Shippin' Stansa

[Pope Killdragon]

Stannis and Sansa. Match made in heaven. By the time Stan is ready to wed her she will be old enough; he has a war to win first. After Selyse Stan deserves someone sweet and she'd get a stable, reliable husband who evokes loyalty in his followers, much like Ned did. And she'd be LF-proof.

Oh, with her LF training in the Game she'd be invaluable to him in running the kingdom, too.

Selyse is a non-problem. She's dead but hasn't found out yet. Val will take it into her head that Selyse was involved in the Jon stabbing and it's all over. Melisandre finally gets the word that Stan isn't AA reborn and takes off, so she's not a barrier, either.

What's not to like?

This is what I want for Christmas, King Stannis, Queen Sansa.

[Harle The Handsome]

Sometimes, I feel that it's like people drop a bunch of male characters' names in one hat, then a bunch of female characters' names in another, then just pull one out of each before starting these threads. I just don't get shipping 2 characters that have never even met, except under really rare circumstances.

Yes, it does start to have a car keys in punch bowl feel after a while.

By the way, is shipping some kind of British euphemism I should know about? When I hear shipping, I think UPS, and it really doesn't seem to fit here.

[Été]

By the way, is shipping some kind of British euphemism I should know about? When I hear shipping, I think UPS, and it really doesn't seem to fit here.

Pretty sure it's short for "relationship", and it seems like one of those international internet things to me. Gonna show my age here, but it was massive in Harry Potter fandom about ten years ago, when the 4th/5th/6th books were coming out.

[Light a wight tonight]

Hey, everybody, this was not a random choice. It was to push a few buttons and see how people reacted to a non-standard pairing. I was especially curious about ageism.

Harle, I'm not sure of the nationality of "shipping" but it comes from relationship. As in setting two people up in one. I had to look it up; it's not part of my normal vocabulary.

[Jolene Brown]

I'm not one to talk, since I do pretty much ship Sandor (who is 25?) and Sansa, but I think concerns about age are legitimate when you are talking about a 13 year old and a MARRIED 36 year old... and this whole "contemporary standards" thing is nonsense - look at the 19 million things Tyrion says about how Sansa is "too young" and how disturbed he is about it. Even Tywin tells him he can take her maidenhood and then wait a few years to have sex with her again.

[Field of Asphodel]

Ageism?

The objection to such a match comes from the unfair power dynamic. I'd argue that Stannis is more of a chavunist than the typical Westerosi man. His contempt for women is pretty pervasive, I noticed it in Jon's chapters, and then GRRM pointed it out via Asha. Also, he's a hard, controlling man, and about as undiplomatic as they come. I can't think of one equal partnership he has with any character, and even in the ones that come close (Melisandre, Jon, Davos), he has zero humility and quite clearly, more power. I can't see the guy treating any wife of his as an equal, or even close to an equal, no matter how sweet her temperament. Sansa's still very young, and nearly as young as his daughter - make no mistake, she'll be his wife, but he'll treat her like a child. Sansa deserves someone more like her father, someone who wasn't afraid to enter into an equal (or mostly equal) partnership with his wife. As Stannis's wife, Sansa will feel like a captive again, essentially.

[ARYa_Nym]

His coldness with women is more than just with his ugly wife. Asha remarks on the same thing, and from all we know she's a super-hot pirate. I can't even imagine what Stannis thought of Allysane Mormont as well.

Asha isn't attractive though from Theon's description of her. I also got the impression from Stannis' reaction about wildling women that he doesn't like women who fight. I don't have the quote on me RN though.

[Elder Sister]

Any relationship with Stannis (ugh) will mean being involved with Melisandre (double ugh).

Stannis alone is just icky. Stannis with Mel is just horrid. I wouldn't wish that on Littlefinger (wait, I actually would.) much less sweet, good, lovely Sansa.

No. Just no.

[UnJoff]

I prefer to pair her up with Ramsey myself...

[Kittykatknits]

So, in the books, Sansa has been engaged or married to five different men: Joffrey, Willas, Tyrion, Ser Sweetrobin, and Harry the Heir. She's had crushes on two, Joffrey and Loras, and is developing more complex feelings towards a third, Sandor.

Outside of that list, I have also seen Sansa paired with:

Robb

Jon

Jaime

Stannis

Aegon

Jorah - yes, Jorah

Ned Dayne

Gendry

Littlefiger

Theon

Hot Pie

Satin

Edric Storm

Mance

At this stage, we are running out of male characters left in the series. I think all that is left is Barristan, Sam, and Davos. And yet, there is only textual evidence (backed up by the author no less) for one. What the hell?

Edit: Updated list of names as new information became available

[brashcandy]

So, in the books, Sansa has been engaged or married to five different men: Joffrey, Willas, Tyrion, Ser Sweetrobin, and Harry the Heir. She's had crushes on two, Joffrey and Loras, and is developing more complex feelings towards a third, Sandor.

Outside of that list, I have also seen Sansa paired with:

Robb

Jon

Jaime

Stannis

Aegon

Jorah - yes, Jorah

Ned Dayne

Gendry

Littlefiger

Theon

At this stage, we are running out of male characters left in the series. I think all that is left is Barristan, Sam, and Davos. And yet, there is only textual evidence (backed up by the author no less) for one. What the hell?

It's truly mind boggling. I've also seen a Satin/Sansa ship, and one with Edric Storm. No evidence of anything, just as Jolene said upthread, she's female, they're male: GO.

