With Sansa and Jon clashing while Littlefinger plots, is Sansa competent enough to not become another pawn in the game of thrones?
We were all excited and relieved to see Sansa finally meet Jon in Season 6 of Game of Thrones, but it quickly became clear that neither of them being a violent tyrant doesn’t mean that everything’s going to go smoothly between them. By the end of Season 6, Littlefinger made a point of nudging Sansa towards jealousy at the perceived injustice of Jon ruling over her in the North.
Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 7 below.
Then the first episode of Season 7, “Dragonstone,” got us seriously concerned about whether or not Sansa and Jon would actually get along. It only got worse in “Stormborn,” when they clashed over his decision to meet with Daenerys. With Sansa now ruling in Jon’s absence, fans are concerned that she’s going to be manipulated yet again and ruin everything in Winterfell, especially with Littlefinger still around and showing no signs of backing down.
But Sansa Stark isn’t weak, nor is she naïve. With the way her character has grown throughout the past 6 seasons, it’s far from likely that’s she’s about to regress right now. Here’s why:
Sansa has played this game before
Sansa has not gone through hell and back as Joffrey’s bride-to-be, then Tyrion’s wife, then Littlefinger’s creepy protégé, then Ramsey’s wife/victim to let anyone tell her what to do anymore. She doesn’t trust anyone at all; which, while it might make her a much more outspoken player in the struggle for Westeros, definitely gives her more of a fighting chance than most.
After everything Littlefinger has done to her, there is no way that Sansa will be listening to his advice anymore. He was profitable for her in the past, but she’s done with him now; that much was clear in episode 1. That doesn’t mean that Littlefinger won’t try, of course; but Sansa knows he’s a master manipulator, and is probably already drawing out a strategy to manipulate him right back. After all, it was he who gave her over to the Boltons — and there’s no way she’ll ever forget that.
If there’s anything we should be worried about, it’s that Sansa is too powerful, and that she might end up giving out her rather ruthless new brand of justice on an unsuspecting population. Littlefinger will not survive Season 6; and if he does, it’ll be because he’s just barely survived whatever wrath Sansa brings down upon him.
(However, the way things are going, it doesn’t seem likely that Sansa will have a chance to go all Mad Queen on the North. She’s proving to be more of a person who plays the long game than someone who makes sudden, impulsive decisions — looking at you, Jon.)
She has many capable allies
First and foremost, Sansa does care for Jon, as strained as their interactions have been as of late. She’s clearly been making an effort to explain to him what her opinions are and why his dismissal of them bothers her. Although it already is a power struggle, it’s hard to imagine Sansa stabbing Jon in the back over who gets to rule, as frustrated as she might get — much less because of other people’s council.
While her arrogance has always been her greatest failing, she doesn’t want to be Queen of the North in Jon’s stead. She just wants to be treated the way she deserves, and Jon’s decision to name her his replacement was a clever and a just one; a first step in mending the momentary rift between them. Hopefully, this is the beginning of that healing, and it won’t take something bigger to keep them together for good.
Arya is now also on her way to Winterfell, which will inevitably (we hope) lead her to reunite with Sansa. With both of them having changed so much since they last saw each other, it’s hard to know what their relationship will be like — but they’ll probably develop very intense respect for each other. What was once a very conflict-ridden relationship between sisters may yet become the rock of the Stark family; and maybe even Arya will take Sansa’s side when it comes to Jon.
(Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, and that we have a happy reunion — but both Stark sisters are sick of being dismissed by men in areas where they have more expertise and aren’t going to take it much longer, even if that man is Jon.)
And let’s not forget Brienne; while she may be a mostly silent ally, she has Sansa’s back every step of the way, especially when it comes to Littlefinger. And nobody wants to have Brienne as their enemy.
Sophie Turner knows what’s going on
The Game of Thrones panel at Comic-Con this year gave us more insight into what might happen, and Sophie Turner actually answered the fandom’s big concern. Is Sansa being manipulated all over again?
“Initially there was definite manipulation on Littlefinger’s part,” she said, but then added. “She’s been silently absorbing and learning and adapting, and in my opinion, she’s just as good as he is at playing the game at this point.”
She’s said before that Sansa might be getting more “unlikeable” and that this season would involve a “power struggle,” but with her Comic-Con comments and what we’ve seen of Sansa so far, it’s hard to believe that Sansa will come out losing, much less against Littlefinger. The much bigger question about her morality and just how far she’s willing to go has yet to be answered, but you heard her in the trailer: “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”
Sansa has proven herself a more than capable strategist, and the hell she’s been through up to now hasn’t served for nothing. If there’s anything both Littlefinger and Jon should know, it’s that Sansa should not be underestimated.
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