his name made her sad. "How do you know about Jon?" - Arya

Just in Arya's very first AGoT chapter, Jon messes up her hair three times!! No wonder Arya's hair is always tangled and messy and no wonder Arya likes it that way!

Jon grinned, reached over, and messed up her hair. Arya flushed. They had always been close. - Arya, AGoT

She would have given anything if Jon had been here to call her "little sister" and muss her hair. Not that it needed mussing. She'd seen her reflection in puddles, and she didn't think hair got any more mussed than hers. - Arya, AGoT

She wished somehow they could come to the Wall before Winterfell, so Jon might muss up her hair and call her "little sister." She'd tell him, "I missed you," and he'd say it too at the very same moment, the way they always used to say things together. She would have liked that. She would have liked that better than anything. - Arya, ACoK

Needle was Jon Snow's smile. He used to mess my hair and call me "little sister," she remembered, and suddenly there were tears in her eyes. - Arya, AFfC

And Arya … he missed her even more than Robb, skinny little thing that she was, all scraped knees and tangled hair and torn clothes, so fierce and willful. Arya never seemed to fit, no more than he had … yet she could always make Jon smile. He would give anything to be with her now, to muss up her hair once more and watch her make a face, to hear her finish a sentence with him. - Jon, AGoT

As he rode, Jon peeled off his glove to air his burned fingers. Ugly things. He remembered suddenly how he used to muss Arya's hair. His little stick of a sister. He wondered how she was faring. It made him a little sad to think that he might never muss her hair again. - Jon, ACoK

He wanted to believe it would be Arya. He wanted to see her face again, to smile at her and muss her hair, to tell her she was safe. - Jon, ADwD

You know nothing, Jon Snow. He thought of Arya, her hair as tangled as a bird's nest. I made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell … I want my bride back … I want my bride back … I want my bride back … "I think we had best change the plan," Jon Snow said. - Jon, ADwD

It's also something to note that Jon seems to exhibit some sort of disdain for the ladies brushing their hair

A warrior princess, he decided, not some willowy creature who sits up in a tower, brushing her hair and waiting for some knight to rescue her. - Jon, ADwD

GRRM has talked about how Arya's messy hair is something Jon misses and connects with in the girls he loves and admires - like Ygritte, for example, with her tangled, never brushed hair.

It’s a reference to a certain physical type, and a certain indication of what Jon finds admirable. It’s like someone who reminds you of, you know… Other people might be put off by this, you know, hair that looks like small rodents have been living in there. It doesn’t put him off because he is used to that.”

Why change that and always have her conform to what Sansa wants to do in all these fanart? Why try to turn Arya into a mini Sansa like Catelyn wanted to do - something that is painful for Arya. Why not explore fanart where Sansa is doing something that Arya loves and is good at?

So yeah, I am not an artist, can't even doodle lol. Artists are going to draw what they want and that's perfectly okay.

I simply wanted to point out that this would be something that canon Arya would dislike and wouldn't want done. Not to mention canon Sansa is never going to be brushing Arya's hair in the first place because they have never had that kind of relationship and never will and that's perfectly okay as well.

And if there is fanart of Sansa brushing Arya's hair, there should be addendum fanart of Jon immediately messing it up and them both having a giggle over it!!

#asoiaf #arya stark #asoiaf sansa #asoiaf arya #asoiaf speculations

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