How we cite our quotes: (Absolute Chapter, Character Name, Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"I'm Arya Stark of Winterfell, and if you lay a hand on me my lord father will have both your heads on spikes. If you don't believe me, fetch Jory Cassel or Vayon Poole from the Tower of the Hand." She put her hands on her hips. "Now are you going to open the gate, or do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?" (33 Arya 3.62)
We see a lot of people in this book misusing power (i.e. killing people and getting away with it). Is that what's happening here, when Arya lays a little smackdown on some dumb guards? Is she just being a bully?
Quote #8
Ned's men had drawn their swords, but they were three against twenty. Eyes watched from nearby windows and doors, but no one was about to intervene. His party was mounted, the Lannisters on foot save for Jaime himself. A charge might win them free, but it seemed to Eddard Stark that they had a surer, safer tactic. (36 Eddard 9.41)
In A Game of Thrones, it's never as simple as who has power and who doesn't. Take this scene when Jaime's men confront Eddard Stark and his men: Jaime has more men, but Eddard's men are on horseback (which is an advantage); and Eddard's family has Tyrion hostage, but Jaime's sister is the queen. There are so many factors at play, it's impossible to determine who has the power here.
Quote #9
Arya screwed up her face in a scowl. "Jaime Lannister murdered Jory and Heward and Wyl, and the Hound murdered Mycah. Somebody should have beheaded them." (45 Sansa 3.32)
Arya realizes that power and justice don't always go together. So how do you go about getting justice if the power system doesn't allow you to, you know, go up and behead the villains?