*WARNING: This article contains spoilers.*
Dedicated fans of HBO’s notorious drama Game of Thrones have witnessed the evolution of the noteworthy and recently reunited sister duo: Sansa and Arya. Both members of the Stark bloodline and survivalists in a world indifferent to their well-being, these sisters have managed to accomplish what many of their seasoned allies and enemies failed at: living through all 7 seasons of the show.
However, being a zealous fan myself and never wasting an opportunity to engage in a lengthy discussion regarding the most recent chain of events, it became apparent to me that Arya was a fan favorite, while Sansa hardly received credit nor praise for her multitude of accomplishments. And while many of you harbor your own personal attachments to the vast array of characters that have come and gone in this drama, it is no secret that Arya is more highly revered than her older sister. After all, she is the favorite of Parris McBride, the wife of George R. R. Martin.
If you trace the timeline back to the very beginning of Season 1, you’ll realize that Arya was gifted a head start in the buildup of this favoritism. Audiences watch entranced as she effortlessly lands a bull’s eye with her bow and fearlessly confronts both Cersei and Joffrey in the defense of her friend and her wolf. In our era of The Hunger Games where we again watch riveted as Katniss revolts against Snow’s dictatorship, we can understand why, so quickly out of the gates, Arya becomes an empowering character.
Sansa, on the other hand, displays a distinctly less likable personality. While Arya is the embodiment of gender role rebellion, Sansa is the polar opposite. Viewers note immediately that she prefers to stay inside sewing and is highly intolerant of Arya’s non-exemplary table manners. She is depicted as whiny and even disloyal when she refuses to defend her sister’s testament of what really occurred by the river- the pretend sword fight that soon segwayed into a tense, violent encounter when Joffrey intercepted it. And to top it all off, it was Sansa’s wolf who faced execution as a consequence.
Sansa’s survival strategies, which merit equal praise as those of Arya, are harder to identify. When paralleled with Arya’s accomplishments such as the achievement of faceless assassination and the eradication of the entire Frey house, Sansa appears weak. She’s handed from one psychopath to another and relies first on Littlefinger, and then Theon for her salvation. The atrocities that she has lived through, however, are what categorize her as a memorable survivor. She navigates the political and cutthroat nucleus of the show in King’s Landing, endures a series of sickening rapes by Ramse, and asserts herself as Jon’s savior in not one but two instances: first when she delivers reinforcements at the Battle of the Bastards and then by successfully managing Winterfell after Jon fails to accumulate both dragon glass and an alliance from Daenerys Targaryen.
Sansa asserts her cleverness through more subtle methods as well. She recognizes the political and social power Littlefinger wields, as well as the benefits to be reaped by residing under his protection. Thus, when Lord Baelish murders her aunt, Sansa lies in order to protect herself and does so by presenting an elaborate show of tears and horror. She meets his continual and unsettling professions of love with composure and, after her brutal stay in Winterfell during Ramse’s reign, rejects Brienne’s tempting proposal to have him killed.
Why does Sansa not want Littlefinger killed after all he has forced her to endure? The answer is, she plans ahead. Sansa recognizes that Littlefinger still possesses much-needed resources which she later cashes in at the Battle of the Bastards. It is only after the Starks have reclaimed their home and she has a firm rule of Winterfell that Sansa decides Littlefinger has become more a burden than a benefactor and she disposes of him accordingly. While Arya, focusing her efforts on training for revenge, has taken herself out of the proverbial “Game of Thrones” for so long, Sansa was always playing.
I too, am a major fan of Arya and feel amazed and empowered each time her sharp wit and even sharper combat skills deliver her another victory. She was, and is, to this day, at the top of my list of characters whose survival I am constantly rooting for. After all, what could be more satisfying than her mock fight with Brienne and clever comeback when questioned about the origin of her sword fighting abilities?
All the same, I believe it is important to recognize the grit and resilience that Sansa has displayed during her time in Game of Thrones. In a world where women are utilized through marriage as political pawns, Arya has broken gender roles but Sansa has lived through them, a feat impressive in its own right.
To paraphrase the younger Stark sister, Arya is the executioner but Sansa delivered the sentence. We should admire both of these women for their ability to survive and eventually thrive in an environment that would sooner see them perish.
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!