There are plenty of reasons to complain about the Game of Thrones finale, a controversial ending to a massively popular series that had everything from pacing problems to outright character assassination. Long-promised stories fizzled, characters died, seemingly impossible enemies were conquered with almost ridiculous ease, and some of the biggest twists felt unearned.
But the Thrones finale did get one thing right: The triumph of Sansa Stark. Over the course of the show’s eight seasons, Sansa endured everything from gaslighting and manipulation to sexual assault, physical abuse, and emotional torture. She’s held hostage for years by a revolving series of enemies who want to use her for their own ends, and watches her father die in front of her. Yet, her resilience ultimately pays off, and she ends the series as Queen in the North in her own right, vowing to do right by and care for her people rather than force them to kneel out of fear.
Sansa’s ending is both emotionally rich and narratively satisfying, returning a Stark to the family seat in Winterfell, giving the North back its independence, and finally giving one of the series’ most long-suffering characters her due. It’s the closest thing anyone on the show’s canvas gets to a real happy ending. It also apparently wasn’t author George R.R. Martin’s idea.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Martin finally shared some details about the way that the series’ ending differs from the one he’s planned for his books, if and when he ever finishes them.
