Tragic Real-Life Reason Arya Never Got Her Revenge on the Executioner that Killed Her Father

The scene that proved to us all it was going to be THAT show. When the man that we thought was the hero of the tale, Eddard "Ned" Stark, was beheaded on the orders of the boy king Joffrey Baratheon.

Nobody could believe it. But it turned out that was only the beginning of unexpected deaths, plot twists, and turns that would take on a wild eight-season ride.

Ned Stark's brutal execution ultimately led to the further deaths of his wife and two of his sons. His only surviving son and eldest daughter would go on to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

His youngest daughter, Arya, would embark on a quest of violence toward the goal of avenging his death.

Arya was never a typical girl of her time. From the moment we met her, she was different. No interest in marriage or having children, lack of enthusiasm for embroidery, and other "proper tasks for ladies."

Her passions were swordplay and archery. She favoured loose-fitting breeches and shirts over pretty gowns. Arya Stark could not have been more different from her sister if she tried.

This was why when we all saw that fear and then rage burning in her young eyes when her father was executed, we knew she was going to put all her energy into survival, and then into revenge.

Her chance encounter with Jaqen H'ghar of Braavos, a devotee of the Many-Faced God, led to her embracing the notion of reciting a revenge list to herself every night before she slept.

When she commenced this, her list was long and entirely focused on those who had a hand in her father's death. Including Ser Ilyn Payne, the Executioner that wielded the axe that removed his head.

However, Payne is noticeably absent from the show after season two. He is mentioned now and then, but not actually seen.

This means that his place on Arya's death list remains unresolved.

While some viewers felt this was a plot hole, or rather, a story arc that had simply been forgotten about in the wake of so much else that was going on, the truth is far more tragic.

Wilko Johnson, the actor that portrayed Ser Ilyn Payne, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and ultimately had to leave the show. The powers that be decided not to kill off Ser Ilyn because of this, which meant that the character remained alive, but went unseen.

For the story, this resulted in Arya not ever being able to obtain her revenge on Ser Payne. But it would be hard to find anyone that would find fault with this.

Fans seem unanimous in their support for the decisions made regarding Ser Payne in the wake of Johnson's cancer diagnosis.

A thread on Reddit explores this tragic topic, noting that Johnson passed away from his illness in November 2022. They have nothing but kind words to say about his performance and agree with the decision made to keep Ser Ilyn alive to honour his memory.