25 reasons Arya should win the Iron Throne

4. She’s unapologetic about who she is

In a world where perception is everything, it can be difficult to stick to your true nature. But Arya Stark knows exactly who Arya Stark is. Not apologizing for it means you do what comes naturally, which is why she burst into laughter upon hearing her Aunt Lysa was dead in Season 4’s “The Mountain and the Viper.”

Arya is sort of undefinable in terms of where she was born. She definitely has Northern qualities, like her warrior spirit, but her life travels have made her becomes adaptable to her surroundings. She knows how to handle a sword thanks to the Braavosi, and has the keen speaking ability of a Southerner. This creates a very well-rounded individual, and someone who is very sure of one’s self.

What we like about Arya is that she doesn’t let other people’s perceptions of her cloud her judgment. Instead, she does her own thing, reacting only to what people give her. The Waif from Season 5 isn’t very nice to her, so Arya has no need to be nice back. Tywin treated her with some respect, so she reciprocated. The Hound was abrasive yet vulnerable, and those traits rubbed off on her. When someone listens to a whole lot of different people, they absorb a lot of the same traits. Even though Arya may have internalized The Hound’s love of killing a bit too much, it seems to fit in within the Thrones-verse quite well.