Dany & Sansa Are Bosses On 'GoT'

Let's be honest, Westeros and Essos haven't exactly had the greatest track record when it comes to treating women well. The ladies of Game of Thrones are often threatened with rape or straight up sexually assaulted on a regular basis. Up until now, it's seemed like women were doomed to get a raw deal forever at the hands of Westerosi men. This season has shocked fans in the best way possible, though. Women are kicking ass in Season 6 and the two ladies who are leading the empowering Game of Thrones revolution are Daenerys and Sansa.

Before this season immensely changed things for women in Westeros, two scenes involving Daenerys and Sansa have been of great frustration for book fans in particular. The first scene being Dany's consensual sex with her husband Khal Drogo in the book is turned into her rape in the show's pilot episode. The second controversial scene involved Sansa being raped on her wedding night by Ramsay Bolton in Season 5, which was a completely made up scene not found in the books.

Don't get me wrong, Season 6 has certainly had it's fair share of rape being threatened against our favorite female characters. I would be hard-pressed to say that it didn't have more threats at only four episodes in than the other seasons. Dany in particular has been threatened in the most foul ways imaginable during her stay at the luxurious Vaes Dothrak. The great Khals are certainly creative and spare no details in their various threats. Dany has heard it all but she has never once backed down or cowered from her tormentors. She all but laughs in their faces because she is a badass and that's how she runs things. Her brilliant response to the Khals in Episode 4 was like a mass catharsis. Seeing an entire community of Dothraki bow at her feet after she legitimately set her abusers on fire was everything viewers needed to know that women are ruling this season on Game Of Thrones.

Dany isn't the only female character that is turning things upside down nowadays. Sansa has completely shifted from a submissive pawn into a seriously formidable boss. If anyone can rival Dany in being the target of unwanted sexual advances and threats, it's Sansa. Ramsay's abuse is enough to make the case but let me remind you that in previous seasons she was also stripped/beaten publicly by order of Joffrey and almost raped by a mob in King's Landing. Now, she has finally escaped Ramsay and reunited with her brother Jon but she still couldn't fully shake the Bolton bastard's horrific threats. In a letter to Jon, Ramsay states exactly what he plans to do to his "bride" once he finds her. He so eloquently says that he will have his soldiers take turns raping Sansa before murdering Jon. Prince Charming, amiright?

But, Sansa isn't just simply handling these threats of abuse, she is standing up and fighting back. Jon was content to leave Winterfell alone but Sansa wants revenge. Watching her convince Jon to start an attack on Ramsay was so satisfying. It's so long overdue to see Sansa be the fiercely strong woman that we all knew was hiding within her.

Sansa and Dany have already led the pack for female characters this season, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Margaery, Cersei, and the rest of the ladies of Westeros wont be far behind. I'm excited to finally watch the women fight back in the rest of Season 6 and beyond.

Images: HBO (3)