What was GRRM's reason for the Tyrion and Sansa marriage?

[Audrey Arryn]

Many readers believe the marriage is going to end if that is the case then what was the reason?

Was it to disinherit Sansa, in way of making Robb's will seem sensible?

Or for character development?

Or are they going to stay together?

Any reasons anyone can give?

[Whitering]

Too soon to tell, but it did give Sansa an more certain ally than Dontos. Probably once he started Joff beating on Sansa he couldn't think of any real way to stop him without Tyrion protecting her more fiercely.

It didn't really develop either of their characters, but did give Tyrion something more to angst about.

Are they going to stay together? Likely not.

[MasterJack]

Jon was then able to become the heir of Robb. Destroy completely Sansa Naivety about Charming Prince.

Actually I want them to end up togheter, but never say this aloud here, the Sansa fan will kill you.

[Audrey Arryn]

Jon was then able to become the heir of Robb. Destroy completely Sansa Naivety about Charming Prince.

Actually I want them to end up togheter, but never say this aloud here, the Sansa fan will kill you.

Haha I'm a Sansa fan but I won't kill you, I can only see them ending up together if it is part of GRRM's bittersweet ending

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

I think part of it is for Robb's will

[A Man Has Said]

Several reasons.

-The plot reason was that it gave the Lannisters a claim on the North. They're not just content with ruling the country from the Iron Throne, they also want to have family or supporters in all the seats of Lords Paramount, or as many as they can muster. They also stand in the way of a Sansa wedding to Garlan Tyrell, which would have given that house a claim on the North and created a potential alliance against Casterly Rock.

-The character development reason was that it was just one more way the Lannisters had of abusing and shaming Sansa. Tywin also expects to shame Tyrion by doing this - because he's going to have to spend the rest of his life confronted by his own wife's revulsion at being married to him. Tywin was obviously expecting Tyrion to force himself on Sansa sexually, and when he didn't Tywin ordered him to. Imagine how Sansa would have felt if that had happened.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

I think part of the reason was was show how Tywin wanted Sansa married into the Lannister family so that his family could get it's hands on all the property it could manage. That aspect of it is disgusting, the way Tywin married his family into every area of the realm, I think lots of this was over reaching on his part, if he didn't try to marry half the kingdom to his family, things might not be in such a mess, ie just look at Lancel and Gatehouse Ami.

Another purpose it served, for GRRM I suppose, was a way for Sansa to hold onto that maidenhead of hers. With the idea of Tyrion trying to wait for a day when Sansa might even want him, she held onto it. Once LF tricked and took her, keeping that maidenhead intact is important to LF, IF he should have to try and get her an annulment, etc.

Plus, it does also allow for Robb and the will issue, but I'm thinking GRRM did it for many purposes, not the least of which are the three I picked here, maintaining Sansa's virginity for as long as possible, showing the Lannister greed for getting their paws on every piece of real estate they can, and for Robb's succession problems, too.

[nQthing]

It wasn't GRRM idea it was tywins idea. That's how good writers write

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

It wasn't GRRM idea it was tywins idea. That's how good writers write

Thats a good point but considering its between two houses that are at war and enemies, seems more like a plot point.

GRRM said he knows all the major plot points in the story and he builds the way to get there.

[The Mother of The Others]

The Lannister snake was constricting the Stark family to death every way it could. What were they supposed to do, not take full advantage of the Stark they had in their possession?

[MotherMerciless]

Besides adding to the drama, the shock factor, and adding a very important event to both characters, I'd say it was his way to make Jon Robb's hier. He did it in a way in which the marriage can still be null, which leaves a space for many interesting possibilities.

If coupled with Joff's death, he also did it to move both characters to new places and new situations, which was something they really needed by then.

[The Mother of The Others]

I hope Jon doesn't really get the job, because then the actual Stark dynasty would come to an end and it'd just be Starks in name only from then on, not bloodline. It'd be the logical conclusion for a saga that reads like a chronicle of the end of house Stark, but it'd still be weird to have the Stark name survive in the end..... but not really. You know?

[1234567]

Plot wise: GRRM needed a way of getting Sansa and Tyrion out of KL. If they weren't married and Joff had died and Sansa had disappeared, then the suspision would have fallen on her and Tyrion would have had a clear alibi. By having them married Tyrion had to flee as he says himself, who would believe his child bride would have planned this without his knowing. The trial also built up to Jaime's confession and Tywin's death. It also let Jon be named heir to Winterfell and completely crushed Sansa's dreams and forced her to go with the Dontos escape plan.

Jon was then able to become the heir of Robb. Destroy completely Sansa Naivety about Charming Prince.

