Although beloved Game of Thrones characters won't be part of House of the Dragon, fans are still looking back on the series in preparation. At the end of the show, Arya Stark of Winterfell sailed off to explore the Sunset Sea. Yet, after a sequel show was announced, intending to follow Jon Snow, there has been considerable speculation that the Stark captain will find a way back to Westeros to rejoin him.

But for all that fans love the character, there are some things that many fans may not quite know about her. After all, it's hard to explore every detail of a character in an ensemble show, and it's even harder to display every example of characterization from a book series that spanned thousands of pages. Still, there's a lot about Arya Stark that only book fans really know.

She Was Closer To Jon Than Her Trueborn Siblings

Arya and Jon hugging in the snow in Game of Thrones.

Though they share few scenes in the show, Arya and Jon Snow happen to be the closest of the Stark siblings. Though Jon was a bastard and Arya true-born, Arya was always the black sheep of the family, thanks to her lack of ability in most lady-like pursuits like needlework.

Of course, the fact that the two were the only members of their generation to share the Stark look certainly helped. With everyone else sporting red hair and blue eyes, the dark-haired siblings found themselves close friends and confidants. There's a reason Jon gave Arya Needle, after all.

She's Only 9 In The Books

Arya Stark stabbing the stable boy in Game of Thrones

The little girl that ran from Syrio Forel and stabbed a stable boy also happened to be a girl of only nine years old. While the show tends to depict Arya as much older than she is, all through her time with the Faceless Men, Arya is little more than an 11-year-old.

Altering the ages of the Stark kids was one of the best changes the show made, but it also took away from the inherent tragedy of Arya's character as a child forced to kill another child to survive, then using her wits to get by alone on the streets. It's a good example of why Arya ends up the way she does, and how she found her way to the House of Black and White.

One Of The Five Central Characters

George RR Martin secret letter game of thrones tyrion bran arya stark jon snow

There are five central characters in the story of Game of Thrones, and Arya happens to be one of them, according to the original pitch letter for the books. Alongside Daenerys, Jon, Bran, and Tyrion, Arya is training to take a big place in the narrative of the series.

Though Arya is often disregarded from most fanbase discussions, thanks to her lack of involvement in the Westerosi or Daenerys plots, it makes some sense that she would take on a huge role like killing the Night King. After all, the story was building her up for something grant.

Saved Catelyn Stark

A Song of Ice and Fire, Lady Stoneheart

While it's something only die-hard fans know about the show, Catelyn Stark wasn't ever meant to have permanently died at the Red Wedding. That distinction was for Robb alone. Catelyn's body was instead dragged from a river by Arya's wolf, Nymeria, at Arya's own direction.

Though Nymeria was forced to abandon Catelyn, prior to her resurrection, it's just another tie to bind Arya to her family even before she was able to return to Westeros. Every moment that Catelyn lived was thanks to Arya fishing her from the water, which is proof that Arya loved her family as much as she hated her enemies.

Met Sam Tarly

Sam at the Citadel in Game of Thrones

While Samwell Tarly met with Jon Snow and Bran Stark on the TV show, he actually also stopped in Braavos and met with Arya Stark. Though neither knew who the other was, as Arya was disguised, Arya managed to protect Sam from swindlers and even offered him friendly advice.

Though the Faceless Men aren't widely known for their kind nature, even when she was working for them, Arya made sure to display friendliness to Sam, thanks to his black cloak marking him as a man of the Night's Watch. Though she didn't reveal herself, her respect for the Watch displayed that Arya was still a proud Stark and obeyed her father's wishes. It was also why she went on to kill a deserter, just like her father had.

Lyanna Stark, Reborn

lyanna stark wedding

While it's common for family members to have some similarities with one another, the similarities between Arya and her aunt Lyanna are eerie. The two looked so identical that Bran had trouble telling Lyanna apart from Arya, even when looking at her with his own eyes.

The two also had the same no-nonsense attitudes and liked to play at swords with the boys. They were also both incredible riders, interested in flowers, and loved stories and songs. Though she had a tragic ending, the fact that Lyanna was Jon Snow's true parent only helps make her ties to Arya even stranger, given how much Arya loves Jon.

She's Incredibly Smart

Arya Stark after killing the Freys in Game of Thrones

While the show didn't often discuss Arya's intelligence, she was actually a fairly brilliant character. Able to navigate across the Riverlands without the help of a map, while also surviving off of berries and bark, she proved as adept and adaptable as any character in the series.

At an incredibly young age, Arya also managed to trick a member of the Faceless Men. While her brilliance isn't often discussed, as she is the least involved in politics among her siblings, she proved more than smart enough to handle herself. Though often blunter than any other Stark, she was also as intelligent as she was brave.

She Had Many Identities

Arya at The House of Black and White Game of Thrones Season 5

While the show only depicted a few identities for Arya, she actually bore quite a few. From Lumpyhead to Arry the Orphan Boy to the Ghost of Harrenhall to the Cat of the Canals to the Blind Girl, Arya managed to wear identities as easily as she wore cloaks. Yet, despite it all, she was always well aware that she was Arya Stark underneath.

It's hard to maintain one core identity when changing them so often, which makes it all the more impressive that Arya managed to hold onto her true self. Even when she tried to dismiss it by casting Needle away, she thought of her family and held on. It's a testament to her love for the Starks and the strength of her will.

A Powerful Skinchanger

Though Bran is the only Stark warg in the show, in the books, each of the Stark children are wargs — with the exception of Sansa. Besides Bran, Arya is also the only one of the children with the ability to drive her consciousness into more than just wolves. While she still maintains a strong connection with Nymeria, she also has the power to warg into cats throughout Braavos.

Given that Redditors think the Jon Snow spin-off may involve an exploration of his abilities as a warg, Arya's skinchanging powers might come into play on the small screen. If she ever needs to check on her cousin, she can easily drive herself into a wolf or cat to take a look. After all, if she managed to merge with Nymeria while she was in Braavos, she can certainly look after Jon from the Sunset Sea.

She's Still With The Faceless Men

Arya and Jaqen in Game of Thrones

While the show gave Arya the chance to escape the Faceless Men, she hasn't actually gotten the opportunity in the books. Though she has survived her trial as the Blind Girl, she's still an acolyte serving the Many-Faced God and taking on various identities through which she can do so.

With that in mind, there's no way of knowing what will happen to Arya in the books, or if it was planned that she would kill the Night King. In fact, it's impossible to know if she will fully reunite with her siblings at all. Still, given her extra time under the Faceless Men, it's almost certain that she'll gain many incredible skills that will set her on a very different path than the sea captain in the show.

NEXT: 10 Most Honorable Characters In Game Of Thrones