April 21, 2019

Arya makes a proposal.

INT. WINTERFELL - GREAT KEEP HALLWAY - DAY

ARYA STARK is hurrying through Winterfell, searching for someone.

ARYA

Jon. Jon!

He hears her and turns around. She comes up to him.

ARYA

Sansa says you're flying south.

Jon looks at her sadly. He nods.

ARYA

Take me with you.

Jon blinks in surprise. For a moment, he looks like he's considering it. Then:

JON

I can't.

ARYA

Why not?

JON

I want to. I do. (But you're--)

ARYA

(interrupting)

Jon, listen to me. I can help you take King's Landing. I can help you like no one else can.

Jon is confused.

30.

JON

What do you mean?

ARYA

I'll show you.

She turns and walks off. Jon watches her in confusion for a half-beat, then follows.

INT. ARYA'S CHAMBER - MOMENTS LATER

Jon follows Arya into her room. She retrieves her bag from under the bed.

ARYA

Close the door.

Jon does so, wordlessly, then stands and watches as Arya takes a face from her bag. Jon eyes it, carefully neutral in his expression.

ARYA

I'm going to change into someone else. Don't be afraid.

Jon's POV: Arya turns away. We can't quite see what she's doing.

She turns back around, and it's not Arya anymore. Standing there in the room is ANOTHER GIRL ENTIRELY, a stranger. She looks at Jon.

Jon looks back at her. He hasn't moved, but the tension in his breath and the stillness of his posture tells us that he is profoundly disturbed by what he sees.

The girl takes a step forward and Jon takes a simultaneous, reflexive step backward.

JON

(tense)

Take it off.

STRANGE GIRL

Jon, it's me.

Even her voice is wrong. It's too much for him.

JON

(freaking out)

Take it off, take it off!

31.

She takes off the face, and now Arya is back. She stares at Jon, rather wounded by his reaction. He's shaking, breathing hard.

JON

Where did you... how...

He takes a moment to collect himself.

JON

(demanding)

What was that?

ARYA

The Faceless Men taught me.

JON

(echoing)

"The Faceless Men."

ARYA

I learned a lot from them. How to lie, how to change faces. How to kill.

Jon stares at her.

ARYA

Let me kill Cersei.

JON

...what?

ARYA

I can do it. I know I can.

Jon continues just staring at her. Arya mistakes his reticence for doubt in her abilities. She elaborates:

ARYA

I killed Walder Frey. I took his face, and killed all the rest of the Freys too.

This is news to Jon.

ARYA

I got revenge for us, Jon. For Robb, for our family. I can do it again.

Jon is wildly unnerved by all of this, but he brings it under control, for Arya's sake.

32.

JON

I can't let you kill Cersei.

Arya was not expecting this at all. It takes her a moment to process, then:

ARYA

(demanding)

Why not?

JON

We made a deal with Jaime. He's going to help us take over the Lannister armies.

ARYA

(aghast)

You're going to let her live?

JON

If she accepts the terms.

ARYA

You want me to forget father, but you won't ask Jaime to forget Cersei?

JON

I'm not asking you to forget father.

ARYA

But you don't want to avenge him?

JON

I want a great many things. But we have more important things (to worry about now--)

ARYA

More important?

JON

(harsh, stern)

Yes, more important!

Arya has never heard Jon use this tone before, and it pulls her up short.

JON

(more conciliatory)

Arya, we need every army behind us if we're going to survive. For the Lannister armies, we need Jaime. If we send assassins after his sister...

33.

ARYA

You don't need Jaime.

JON

Yes, we do!

Arya takes a step closer.

ARYA

You only need his face.

Jon stares at her as he realizes what she's suggesting. It happens slowly -- everything in him is resisting the thought that Arya would do such a thing.

He collects himself.

JON

(soft but dangerous)

You shouldn't say things that you don't mean.

Arya opens her mouth to retort, but she's stopped by something in Jon's look -- an icy threat that she's never seen before. A tense stare-down ensues.

Arya backs down, hurt and frustrated. She looks away.

Jon lets out his breath, half-faint from the release of tension. A heavy silence prevails -- a horrible miserable awkwardness that we've never seen before, between Jon and Arya.

Jon finally breaks the silence, speaking as gently as he can.

JON

I know this is hard for you. But Sansa needs you. Bran needs you. Your place is here.

ARYA

Your place is here.

JON

My place is wherever the enemy is. But you're a Stark of Winterfell.

ARYA

...and you're not anymore?

Jon hesitates just half a beat too long.

34.

ARYA

(re: Dany and Tyrion)

They're your new family now? You've chosen them?

JON

I haven't chosen anyone.

ARYA

(swift)

Liar!

JON

(equally swift)

They are my family. And you are my family. You and Sansa and Bran and Dany and Tyrion, you are all my family.

ARYA

But some more than others now.

Jon gives her a pained look.

JON

I'm doing this for you as much as for anyone. If the South falls, the North falls too. I have to do this.

Arya says nothing.

JON

Come here.

He goes for a hug, but she pulls away from him.

ARYA

You're going to die. Like father. Like Robb. You're abandoning us, just like they did.

JON

(frustrated)

I don't have a choice, Arya.

ARYA

Everyone has a choice. And you've made yours.

JON

(stern)

Yes, Arya, I have.

35.

His stare is implacable, immovable. Arya stares back. She starts backing away, covering up her heartbreak with a terrible anger.

JON

(weary)

Don't do that, Arya.

ARYA

(stiff)

I wish you good fortune in the wars to come, your grace.

She pushes past him and flees, leaving Jon alone in the room.