{ADWD Spoilers} Sansa Stark

[Han Solo]

In my view, Sansa is neither awful nor awesome. She has not done enough to warrant hate or love. Other than her bratty phase in the beginning, I don't see how she's done anything so bad that deserves hate. At the same time, she hasn't done anything that deserves praise or worship either. She gets pushed around by those around her and so far, has not taken any initiative of her own.

I think I started to like her when she tried to save Dontos with no thought of personal gain, helped the mother with the dead baby during the riot at King's Landing, comforted Lancel even though he was a Lannister, etc.

Being a decent person in this series is more rare than being an arsehole, so I tend to savour acts like that when they happen. She's hardly my favourite character, but the more she grows up, the more I like her. Reminds me too much of Ned I suppose.

[the great garbo]

Being a nice person is fine, and it's certainly a good thing to see Sansa grow up from her snooty beginnings. But does being nice to some people = being a super awesome strategist who will singlehandedly take down everyone and be queen of the world.

I think Sansa gets some over the top praise from fans precisely because she also gets over the top hate. Therefore, people tend to overcompensate and instead of just defending her, praise to her the skies for qualities she really have (at least not yet).

[YouKnowNothingJonSnow]

The only thing we found out is a confirmation of what we already knew from the Cersei chapter, that Littlefinger actually asked for Sansa as his wife and Cersei turned him down.

Littlefinger plans involve Sansa being his wife eventually.

Not good news for Harry.

[Han Solo]

Being a nice person is fine, and it's certainly a good thing to see Sansa grow up from her snooty beginnings. But does being nice to some people = being a super awesome strategist who will singlehandedly take down everyone and be queen of the world.

I think Sansa gets some over the top praise from fans precisely because she also gets over the top hate. Therefore, people tend to overcompensate and instead of just defending her, praise to her the skies for qualities she really have (at least not yet).

I'm not sure anyone thinks Sansa is going to outplay Littlefinger, that's absurd. Nor is she going to be queen of the world, unless someone (Littlefinger) sets it up for her. But Littlefinger was just as naive as Sansa was at 11, when he was like 15, as shown when he decided to fight duel he knew he couldn't win. She's learning this game at an earlier age than Littlefinger, and he has him as mentor. I can't believe Sansa wouldn't at least be competent by the end, good enough to take advantage of herself being Littlefinger's biggest, and perhaps only, weakness.

And while I will again agree that some fans do overcompensate, probably because she gets a garbage load of crap thrown at her for no reason, I do think her internal strength is underestimated. She hasn't gone through what Theon has gone through, no, but merely staying normal is a feat on its own, let alone becoming a better person despite being continually in fear of her life, of being raped and almost being raped twice, beating routinely beaten and degraded, hearing that her whole family is dead and that she has no friends anymore and that people only want her for her claim to Winterfell and little else.

[emmank]

Not good news for Harry.

Yep. Something is extremely fishy with the Harry thing, and I doubt it will ever amount to more than Harry being charming with Alayne, trying to add another notch to his bedpost. That little "plan" of LF's seemed way too bright and sunshiney to have much truth to it, especially given our knowledge (and Petyr's knowledge) of Harry's character, the complicated political scene, and the coming winter. I think he revealed this pseudo-plan as a way to manipulate her, but in what way, we obviously don't know yet.... possibly to get her to do the dirty work of poisoning sweetrobin?

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

Part of me wishes that what Jaime said comes true: "...if the gods are good, she'll forget she was a Stark. She'll wed some burly blacksmith or fat-faced innkeep, fill his house with children, and never need to fear that some knight might come along to smash their heads against the wall."

Sansa/Gendry OTP!

[theepajaro]

At the moment Sansa's ending is open. But the few times we saw her mention in ADWD come from Tyrion and if the two do reunite and stay married it might be Tyrion who refuses to have anything to do with Sansa. He is hung up on his first wife and only thinks of Tysha as being his wife only referring to Sansa as the wife he lost.

However, when Sansa thinks about Tyrion she reflects on how kind he was and how he protected her, and hints in AFFC that if she knew where he was she might run to him for protection and dislikes the fact she is stuck with LF.

In the end, after Sansa finishes growing up she might want to be Tyrion's wife but will he want her?

I do believe that after her tutelage under LF that her and Tyrion would make a good couple in that they would compliment each other in serving the realm after the wars. Either has Lord and Lady of Casterly Rock or Tyrion serving as the hand of the Dany.

Both are compassionate and help others. Even though Tyrion does not like Penny and the Exiled Knight he continues to help them, the same with Sansa and the compassion she shows other people.

The other unlikely possibility is that Sansa will lose her head due to Lf's scheming.

EDIT: With Jaime meeting up with Brienne it could be possible at the end of WOW that if Shadrach steals her away that Brienne and Jaime may rescue her and protect her. I wouldn't mind having those two as my protectors

[ARYa_Nym]

If LF reveals Sansa that would just put her in danger unless he has a plan to get her off the hook for Joffrey's murder. His scheming put Cat in danger as well. If Rickon is found and revealed beforehand he might change his plan. Rickon would be the one in danger then.

[littlebird_]

I think Sansa gets some over the top praise from fans precisely because she also gets over the top hate. Therefore, people tend to overcompensate and instead of just defending her, praise to her the skies for qualities she really have (at least not yet).

I don't see her as getting over the top praise but she does get over the top hate and if after a book like ADWD where she has no chapters people still spend time in a thread dedicated to her only to hate it just proves the point.

I am in this thread because I find her story compelling and in the grand scheme of the political maneuvers I do think her position next to LF will be important and I like speculating about that. I have not seen any of her fans say she's going to become the next queen in the sense of Dany or the next Littlefinger and outplay every political player in the Kingdom. If anything I think it might seem like we're overcompensating because people are underestimating her. You don't think she will do anything, I think she will do something and as a consequence that something, however small, seems like it is huge to you.

