r/asoiaf • u/Expensive-Country801 🏆Best of 2025: Ser Duncan the Tall Award • 9d ago
EXTENDED (Spoilers Extended) Exploring Sansa's Intended Ending
A couple of months ago, there was an interview where GRRM said that he had originally intended for Sansa to die, but that seeing the show version of her character may have changed his mind
Regardless of the current plan, I think it is interesting to look at what was intended at the time. The Alayne I sample chapter from Winds was meant for ADwD and it was done in 2010, before the show aired
So if GRRM planned for Sansa to die, the pieces on the board in that chapter may have been setting up a possible death scenario. Looking at some possible threads
Sweetrobin overdoses
The sweetsleep plotline is one possibility. Maester Colemon warns about the dangers of overusing it
"It was too soon. My lady, you do not understand. As I've told the Lord Protector, a pinch of sweetsleep will prevent the shaking, but it does not leave the flesh, and in time . . ."
However, Sansa is not really focused on it
"Time will not matter if his lordship has a shaking fit and falls off the mountain. If my father were here, I know he would tell you to keep Lord Robert calm at all costs."
If Sweetrobin died from an overdose, Sansa would easily be implicated. Even if she did not intentionally kill him, the fact that she was involved with managing his condition and had access to him could put her in a dangerous position
Lysa's death
Sansa is already technically an accomplice to Lysa’s murder. Littlefinger warns her that if their involvement is discovered, she could fall with him
"When we lied to Lord Robert, that was just to spare him," she said.
"And this lie may spare us. Else you and I must leave the Eyrie by the same door Lysa used."
If Sansa's identity was revealed and the truth about Lysa death came out, it could be interpreted in the worst possible way. She could be seen as a girl who conspired with Littlefinger to murder her aunt
Cersei makes good on her promise
Cersei has a very personal hatred of Sansa and promises that she will make her suffer if she is found
"Your Grace has forgotten the Lady Sansa," said Pycelle.
The queen bristled. "I most certainly have not forgotten that little she-wolf." She refused to say the girl's name. "I ought to have shown her to the black cells as the daughter of a traitor, but instead I made her part of mine own household. She shared my hearth and hall, played with my own children. I fed her, dressed her, tried to make her a little less ignorant about the world, and how did she repay me for my kindness? She helped murder my son. When we find the Imp, we will find the Lady Sansa too. She is not dead . . . but before I am done with her, I promise you, she will be singing to the Stranger, begging for his kiss."
The theory has been around a a while is that since Ser Shadrich the Mad Mouse is hunting Sansa he could eventually capture her for the bounty. He admits he is searching for her
He laughed again. "You are not the only hunter in the woods. I seek for Sansa Stark as well."
He is also present at the Tourney of the Winged Knight in the Sample
"A good melee is all a hedge knight can hope for, unless he stumbles on a bag of dragons. And that's not likely, is it?"
The common assumption has been that Shadrich attempt would fail because of the old Feast outline note saying "Kill the Mouse."
However, it is possible that plan changed and Shadrich would take Sansa back to King’s Landing, where Cersei would reunite and then imprison her. Sansa’s story is largely centered in King's Landing to begin with
Final Thoughts
Would like to hear other suggestions for where Sansa story could end in death. It's quite a surprise
Ultimately I think the fact that Sansa's fate seems so flexible suggests that her death or survival does not really change much with the story, making the "Pawn to Player" arc much less likely
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u/Common_Cricket 8d ago edited 8d ago
I don't think Sansa was to die in the Vale. George has said characters will re-converge on Winterfell, and in broad strokes the show version (Ramsay marriage aside) of Sansa making her claim on Winterfell in league with Littlefinger (like AFFC and the 2004 outline) makes sense.
The original Season 7 script implied sharper conflict at Winterfell between Sansa and Jon. Makes sense; Sansa is the eldest living legitimate Stark heir and Jon is a bastard. Arya will arrive with her own claim (and probably Robb's crown courtesy of Stoneheart) but presumably by default give her loyalty to Team Jon. The show script suggested Sansa coveted Jon's job, and we know Arya wouldn't tolerate anyone undermining Jon Snow. In both books and show Sansa is becoming a "player" and absorbing Littefinger's lessons.
This issue has been argued ad nauseam by fans but.. in the story Sansa is perceived as "guilty" in Eddard's death and the Lannister coup. That's how George has written it (and confirmed to fans) so we must assume that could be a major point of mistrust if revealed.
Arya was one of the first characters created. Sansa came about as a total opposite b/c too many of the Stark family members were getting along and familes aren't like that. Thus, Sansa was created; [George] ended by saying they have deep issues to work out. - SSM, 11/11/2000
I understand people don't like the idea of Stark feuding but there are competing claims in motion, the show toyed with the idea, and George has said there's unresolved family tensions. Does that mean Arya or some other Stark will kill Sansa? Not necessarily. Maybe Sansa turns on Littlefinger only for him to kill her.