ETA: oh yeah and Mance Rayder too. Something about her liking singers.

[Kittykatknits]

It's truly mind boggling. I've also seen a Satin/Sansa ship, and one with Edric Storm. No evidence of anything, just as Jolene said upthread, she's female, they're male: GO.

ETA: oh yeah and Mance Rayder too. Something about her liking singers.

Oh, those three are new.

Sometimes it seems more like:

She's a young, beautiful, virgin, female, they're male: GO.

Or maybe that's just me?

[brashcandy]

Oh, those three are new.

Sometimes it seems more like:

She's a young, beautiful, virgin, female, they're male: GO.

Or maybe that's just me?

Yes, actually, your specifications are correct. We don't see Shireen Baratheon shipped around so enthusiastically do we, or any of the other women who've lost their virginity already.

[Woman of War]

Why is everybody forgetting about Hot Pie??

And the blacksmith, Gendry?

[Kittykatknits]

Yes, actually, your specifications are correct. We don't see Shireen Baratheon shipped around so enthusiastically do we, or any of the other women who've lost their virginity already.

The other female character that seems to come closest is her sister Arya, but that seems to be exclusively Gendry. You are correct too. Almost nothing for Asha, Arianne, or Dany. In the later case, her decision to choose her partner is mocked.

Why is everybody forgetting about Hot Pie??

And the blacksmith, Gendry?

I had Gendry. I'll add Hot Pie to my original post too. Want to keep the complete list updated.

[MrsManderly]

Well, like it or not, Sansa - along with Margaery - is the story's resident "damsel in distress"/"princess in the tower", so that by definition implies a pairing with someone.

This being GRRM of course, odds are that it will not be the classic fairy tale pairing with kinght in shining armour - that seems a sure bet.

Which I think leaves three realistic possiblities for her when all is said and done - assuming she survives the series:

1. No marriage at all - an Elisabeth I story would be fabulous but seems unlikely for Sansa (much more likely for Dany I'd thik); Sansa being a spinster sister regent for Rickon in Winterfell or a less beligerent version of Maege Mormont/Ashay Greyjoy being IMAO more likely

2. A political marraige of some kind - meaning a marriage to someone of similar high station (which excludes our friend Sandor, sadly) and probably motivated by political strategy post-war. In that context a pairing with Stannis is actually not ridiculous, although I continue to think that either her remaining Lady Lannister or becoming Aegon's alliance-building wife more likely in this alternative.

3. A private life as Alayne - for which there has been some foreshadowing earlier on (can't recall the quote). In this alternative anything is possible, in particular a Sansan happy ending of some kind.

(There is a fourth option, her shacking up with Littlefinger, but I find that too depressing to contemplate.)

[brashcandy]

The other female character that seems to come closest is her sister Arya, but that seems to be exclusively Gendry. You are correct too. Almost nothing for Asha, Arianne, or Dany. In the later case, her decision to choose her partner is mocked.

Yeah, what's interesting is that most people against the Sansa/Sandor match will claim that Sansa deserves better, but I think underlying this is an objectification of female sexuality, which Sansa represents in the "purest" form, so now she's seen as some virginal prize to be won by the most "deserving" male. These questions will be interesting to explore when we start our thread.

I had Gendry. I'll add Hot Pie to my original post too. Want to keep the complete list updated.

Don't forget Mance.

Well, like it or not, Sansa - along with Margaery - is the story's resident "damsel in distress"/"princess in the tower", so that by definition implies a pairing with someone.

Marg as damsel in distress, really? And believe me, she's almost never shipped with anyone. Most people see her as a black widow.

[Alayne's Shadow.]

The other female character that seems to come closest is her sister Arya, but that seems to be exclusively Gendry. You are correct too. Almost nothing for Asha, Arianne, or Dany. In the later case, her decision to choose her partner is mocked.

I had Gendry. I'll add Hot Pie to my original post too. Want to keep the complete list updated.

I've seen out of here some very passionate Dany/Jon supporters that have all evidences that they will end up together, and one of the biggests "ships" in ASOIAF.

The thing is, people seem to have this uncontrollable desire to ship Sansa with all the male characters, because she is the most romantic, the fitting age, and seems to be a safe ship. I don't get the very bizarre ships, like this one. Stannis anywhere near Sansa makes me sick,

[MrsManderly]

Agreed, Marg has a darker side to her and not nearly as many fans as Sansa (and rightly so). But both of them regularly top of people's lists when it comes to "who might marry Aegon?" or "who is the younger and more beautiful queen".

I'm not saying Sansa will necessarily end up married to anyone, Stannis least of all, but she is one of Westeros' few eligible bachelorette's (ignoring that pesty unconsummated marriage) and so it doesn't seem to me surprising that people come up with a lot of pairings for her. As they do for the likes of Dany and Marg.

[ARYa_Nym]

I've complained about this in the shipping thread.

Arianne is an adult unlike the underage Sansa. She fits the damsel in a tower literally. She needs/wants to be married. She's beautiful.

Is she shipped with people? No. If the prospect of her marriage to Aegon or Jon is brought up it has nothing to do with shipping but what is likely to happen or for political reasons.

EDIT: & Sansa is shipped with every single male character. I've even seen Viserys recently. Pick a male character and there will be someone who will assume that said male character will want and need her as his wife.

Another thing is I don't see why because she's beautiful it's assumed that a man will like her. Quentyn and Gerris didn't want Dany for example. Quentyn wanted the girl next door but wanted to marry Dany for dragons and not because of personal desire.