In the early seasons of Game of Thrones, there were several instances where it seemed like the young Arya Stark may have been aware that Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish was keeping tabs on her movements and activities. While Arya was a highly observant and intuitive character from a young age, it is unclear if she fully comprehended the extent to which Littlefinger was spying on her during her time in King’s Landing.
Evidence Arya Knew She Was Being Watched
There are a few key moments in the show that suggest Arya may have picked up on Littlefinger’s surveillance:
- When Ned Stark discovers Arya’s sword Needle, she doesn’t seem surprised or ashamed, hinting she may have expected it to be found.
- Similarly, when Ned finds her practicing her water dancing, Arya doesn’t appear shocked or embarrassed, implying she anticipated being caught.
- Arya frequently explores the Red Keep and city by herself, seemingly comfortable moving around unsupervised, indicating she may feel hidden eyes on her.
- She notices and reacts to being watched by servants and spies like Fat Tom, demonstrating her wariness and perception.
In the books, Arya overhears conversations about LF’s network of spies and his obsession with her sister Sansa, suggesting she knows he has eyes on the Starks.
Evidence Arya Did Not Know
However, there are also several moments that imply Arya was oblivious to Littlefinger’s spying:
- Arya is surprised by the stableboy attack on Micah at the Trident, even though LF had all the details.
- She seems genuinely shocked by Ned’s arrest and execution, though LF was orchestrating events.
- Arya does not demonstrate particular caution around Littlefinger or his brothels in King’s Landing.
- She is caught off guard multiple times by encounters with Lannister guards and soldiers.
Additionally, Arya was only 10-11 years old at the time, and may have lacked the political understanding to grasp the web of intrigue and espionage surrounding her.
Assessing the Evidence
There are convincing points on both sides of the debate about Arya’s knowledge of Littlefinger’s spying. Ultimately, it seems the evidence is mixed:
| Evidence For | Evidence Against |
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While Arya showed signs of being intuitive, observant, and crafty as a young girl in King’s Landing, she was still very young and inexperienced. It seems likely she picked up on some spying activities but did not fully grasp the role Littlefinger played or the extent of his surveillance network.
Why Littlefinger Spied on Arya
Assuming Littlefinger was keeping tabs on Arya, why would he bother spying on a relatively inconsequential northern girl? There are a few potential reasons:
- To gain leverage over the Starks by knowing their movements and vulnerabilities.
- To be aware of any actions that could impact his plans and schemes.
- To gauge how much she knew about politics and plotting in King’s Landing.
- To gain her trust and lay the groundwork for manipulating her in the future.
- To look for opportunities to exploit her Stark identity for his advantage.
Spying on Arya gave Littlefinger valuable insight into the inner workings of House Stark and their activities in the capital. Even though she was not initially an important player, he recognized her potential value as a political pawn down the road.
Foreshadowing of Future Enmity
The dynamic between Arya and Littlefinger in the early seasons foreshadows their eventual outright antagonism. Arya’s mistrust of LF is evident when she rebuffs his condolences after Ned’s death, stating “I don’t trust your friend.” When Arya returns to Winterfell in season 7, this mutual wariness explodes into deadly conflict when Arya and Sansa turn the tables against LF and Arya slits his throat, eliminating him as a threat.
Looking back, their early interactions are laced with hostility, foretelling the clash between the cunning master manipulator and the sharp, independent Stark girl. While Arya did not fully grasp Littlefinger’s scheming in her youth, she harbored instincts that one day helped her defeat him.
The Hall of Faces
An interesting symbolic reference to Arya and Littlefinger’s future clashes is her “game of faces” training in the House of Black and White. The Hall of Faces represents Arya’s education in deception, a skill Littlefinger has mastered. Yet in the end, Arya uses that training to recognize LF’s lies and manipulate him in return. Their battle is one of master deceiver versus apt pupil, ending in the student surpassing the teacher.
Conclusion
In summary, while the full extent of Arya’s awareness is debatable, she demonstrated signs of recognizing Littlefinger’s hidden hand in King’s Landing. Their early interactions establish a foundation for their future adversarial relationship. Littlefinger kept a close eye on Arya as an asset for manipulation, yet ultimately underestimated the cunning that his own spying and deception helped hone. Their arc is one of spymaster and unwitting apprentice evolving into mortal enemies as Arya embraced her own cunning and turned the tables on one of Westeros’ most dangerous game players.