>>On the other hand, there was Syrio Forel.<<
That’s why I’m holding out for the Syrio = Jaquen H’ghar reveal in the next novel.
I mean, c’mon. Syrio’s fighting Meryn Effing Trant, Arya runs away, we presume Syrio dies, then a few days later Jaquen appears in a prison cart from the dungeon, and just happens to take an interest in Arya, to the point of giving her a Faceless Man coin?
And all the while afterwards, Meryn Effing Trant is totally silent about killing the First Sword of Braavos? C’mon...Meryn’s a grade-A jerk. He’d be bragging all over King’s Landing about that if it really happened.
I was kind of hoping to see Syrio’s face in all of those faces that Arya ran through when she was looking at the dead “Jaquen H’ghar” in the House of Black and White. No luck (so far).