Do you know who Maisie Williams is?
If not, please run – don't walk – run to your nearest computer and look up Arya Stark, the baddest of badasses to come out of Game of Thrones. Sure, other people in Westeros are stronger, faster, more intimidating in person, but Arya, she's a special case.
Arya is a killer in the purest sense of the word. I'm going to go vague here so as not to give any spoilers to any of you that haven't caught up on your GOT, but long story short, Arya's list of enemies – the one she always keeps mumbling – well, it gets shorter with every episode, because again, Arya is a killer.
In fact, her very appearance is calculated to make her even more deadly. Arya is small and plain. Unlike her red-headed sister Sansa, she can easily blend in with a crowd – which only makes her all the more effective.
To witness Arya in action is to witness suspension of disbelief at its highest height. When we watch GOT, we believe that the pint-sized powerhouse is able to take on men much bigger and stronger than herself and win.
Arya is a testament to determination and persistence against all odds. She's goddamned icon, and it's no surprise that Williams, the actress that plays her, is a crowd favorite.
Maisie Williams confirms she'll be a bridesmaid in Sophie Turner's wedding to Joe Jonas. https://t.co/zIfL5DKeQP https://t.co/S2oVnDxyCr— Entertainment Tonight (@Entertainment Tonight)1516670161.0
'It’s a Very Shallow Industry': Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams on Hollywood's Stereotyping Problem https://t.co/Qke2Gh4Pd0— David Papp (@David Papp)1516988280.0
"I don’t look like someone who is cast in roles that are, well, sexualized," she said, further adding that she was "completely in awe" of Hollywood's "jaw-droppingly beautiful" actresses.
While this is an extremely legitimate concern – especially in light of recent revelations about Hollywood's extreme sexism – we're pretty sure Williams will be quite fine. After all, there are a ton of leading ladies who aren't considered classically beautiful.
Kate Winslet's Inspiring Speech on Overcoming Bullies, Being Fat Shamed https://t.co/yl73LZ4NNn https://t.co/CtqtBcU3tJ— ION Architecture (@ION Architecture)1490463363.0
All these women are not what is considered the height of beauty now, and yet they are undoubtedly beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say, and more to the point, beauty norms change across each culture and era.
So Williams may think she has a rough road ahead of her, but we're pretty sure it's going to be okay.