For my third character analysis, I was asked to cover someone who is Braavosi. I decided to cover someone from the current timeline that everyone should remember, Syrio Forel so let's dive right in.
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The day the old First Sword died, the Sealord of Braavos sent for Syrio. Syrio, upon entering the Sealord's presence, was asked what was special about the cat, claimed to be from a far off land, seated on the Sealord's lap. Syrio answered him truthfully, telling him that he has seen tomcats like him a thousand times in the alleys of Braavos. Because he saw the reality of what the cat was, common not special and male not female, he was named First Sword.
Eddard Stark hires Syrio to teach Arya Stark how to use her sword, Needle, believing the slender blade would suit the Braavosi water dancer style. Syrio trains Arya using wooden swords filled with lead. He also mentors her on how to move and think like a warrior: to be perceptive, move with grace, and command her fear. Syrio teaches Arya to see with her ears, nose, and skin, and he covers her eyes with a black cloth and has her do spins and backflips.
After the Hand's tourney, Eddard and his household are at the feast. His daughters are finally being cordial to each other, and Sansa asks Arya how her dancing has gone. Arya happily tells her she is sore all over, and shows her a nasty bruise on her leg. Sansa states that she must be a terrible dancer. Later, while Sansa is busy, Eddard exams Arya’s bruise himself while she is standing on one leg—she is getting better at that. He asks if Syrio Forel is being too hard on her, and she replies that Syrio says every hurt is a lesson and every lesson makes you better. Eddard is concerned even though Syrio had come with an excellent reputation, and the Braavosi style suits Arya’s slim blade. Eddard offers to have Jory Cassel take over her lessons, or maybe find someone else, but Arya emphatically tells Eddard she does not want them, she wants Syrio. Eddard knows that any decent master at arms could give Arya the basics of sword fighting without the blindfolds, cartwheels and hopping around on one leg, but he knows there was no arguing with her. He tells her very well, and to try to be careful.
Eddard plans to send Syrio with his family when leaving King's Landing. When Cersei Lannister ordered all Starks in the Red Keep to be captured or killed, Syrio orders Arya to flee while he holds off the Lannister men. With only his wooden practice sword, he defeats or kills five guardsmen and then attacks Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard. Syrio rains down ineffective blows onto Meryn's plate armor until his sword is cut in half. Arya flees, obeying Syrio's orders.
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Now the question is where to begin with Syrio. We find out how Syrio becomes the First Sword for the Sealord of Braavos. We see from how Syrio is chosen that being a good swordsman is important, but being observant is another requirement. They are to protect from dangers seen and unseen. I also believe this is a major foreshadowing to Arya's plotline later in the books. She takes on the persona of Cat of the Canals in Braavos. Not only that, he points out the cat is male not female. When we the reader, first meet Syrio, he continuously calls Arya "boy".
Arya learns quite a bit from her "dancing master" Syrio. Of course, we all know that he is actually teaching her to use her sword, Needle, more effectively. She uses his teaching like a mantra, a prerequisite of her kill list in a way. These repeated phrases are a build up, for when she steps up her mantra to the kill list.
I believe Syrio is doing more than teaching her a fencing style sword fighting. I believe he is training her warging abilities, whether he means to be or not is open to interpretation. We also see part of what makes him a grey character. He's a highly decorated, well trained swordsman and taking a girl barely 10 years old and beats on her leaving bruises. I'm not someone who freaks out when a child is spanked, I believe all children should be spanked, but my point is that it's so noticeable, that even Ned considers it to be excessive and considers replacing him. If not for Arya's protests he most likely would have replaced him. When a man like Ned thinks the bruises are too much, I think we should pay attention more to his judgement than a 10 year old child.
Image from http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Syrio_Forel
Now to cover a few of the theories about him. They range from minor that don't effect anything to a castle made of pure tinfoil that changes the entire dynamic of the story. Many argue that being the First Sword of Braavos, he would have been able to defeat Meryn Trant, even with a wooden sword. Some argue that he was defeated just not killed. I've seen some even argue that he lost willingly to Meryn, so he would end up in the Black Cells with Ned. There are even a few that believe he is a Faceless Man, then lost to Meryn Trant purposely, so he could be the Black Cells so when the time comes, he could impersonate Ned and be the one who is beheaded leaving Ned Stark alive, albeit nobody knows where he would be though. I've even seen it theorized that Syrio is Rhaegar glamoured.
Anyway putting the tinfoil cap away, I'll share what I think happened. I think Syrio died, killed by Meryn Trant while he tried protecting Arya. The way I see her story arc its a series of traumatic events, that leads her down the darker path. She's nine or ten years old, who has lost her mentor, and father in quick succession to unjust causes. She already feels an outcast in a society that makes women out to be the equivalent to property. This is why Syrio has to die. If anything other than his death happens, It lessen the trauma she has to endure.
There are a few questions i would liked answered about him. Is he a Faceless Man? How much does he know about Arya's future? How much of his teachings are in preparation for her Faceless Men Training? Does he have advanced knowledge that she will be recruited by the House of Black and White? How does the succession of First Sword of Braavos get passed to the next(Syrio becomes First Sword after the previous one dies)? Why was he in Kingslanding in the first place? Did Syrio knoe Jaqen?
There are many thoughts and theories surrounding Syrio Forel. It's rather hard to pinpoint him. He was a huge influence on Arya theres no denying that. His indoctrinations are felt across the entirety of the series . He's generally beloved by most fans, and that's where the need to keep him among the living stems from. Unfortunately, I believe he had to die to be an influence on Arya. To help lead her down the Black path she has chosen.
Thank you for your time
.-Bran the Builder