Fear Cuts Deeper Than Swords: Arya’s Journey from the Page to the Screen

This analysis investigates the evolution of Arya Stark's character across various media platforms, specifically from George R. R. Martin's literary series A Song of Ice and Fire to HBO's television adaptation Game of Thrones. Instead of evaluating the adaptation based on fidelity criteria, this study asserts that each medium presents unique narrative opportunities. Utilising adaptation theory, specifically frameworks that acknowledge cross-media translation as creative transformation, this paper examines how Arya's psychological complexity, narrative agency, and character trajectory are fundamentally reconstituted through the transition from literary interiority to visual performance. The analysis shows that what looks like omission or compression is actually a strategic creative choice made to fit television's time limits, audience engagement patterns, and ability to tell stories through visuals.