Keeping it in the family is a running theme in Game of Thrones.
The Targaryen royal brothers and sisters frequently married each other and ruled side by side. The Lannisters have a hidden secret at the heart of their claim to the Iron Throne which would shock the whole Seven Kingdoms.
The straight-laced Starks, however, have always tried to do the right thing. It didn’t work out so well for Ned or his overly-honourable son Robb.
Arya has had little time for romance in her single-minded quest for vengeance but author Martin revealed that the great love of her life is very close to home…
Martin wrote a letter outlning his principal plans for all the main characters.
He said: “As you know, I don’t outline my novels. I find that if I know exactly where a book is going, I lose all interest in writing it. I do, however, have some strong notions as to the overall structure of the story I’m telling, and the eventual fate of many of the principle characters in the drama.”
For example, George RR Martin revealed the five main Game of Thrones characters who would survive to the end and although the TV series has far outstripped the novels, all five are, indeed, still standing.
So, who does Arya secretly love?
Martin wrote: “She (Arya) realizes, with terror, that she has fallen in love with Jon, who is not only her half-brother but a man of the Night’s Watch, sworn to celibacy. Their passion will continue to torment Jon and Arya throughout the trilogy, until the secret of Jon’s true parentage is finally revealed in the last book.”
As for Jon’s “true parentage”, most fans are convinced by now that he is not actually Eddard Stark’s illegitimate son.
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The letter was actually written way back in 1993 and surfaced in a tweet from Waterstones before it was hastily taken down.
Martin’s original plans for a trilogy have clearly changed but his predictions that Ed and Caitlyn Stark would not survive have come true.
Could Arya and Jon Snow find happiness together? Whether they are actually in love or not, the chances of a happy ending in Westeros remain pretty (ice) cold…