[BOOK SPOILERS] Sansa: the character most ill-served by the adaptation (so far)

[L’Age d’or]

The first time I read the book, it seemed obvious to me that Sansa was directly responsible for upending all of Ned's best laid plans. She "betrayed" her family by putting her own selfish desires first and running to Cersei behind her father's back. On that initial read, it felt like Sansa's actions ultimately resulted in her father's death, just like her actions back on the King's Road got Lady killed.

But on a closer examination, of course you're right. Sansa knows very little about Ned's plan, only that he is trying to whisk the girls away from King's Landing in secret. This information doesn't help Cersei, who we later realize is already several steps ahead of Ned (with Littlefinger's help). All it really does is give Cersei a hostage (Sansa) in case the confrontation with Ned goes against her (which it doesn't).

I put "betrayal" in scare quotes, because Sansa didn't really understand what she was getting into. She didn't set out to betray her family, and even as an inadvertent betrayal, it doesn't really amount to much. But in the aftermath following the slaughter of the Stark guards and Ned's death, it must feel like a betrayal to Sansa herself. The shock and guilt of it is what shakes her out of her childish dreams, and sets her on her path for the rest of the series.

Just because Cersei was ahead and had anticipated Ned's moves does not change the fact that Sansa betrayed her family.

[lordofsoup]

Well I just started reading the series 2 months ago so I dont really count, but i feel like Sansa is way too old already, she does not look her age.

[redwinger]

I think all of you who are saying that Sansa is different because she has been aged up are probably right, but I think it was a poor decision. Seems to me in Martin's world, as in the real middle ages, you were a child or you were an adult. Teen age angst is a relatively modern thing...and done to death. You didn't have much wiggle room for rebellion against parents in a world where you basically had no choice about your future.

I agree with those who say that making her so unpleasant and unhappy so quickly...she hasn't had a joyous or dreamy moment in the series...seriously damages her story arc as shown in the books. The girl we see is headed for comeuppance...not a destruction of her girlish fantasies.

I don't understand why Sansa's innocence and sweetness are so grating on people. Martin is showing the gritty reality of the so called world of chivalry. It was good to see a character who saw it the way modern folks view Camelot: all charm and gallantry and nobility. What happens to her in the books is sad, as is what happens to Arya. But Arya gets all the sympathy.

I agree. The story would have been better told the same as it was told in the book. Even with the older Sansa on the show, she could have been made more like the book character with no problem.

[zippypoodle]

Since Joffrey apologizes this next episode, I think we will see a more book like Sansa appear for awhile. One of the biggest disillusionments she had to face was realizing that Joffrey, while handsome, was not the sweet kind gallant prince she thought he was. And continued to believe, all evidence to the contrary aside, until he exected her father.

[herkles]

yea, I am also hoping that when Ned tells his daughters that they have to pack to head back to the North, that it shows how love sansa is at that moment; I think they would keep that particular scene in as arya goes to syrio for the last time then and sansa goes to cersie if I am remembering correctly.

[L’Age d’or]

Well I just started reading the series 2 months ago so I dont really count, but i feel like Sansa is way too old already, she does not look her age.

Im with you on this, but what bothers me most is that all her shortcomings aside, at least she is supposed to be beautiful not a ginger with some make-up.