Sansa Stark had an incredible journey throughout HBO’s hit fantasy drama, Game Of Thrones. Fans first meet Sansa as the eldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Sansa’s dreams of being a queen are scuppered when she becomes a hostage of the Lannisters, though she eventually gets her coveted crown in the show’s controversial series finale.
Sansa is named Queen in the North in the final episode “The Iron Throne.” There are several instances of Sansa earning her crown and proving herself to be a capable queen – but there is counter-evidence that suggests that the North should have remained under the Iron Throne’s domain after all…
Good Queen: Fighting For Northern Independence
Jon Snow is crowned King in the North in Season 6, though reigns briefly before swearing fealty to Daenerys Targaryen. Jon bends the knee to the Dragon Queen after she agrees to help him fight the White Walkers, and disregards the feelings of his people.
Sansa continues to campaign for Northern independence throughout Season 8. New king Bran Stark allows the North to keep their autonomy in the series finale and Sansa becomes the North’s new queen.
Bad Queen: Rejecting Valuable Allies
Sansa pushes for Northern independence in the final season of Game Of Thrones. The Lady of Winterfell is openly hostile to Daenerys and the Targaryen forces, despite them being valuable allies who defend her home during “The Long Night,” and sows dissent in Dany’s council that eventually leads to her death.
Sansa’s suspicions towards Daenerys are proved correct when the Dragon Queen destroys King’s Landing. However, rejecting the help of a valuable ally was a bad move on Sansa’s part that could have backfired.
Good Queen: Being A Better Queen Than Cersei During The Battle Of Blackwater Bay
Sansa initially looks up to Cersei and admires the Lannister queen in Season 1 before the execution of her father, Ned Stark. During Season 2’s “Battle of Blackwater Bay,” Cersei sets a terrible queenly example to Sansa when she gets drunk and insults the women and children hiding from the battle.
Sansa comforts the frightened women and encourages them to sing songs to remain calm. She is a better queen than Cersei in this scene and demonstrates vital compassion that makes her a good ruler.
Bad Queen: Betraying Jon’s Secret
Jon discovers that he is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark in Season 8 of Game Of Thrones. He reveals the news of his true heritage to Sansa and Arya, imploring them to keep his secret. Sansa betrays her cousin, however, and tells Tyrion the truth about Jon’s parentage.
Sansa betrays her promise to Jon to cause dissent in Daenerys’ ranks and almost causes a war between the last two Targaryens. She acts to ensure the North’s independence – and her crown – as well as orchestrating Dany’s downfall.
Good Queen: Allying With The Vale
The Vale is one of the largest kingdoms in Westeros and boasts an impressive army of knights. Sansa, under Littlefinger’s tutelage, allies with the Lords of the Vale and the knights arrive in the nick of time in Season 6’s “Battle of the Bastards” to save the day for House Stark.
One of the most crucial elements of ruling a kingdom involves creating alliances with other powerful figures. This alliance results in the Starks finally taking Winterfell back from the Boltons.
Bad Queen: Not Telling Jon About The Knights Of The Vale
Sansa made a smart move by asking the Knights of the Vale for help during the battle against the Boltons. However, she also made a great error by not telling Jon about their additional army beforehand. Jon faces Ramsay’s forces with his wilding army and they are all nearly killed before Sansa arrives.
Countless people died needlessly, and their deaths could have been avoided if Sansa had told Jon about the Knights and re-organized their battle plans. Sansa’s lack of faith in her adopted half-brother almost ruined their chances of re-taking their family home.
Good Queen: Looking After Winterfell Whilst Jon Journeyed South
Jon reigns from Winterfell briefly in Season 7 before journeying south with Davos Seaworth to treat with Daenerys Targaryen. The King in the North leaves Sansa in charge during his absence, and the Lady of Winterfell flourishes in her new role.
Sansa demonstrates several skills whilst ruling Winterfell in Jon’s absence. She oversees the North’s plight against the upcoming winter and demonstrates numerous queenly qualities.
Bad Queen: Almost Killing Arya
Arya Stark returns home to Winterfell in Season 7 of Game Of Thrones and finally reunites with her sister, Sansa. The two share an embrace but the tension between them is evident. Petyr Baelish capitalizes on this and attempts to turn the Stark sisters against each other.
Sansa later betrays Littlefinger and executes him instead of Arya. However, she almost gave in to Baelish’s manipulations and murdered her sister. A cut scene included Bran telling Sansa about Littlefinger’s intentions, saving their sister from execution.
Good Queen: Turning On Littlefinger
Luckily for Arya, Sansa eventually sees through Littlefinger’s manipulation. In the Season 7 finale “The Dragon and the Wolf,” the Lady of Winterfell appears to be preparing to execute her sister. However, the Starks double-cross an unsuspecting Littlefinger and Sansa instead orders his death.
Littlefinger betrayed Ned Stark in Season 1 and was partially responsible for his demise. Sansa and Arya avenge their father and topple one of the most shrewd political players in the game of thrones.
Bad Queen: Trusting Cersei And The Lannisters
Fans initially meet Sansa as a naive and spoiled young girl in Season 1 of Game Of Thrones, and the character is a far cry from her endgame counterpart. Sansa admires her future mother-in-law Cersei and puts her faith in the Lannisters, which partially leads to Ned Stark’s downfall.
Sansa informs Cersei about Ned’s plans to leave the Capitol, as she wants to remain in King’s Landing with her betrothed, Joffrey. This turns out to be a fatal mistake as Ned is executed and Sansa becomes a hostage of the people she once looked up to.
