Why Sansa Stark's Game of Thrones Ending May Not Happen In The Books

There were very few aspects of Game of Thrones' season 8 that viewers actually approved of, but the best character ending is unlikely to happen in the books. As popular as this HBO TV show became, the conclusion of season 8 is famously divisive. Things simply didn't shake out how anyone expected. It's a common complaint that character development was essentially thrown out the window in Game of Thrones' ending, with only one exception.

The most dramatic yet steady character arc of HBO's Game of Thrones was that of Sansa Stark. She basically started out as a naive brat who dreamed only of marrying a prince and having children, but ended the series as the politically savvy Queen of the North. It's the sort of ending we hoped for both Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, but got only through Sansa instead. Interestingly enough, this most satisfying Game of Thrones story is the least likely to make it to the books.

Sansa's Book Story Is Headed In A Completely Different Direction

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is still two books short of being complete, and fans have been waiting at the edge of their seats for Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring for decades. Though the author supposedly told David Benioff and D.B. Weiss the general idea of the story's ending, we have no idea what aspects of Game of Thrones' conclusion will make it to these final books (or whether we will ever see further installments published). Still, we can surmise some character endings that likely won't happen in the canon story.

Sansa Stark's ending is among these. As great as it would be to see her book counterpark take the Northern throne, the stepping stones that brought her there simply don't exist on the page. In Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books, Sansa is much younger than she was in the show. Moreover, her marriage to Ramsey Bolton—the key arc that brought her back to Winterfell and hardened her for leadership—can't possibly happen, since this cruel character is married to an imposter pretending to be Arya Stark.

The Song of Ice and Fire books currently have Sansa in the Vale of Arryn pretending to be a bastard of Petyr Baelish. Even after Lysa's death, she is timid and obedient, though untrusting of Petyr, considering all she had seen him do. Sansa is certainly developing some political savvy, but there's no question that she is a child. Without any sign of the woman from the Game of Thrones show or further trauma from an abusive husband, Sansa's ending is sure to look very different.

Could Sansa Still Become Queen Of The North In A Dream Of Spring?

Sansa's Game of Thrones ending is so delicious because of the road she took to get there, not just because of the destination. It's made clear that her becoming the powerful and assured Queen of the North was only possible because of all she went through and the lessons she learned. Considering Sansa's age and experience, she is unlikely to become the sole ruler of the North. Still, there's a good chance that Sansa will reclaim Winterfell eventually in some capacity.

In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, the Ghost of High Hill, believed to be an ancient Child of the Forest, makes a prophecy about Sansa. It's said that she will slay "a savage giant in a castle built of snow." This is almost certainly Winterfell, though we can only guess about the giant. Jon has also stated in the books that Winterfell belongs to Sansa, but as a lady rather than a queen. All of this suggests that Winterfell will be Sansa's ultimate destination.

Of course, the prophecy about Sansa might have just been a reference to her actions in the Vale, since she slapped Robin for destroying the Winterfell replica she had built from snow. That might be a rather anticlimactic answer to the Ghost of High Hill's dream, but Martin loves his red-herring prophecies. Sansa may make it back to Winterfell one day, but the stone-cold badass we know and love from Game of Thrones is probably out of the question.