After eight seasons of torture, torment, betrayal and comeuppance, Sansa Stark (played by Sophie Turner) took her place on the throne. Not quite the Iron Throne of King’s Landing which was now occupied – metaphorically thanks to Drogon – by her brother Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), Sansa reigned as Queen in the North which was now an independent kingdom. With arguably no Game of Thrones character deserving such a victory at the ned of hardship, here are the five most iconic Sansa scenes.
Sansa Stark’s rise to power on Game of Thrones
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Game of Thrones.
RIP Ned
Undoubtedly the HBO series first biggest and most shocking moment came at the execution of Ned Stark (Sean Bean).
After pleading guilty to treason against King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) in the hopes of sparing his children, the teenage ruler decided to make an example of the Stark man.
In front of Sansa and the population of King’s Landing, Joffrey had Ned beheaded.
Sansa struggled and screamed but afterwards she was clearly a changed woman.
So much so that when Joffrey showed Sansa her father’s head on a spike and gloated about plans to kill her brother Robb (Richard Madden), she quipped it could be the king who will die.
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Game of Thrones: Sansa witnesses Ned’s execution (Image: HBO)
Game of Thrones: Sansa weds Tyrion (Image: HBO)
Mrs Lannister
After torture and torment as the future wife of Joffrey, he finds a new wife in the form of Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer).
Initially pleased by the revelation, it’s not long before the Lannisters set Sansa up with Tyrion (Peter Dinklage).
The pair wed and form an unlikely friendship with Tyrion refusing to sleep with her due to his love for Shae (Sibel Kekilli).
Sansa remains close to the Lannisters and at Joffrey and Margery’s wedding, she decides to flee.
With a little help from Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) who poisoned Joffrey, Sansa fled before being held accountable.
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Game of Thrones: Sansa and Theon escape the Boltons (Image: HBO)
Theon takes the plunge
After fleeing the capital, Sansa headed to Winterfell only to discover the Bolton family had taken over the north.
Sansa found herself subject to torture and even rape from Ramsay as he took a likeness to her being a Stark.
Ramsay had also kidnapped and tortured Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), turning him into the vulnerable and weak Reek.
Theon and Sansa reunited and in the season five finale, one scene saw Theon’s arc of redemption begin.
He helped Sansa escape the clutches of the Boltons by jumping off of the Winterfell walls.
Sansa then headed north to her half-brother Jon Snow (Kit Harington) at Castle Black.
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Game of Thrones: Sansa at the Battle of the B******* (Image: HBO)
Ramsay’s Winterfell nightmare
Jon Snow and Sansa waged war on the Boltons in an attempt to win back Winterfell and free their brother Rickon (Art Parkinson) who Ramsay had captured.
The Boltons had more allies and a bigger army but it didn’t stop Sansa and Jon believing.
There’s one scene and one quote, in particular, however, that will live long in GOT fans’ minds.
Jon and Sansa meet with Ramsay who tells him to surrender before gloating about holding her brother hostage.
Sansa sent shivers down Ramsay’s spine as she says: “You’re going to die tomorrow, Lord Bolton. Sleep well.”
And die he did as Sansa and Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen) save Jon’s army just when all hope looked lost.
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Game of Thrones: Sansa is Queen in the North (Image: HBO)
Queen in the North
Sansa’s most iconic moment arguably came in the series finale, The Iron Throne.
With Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) dead and Jon Snow banished to the Night’s Watch, the North needed a leader.
Step up Sansa Stark who declares the North as its own independent kingdom.
She arrives back up as the lord and ladies gather to cheer her in.
Sansa takes her seat on the throne and begins her reign as Queen in the North.
Game of Thrones seasons 1-8 is available to stream and buy on Amazon Prime now.
