Arya and Nymeria Scene

[Dornish Gourmand]

So I know this has been discussed here and elsewhere ad nauseam and that the common interpretation is that Nymeria left to rejoin her pack, just as Arya must rejoin hers, etc. But I was wondering, did anyone get the impression that maybe Nymeria turned Arya away because she'd sensed a change in Arya? Maybe it's too Tolkienian to assume that a Direwolf would (or could) make a moral judgement about a character, but I wonder if Arya's time with the FM and her subsequent killings may have permanently affected her relationship with her Direwolf.

Any thoughts?

[Wimsey]

This was similar to the Drogon-on-the-roof scene in Season 5. Basically, it hung a big gun (or, as GRRM put it, a big wolf pack) on the wall. The audience has not seen Nymmeria in years: if they are going to do anything with Nymmeria later this season, then the Nymmeria-gun has to be rehung now. (And, no: viewers are not “stupid” for not remembering things that happened on a TV show during Obama’s first term.)

At any rate, Nymmeria should have torn Arya (and her horse) to shreds: but she didn’t. So, there was a judgement of sort: but it was “off-limits,” not rejection.

[Dornish Gourmand]

Wimsey,

Thanks for your reply. I've been reading these boards/comments on the article section for the past few years pretty much daily but have only recently started commenting myself. That said, I've gained much from your insightful observations. Which is also to say that it comes as no surprise that you'd mention the encounter as being a Chekhovian one. I have no doubt that Nymeria will make an appearance later, but I guess the scene left me uncertain as to whether or not that future encounter would be a good one (for Arya anyway) or not.

[Wimsey]

My blushes!

GRRM himself made a reference to having hung a large wolfpack on the wall a few years back: that made me chuckle!