Game of Thrones theories: Is Arya Stark actually Azor Ahai?

The Lord of Light works in mysterious ways

**Spoilers for Game of Thrones season eight, episode three ‘The Long Night’ ahead**

The Battle of Winterfell has come to an end. While many fan-favourite characters remain standing, a few also perished at the hand of the Night King.

Thankfully for the people of Westeros, the villain was also finally defeated, with Arya Stark stabbing the Night King with a Valyrian steel dagger (one we have seen multiple times before), turning his army to dust.

This seemingly positions Arya as the Prince That Was Promised, also known as Azor Ahai, who The Lord of Light follower Melisandre foretold would defeat the undead.

The Red Woman had previously hinted at Arya’s destiny, telling the Stark child during season three: “I see a darkness in you. And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me: brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes you’ll shut forever. We will meet again.” Those “blue eyes” were not Melisandre’s own, as some fans believed, but The Night King’s.

Melisandre had previously believed multiple other people were Azor Ahai, having named Stannis, Jon Snow and Daenerys as the prophesied hero who would “lead the people against a darkness”. So, does Arya fit the prophecy better?

The prophecy reads: “There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him.”

First off, the peculiar weapon Arya uses to kill the Night King was not a sword, but a dagger. The blade was also not on fire. Prophecies, of course, never play out exactly as planned, and this could be only a minor detail.

There’s also the fact Beric, a fellow follower of the Lord of Light, sacrificed himself to save Arya. Beric had been resurrected by the Lord of Light multiple times, all seemingly in order to bring him Winterfell where he could save Arya and help bring down the Night King.

Perhaps, though, the prophecy has not been completed. We know that another threat awaits the North: Cersei and the Golden Army. Could the evil Lannister be the ultimate darkness that Azor Ahai needs to defeat?

There’s no knowing for sure (the Lord of Light, as we have been told many times, works in mysterious ways), but with Melisandre now dead – having completed her life’s mission to bring down the White Walkers – the prophecy will likely not be making too many more appearances on the show. Read more about Melisandre’s final moments here.

‘The Long Night’ was a “gritty, epic and profoundly silly” episode according to our critic, who awarded the episode five stars. Meanwhile, the intense trailer for next week’s episode sees everyone turn their attentions to the Iron Throne and the fate of Cersei Lannister.

The final season of Game of Thrones continues every Sunday. The show will be available on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK.