Sansa Stark's Wedding Night Horror

Sansa Stark, the eldest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife, Lady Catelyn, is forced into a political marriage with Ramsay Bolton, the psychopathic son of Roose Bolton. On her wedding night, Ramsay rapes and assaults Sansa, forcing her surrogate brother, Theon Greyjoy, to watch. This scene, which was not in the books, was highly controversial and criticised for being gratuitous and artistically unnecessary.

Sansa's wedding to Ramsay Bolton

Sansa Stark's wedding to Ramsay Bolton was a political move orchestrated by Petyr Baelish, who convinced Sansa that marrying Ramsay would give her the opportunity to avenge her family. On the night of the wedding, Ramsay raped Sansa and forced her surrogate brother, Theon Greyjoy, to watch. This was a particularly controversial scene in the TV show, with many critics describing it as gratuitous and artistically unnecessary.

Sansa's character development has received critical praise, and actress Sophie Turner received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019.

The rape of Sansa Stark

The scene was controversial, with critics arguing that it was gratuitous and artistically unnecessary, and that it undermined Sansa's character development. The episode's writer received threats on social media.

However, other critics responded positively to the scene, arguing that it was handled with dignity and care.

The scene was adapted from the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. In the books, it is Sansa's friend Jeyne Poole, who is forced to marry Ramsay and is subjected to his monstrous whims.

Sansa's character development

Sansa Stark is the second child and eldest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife, Lady Catelyn Stark. She is initially betrothed to Crown Prince Joffrey Baratheon, heir to the Iron Throne, and travels to King's Landing in preparation for her nuptials. However, following the execution of her father on trumped-up charges of treason, Sansa becomes a hostage of House Lannister and is subjected to abuse and mistreatment at the hands of Joffrey and Cersei Lannister. Despite her ordeal, Sansa remains outwardly loyal to Joffrey to avoid further abuse.

Sansa eventually escapes King's Landing with the help of Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish and travels to the Vale, where she assumes the identity of Alayne Stone, Baelish's bastard daughter. During this time, she matures and becomes more adept at political intrigue, learning from Baelish and Cersei. She also develops a closer relationship with her sister, Arya, who was previously estranged, and her half-brother, Jon Snow.

Sansa's experiences have hardened her, but she retains her compassion, as evidenced by her attempts to reach out to Theon Greyjoy, who had previously betrayed the Starks. She also demonstrates resilience and courage, refusing to be broken by her abusers and instead using her suffering as fuel for her growth and empowerment.

Sansa's relationship with Theon Greyjoy

Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy's relationship is complex and evolves over time. Initially, Theon is Ned Stark's ward and grows up with Sansa and her siblings. However, he later betrays the Starks, taking over Winterfell and killing two innocent boys while pretending they were Sansa's brothers, Bran and Rickon. This earns him Sansa's hatred.

After Ramsay Bolton takes over Winterfell, he tortures both Sansa and Theon, who is renamed "Reek". During this time, they form an emotional bond as they are the only ones who understand each other's suffering. Eventually, they escape Ramsay together by jumping off the walls of Winterfell.

In Season 8, Theon returns to Winterfell to join the Fight for the Living. Sansa embraces him, indicating that she has forgiven him. They share a meal, which could be their last before the Battle of Winterfell. Their relationship is not romantic, and Sansa does not need a love story by the end of the show. Instead, she has an impressive arc as a woman who learns to have faith in her abilities.

Sansa's relationship with Petyr Baelish

Sansa Stark's relationship with Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish is a complicated one. On the one hand, Baelish has long been one of the most conniving players in the Game of Thrones universe, and his motives towards Sansa are no exception. It is clear that he wishes to use her to gain power and influence, particularly as she is the daughter of Catelyn, the woman he loved. On the other hand, it appears that Baelish does have some genuine affection for Sansa, and at the very least, a desire to keep her under his wing and mentor her in the ways of manipulation and survival.

Over time, Sansa becomes aware of Baelish's manipulative nature and his role in the downfall of her family. Despite this, she continues to align herself with him when it suits her interests, such as when she enlists his help to retake Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton. However, their relationship eventually sours, and Sansa ultimately turns the tables on Baelish, putting him on trial for his crimes and sentencing him to death.

In the end, it is clear that Sansa's relationship with Baelish is complex and multifaceted. While he may have cared for her in his own twisted way, he was also willing to use and betray her to further his own ambitions. In contrast, Sansa's feelings towards Baelish seem to range from distrust to outright hostility, though she is not above exploiting their connection for her own gain.

Frequently asked questions