Why the new Game of Thrones theory claiming Jon Snow helped Arya is problematic

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A theory that originated on Reddit that Jon deserves some of the credit for Arya's big moment in "The Long Night" has gained steam in the media. "The discourse around whether or not Arya should have, or could have, killed the Night King has been weirdly rooted in the idea that, as a young girl, Arya sneaking in to Assassin’s Creed-leap her way right into the Night King’s arms amid a crowd of ice zombies seems fantastical," says James Whitbrook. "More fantastical than the existence of ice zombies in the first place. Or that, for pity’s sake, she’s become a 'Mary Sue'—a term that some long time ago had analytical weight, but has now become so rooted in misogynistic shrieking that any woman shown with a base level of heroic competency is apparently implausible, rendering it a toothless watchword brought up almost entirely in bad faith. This has lead to the rise of one particular fan theory in the last week, which has started to get traction in online press as the discourse around Arya’s capabilities grows ever dumber." He adds: "This, in turn, has lead to people believing that we should thank Jon for the Night King’s doom, and not, you know, Arya. The one that actually stabbed him. With the Valyrian steel dagger. In the Godswood...This is the thing that makes the rise of this particular theory so infuriating—whether (a Reddit poster) intended it to or not, it’s become a banner for people who are so baffled at the idea a girl could kill the Night King, and not Jon, that now Jon gets credit for Arya’s hard work. It’s bullsh*t!"