(Warning, there's gonna be spoilers for the first seven seasons) "Game of Thrones" is a show that has many, many characters. So many that it can be hard for the average viewer to keep track of them all. Some we can't even remember their names, they just get referred to as "that guy who..." I'm pretty sure the only reason I can keep track of all the characters is that I watch Youtube channels that are dedicated to the show, do episode recaps and tell me who all the characters are.
Since there are so many characters "Game of Thrones" has someone that each one of us loves, hates, or feels indifferent about. Some characters are universally loved like Arya and Tyrion. Others I don't think anyone liked. Admit it, we were all cheering when Joffery and Ramsay were finally killed off.
Then there are characters that are either loved or hated by fans. Sansa Stark is such a character, and I want to take the time to show that she doesn't deserve the hate she gets from some fans.
Now if we're just going off season one Sansa, I can understand why she may have rubbed you the wrong way, she annoyed me too. But I think it's important to remember that she was 13. Most 13-year-old girls are shallow and annoying. I think most of us hated our 13-year-old selves. Sansa was also brought up to be a lady. She lived in a world where a woman's value was marrying into a respected family, and marrying into royalty was the highest you could marry in the social structure. So, of course, she's infatuated with Prince Joffery when she meets him.
After her father is executed, Sansa is held hostage in King's Landing and has to play the part of a good little lady that's loyal to Joffrey, otherwise, she'll be killed. Throughout season two she's physically and mentally abused primarily by Joffrey. Then in season three, she's forced to marry Tyrion, a member of the family that murdered hers (still the best husband she could get given the circumstances). Eventually, she does escape King's Landing, only to be forced to marry Ramsay Bolten, a complete evil psychopath, who abused and sexually assaulted her in her own home.
I think after all that Sansa deserves at least some of our sympathy.
Then came season six, where Sansa cemented herself as one of my all-time favorite characters. In season six Sansa reunited with her (supposed) brother Jon and they take back their home Winterfell from Ramsay, and she gets to deliver the killing blow to the guy that raped and tortured her.
In season seven she becomes the Lady of Winterfell and takes care of the North while Jon is (cough) busy with Daenerys trying to form an alliance. Sansa earns the respect of the northern lords so much that a few even question why they named Jon King in the North.
Throughout the season Littlefinger, the most selfish, creepy, manipulative bastard on the show, tried to drive a wedge between Sansa and her sister Arya so much that we were scared Sansa was going to execute Arya. But no, Sansa outsmarted Littlefinger and had him executed instead.
The reason more people should appreciate Sansa is that she's had one of the most fascinating arcs on the show. She went from spoiled brat, to victim, to survivor, to manipulator, to strong advisor, to savvy politician, to the Lady of Winterfell who ran the whole North and is one of the most valuable players in the game. We can learn from Sansa that anyone has the potential to change and grow for the better and that it's possible to overcome any trauma.
Keep in mind that a lot of characters who underestimated Sansa are now dead (I hope Cersei is next). That's something to keep in mind as the series comes to a close. I really hope she makes it. If I had to choose one character to save, it'd be her.
