Game of Thrones: Everything You Should Know About Valyrian Steel Weapons and Who Owns Them
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During Sunday night's insane episode of Game of Thrones, Arya Stark acquires a very important new weapon from her brother Bran. The dagger, which has a distinctly curved hilt made from dragonbone, is significant for a number of reasons: it's the same weapon an assassin used when trying to kill Bran back in season one (which ended up basically starting the War of the Five Kings), it was recently spotted by Samwell Tarly in an ancient Citadel textbook, and it's also made from extremely rare Valyrian steel.
Quick recap: what is Valyrian steel? Valyrian steel is a very special material from which the best weapons in Westeros are forged (the material is rumored to have been created from dragon fire and magic). The weapons made from this material are sharper, lighter, and stronger in comparison to even the best castle-forged steel, and they can also withstand extreme heat (obviously). Not to mention, Valyrian steel is one of the few things besides dragonglass that can kill White Walkers. Valyrian blades are treated as treasured heirlooms, and each weapon has its own name and story.
Sadly, these weapons are near impossible to forge in present-day Westeros; however, in post-Red Wedding season three, we see Tywin Lannister melt down Ice (the greatsword of House Stark) into two smaller swords. So, where in the world of Westeros are these Valyrian steel weapons now? Luckily they're (mostly) in good hands.
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Oathkeeper
Oathkeeper is one of the two swords created from Eddard Stark's massive blade, Ice (which is also the sword Ned uses to kill Will, the Night's Watch deserter, in the first scene of episode one). Although Tywin gives his son Jamie Lannister one of the two blades, Jaime later gifts Oathkeeper to Brienne in season four. She attempts to give it back to him when they bump into each other in season six, but he insists she hold on to it.
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Widow's Wail
The second of the two swords forged from Ice is Widow's Wail. It's given to Joffrey Baratheon as a wedding gift from Tywin before the young king's poisoning and features the stag of House Baratheon on the hilt as well as decorative engravings done in Lannister gold. After Joffrey's demise, Jaime starts carrying the sword himself.
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Heartsbane
Heartsbane is the ancestral sword of House Tarly and has been with the family for 500 years. After a tense visit with his family at Horn Hill, Sam "borrows" the sword before leaving for the Citadel with Gilly near the end of season six (he knows better than anyone how White Walkers react to Valyrian steel).
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Longclaw
Longclaw originally belonged to House Mormont but is gifted to Jon Snow by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont during his early days at the Night's Watch. He gives Jon the weapon as a reward for saving him from a wight beyond the Wall and later replaces the bear on the sword's pommel with a direwolf (the sigil of House Stark).
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Valyrian Steel Dagger
This dagger has been on quite a journey. We first see it in season one when it's carried by the assassin who tries to kill Bran Stark, who is luckily stopped by Catelyn Stark (who fights him off with her bare hands, NBD). This is actually what sets off the War of the Five Kings, since Littlefinger tells Catelyn that the dagger is Tyrion Lannister's, and she goes on to take him hostage as payback (without realizing Tyrion actually lost the dagger in a bet and has no information about the assassination attempt). It's briefly seen in Ned's possession in season one, but disappeared after his death.
That is, until season seven's fourth episode, "The Spoils of War." It turns out Littlefinger has had the dagger all along and gives it to Bran as a peace offering of sorts. He in turn passes it on to Arya, who will no doubt get way more use out of it.