Arya Stark is considered by many to be one of the best fictional characters of all time, and anyone who's seen Game of Thrones can attest to why this is the case. While the show famously fizzled out over the course of its last few seasons, there's still no denying the fact that the initial run of Game of Thrones was nothing short of amazing and showed what the medium was truly capable of. The pedigree of the characters in Game of Thrones was one of the major reasons why the show was such a massive hit, with Arya Stark being a notable example.
Initially starting off as a rebellious child, Arya soon grows into a competent warrior with excellent swordsmanship skills. The fact that she defeated the Night King should be proof enough of just how much she'd grown over the course of the series. So, as one might assume, Arya Stark could very well be considered a role model in modern times... even though there are some things she's done that have definitely crossed the line, regardless of the motivations she might've had for the same.
WOULDN'T FLY TODAY: Learning The Art Of Murder
At the end of the day, it's hard to justify the idea that a young girl should learn the best way possible to commit the heinous act of murder. In the world of Game of Thrones, this might still be a required skill... but definitely not in the modern age.
WOULD FLY TODAY: Trying To Be Independent
That being said, the first time that Arya tries to learn how to swing a sword is the first time she tries her hardest to be independent and not conform to the norms set by society at that time.
The fact that this attitude is still held in high regard even right now is a testament to the fact that people should definitely look up to Arya and her fierce independence... in this context, at the very least.
WOULDN'T FLY TODAY: Being Rash And Prone To Rage
Arya's not exactly the most stoic person in Game of Thrones, and the manner in which her behavior changes erratically over the course of the show is a testament to her emotional nature.
So, it's only a given that nobody should be so out of touch with their emotions and react without a second thought. That being said, it's not like Arya didn't take steps to fix this particular character trait of hers...
WOULD FLY TODAY: Trying To Control Her Emotions
After a point, Arya stopped being so impulsive and ended up calculating each and every one of her moves in order to figure out the best course of action that could be taken in a particular situation — something that can help people even in modern times.
Unfortunately, the motivations that drove Arya towards discarding her emotions aren't really all that great.
WOULDN'T FLY TODAY: A One-Track Mind To Exact Revenge
After the injustices that her family faced, it was only a given that Arya would want to see that justice comes to the Stark name. However, the manner in which she decided to achieve these goals weren't really all that admirable, and that's putting it mildly.
Arya's need for revenge was so strong that she ended up reciting the name of the people she wanted to kill every single day, a mentality that certainly isn't healthy, to say the least.
WOULD FLY TODAY: Being Merciful Towards Clegane
Mercy might not seem like the aptest word to use here, but keep in mind that Clegane was pretty much egging Arya on to end his life and let him die without any pain.
However, if Arya did kill Clegane, it wouldn't have been for his wellbeing — rather, she would've played right into the Hound's hands and give in to her dark side one more time. Thankfully, this time, Arya listened to the voice of reason and decided not to take the easy way out.
WOULDN'T FLY TODAY: Indiscriminate Murder
Of course, the one life that Arya did save certainly didn't make up for the countless times she'd actually murdered a sizeable number of people in cold blood.
At this point, people will point out that there was an underlying goal to Arya's more morally dubious actions, which is definitely understandable to an extent.
WOULD FLY TODAY: Protecting Her Family
After losing her father and mother, it was only a given that Arya would want to try her hardest and ensure that the surviving members of her family don't have to suffer more.
So, while the means that she took certainly weren't justified, the end certainly was — the Starks ultimately ended up reigning supreme by the end of the series.
WOULDN'T FLY TODAY: Enjoying The Act Of Killing
That being said, one thing about Arya that should definitely be criticized is that she started enjoying killing a lot more over time, especially when compared to her book counterpart.
The sheer number of times she's shown a disturbing level of satisfaction on her face after killing people is quite disgusting, and should never be considered the norm in modern times.
WOULD FLY TODAY: Journeying Off On Her Own
The idea of being independent has already been discussed before, and Arya takes this idea to a whole different level when her adventurous spirit compels her to journey all the way to the West to uncharted lands.
This adventurous zeal should definitely be commended, and more people should definitely go out of their comfort zone to try out new and different things that could break the monotony of life most people have settled into.