<P> Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Arya is the younger daughter and third child of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Lady Catelyn Stark . She is tomboyish , headstrong , independent , disdains traditional female pursuits , and is often mistaken for a boy . She wields a smallsword named Needle , a gift from her half - brother , Jon Snow , and is trained in the Braavosi style of sword fighting . </P>
who is arya stark on game of thrones
the younger daughter and third child of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Lady Catelyn Stark