Actually I want them to end up togheter, but never say this aloud here, the Sansa fan will kill you.

Nah we won't kill you. I really really hope they don't end up together, but sadly always fear they will.

[bent branch]

A lot of good answers on this thread. It is obvious from these answers that marrying Tyrion and Sansa was the right thing to do storywise.

[bloodsteel bitterraven]

A lot of good answers on this thread. It is obvious from these answers that marrying Tyrion and Sansa was the right thing to do storywise.

Not necessarily. To assess whether it was the right decision or not you would have to examine the alternatives. What if Sansa had married Lancel? Or Willas Tyrell? Would we have avoided Tyrion's adventures in Essos? If so, what happens to Aegon? Does he go to Meereen? A meeting between Dany and Aegon would have been interesting at least.

What about Sansa? Do we avoid all the Littlefinger and Littlerobert creepiness? Perhaps. Would Sansa's story have been more interesting? Who knows.

[Welease Woger]

I hope Jon doesn't really get the job, because then the actual Stark dynasty would come to an end and it'd just be Starks in name only from then on, not bloodline. It'd be the logical conclusion for a saga that reads like a chronicle of the end of house Stark, but it'd still be weird to have the Stark name survive in the end..... but not really. You know?

Jon is half Stark either if he is Eddard's or Lyanna's son. And if the tale of Bael, the Bard, is true, the Starks of today aren't descendents of the kings of winter by a purely male line anyway.

[Ludd]

The Sansa/Tyrion marriage was a logical step by Tywin.

1. He had to stop the Tyrells - a Highgarden Winterfell alliance is too powerful

2. It lets him off the hook re Tyrion

3. It makes sense for the Lannisters

For GRRM

It adds flavour to the arcs of Tyrion and Sansa

It sets up the inevitable Stark on Stark battle Sansa supported by the South and Jon/Rickon by the North

[Fightbringer]

the reasons actually seem to be very numerous

- implicates tyrion further with the plot to kill joffrey, due to Sansa's escape, how joffrey killed her father and also how tyrion disliked joffreys treatment of her

- rules her out the succession to winterfell in robbs mind, causing him to make his will stating jon should be KitN, to early to see if this is relevant.

- creates further tension between tyrion and tywin due to tyrions refusal to bed sansa

- the most important one i can think of is that it rules out, or at least complicates, the two's relationships for a while. Sansa's storyline would be far ahead of the others if he was married off to robin or harry the heir end of aSoS begininng of aFfC time, this way if she gets married it will come exactly when everything else is starting to happen, making it more relevant. Also, it gives tyrion an excuse to say no to penny, though GRRM would have probably found another excuse if they hadnt got married

[Le Cygne]

1. They won't end up together. It's just not there.

2. Why was it written? Conflict (a clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills). Came about at just the right point in the story. Rising action, leading to a climax.

[Mladen]

The point of this marriage is something I want to put my foot on, but somehow constantly eludes me... I believe there are more than one reason for this marriage to actually have happened:

1. "Castamering" Starks. We all know Tywin's MO. With dead Bran and Rockon, presumably dead Arya, RW set in motion, Sansa is the last Stark that needed to be subjugated to Lannister's will. Also, it gives Lannisters claim over North and Riverlands...

2. Jon. I lost a friend arguing this one. Simply, plot-wise, GRRM somehow had to make space for Robb's will to happen and make future possibility for Jon to become KitN... Given that marriage wasn't consummated, Tyrion's previous marriage wasn't properly annulled, the forced nature of it, this marriage could be easily annulled, but for the time being, it did gave Jon some claim over North

3. Sansa understanding politics. Now, here I have to publicly apologize to my friend, brashcandy. We argued about whether marriage is because of Jon or Sansa, and she made this compelling argument about Sansa finally understood her status as heiress of the North, that people look at her and see only her claim. Also, IMO, it was interesting setting for her transformation from pawn to player. Needless to say, brash was right and I was wrong about this one.

It sets up the inevitable Stark on Stark battle Sansa supported by the South and Jon/Rickon by the North

I keep seeing this Stark on Stark idea, and for me it is complete nonsense, but I have to ask it, where in God's name you people find proofs for this "inevitable" battle?

Jon was then able to become the heir of Robb. Destroy completely Sansa Naivety about Charming Prince.

Actually I want them to end up togheter, but never say this aloud here, the Sansa fan will kill you.

Actually I want them to end up togheter, but never say this aloud here, the Sansa fan will kill you.

My dear friend, the reason why Sansa fans are against this idea is because she doesn't want to stay married... As for killing part, I solemnly swear, I am up to no good :)