COLLEGE STATION, Texas — If you live in Central Texas, you're never too far from what is arguably the most important weapon in the entire series of HBO's "Game of Thrones" – Arya Stark's "Catspaw" dagger.
At Texas A&M University's Cushing Library in College Station, there's a special exhibit dedicated to author George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series, which the hit TV show was adapted from.
After the author visited the university in the 1970s for AggieCon, its annual science fiction and fantasy festival and convention, he developed a soft spot for the university and the way the library facilities archived materials. So, in 1993 – three years before "A Game of Thrones" was published – Martin chose Cushing Library's Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection to deposit his archive of personal letters, books and manuscripts.
Eventually, that grew to include weapons seen in the television show, including Catspaw. After the dagger made an appearance in the third episode of the show's final season Sunday night, Texas A&M tweeted a reminder it's currently on display in the library. However, the Cushing Library told KVUE it's a replica from ValyrianSteel.com.
As of a couple years ago, nearly 50,000 pieces of Martin's collection are housed in the library. That includes "Game of Thrones" weapons, correspondence between publishers and showrunners, board games, more than 1,300 copies of books in different translations, and even lunchboxes. Eventually, one of the Iron Thrones used in the series could also be added to the archives. You can learn more about the collection here.
Now, if you aren't caught up with the series, let us warn you: The rest of this article is dark and full of spoilers. Here's a quick history on why this one weapon is so important in the TV series:
It first made its appearance in Season 1 when an assassin was sent to kill Bran Stark while he was in a coma after being pushed out of a window by Jaime Lannister. It was later revealed to be made of Valyrian steel – which can be used to kill White Walkers.
After saving her son and killing the assassin, Bran's mother, Catelyn Stark, decides to bring it to her husband, Ned, in King's Landing to discover who hired the assassin. Varys and Petyr Baelish both look at the dagger and Baelish says it once belonged to him, but he lost it in a bet to Tyrion Lannister – which leads her to mistrust the Lannister and Baratheon families, who her husband is now sworn to serve.
Lady Catelyn then kidnaps Tyrion and he denies these claims. Ned Stark keeps the blade on him, but when he attempts to take Cersei and Joffrey Baratheon into custody, he is betrayed by Baelish, who keeps the dagger for himself. Ned is accused of treason and beheaded.
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Flash forward to Season 7. When Samwell Tarly is studying a book in Oldtown about the "Long Night," he learns about the use of dragonglass and Valyrian steel as weapons that can destroy White Walkers – vital information he then rushes back to Jon Snow. Catspaw is shown in an illustration on one of the pages he is reading.
Baelish later returns Catspaw to Bran Stark, who is now bound in a wheelchair as the "Three-Eyed Raven." Incapable of fighting his own battles, he gives the dagger to his sister, Arya Stark, in the Godswood.
When Baelish conspires to turn the newly reunited sisters, Arya and Sansa Stark, against each other, Arya uses it to execute him. During his trial, it is revealed the dagger belonged to Baelish all along. That opens the possibility that he was the one who sent the assassin, ultimately setting off one of the most important plotlines in the series.
Now, in Season 8 Episode 3, Arya uses Catspaw to destroy the Night King back in the Godswood during the Battle of Winterfell, causing all White Walkers and wights under his control to fall and ending the "Great War" ... at least that is what we are made to believe.
The final three episodes of "Game of Thrones" air on April 5, 12 and 19. As for when the final two books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series will be published, well, fans still don't when winter will come.
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