At this point in their dysfunctional little father/daughter relationship, Sansa has room to maneuver, it doesn't make her a political mastermind but it does give her the information and opportunity. The haters think that it doesn't matter either way. Conceding that she might actually have a role to play in his downfall does not equate her becoming the new Hand of the King though some act like it does and dismiss the possibility completely.

[littlebird_]

That little "plan" of LF's seemed way too bright and sunshiney to have much truth to it, especially given our knowledge (and Petyr's knowledge) of Harry's character, the complicated political scene, and the coming winter. I think he revealed this pseudo-plan as a way to manipulate her, but in what way, we obviously don't know yet.... possibly to get her to do the dirty work of poisoning sweetrobin?

I think he added the part about Winterfell especially thinking it would persuade her since she wants to go home but really I can not see Littlefinger rallying troops when winter is coming. He might want her to marry Harry though but he is in his mind sweetening the deal for Sansa to get her to agree.

[Raksha the Demon]

Sansa has a chance of outmaneuvering Littlefinger - but not a huge chance. A possibility. Littlefinger gives Sansa a lot of leeway and is going out of his way to fit her into his plans and keep her there; she is not just a pawn to him, she is one of his prizes and he won't be as quick to discard her out of expedience. He also confuses her to some extent with the young Catelyn, and so might make a mistake in reading her emotions and predicting her moves. Sansa would have to be very careful, very smart, very patient and very, very lucky to get the better of Littlefinger; but it could happen.

[Fat Walda's Paramour]

Sansa/Gendry OTP!

How crazy would that be considering Robert wanted to marry her to his "son"?

[Raksha the Demon]

Sansa and Gendry would make one handsome couple. Gendry's a diamond in the rough, and Sansa would enjoy polishing him - that is, if he'd want to be polished. I don't know how they'd ever meet, unless Sansa encounters the Brotherhood and her undead mother. Gendry would also need to be revealed as Robert's son, and get some kind of inheritance decent enough to keep Sansa in furs....

[littlebird_]

Sansa has a chance of outmaneuvering Littlefinger - but not a huge chance. A possibility. Littlefinger gives Sansa a lot of leeway and is going out of his way to fit her into his plans and keep her there; she is not just a pawn to him, she is one of his prizes and he won't be as quick to discard her out of expedience. He also confuses her to some extent with the young Catelyn, and so might make a mistake in reading her emotions and predicting her moves. Sansa would have to be very careful, very smart, very patient and very, very lucky to get the better of Littlefinger; but it could happen.

Exactly, she has a chance, a chance that most people will not get and if she does use that chance, a chance that might change the balances in the political map of Westeros. It is an important part of the story. I do think she's going to be the one, in collaboration with the Royce's probably, to bring the Vale on the Northern side. Littlefinger would rather stay out of it.

unless Sansa encounters the Brotherhood and her undead mother

I wonder if any of the kids are going to encounter her, Sansa would be the most likely

[Été]

Sansa and Gendry would make one handsome couple. Gendry's a diamond in the rough, and Sansa would enjoy polishing him - that is, if he'd want to be polished. I don't know how they'd ever meet, unless Sansa encounters the Brotherhood and her undead mother. Gendry would also need to be revealed as Robert's son, and get some kind of inheritance decent enough to keep Sansa in furs....

Nah, Gendry's way too emo about his low birth to view the courtly Sansa with anything but scorn. I think Sansa's outgrowing the fairy tales: someone like Willas or Quentyn would be too sedate for her. She needs a yang to her yin.

[Raksha the Demon]

Nah, Gendry's way too emo about his low birth to view the courtly Sansa with anything but scorn. I think Sansa's outgrowing the fairy tales: someone like Willas or Quentyn would be too sedate for her. She needs a yang to her yin.

A Gendry/Sansa hookup certainly would be a stretch; but the sentimentalist in me would rejoice to see the children of good friends Robert and Ned get together. Of course, the sentimentalist in me really has no business in reading ASoIaF - not much room for sentimentality in this series!

We really don't know how sedate Willas is. The fact that Littlefinger was pretty quick to disparage him to Sansa makes me wonder whether he might be more attractive and interesting to Sansa than Littlefinger lets on...

[Lord Damian]

I do not know how long Gendry will last if Dany knows about him and she still has that current attitude. Sansa may end up staying in the Vale and marrying sweet robin.

[Raksha the Demon]

posted this in the wrong thread...

[Davos' Middle Finger]

My prediction may be somewhat optimistic yes in terms of Sansa forming an elaborate anti- LF conspiracy and getting a grand revenge. Maybe it's just my wishful thinking.

But I do think that she is his biggest weakness, and he has already made one mistake because of her. Kissing her out in the open like he did at the end of ASOS ended up with him having to kill off Lysa early.

She will be key to his downfall.

[Raksha the Demon]

My prediction may be somewhat optimistic yes in terms of Sansa forming an elaborate anti- LF conspiracy and getting a grand revenge. Maybe it's just my wishful thinking.

But I do think that she is his biggest weakness, and he has already made one mistake because of her. Kissing her out in the open like he did at the end of ASOS ended up with him having to kill off Lysa early.

She will be key to his downfall.

Exactly - that was most atypical of Littlefinger, to throw caution to the winds and kiss Sansa right out in the open like that. I think he wasn't thinking; and let himself be carried away, which is very unlike him. He's the one who cautioned Sansa to be Alayne at all times, in case servants walked in on them, and yet he's smooching his supposed daughter out in the open where anyone, including his wife, can notice.

If he can make one mistake due to his powerful emotional/sexual feelings for Sansa, he could make others.