Game of Thrones returns on Sunday and I'm already nervous about Sansa. This poor girl has been tortured by Joffrey Baratheon and then forcibly married to Tyrion Lannister, who was in love with another woman and even less into the match. Pray tell, who will Sansa Stark marry next on Game of Thrones ? Now that she's out of King's Landing and officially entering the Game of Thrones as a player with a purpose, I'm looking forward to seeing what Sansa's next alliance will be when the series returns to HBO on Sunday. Now, Sansa has the potential to finally come into her own. I'm just hoping that Season 5 allows it.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we mustn't forget that the eldest Stark daughter is still legally married to Tyrion Lannister, though their marriage was never consummated — do the old and/or new gods allow for annulment in Westeros? Either way, Tyrion is far far away at this point and unable to dissolve their partnership. Therefore, any wedding that Sansa has would have to be under her alias Alayne, bastard daughter of Petyr Baelish. This puts Sansa in a precarious position. As a presumed bastard, she is no longer highborn and is thus able to secure a match with any status. Of course, the feminist in me hates to think that Sansa's whole future depends upon a marriage vow, but Westeros is not the real world.
Still, Game of Thrones showcases such a variety of ways that women can show strength. Sansa has picked up a lot from her friend and confident Margaery Tyrell, and Cersei Lannister, for that matter. She's not going to make the same mistakes that her brother Robb Stark did. Sansa knows now that partnerships can be weapons if wielded correctly. So who could Sansa betroth next? Here are a few theoretical candidates.
Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
For a while, this certainly seemed like this is what Littlefinger was after, right? He was in love with Sansa's mother Catelyn and couldn't stop bringing up how much Sansa resembled Cat. He's like some kind of inside out Severus Snape. Both Margaery and Shae were suspicious of his intentions. He took her out of King's Landing, and kissed her! Those are the signals, right? The kiss may have been a calculated move to get Lysa Arryn out of the way, but the way Petyr Baelish looks at Sansa still makes me a little queasy.
That's why I cheered for joy when Sansa made her big entrance at the end of last season with dyed black hair and a steely expression. By getting rid of her Tully red locks, she's taking away the one physical trait that most connects her to Catelyn Stark. She's drawing a line and maintaining a "strictly business" relationship. The two of them could make a great team, however I don't think she'll be marrying him any time soon.
Ramsay Bolton
The prospect of a Ramsay and Sansa marriage is a Game of Thrones theory popular amongst fans right now. In the A Song of Ice And Fire books, Ramsay Bolton (formerly known as Ramsay Snow) marries a girl who is posing as Arya Stark, but is actually Jeyne Poole, a childhood friend of Sansa's from Winterfell. Could Season 5 transfer this plot to Sansa? I certainly hope not. Sure, Iwan Rheon is easy on the eyes (I'll never forget him on Misfits ), but he's certifiably certifiable and much, much worse than Joffrey. Entertainment Weekly mentioned in their set report that "Ramsay finds a new plaything to torture" this season. Please don't let it be Sansa — we don't want Sansa to end up like Theon/Reek.
However, he's also been given one of the Frey girls to marry. I think the Boltons, who were heavily involved in the massacre at the Red Wedding, would know better than to try to marry Ramsay off to someone else after that promise had been made.
I can see how this match would make political sense. They are of equal social status, sort of. Sansa is posing as a bastard and Ramsay is a legitimized bastard. This would help Sansa Stark to take back Winterfell and avenge the death of her mother and brother, so it's not a terrible plan.
Someone Else Entirely
I would love for Sansa to ended up with someone kind and loyal like Pod. Unfortunately that's not how the game is played. In business terms, the smartest match for Sansa is her cousin, Robin Arryn. He could help her secure her claim to Winterfell and the North. However, he's a bit immature (to put it lightly) and would leave Sansa with a lot of down time while they are engaged.
In the A Song Of Ice And Fire books that HBO's Game of Thrones is based upon, Petyr Baelish is working on marrying Sansa (well, Alayne Stone) to another Northerner. I don't want to reveal too many spoilers, but this was expanded upon in the new Winds of Winter chapter that George R. R. Martin posted online earlier this month.
Tyrion Lannister
Wouldn't it be nice if Sansa decided to stay married to Tyrion instead of all this? While they may have come together under less than ideal circumstances, they really are an excellent match. Both are masters of observation who rely on subtle, cerebral moves rather than brute attacks. It may be several seasons before the two are reunited, but I would love it if they ultimately fell in love for real.
Images: Helen Sloan/HBO (5)
