Maisie Williams and Gwendoline Christie discuss that Arya-Brienne sparring session

“The Spoils of War,” last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, ended on an explosive note as Daenerys finally unleashed her dragons on the Lannister forces. But before the main course, we were served up a delicious appetizer to whet our appetites.

After catching up with Bran and Sansa, Arya Stark decides a little sparring is in order, and Brienne reluctantly agrees to be her partner. Speaking to Entertianment Weekly, Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) and Maisie Williams (Arya) described what it was like filming David vs. Goliath 2.0.

“When [Brienne] first sees Arya, it’s not just that she sees the living embodiment of Catelyn Stark, but also she sees something of herself in another young girl,” Christie said. “I don’t think Brienne has seen something of herself in somebody like that before. So when she hears Arya has returned to Winterfell, and sees Arya dressed not entirely dissimilarly to Brienne, it’s not just that feels like part of Catelyn Stark is alive but that she’s now in a position of education. It’s a very distant form of parenting for Brienne and not one she ever thought she’d have.”

It’s always been clear that Arya and Brienne have a lot in common, even when they were on opposite sides of a conflict, as when they met for the first time back in season 4. Williams dug into that:

"Arya and Brienne are both very intrigued by each other and it’s nice of them to meet again in a much safer and happier circumstance. And working with Gwen was great fun. She’s been fighting people around the same height as her, and I’ve been used to fighting people who were close to my height, so we both had a lot to get used to."

For reference, Williams clocks in at 5’1” while Christie stands at  6’3”. Choreographing a fight between them must have been tricky, but Christie said that both she and Williams knew it “backward.” And for those wondering, Christie confirms that there was “no desire to hurt each other, it’s about a matching of skills. And I thought that was very enjoyable to show those characters who happen to be female that when they spar it’s not with any bad intention.” In a separate interview with Newsweek, Christie even said that the fight helps Brienne and Arya form a bond of “deep respect and pure love.”

Next: Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams discuss last night’s Stark reunion

Then there was the matter of Sansa, who watched the fight, jaw hanging open, from the ramparts. “The first half [of] the scene is Arya nitpicking and trying to get a reaction and being annoying,” Williams told EW. “It’s nice to see her show she’s a changed girl — which is what she’s been trying to portray to Sansa.” Message sent.

So where do the girls go from here? Back with Newsweek, Christie says that Brienne’s mission “changes” now that both girls as safe and sound (relatively speaking) in Winterfell. “It results in a change in her—her ability to think for herself and not just guard, not just protect, but to start to have an opinion and formulate [ideas].”

"It results in a change in her—her ability to think for herself and not just guard, not just protect, but to start to have an opinion and formulate [ideas]"

Game of Thrones season 7 continues this Sunday. If Arya, Sansa and Brienne keep going down the tracks they’re on, they should be practically unbeatable.

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