What the white horse really means for Arya in Game of Thrones

SPOILERS FOR GAME OF THRONES SEASON 8 EPISODE 5

game of thrones

Death is coming for someone

The penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, 'The Bells', was absolute chaos. Fans have been waiting for years to see Daenerys make her way to Kings Landing to face off with Cersei Lannister, and what a fiery, bloody and violent showdown it was. Dany went rogue! The goodies became the baddies! Jaime and Cersei died in each other's arms (although some fans are rather furious about it) and Cleganebowl finally came to fruition!

Oh, and Jon Snow realised, mid-battle, that his aunt/lover/Queen has completely lost it - leading fans to theorise that he'll take her down in the final episode next week.

But one character we had our eyes on this week was Arya. After deciding not to murder the person on the top of her hit list, she started her dramatic escape from the capital - narrowly avoiding dragon fire, collapsing buildings and being trampled. After a few near misses, she found herself on a silent street, surrounded by bodies, flames and ash. A bloody white horse appeared and she slowly walked up to it and rode out of Kings Landing.

So what does it all mean? Where the hell did the horse come from? And does it foreshadow Arya's own demise?

The horse actually belonged to Harry Strickland, the leader of the Golden Company, and many believe that it's inclusion is a Biblical reference, with the white horse symbolising death. In Revelations 6:8, it says: 'I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death.'

It's not the first time that Game of Thrones has used a white horse as a symbol of death. Khal Drogo gifted one to Dany in season one, Ned Stark famously had one, and the little girl in the same episode was seen holding a toy white horse before she was killed.

Does it mean Arya be next to meet her maker? Or will she be responsible for someone else's grisly ending (ahem, green-eyed Dany)?

Only a week until we find out...

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.