My Weekend Crush

I’ve had my quarrels with “Game of Thrones.” And this season I’ve had more of my share of, “Now who is this now?” But there is one thing I will unequivocally say about the series, and that’s that Arya Stark is one badass little girl. Truth be told, the badass little girl is one of my favorite fictional characters. Sure, I love the smart girls and pretty girls and funny girls and sometimes even the mean girls. But badass girls, well, they’re something special. They turn conventional wisdom on its head. They’re the antithesis of “just a girl.” In short, they’re really freaking awesome.

And Arya, as played by 15-year-old British actress Maisie Williams, is a convention breaker from the start. A little girl who’d rather pick up a sword than sewing. A little girl born of noble blood who has no desire to become a lady. A little girl who openly questions powerful men. And, this season, a little girl dressed as a little boy. Smart, bold, independent, cunning, resourceful – here is a little girl who defies more than just her stature. Never was that more clear than last week, when while serving the patriarch of the family who killed her father and battle her brothers, she told him with clear eyes and clearer intentions, “No, my lord, anyone can be killed.” Like I was saying, that’s one badass little girl. Happy weekend, all.